N30 First Impressions

[Team Member]

The mailman came with my N30 today!!! Thanks Matt!! :twothumbs

But now I´m waiting for the charger to complete 2 cycles on the battery...
Will probably take a day or two...:shakehead

 

[M@elstrom]

The mailman came with my N30 today!!! Thanks Matt!! :twothumbs

But now I´m waiting for the charger to complete 2 cycles on the battery...
Will probably take a day or two...:shakehead

Ah... you're a more patient man than myself, getting a new toy (like the N30) would be too irresistible, I'd HAVE TO give it a little 'illumination session' before completing the appropriate battery conditioning!

 

[BlueBeam22]

Ah... you're a more patient man than myself, getting a new toy (like the N30) would be too irresistible, I'd HAVE TO give it a little 'illumination session' before completing the appropriate battery conditioning!

LOL, that is exactly what I did! After 10 minutes of charging I tested it and was blown away! At first it will go out after 5 seconds, but then after being charged it works fine.

 

[Team Member]

First impression:

Since I walk to my work everyday I took the N30 with me this morning. This time of the year it´s pretty dark outside at 0600 here in Sweden.

It´s light...no problem holding it for a long walk. The handle is nicely shaped. The 2 switches, one on each side of the handle, is very easy to activate.

Nice beam, a bit blueish at first but it gets better when the light gets warm.

Output...well, hard to say.. With the price in mind I think it´s ok. I´ll see if I can go out tonight and take some beam shots.

 

[Patriot]

Output...well, hard to say.. With the price in mind I think it´s ok. I´ll see if I can go out tonight and take some beam shots.

It sounds like you got spoiled by the PH-40. Hopefully you'll be able to just appreciate the value and handy qualities of the N30.

 

[Illum]

It´s light...no problem holding it for a long walk. The handle is nicely shaped. The 2 switches, one on each side of the handle, is very easy to activate.

yeah...very easy to accidentally activate
I'm inclined to series a key switch with the stock switch so without the key inserted and turned the HID cannot be activated

speaking of PH-40, theres one going for $1400 in BST
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=184647

 

[Patriot]

speaking of PH-40, theres one going for $1400 in BST
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=184647

lol....thanks Illum.....

 

[BlueBeam22]

Tonight there were some SkyTrackers putting spots on the clouds from a few miles away, so it gave me the idea to go get my POB and N30. The clouds tonight were around 1000 yards high.

I left the lights by the garage door and walked out to the end of my driveway to observe. The POB put a small, well defined spot on the clouds passing overhead which was visible from the end of my driveway (30 yards from my garage door to end of driveway). The huge blue beam was visible too.

I then did the same thing with the N30, and unfortunately even standing right next to the beam I couldn't see it touching the clouds at all. I walked away from the beam and the beam itself looked amazing and was nearly as visible as the POB's beam, but it fanned out as it went up and clearly couldn't reach the clouds at all.

When I shined them around my neighborhood the N30 blew away the POB in both light output and spill. For any practical use the N30 is way better than the POB and gives far superior illumination. But for a powerful lightsaber that can hit the clouds nothing beats the POB.:twothumbs It was amazing holding the POB and lighting up the rigid edges of the clouds with it!

Different topic:

I love carrying the N30 on walks because it is so lightweight and is like an aircraft landing light. I very much prefer its broad Polarion-like searchlight beam to the POB's laser beam, and find the N30's beam much more impressive. The N30 put a huge bright spot on a swath of trees over 500 yards away, and lights up large fields MUCH better than any other light I own.
In the short time I have owned it, the N30 has been my most useful and enjoyable light yet.:twothumbs

 

[Flashanator]

bluebeam in regards to your N30 smoking your old 10MCP,

Is the reflector in the 10MCP a deep one like the thor15mcp? Or a shallow one? Like this one here?



I brought this new 10MCP for some parts & noticed alot since the old 10MCP's.

It's reflector is very shallow giving very poor throw, it runs off 2x6v SLA's
And overall is alot cheaper quality then the orig 10MCP. Not that the Orig was good quality to start with.

 

[BlueBeam22]

That yellow one you posted a picture of is the EXACT same light that I had a few months ago, but then it broke. Mine was rated at 15mcp and "Smartbeam" branded. Mine had a 12 volt SLA battery, but it had the exact same body as yours.
My Sharper Image 10mcp was actually brighter than the SmartBeam 15mcp, but I liked the SmartBeam for its perfect round uniform beam and how both witches could be turned on for extra light. Luckily I was able to get another light with the same kind of uniform beam.

