Light Meter Tests Of Various LED Flashlights

[MR Bulk]

At the request of several nice folks here, and out of personal curiosity as to just how well my modded lights and one factory LED were holding up (LEDs do get dimmer over time, especially overdriven ones, do they not?), I dragged out the LM-631 and tested five lights, taking three separate readings of each. All measurements were taken in lux at a distance of one meter, with fresh batteries:

Lambda Illuminator
203 196 204

Arc-SLS
265 244 269

Ill Pill w/MiniMag
301 275 279

DirectDrive 3AA Legend LS (LGI)
587 539 554

Lambda Hydra XP4 w/4C cells
791 758 798

And there you have it. The meter was clicked into its Peak Hold setting to record the highest reading from each test episode.

 

[hotfoot]

Great benchmark info, MrBulk! Its interesting to note that the SLS is actually brighter than the LI, yet the IllPill trumps the SLS in return. Assuming the batteries are same, would it be safe to assume its simply a matter of the luxeons themselves, or beam pattern? I have one LI from the batch of LIs (just before the lady LI) and it tops my SLS v1.2 (which stomps on my violet-tinted SLS v1.0). That IllPill of yours must then really be something!

Time go meter my own lights now...

 

[MR Bulk]

Ya know, it's really something to see your own lights morph in brightness (in both good and bad ways). My particular LI was always brighter than my Arc, and then I went and stuck lithiums in it for a run time test. After being lulled into near unconsciousness by the lukewarm (literally) heat output of the much larger mass ElektroLumens Blaster, on DirectDrive no less, I simply turned on the LI and went away -- only to return 45 minutes later to a light whose barrel was so hot I could only hold onto it for a few seconds at a time.

Naturally I shut it down immediately but the LI has never been the same since. Sure, it's still nice and bright and consistent and long-lasting and all, just never as bright as before (used to average 275 on this same meter).

But that Ill Pill of mine, musta got a really special one, not only bright but an extremely white beam as well -- nope, never selling that one...

Very recently I also noted that these LGIs I've been putting together also exhibit some decreases -- producing unbelievable brightness that defied explanation right after assembly (most of them out-luxed the 3C Elektrolumens Blasters, for example), they seem to "settle down" and stabilize after continued intermittent usage, typically losing light output of anywhere from 50 to 150 lux. Very interesting phenomena, indeed.

 

[hotfoot]

Whoa - I'm surprised that your LI didn't go into protection mode (ie. flicker). Did it? I stuck new lithiums in a former one of mine (one the earlier ones) and the light flickered often enough such that I removed those batteries after only 15 seconds. That LI survived nicely and has since found a new owner, but I fully understand your grief about losing the intensity on your LI

Glad you at least have *that* IllPill to soothe your pain...

 

[MR Bulk]

Yeah come to think of it, it never did go into the flicker mode.