New Quark AA - battery suggestions & performance ?

[Peakbagger46]

Just ordered a Foursevens Quark Tactical QT2A-X for a new EDC/work light to replace my Fenix LD 22 that Iv'e used every day for the last couple of years. Supposedly the Quark (new model I believe) will put out a max of 336 lumens on 2aa batts!

Any battery suggestions for this light? I've been running rechargeable Energizer nimh AA's in the LD 22. Would these batteries reach the 336 lumens in the Quark? How is the run time likely to be?

 

[reppans]

I'd go with AA Eneloops - they're the best. Check out Selfbuilt's and ti-force's output/runtime graphs of the light using various batteries - they use different lumen scales though (I believe the latter to be more ANSI accurate). 47s still significantly underrates this light, I believe because they do not separately disclose its 3min stepdown, so I think you're really looking at about +10% for the latest XM-L2 emitter, or ~400lms for 3mins and then ~275lms thereafter.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?321913

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...0-4sevens-Quark-X-AA-2-Review&highlight=quark

Also consider getting the optional 1xAA tube and running 14500 Li-ion rechargeables or 3V CRAA Lithium primaries for full power (but less runtime) in a pocket EDC light - that's how I run mine .

 

[Etsu]

There's only one answer to any question that begins with, "What kind of AA or AAA battery should I use in..."

The answer is Eneloop.

 

[oKtosiTe]

I've been running Eneloops in my QP2A-X for the last two years. The other batteries I've used either had trouble from the start or degraded quickly. The Eneloops still test like new.

 

[Peakbagger46]

I'll have to try those Enloops. Right now the only charger we have at home is one of those 15min Energizer deals... I'm guessing that can't be good on the batteries though they seem to hold up OK in the Fenix and everything else we use around the house.

That's interesting the Quark will only hold max brightness for 3min. Not a big deal at all for my uses (light for work and EDC) but it sure was not an advertised feature.

 

[oKtosiTe]

I'll have to try those Enloops. Right now the only charger we have at home is one of those 15min Energizer deals... I'm guessing that can't be good on the batteries though they seem to hold up OK in the Fenix and everything else we use around the house.

That's interesting the Quark will only hold max brightness for 3min. Not a big deal at all for my uses (light for work and EDC) but it sure was not an advertised feature.

Some lights will automatically step down after a few minutes in order not to overheat. If this is not one of the "burst" lights, the stepdown should not be very noticeable unless the batteries are simply unable to deliver the current needed to power the Quark. I had that problem myself with some non-LSD rechargeables before I bought an eight-pack of Eneloop glitters.
And you're right, that charger would probably be hard on Eneloops as well as almost every rechargeable AA cell out there. Around here the LaCrosse BC-700 and Maha MH-C9000 are well-respected. I have a rebranded BC-700 myself and have been very happy with it over the last year and a half.

 

[Etsu]

Some lights will automatically step down after a few minutes in order not to overheat. If this is not one of the "burst" lights, the stepdown should not be very noticeable unless the batteries are simply unable to deliver the current needed to power the Quark. I had that problem myself with some non-LSD rechargeables before I bought an eight-pack of Eneloop glitters.
And you're right, that charger would probably be hard on Eneloops as well as almost every rechargeable AA cell out there. Around here the LaCrosse BC-700 and Maha MH-C9000 are well-respected. I have a rebranded BC-700 myself and have been very happy with it over the last year and a half.

The step-down on the Quark QT2A-X is definitely noticeable. My estimate is it goes from 360 lumens down to 260 lumens. Not a big deal, but it's definitely noticeable. If you want the higher output, just turn it off and on again, and you get another 3 minutes on max. Just be aware that it may get quite warm if you keep doing that.

 

[Yamabushi]

That's interesting the Quark will only hold max brightness for 3min. Not a big deal at all for my uses (light for work and EDC) but it sure was not an advertised feature.

Selfbuilt's review of the QAA-2X (1st gen XM-L advertised as 280 lumen output) shows that output starts at ~400 estimated lumens and drops to ~300 estimated lumens. So even after drop down, output is higher than advertised.

The new QT2A-X (XM-L2) is advertised as 336 lumens output. So if they have maintained the same philosophy of understating the maximum output, output after the drop down is probably above 336 lumens.

EDIT: BTW, that seems to be why 4Sevens runtimes seem to be shorter than expected ... the outputs are higher than specified.

 

[oKtosiTe]

The step-down on the Quark QT2A-X is definitely noticeable. My estimate is it goes from 360 lumens down to 260 lumens. Not a big deal, but it's definitely noticeable. If you want the higher output, just turn it off and on again, and you get another 3 minutes on max. Just be aware that it may get quite warm if you keep doing that.

That's why I wrote that it wasn't "very" noticeable. Probably not as noticeable as the stepdown on the burst models. But I agree that it is noticeable. Just wanted to point out that there could be another explanation.

 

[Jash]

Get a single AA body for it and run a 14500 li-ion for a real pocket rocket.