My 10mcp has a very deep reflector, and it was much deeper than the Smartbeam's reflector even though the Smartbeam had an 8'' reflector and my 10mcp is 7''. My Sharper Image 10mcp does have a very deep and mirror smooth reflector like the 15mcp Thor.

 

[Flashanator]

ok thanks. :thumbsup:

This 10mcp is really bad for throw, its pointless of having the big reflector while having it so shallow. This brand of light has gone completely backwards. You could get the same throw with a smaller ~5" deep reflector.

These lights are at the point were they are disposable. Go on a camping trip then throw it away, Literally. It's not made to be taken apart either.

little of topic.

back on topic...

it is so lightweight and is like an aircraft landing light

XD
haha, you wish....

Sounds like your having a blast with your N30. :twothumbs

 

[Team Member]

It sounds like you got spoiled by the PH-40. Hopefully you'll be able to just appreciate the value and handy qualities of the N30.

A bit spoiled...yes indeed..

But I do think it´s worth the money. I mean, what else would you get for 200$ that will have the same throw?
I don´t have any other light that even get´s close to the N30 when you compare price and throw.

But in a few hours I will join the PH50 club :thumbsup:

 

[SwatDude]

Newbie here...

I had the 10mcp Spot like the one in the picture above except it was branded "Hummer". I had it out camping one time and then brought it home and it has never lit again. I am looking to upgrade into a spotlight that will actually last. Does anyone know how long the batteries should be good for in the N30?? I have to assume they would be much better than lead acid. What about lithium based?? I live in Phoenix and the heat just kills all kinds of batteries including car batteries. I plan on storing it in AC but at times it could be in my truck which can get to 140 or 150 inside.

Pardon my ignorance and I know the 10mcp promises are totally fudged, but is the N30 going to be significantly brighter than the 10mcp light pictured above??

 

[BlueBeam22]

:welcome: SwatDude!

To answer a few of your questions,

The N30 will be much brighter with more throw than your 10mcp spotlight. It appears almost twice as bright as my 10mcp, and throws noticeably farther.

The N30 uses an NIMH battery pack which can be damaged by heat, so it wouldn't be a good idea to leave it in a hot trunk. Otherwise I highly recommend the N30, as it is a great light for the price.

I once owned what I believe to have been the exact light pictured above, and it was only 1/2 as bright as the N30.

 

[Patriot]

Newbie here...

I had the 10mcp Spot like the one in the picture above except it was branded "Hummer". I had it out camping one time and then brought it home and it has never lit again. I am looking to upgrade into a spotlight that will actually last. Does anyone know how long the batteries should be good for in the N30?? I have to assume they would be much better than lead acid. What about lithium based?? I live in Phoenix and the heat just kills all kinds of batteries including car batteries. I plan on storing it in AC but at times it could be in my truck which can get to 140 or 150 inside.

Pardon my ignorance and I know the 10mcp promises are totally fudged, but is the N30 going to be significantly brighter than the 10mcp light pictured above??

:welcome:


The bulb lumen output of each light is about 1900 for the "10mcp" vs. about 3000+ for the N30.

Like Bluebeam22 stated, the N30 also out throw the "10mcp" even though its reflector is much smaller.

No battery problems here unless you were to leave it in the car for too long during our 6 month summer. :mecry:

The N30 is a survivor and has been the best HID value available since its release.

 

[Flashanator]

Hmmm, not that I think much of the 10MCP which uses a (100w Halogen)

But I thought its closer to 2500-2600 bulb lumens? 1900 sounds too low IMO??

 

[Patriot]

Hmmm, not that I think much of the 10MCP which uses a (100w Halogen)

But I thought its closer to 2500-2600 bulb lumens? 1900 sounds too low IMO??

They're spec'd higher but running on the 12V 7A battery it's a lot less. The 130W produces around 2400 bulb lumens. I'll try to find some info to support that. I'm watching the Chinese Formula One race and posting on the commercials...lol.

 

[Flashanator]

hmmm, you mean speced higher as in 14v+ in cars?

 

[Patriot]

hmmm, you mean speced higher as in 14v+ in cars?

Under load the small SLA sags under the load dropping it below 12V which drops the bulb an out of spec. A battery fresh off the assembly line would hold voltage better, keeping sag to a minimum, but these lights often sit in storage or retail stores for a long time before they're ever sold. A perfect battery is not critical with a 35W HID, but it is with the automotive incan spots.

 

[M@elstrom]

Flashanator, what model is 'that' Arlec light? seems to have the very same shallow reflector as the RT3500 (H3 host 2 x 6v SLA) :thinking: