Lumapower Lumahunter MRV Digital (pictures)

[wojtek_pl]

Hi,

I just got MRV Digital from Batteryjunction.com . Great throw !!

But I found serious design flaw (again)... The tail is too long and switch assembly (which is inside the tail) does not contact battery tube. It's 0,4 mm gap. So it worked only when not screwed down properly - and it arrived like that.
This size is too big:


And this is too small:


That leaves a gap and there is no contact...

And how much brighter MRV Q2 (220 lumens) should be than a Novatac 120 P (120 Lumens) ? Because it is not much brighter. And it's not even getting hot.

Could someone check current draw from 18650 on Max ? It's only 0,56 A... How this turns into declared 1.1 A on the LED ? I don't know. But I suspect that 220 lumens will be achieved only from 2xRCR123 power source. I seriously recommend M65 extender. This will provide both brightness and runtime.

Some beamshots comparison. F2.7, exposure from 1/100 to 1/1600, 1.4 meters from the wall.
Something like this http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1340 on the left, MRV Digital on the right, both powered by 18650:

Novatac 120P (RCR123) on the left and MRV Digital (18650) on the right:

The switch is .. not good. When you hit MRV on the side with your hand (gently) it blinks, even it turns on. Sometimes I click and it does not turn off...
Can I have another switch please, not a forward clicky this time ?

For a $120 flashlight I was expecting more... More light and more quality... The very first M1 I got was very good. Now I'm not very happy...

Oh, and it does not stand on it's tail... And it's definitely not a flashlight for white-wall-hunters... At least with SMO reflector...

 

[MarkIAlbert]

Dziekuje, Wojtek for the review!

I had the same problem, which was easily fixed when I swapped the plate that connected the battery tube to the light engine with the new one Ricky is touting. You might check to see if you have the correct plate (looks like a plastic disk with a gold spring on one side).

 

[DonShock]

I just did a quick check on my first generation MRV:
with one 18650 - 0.65A on high, 0.38A on low
with two CR123 - 0.93A on high, 0.27A on low

And I have 0.51" for both the body and tailcap distances you have indicated, with no problems tail standing.

 

[Steve L]

To get full brightness(~1.1a to LED) you have to use 2 CR123s, 2 RCR123s or 2 18650 with the extender. My non-digital MRVs will tail stand nicely. The forward clickys protrude more than the older reverse clickys do, taking away the ability to tail stand.

 

[wojtek_pl]

I have a new type of that plate - with a spring (but not gold plated ).
I tested with two CR123A and current from batteries was around 1A.

I want reverse clicky ! It will also be better for changing modes...

And probably, I'll buy M65 extender next month...

 

[Zefiryn]

Nice review Wojtek

Have to admit that there's something very wrong with latest Lumapower flashlights, when it comes to performance with 18650 battery. I was a happy owner of new Lumapower M1 T cree Q5, very happy until I compared it it my older M1R rebel,

Rebel version was much brighter with 18650 battery, and Cree Q5 with two freshly charged RCR123 was almost as bright.

M1R 18650 OP 7500lux/1m 650mA
M1R 2xRCR123 8500lux/1m 950mA

M1T 18650 4500lux/1m 550mA
M1T 2xRCR123 7300lux/1m 900mA

Got rid of it and decided to wait until they will find better drivers.

M65 extension tube its a good idea to improve both runtimes and brightness, but it wont make MRV pocket flashlight anylonger. Well, I would't buy Cree thrower if I wanted it to look and weight like Maglite 6D

 

[Patriot]

I don't think it's that there is anything wrong with the MRV and 18650, it's just that it was designed to work best with at least 6.0V.

For whatever reason, they haven't made 18650 specific models like Tiablo and others have done. I truly don't mean to point my finger at anyone at all, I'm just wondering why 18650 enthusiasts would purchase this light. There are many reviews on the MRV already which show that 18650 performance is lack luster. When it's fed RCR123s it does awesome. CPF member StefanFS has beamshots that have the MRV still comparing favorable with some of the most recent "throwers."

The other thing that I wanted to asked is if you've contacted BatteryJunction since discovering issues with the tail cap and flashlight end dimensions? If you received a bum light, send it back and have Matt send you another one. If never heard of BatteryJunction not taking care of their customers.

Good luck

 

[wojtek_pl]

Zefiryn, You are right about extension tube. With it MRV no longer will be a small light.

Patriot36, I'll contact BatteryJunction. I didn't have the time to do it yet...

I'll do some more pictures with CR123A and RCR123 later...

Just remember: this is my personal opinion. It does not mean that this flashlight is bad, it's just bad for me.
I am disappointed, because I sold perfectly good Lumahunter M1 X-RE and MRV Digital does not perform much better with the same battery type... And I need a good thrower that will work on one 18650 and have about 1.5 - 2 hours runtime. Ok, it does not have to work on 18650, but cannot be bigger than 1x18650 flashlight. In this case some runtimes mentioned - 55 minutes with CR123 and 25 minutes with RCR123 - are much too short...

 

[woodrow]

The best thing Lumapower has going for it is Batteryjunction. My MRV SE digital's tailcap would not grab the threads of the body with in 4 times of unscrewing it. Batteryjunction (MattK and Team) quickly took care of my problems and sent me out another light (a Surefire, not another MRV) I am sorry you are having problems with your light, but I am sure Batteryjunction will stand behind what they sell.

