MagCharger WA01160 vs Tigerlight

[js]

Phaserburn,

The TL has a MUCH tighter focus than the P61, which makes the white wall test of dubious value. On the white wall test, my fully charged TL is brighter than the P61, but it doesn't seem anywhere near more than TWICE as bright. It definitely throws farther and better, but with 275 lumens in a tight focus, I figure it should do much better than mine is doing. I could certainly be way off base on this.

 

[js]

A HA!!!!

I was right! My TL LA definitely is defective or damaged. The filament doesn't look right, and the area underneath it is definitely blackened. Also, it has gotten dimmer. Today when I turned it on, straight off the charger, it was only just as bright as my P61 HOLA. I hope that changing the LA will bring my TL to FULL tigerbrightness. I mean, if I was impressed with it when it was only 50-75%, I'm sure I'll love it at full brightness.

One thing I'm worried about: what if this problem was caused by a defective battery somehow. The only problem I can think of would be an OVER voltage. A dead or dying battery should not damage a LA, although there is some question in my mind about minimum temperature to have re-deposition of tungsten on the filament. So, I don't suppose an over voltage is very likely, or even possible. I'll e-mail TL to see what they think. Not being the original purchaser, I don't get the warrantee, but I would like to know what a fully charged battery should read for open circuit voltage, and voltage under load, at both full and near depleted charge. Does anyone know?

 

[jtivat]

One thing to remember is that these beam pics where taken at the same exposure and your eye is more like an auto iris only much better. There is not a camera made with an iris anywhere near that of the human eye. The P91 appears much brighter to my eyes.

 

[Phaserburn]

js, I'd like to assist if possible in getting your TL up and running. I don't sell shoddy merchandise, and will stand behind our deal. I will pm you. When I had it, it blew away my Magcharger with stock "new" bulb in light produced. I apologize for the inconvenience this is causing.

The battery is 6 NiMH cells and 7.2V nominal. TL might even be using 6AA in series, not a custom pack, but I'm not sure. If they are, then they should behave similarly. Fully charged the TL should produce close to 7.5 to 8V while not under load, I'd think.

 

[Ginseng]

Over voltage will blow your filament without much other apparent damage. In fact, I've melted one of the thick support wires while leaving the entire filament intact! Halogen bulbs typically require 250C or 480F at the glass capsule to reverse deposition back onto the filament. Many short on-off cycles would leave tungsten on the capsule, turning it darker, at the extreme almost silvery. If you are running the bulb at more than 15%-20% underdrive (say the pack only supplies 5V) for any extended length of time, not only would the torch appear to get dimmer with time but you would see discoloration on the glass. What exactly do you mean when you say the filament "doesn't look right"?

I think someone recently measured the fully charged voltage at over 6.5V. You might check for such a thread in the Battery forum.

Wilkey

 

[FlashlightOCD]

js, jtivat,

Maybe you have a bad bulb from your description, but another possibility is a bad battery pack. I got one from TL that was definitely defective, it was no brighter than a stock Mag 4D. I called TL and they sent me a battery pack and all was well again.

Check the voltage right after it comes off from the charger.

Quote from Michael Teig: "Normally, when we pull them right off the charger, they will show up to 8.4 volts."

7.5 volts should be the minimum when freshly charged [Mine was reading 6.6 volts].

 

[js]

Thanks everyone,

Phaserburn, I PMed you. Short of it: don't think twice about it. I got a good deal in any event.

Ginseng, the blackened area is NOT on the glass and is not that characteristic silvery black, but is a charred black and is at the very base where the wires come up through. Also, the filament is lower at one wire, than at the other. Also, I never ran the light anywhere near a full hour. 40 minutes at most, if I recall.

I'll check the voltage right off the charger and report back. I hope it's not the battery.

 

[js]

The voltage 2 hours off the charger was 8.35 volts, so that seems perfect. I just ordered two LA's and an o-ring from TigerLight. I expect that will put my TL right.

 

[stew]

I'm new to this forum, and I was wondering where I can get one the these wa01160 bulbs.

 

[Ginseng]

Unfortunately, they can only typically be obtained in one of two ways:

1. Purchase a $100 minimum order direct from WelchAllyn
2. participate in a group buy

Wilkey