New Ra Lights products (Part 5)

[streetmaster]

Why can't I find in the manual how to do a battery detect? I didn't think it was something you had to do manually like the NT.

 

[jimmy1970]

Why can't I find in the manual how to do a battery detect? I didn't think it was something you had to do manually like the NT.

It's not, you just have to wait 60 seconds before reinstalling the battery to ensure the battery detect has occured - with a 5 second low output from the emitter when the battery tube is reconnected to show that the 'reset' has occured.

 

[streetmaster]

Thanks

 

[gunga]

On unrelated note, can we get any more real reviews of the warm white version vs the cool (or just in general?). I've seen a couple reviews in the Ra info thread, but a lot of half finished reviews.

What do you guys think of the warm white?

 

[callmaster]

It's not bright enough for me. I'll wait till Henry finds an LED that's at 170 or so before ever ordering.

 

[mwaldron]

On unrelated note, can we get any more real reviews of the warm white version vs the cool (or just in general?). I've seen a couple reviews in the Ra info thread, but a lot of half finished reviews.

What do you guys think of the warm white?

I have Enzo's warm white right now for another night. If you have specific questions I will do my best to answer them. What questions do you have?

I tried to do beamshots last night, but my camera doesn't have adjustments to make them come out reasonably well.

My main comparison unit has been the 140, and pretty much just as expected it's about a step dimmer. I don't think the brightness difference is that big of a deal, but I'm pretty sure I would feel differently if I had a 170 or a 200 as a comparison unit.

 

[cave dave]

On unrelated note, can we get any more real reviews of the warm white version vs the cool (or just in general?). I've seen a couple reviews in the Ra info thread, but a lot of half finished reviews.

What do you guys think of the warm white?

Ok, its taken me a couple months to really decide how I feel about the WW.

And here is my assessment:
I own two Ra Clickys, the 170cn ($230) and the 100ww ($155). If I had to sell one of them to raise funds for lets say a killer deal on Hinderer XM-18 it would be the 100ww + other stuff to make up the difference.

Now this is a bit of an unfair competition since the 170cn is $75 more so you expect it to be better, hence the Sell scenario above. I'd keep the 170cn, even though it would raise more money in a sale.

Reasons:
Efficiency = My particular 170cn is twice as efficient as my 100ww. YMMV.
Brightness = 170cn is noticeably brighter.
Visual acuity = At the same brightness level the WW is better but not by much, indoors or out. The extra brightness of the 170cn trumps color at longer distances.

I do like the tint of the WW. I find it quite pleasing to the eye. Not everybody would feel this way. I think it makes a better low level, preserve night vision light.

Since I actually get to keep both (until I find that killer XM-18 deal), I decided to further separate the two personalities of these lights. I found that an F04 beamshaper pretty much lived on my 100ww, so I decided to make it a bit more permanent and ordered a LDF lens from www.Flashlightlens.com. The LDF lens turns out to have about 1/2 the diffusion of the F04, this results in a very nice balanced beam that still retains some hotspot that merges ultra-smoothly into the spill. It's really good both indoors and out for everything except when you need a thrower. I highly recommend anybody who has a collection of Henry's lights to pick one up and give it a try. (and yes I mean you Mr. Colon Right Parenthesis Greater than man) If you want it to be less permanent you can also get a LDF lens sized to fit into the rubber F04 holder, so you have a choice of diffusion strengths.

Two thumbs up for two great lights!
:twothumbs

 

[mbassoc2003]

Re: I just did it --> 170Cn

While I thought you only need one Clicky in your life, I just ordered a 170Cn with a black titanium bezel... :huh:

I'd written a mail to Henry to ask about some more 200Cn, he replied that they are really that rare that it is impossible to say when the next ones will go on sale. I understood and decided that 170 Lumen should be enough until a new light with 300+ Lumen will be built in two years (I speak of 1xCR123A).

You probably remember (or not) that I ruined the coating of the lens of my 140C, that was the reason to buy a Cn, to reduce the shipping costs 😕 . Well, I was offered a new lens along with my new purchase! :thumbsup:

Unfortunately, I couldn't accept this time, it was my fault and I fear I still won't learn it unless I pay for it.

If everything goes right, a birthday present will wait in our local postal office for me on 22nd june, when I come back from holiday! I hope it'll be a Ra Clicky 170Cn! :devil:

Well, I hope you got one that worked.
My 140 is still with Henry (alonst 6 weeks now, but then I am an international customer) and my 170 is awaiting return for a fault (although no response from Hery on that e-meil).
Henry seems to either be snowed under fixing faulty lights or he has a bulk order on for someone else (maybe the US Govt. decided that they'd buy US instead of NT's new line of oriental products?).
Who knows. Either way, service is mighty slow.

 

[streetmaster]

Re: I just did it --> 170Cn

Well, I hope you got one that worked.
My 140 is still with Henry (alonst 6 weeks now, but then I am an international customer) and my 170 is awaiting return for a fault (although no response from Hery on that e-meil).
Henry seems to either be snowed under fixing faulty lights or he has a bulk order on for someone else (maybe the US Govt. decided that they'd buy US instead of NT's new line of oriental products?).
Who knows. Either way, service is mighty slow.

The only NTs being made overseas are the 3 new models - Storm, Spec Ops, and Classic. The others are supposedly still US made - 120T, 120E, 120M.

