My CMG Reactor died!

[geepondy]

Honest to goodness! The plot thickens! I was doing an informal test using lithium AA's against an Arc LS. The state of the lithium AA's in both cases was unknown but certain both sets had some mileage on them. Anyhow after a couple of hours of initially more brightenss by the LS, it was taking a quick dive while the CMG was dimming at it's steady rate and at this point was now brigher then the Arc LS. I check back 15 minutes later and there is no light output from the Reactor. I put fresh batteries in to make sure it was dead and then took the same batteries and put them in the LS to make sure they were OK. It's dead.

I am not sure whether I should return the unit to CMG or crack it open for analysis. I work in electronics and am well aware of the smell associating with electronic components smoking but there is no such smell emitting from the Reactor.

Any advice on what I should do? I'm certainly glad to own an Arc LS and hope to add a Lambda illuminator to my collection.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

You've got to be sh*tting me. It's dead already? Didn't you just get it?

You think maybe the lithium batteries killed it? Electronic parts don't always let out their magic smoke when they get toasted. A glass diode usually doesn't become stinky when you blow it up, for example; and most of us have had 5mm Nichia LEDs pop without emitting that "burning vacuum belt" odor.

 

[geepondy]

The CMG instructions say to use lithiums for maximum brightness.

 

[papasan]

that's what you get when you mount a heat machine like the luxeon star into a plastic head. no heat sinking = dead mo-foing LED.

 

[geepondy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by papasan:
that's what you get when you mount a heat machine like the luxeon star into a plastic head. no heat sinking = dead mo-foing LED.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have to add this because I did not state so in my initial Reactor review. The head remained remarkably cool during the testing process. It just got very slightly above room temperature. Even the Arc LS got warmer then that.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Geepondy,I wish you would perform an autopsy on the Reactor,I would love to know what is inside that giant plastic head.But you should probably see what CMG wants to do to make it right.
troy

 

[Darell]

I'm guessing that the "cool head" is probably a bad sign. If the head feels hot, then heat is being dissipated, yes? If the head feels cool, the thick plastic (not known for its heat conductivity) is probably acting like a great insulator, and not passing the heat out to the atmosphere where it won't hurt anybody.

 

[geepondy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Troy Webber:
Geepondy,I wish you would perform an autopsy on the Reactor,I would love to know what is inside that giant plastic head.But you should probably see what CMG wants to do to make it right.
troy<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm sure CMG would replace it as it has a lifetime warranty. I think I'm more inclined to perform an autopsy. I also think I figured out how to link pictures from my personal ISP alloted space so I can hopefully post pictures of an autopsy.

 

[ake]

you can check it out first then can return it back to EMS (if you are willing to drive. Actually you can return to any location with a reciept.) they have a lifetime custommer sactisfaction garrantee.

Ake

 

[geepondy]

Well I examined the light and determined there was no easy way to take it apart without permanently damaging it so I think I'll just return it. Not that the money is a big issue but the $32 plus $1.60 tax will go a long ways toward a Lambda Illuminator should one become available. As far as just exchanging it for another one, I can see no situation where I wouldn't use my Arc LS or Inova X5 instead of this light. I'll now officially conclude my experiment with the CMG Reactor. I will hope my failure is an abnormality. It does bring to light (no pun intended) the simplicity of a non electronic flashlight if you want a light that you absolutely need to depend on it working all the time. Whatever the opinions, kudos for CMG for bring the light to the mass market. Hopefully the MTBF (mean time between failure) will be much higher then what I experienced.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sorry to hear of the failure, and at the same time, thank you for bringing this to light (or no light, as it were). It appears I will not be buying one until I hear more firsthand experiences, hopefully good ones.

 

[e=mc²]

Uh-oh. Guess what. I did a runtime test on mine with alks, duracell ultras, to be precise, and when I awakened, lo and behold, no light. I quickly replaced with another set of brandy new alks, and I KNOW these are good alks and all I got was darkness. Zero photons. I think CMG might have a small problem here if this is going to be a trend. Well, it off to EMS tomorrow to return it. I will probably take my money back as it isn't a great light to begin with.
Sorry for more bad news, but the MTBF rate seems to be increasing in this non-scientific approch to statistical analysis since this is just two samples, but I'd be willing to bet that there WILL be more.

Regards,

Ed

 

[Lux Luthor]

This is really bizarre. If it's a simple direct drive of an LS from 2AA, there's nothing that can really go wrong (other than a contact problem). Now I'm wondering what kind of a step up might be in there.

 

[L.E.D.]

hmmmmm.....a 32.00 flashlight that is as bright as the arc-LS..Good deal right? NOT IF IT'S OPERATING LIFE IS LESS THAN 24 HOURS LOL!!!

 

[TripleDouble]

I hope this is a manufactoring defect rather than a design defect. I can't believe that CMG didn't run this through their testing and find this. Did they turn on the light and say, "hey, I don't feel any heat, underdriven luxeons must not produce any..."

I think a number of people gasped when we found out that the head was plastic, but they could have heatsunk it to the body, couldn't they?