Inova X1 (3rd Gen) First Impressions

[bondr006]

Well, all I can say is it's about half as bright as my 1 watt RiverRock and I'm really not happy with it. I'm pretty sure it's going back. Maybe I was just expecting too much...:shrug:

 

[MattK]

Makes sense - the RR is a LuX1 running at 1W, this LED is being driven at considerably less current so it's considerably less bright. It's also 1/2 the size running on only 1 battery...

Oh - it's not a Rebel .

 

[bondr006]

Makes sense - the RR is a LuX1 running at 1W, this LED is being driven at considerably less current so it's considerably less bright. It's also 1/2 the size running on only 1 battery...

Oh - it's not a Rebel .

I don't understand. The RiverRock and the X1 are the same size and both run off one AA battery. The RiverRock is only 1 watt and the X1 is supposed to be 2 watts but is only half as bright as the RiverRock. Am I missing something, or am I as my avatar says...Just Unenlightened? Did I maybe just get a dud X1?

 

[martytoo]

Rob,

I noticed a 3 watt Element pictured in your imageshack photos. Is the River Rock brighter than the Element? Do you ever feel that the Element is overheating?

Thanks.

 

[MattK]

Oh sorry - there is also a RR 1W 2x AA - I just assumed that's what you had.

Watts are basically meaningless. Wattage is a measure of power consumption and not output and the word has become marketing, not engineering to the point where it is utterly meaningless. The X1 might have an LED capacble of 2W but I assure you it's not running at anything like 2W. Again, my guess is that it's .5W.

The X1 isn't made to be the brightest, never has been. It's always been a fairly long running ultra high quality secondary light. If you're looking for 1x AA and BRIGHT buy a LumaPower or a Fenix.

 

[bondr006]

Rob,

I noticed a 3 watt Element pictured in your imageshack photos. Is the River Rock brighter than the Element? Do you ever feel that the Element is overheating?

Thanks.

Actually the Element is about twice as bright as the RiverRock. The Element is 3 watt light rated at 80 lumens, whereas the RiverRock is only 42 lumens. The Element also runs on 3 AAA's, and no, I have never noticed it overheating.

 

[lumenal]

From the looks of it - barely twice as bright with EIGHTY % less RUNTIME.

What gives, Inova???

 

[D@rk Messenger]

They were better off using an underdriven cree...that LED is just...

 

[skalomax]

Now I feel pretty stupid buying two of the New X1's.



At least they're brighter than the 5mm RIGHT?? :candle:

 

[Gunner12]

It uses one of these LEDs.

I haven't seen the new X1s yet.

 

[skalomax]

Why wouldn't they use XR-E Cree's, Seoul P4's, Or AT least Luxeon I's?


Inova really needs to get into CPF.

 

[:)>]

Skalomax,

You are not alone. I bought 2 of them last night from Matt. I will wait to make up my own mind on these.

-Goatee

 

[GarageBoy]

Is it no longer the long burning, dim-ish LED anymore?

 

[OLD_BJC]

LXCL-PWT1 Specifications

Lumens : 26 lm
Max Continous Current: 350 mA
Forward Voltage: 3.4 Vf
Rated Lifetime: 2000 hrs
3.4 Volts X .35 Amp = 1.19 Watt:huh2:

This dosen't round up to a 2 Watt LED!

Also, what about this cr@ppy LED lifetime?:hairpull:

 

[Burgess]

to Gunner12 --


Great detective work determining that LED type.

 

[Kilovolt]

Anybody knows if the use of an L91 lithium primary does improve the brightness ?

 

[LightScene]

How about a 14500 to juice it up?

 

[bondr006]

LXCL-PWT1 Specifications

Lumens : 26 lm
Max Continous Current: 350 mA
Forward Voltage: 3.4 Vf
Rated Lifetime: 2000 hrs
3.4 Volts X .35 Amp = 1.19 Watt:huh2:

This dosen't round up to a 2 Watt LED!

Also, what about this cr@ppy LED lifetime?:hairpull:

Yep. Real crappy LED lifetime, short battery life, and a real dim beam. Definately going back. I think I will get one of the new T1's. They are rated at 85 lumens and only a half inch longer and a quarter inch wider.

 

[MattK]

Good job Gunner - Close enuff.

IIRC it's actually the LXCL-PWT3. The unit can be pulsed at up to 1A so they could have called it anything from a .7W- to a 4W. IMHO the lifespan is a non-issue; firstly I understand that the lifespan is based at much higher current levels than what it's being driven at. Also, the X1 has a lifetime warranty so if you ever actually used the LED enough to have a loss of output they'd replace it. Remember even if you assume the worst lifespan of 2000 hrs (to 70% output) and use 2 hours as the runtime that means you've run 1000 batteries through it so you've gotten your $16-20 worth out of this product.

"Why wouldn't they use XR-E Cree's, Seoul P4's, Or AT least Luxeon I's?"
Because those are expensive emitters and this is an inexpensive light. Cree & SSC emitters still cost like $5-6 by the 10's of thousands. The Luxeon was like $2.50 last time I checked. Also, those emitter packages are really too big for the X1.

The new X1 is clearly far brighter than the old model but it does give up runtime in the process. The fit finish is simply impeccable, the warranty is awesome and for most consumers this will meet/exceed their expectations and I expect this X1 to be even more succesful than the previous versions.

 

[Delta]

I'm glad I didn't jump on this one yet. I had real high hopes for the new X1, and this is thoroughly disapointing. I can't understand why a company would put out a product that is SOOO ridiculously below current market standards?? Especially when you consider that they are putting the reputation they built up at risk?

I think someone on the BOD at Inova is worried a little too much about the bottom line.