 

[mbassoc2003]

Re: I just did it --> 170Cn

The only NTs being made overseas are the 3 new models - Storm, Spec Ops, and Classic. The others are supposedly still US made - 120T, 120E, 120M.

Weren't the EDC range discontinued!? [Remainder of post removed - unnecessary and provocative speculation. - DM51]

 

[Ainsley]

If you want it to be less permanent you can also get a LDF lens sized to fit into the rubber F04 holder, so you have a choice of diffusion strengths.

I have been thinking about doing this for a while now! the F04 diffuses the beam completely and I think I would really like 1/2 the diffusion you mentioned with the LDF lens. Did you order a lens and the LDF sheet and then put together your own LDF lens or was there an option when you ordered to just get a pre-cut LDF lens?

 

[divine]

The warm white version is 100 lumens on burst. So you're back at about 85 lumens for your 1 hour runtime. It's not super bright, but it's nice. It is approximately as bright as and looks about as good as my Novatac modded with a Seoul High CRI.

 

[streetmaster]

Weren't the EDC range discontinued!? [remainder of quote removed - DM51]

This is really the wrong thread to be discussing this. I am just going by the 2009 Catalog NT sent me, and by email responses from NT customer service.

 

[DM51]

This is really the wrong thread to be discussing this

I agree with you. I have deleted most of mbassoc2003's post. Could you edit the quote in yours?

Edit: I have now edited the quote.

 

[Henk_Lu]

Some time ago people complained about a bulge in the rubber boot on the Clicky. Well, I experienced the same, the Clicky could hardly tailstand.

Pressing the switch while twisting it gently slowly together (the part where the o-ring seals the light) has made it a little bit better, but not good yet.

So, I thought a little bit about physics. Air expands when it gets warmer and a flashlight gets warm while you use it or simply because you wear it in your trousers' pocket. So, I just unscrewed the light when it was quite hot and repeated the action I just described. When the light cools down, the air retracts and the bulge is gone while it is flatter while the light is hot.

I don't recommend baking the Clicky though! :laughing:

 

[streetmaster]

Some time ago people complained about a bulge in the rubber boot on the Clicky. Well, I experienced the same, the Clicky could hardly tailstand.

Pressing the switch while twisting it gently slowly together (the part where the o-ring seals the light) has made it a little bit better, but not good yet.

So, I thought a little bit about physics. Air expands when it gets warmer and a flashlight gets warm while you use it or simply because you wear it in your trousers' pocket. So, I just unscrewed the light when it was quite hot and repeated the action I just described. When the light cools down, the air retracts and the bulge is gone while it is flatter while the light is hot.

I don't recommend baking the Clicky though! :laughing:

That's a good idea. But mine always flattens out on it's own after a few hours of replacing the battery. :shrug:

 

[mbassoc2003]

My flat tail cap didn't bulge at all. Suspect it may be related to the fault in it. It wouldn't register clicks at all on any of the lights I fitted it to.

On the issue of tail standing. This is a flashlight purpose that only has a use indoors. It serves no purpose outdoors, and you'd rarely find flat surfaces to stand it on. Now I suppose if you were stranded in the mountains and dug yourself a snowhole you'd have a ceiling to reflect laght off of, but barring that, you'd be best advised to see if a Fenix lantern adapter would fit. Anyone ever try this?

I love the fact that my NT tailstands, but it's just a light I leave around the house. Going out, I EDC my faulty Clicky 170 and it has the raised tailcap which seems to have less issues than the flush tailcaps do. Anyone ever notice that you can feel the contacts through the flush tailcap rubber on the Clicky, but not on the NT? IMO, the tactical boot cap rocks.

 

[jimmy1970]

My flat tail cap didn't bulge at all. Suspect it may be related to the fault in it. It wouldn't register clicks at all on any of the lights I fitted it to.

Have they changed the rubber boot design? My recently acquired 140 Exec has a concave shaped rubber boot and never bulges. It always sits a mm below the lip.

 

[cave dave]

I have been thinking about doing this for a while now! the F04 diffuses the beam completely and I think I would really like 1/2 the diffusion you mentioned with the LDF lens. Did you order a lens and the LDF sheet and then put together your own LDF lens or was there an option when you ordered to just get a pre-cut LDF lens?

Flashlight lens offers an LDF option that is permanently attached to an ultra-clear glass.

If you want to try get a similar but non-permanent effect, use the bathroom window diffusing contact paper described here. I am trying some out and it is very similar to the LDF, about 1/2 the strength of F04.

 

[mbassoc2003]

Have they changed the rubber boot design? My recently acquired 140 Exec has a concave shaped rubber boot and never bulges. It always sits a mm below the lip.

Sounds like mine, and mine never bulged either. But then it didn't work, and from what people say here, it's meant to as the air trapped inside the battery compartment disipates and the seals take effect. It ellegedly then goes down, but I imagine the interior of the light still maintains a level of possitive pressure over the outside air, and that helps. So a bulge would be a good sign.

Deffinately been changes over the old faithful Novatac design. Don't know why. Can you feel the contacts through the rubber skin? On mine you could, but on the NT you can't, and the thicker rubber is most welcome. I really don't want that sort of tactile experience!

My ideal light would be an Ra with a slightly shorter body in titanium with a warm emitter up in the 140-170 range, a thicker flush tailcap and a return to the shape of the second edition NT lens down clip, all with a current Ra deeper curling, and a thick black AlTiN finish and the option to buy with no markings.