Interesting new Dorcy light at Sears!

[mikekoz]

I was hopping around town here in Raleigh , NC today, actually looking for an elusive River Rock 2C Nightfire light at Target (3 stores...no luck!:mecry when my wife and I had to go into Sears for a few things. Like always, I head into the hardware dept to the flashlights. Lately, brick and mortar stores have had very little new and very little of that was interesting. Then I noticed about 4 lights I had never seen before. The one that caught my eye most was a Dorcy that stated 220 lumens and a Cree XRE LED. The light is rechargeable and comes with both AC and DC chargers. The light looks a lot like the Romisen RC-T5 with a large head and rather long body. Unlike the Romisen, however, the Dorcy uses a 4.8v NiCad battery. It claims 2 hours of runtime on the package. Sears sells it for $49.99. I tried it out briefly this eve when it got dark and I was very impressed! It had more throw than my Rayovac 2C Cree! More flood also!
Has anybody else out there seen this light? Right now, the only thing I can say negative about the light is it uses a 700Mah Nicad battery. An 18650 actually fits in it but they are only 3.6 volt and it would take a little inventiveness to get it to work!

Mike

 

[RyanA]

Got pictures of the battery?

 

[Monocrom]

..... and the light.

 

[mikekoz]

OK. This is my first time using Imageshack, but here it goes!

 

[climberkid]

let us know more about it as time goes on. that looks great! haha and its a dorcy

 

[cave dave]

It's probably using 4ea 2/3A size batteries. (same physical dimensions as CR123). 700mAh Capacity is dismal, an AAA eneloop is smaller has more capacity and doesn't self drain.

At 4.8v the light could be using a buck circuit. An 18650 peaks at 4.2 V, it should work just fine. You will need to make a spacer for it. **EDIT** It could be using a resistor. If the light dims with 18650 or in use it is a resistor design.

For retail lights I think the coleman cree Xre 115lm 3xAAA at walmart is a more appealing light at $25. With the dough saved you could buy some eneloops. At the $50 pricepoint I would just get a 2AA Fenix. Way more capacity in a much smaller package.

I don't care for specialty battery packs. When they run out of charge you have to wait several hours before you can use it again. When the batteries die you have to toss the whole light.

Hope the light has some throw to mitigate its shortcomings. If not at least it will be good to whack people.

 

[big beam]

I thought it would be a matter of time when someone would put there name on a romisen light and resell it.Romisen has such good build quality and price.After all marketing guys are not that dumb,they can buy this light for say 20 bucks and sell it for 50.AND OF RANT.
DON

 

[swxb12]

I wonder if how flat the output runs

 

[Gunner12]

That's interesting. Looks like a good thrower too. I won't be too surprised if it got over 10000 Lux at 1 meter. It reminds me of the WF-600 for some reason.

I think now that LEDs are capable of much more output the incans of that size(while producing a similar beam), more companies are moving to LEDs.

 

[mikekoz]

So far after experimenting with it for a few days, I like this light. It is brighter than my Rayovac 2C Cree, and it is brighter than the infamous Lowes 2C Taskforce that is discussed on this forum. It has a smooth reflector and is one heck of a thrower, but has more spill than both the ROV or TF. From a physical point of view, it appears to be very well made. The handle has a very good grip, or knurling, and it has a very solid feel. It kind of reminds me of a poor mans Wolf Eyes. I am not into modding, but the LED is easily accessed by unscrewing the head. It looks like it is held onto the end of the light by two screws. I will post a photo later if anyone is interested.

I have also been experimenting with batteries. I put in a 17650 and created a makeshift spacer, and it works, but the light is dimmer. I was going to stick 2 CR123 primaries into it, but this would pump 6v into the light and the original battery puts out 4.8. The 17650 was only 4.1v so I was not too concerned about it. I was trying to find out exactly what Cree was in this thing. The packaging says Cree XRE. The circuitboard where the LED is mounted is labelled ST3000X and ROHS. Any advice would be appreciated!

Mike

 

[PeteBroccolo]

What is the model # - 41-?

 

[half-watt]

I wonder if how flat the output runs

ought to be pretty flat as that is one of the characteristics of NiCd chemistry. they suddenly drop off a cliff near the end of charge however. they can also supply a lot of current.

both of these characteristics is why they still are popular in some battery powered hand tools.

 

[shelbytwpk9]

What is the model # - 41-?

41-4299

It is described on the dorcy.com website under new products. I just Paid $90 for a Jet-III w/ batt's. Kinda gettin a little buyers remorse. A quick pickup from Sears or 2+ weeks from Ch1na.

/noob

 

[mikekoz]

ought to be pretty flat as that is one of the characteristics of NiCd chemistry. they suddenly drop off a cliff near the end of charge however. they can also supply a lot of current.

both of these characteristics is why they still are popular in some battery powered hand tools.

I did not know that! makes me feel better about the battery being a nicad!! Thanks!!

Mike

 

[nodoubt]

anybody seen this new dorcy yet??

http://www.dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=414299 just bought one at sears....looks like a decent light for 50 bucks....ill let you know when i get it charged.....

 

[BMF]

Re: anybody seen this new dorcy yet??

http://www.dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=414299 just bought one at sears....looks like a decent light for 50 bucks....ill let you know when i get it charged.....

Yes, there is a thread about it already.

 

[nodoubt]

tx......

 

[mikekoz]

Just want to give an update about this light. I took it with me to my inlaws over the weekend. They live out in the country where I can really test lights and not have to worry about bothering anybody. I compared it to the Rayovac 3C Cree and the Taskforce 2C Cree. It blew both of them off the map. I took some beamshots and I hope they come out OK.

Dorcy:

Rayovac:

TF:

These are not great photos :sick2: but I hope they get the point across. I have another set that I may post later (Imageshack is slow). Let me know what all of you think!

Mike

 

[TDKKP]

Just want to give an update about this light. I took it with me to my inlaws over the weekend. They live out in the country where I can really test lights and not have to worry about bothering anybody. I compared it to the Rayovac 3C Cree and the Taskforce 2C Cree. It blew both of them off the map. I took some beamshots and I hope they come out OK.

Dorcy:

Rayovac:

TF:

These are not great photos :sick2: but I hope they get the point across. I have another set that I may post later (Imageshack is slow). Let me know what all of you think!

Mike

Do you have any 18650 to try with TF? Members have posted it's 25% brighter with 18650, including me, so TF might be up there with your new Dorcy.

 

[mikekoz]

Do you have any 18650 to try with TF? Members have posted it's 25% brighter with 18650, including me, so TF might be up there with your new Dorcy.

I have been wanting to do that with mine, but do not really know the best way to go about it. I am guessing you just roll the battery up in something and make some sort of spacer so it makes contact with the spring on the cap. For this comparison, I wanted all three lights to be just as they are when you take them out of the box, so to speak. I know some folks have taken the TF and replaced the battery, LED/Emitter, optic, and more power to them for doing so :thumbsup:, but then what you have is not a Taskforce light, but one of your own invention. I have been thinking about getting a second one of these Dorcy's to play around with. I have been curious as to if it would run without going on 6 volts, or 2 CR123's!

Mike