As for the MRV... I think you will really like it (once you get your switch issue taken care of) with the 2x18650 extender. Then you should have a really bright long running light. You might want to pick up a OP reflector as well.

 

[Patriot]

As for the MRV... I think you will really like it (once you get your switch issue taken care of)

I also agree

It's really a solid light and it's unfortunate that you ended up getting a goofy one. I guess that just happens sometimes no matter the brand.

I have two of them and was considering a digital myself. My lights have been perfect. I do run one of them on a 18650 and get really long run-time. The other has been modded with Q5WC and is run on two RCRs.

I might just wait and see if Lumapower puts a R2 in the next MRV. Combined with the digital circuitry I think that would make a desirable light.

Best of luck getting your MRV taken care of quickly

 

[wojtek_pl]

All right, all right, don't yell at me.. I'll contact BatteryJunction. Perhaps I'm missing some parts ? A plastic spacer that should be in the taicap ? Dunno...
Anyway, IMHO a reverse clicky would be better for this Digital driver...

 

[Zefiryn]

I don't think it's that there is anything wrong with the MRV and 18650, it's just that it was designed to work best with at least 6.0V.

It is for me, I've been big fun of Lumapower flashlights from very beginning,
got all of them , and they use to work perfect with 18650. now they don't. Any sign if that at lumapower website or in tech data?? No! And this is what I'm complaining at.

 

[selfbuilt]

All right, all right, don't yell at me.. I'll contact BatteryJunction. Perhaps I'm missing some parts ? A plastic spacer that should be in the taicap ?

If the problem is with the tailcap switch retaining ring not making body contact, then it's likely simply a matter of the ring being over-tightened.

Using snap-ring pliers or fine needle-nose pliers (or even a sturdy large pair of tweezers), turn the tailcap switch retaining ring inside the tailcap counter-clockwise 1/4 or a 1/2 turn and see if that resolves your problem. You'll see grooves in the ring where you can insert the pliers. You may need to play with it awhile to get just the right balance.

 

[wojtek_pl]

If the problem is with the tailcap switch retaining ring not making body contact, then it's likely simply a matter of the ring being over-tightened.

Using snap-ring pliers or fine needle-nose pliers (or even a sturdy large pair of tweezers), turn the tailcap switch retaining ring inside the tailcap counter-clockwise 1/4 or a 1/2 turn and see if that resolves your problem. You'll see grooves in the ring where you can insert the pliers. You may need to play with it awhile to get just the right balance.

Well, but the whole switch assembly will be loose... That's not a solution. Actually I put two plastic spacers (0.3 mm each) under the switch rubber cover and it works now. But this is a serious deign flaw, also described here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2031265&postcount=112 and few next posts..

 

[wojtek_pl]

OK. The faulty/wrong is the switch itself.

When you move indicated part sideways the switch is on. You don't have to press it...

And here is the switch inside:

So.. it can be that the big spring is too strong or the small one to weak. Or the design is not thought through.

PS. Good thing it can be put together only in one way...

 

[selfbuilt]

Well, but the whole switch assembly will be loose... That's not a solution. Actually I put two plastic spacers (0.3 mm each) under the switch rubber cover and it works now. But this is a serious deign flaw, also described here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2031265&postcount=112 and few next posts..

Depends on the magnitude of the mismatch - a 1/4 turn won't appreciably increase the "wiggle" of most switches. But if you need a good ~0.6mm, then you are likely to have a problem.

It also looks like you have a switch problem if it activates with lateral motion. A replacement definitely sounds in order.

 

[MattK]

Based upon the pictures it's imposible to make any sort of judement but we've shipped a few hundred of these without a similar problem cropping up so I am inclinded to think that whatever the problem is that it is isolated to this one light.

wojtek_pl - you'll have an email from Jeff, here at BatteryJunction.com, shortly. I'm not exactly clear on what the issue is here but I've instructed him to send you a new tailcap, battery tube and switch - one of these will resolve the issue. In the future the best thing one can do is contact us first - if you'd simply emailed us all of this 5 days ago...

As noted above the light is only driven at full power over 6V so you need 2x CR123A, 2XRCR123A or an extender tube and 2 x 18650 for maximum output.

Thanks all for the kind words of support.

 

[MarkIAlbert]

The best thing Lumapower has going for it is Batteryjunction. My MRV SE digital's tailcap would not grab the threads of the body with in 4 times of unscrewing it. Batteryjunction (MattK and Team) quickly took care of my problems and sent me out another light (a Surefire, not another MRV) I am sorry you are having problems with your light, but I am sure Batteryjunction will stand behind what they sell.

As for the MRV... I think you will really like it (once you get your switch issue taken care of) with the 2x18650 extender. Then you should have a really bright long running light. You might want to pick up a OP reflector as well.

I have the OP and the extender. Great light, but not so pretty anymore. The extender is black, the light is olive drab. That being said, it does what it is supposed to do.

 

[wojtek_pl]

Thanks Matt. Got info from Jeff. Thanks for the support .

From what I see the switch is too sensitive.