New Solarforce 3-mode drop in, first impression

[Tom_123]

The other day I stumbled over a new 3-mode drop in at Solarforce Lights.
This wouldn't be anything to write home about, but at the $20 price range,
where you will normally just get drop ins with either annoying strobe and SOS
or with only 1-mode from the known suspected, this gets quite interesting.

The outside

left my old 5-mode drop in, right the new 3-mode Solarforce drop in.

The drop in comes with an OP reflector, the emitter is perfectly centred.

Measurement

Emitter is a XR-E R2, probably WC binning. (tint is on the colder side)
Voltage range is 0.8V – 4.2V.
The overall output is in the range of other R2 lights.
I compared this drop in to my old 5-mode drop in from unknown origin
that came with my first Solarforce L2 and to the Olight M20 premium.

Please consider that these are relative readings from my integrated sphere,
made with amateur equipment.
In regard to output these lights are in the same range and I doubt that you would see
much differences in a visual comparison.


Runtime

Beamshots

Conclusion

I like this drop in, ok, it's not fully regulated, but it has a nice beam and a really good runtime with all kinds of batteries.
There's no annoying strobe and SOS and to date you won't find anything similar in this price range.

Some additional pictures can be found at the Solarforce thread: (post #558)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=3045056#post3045056

or at my Solarforce album:

http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv76/_Thomas/Solarforce/


regards
Thomas

 

[xenonk]

Judging by the Panasonic CR123a data, it looks like the regulation is on the boost side of the circuit.

Good find, there aren't enough blink-free multimode options out there in this class.

 

[Black Rose]

Good find, there aren't enough blink-free multimode options out there in this class.

I think there are only three companies currently producing 3-mode drop-ins that do not have strobe or SOS: Dereelight, Lumens Factory, and Solarforce.

Tom,

How is the speed of the mode switching?
Is there a slight delay between modes or does it switch right away?

 

[jake25]

BR almost no delay in switching modes, seems normal to me.

I think you were plagued with a few bad apples and assume that the switching speed is forever slow (I've seen you asking the same question a few times)

It's interesting to see that the 5 mode low is lower than the 3 mode Low because from my testing the 5 mode low was almost 2x the 3 mode Low

However the 3 mode low I would guess is about 25 lumens

 

[Black Rose]

BR almost no delay in switching modes, seems normal to me.

That's good to know.

I think you were plagued with a few bad apples and assume that the switching speed is forever slow (I've seen you asking the same question a few times)

Yeah I had 2 with the same driver, one a generic Superbright R2 and the other a red labelled Solarforce LC-1. Both exhibited the same "relaxed" mode changing speed.

Others reported it as well in one of the larger Solarforce threads back in March/April.

 

[csshih]

I've had one of these new dropins for a bit now. I'll have to say it's quite a deal compared to the other dropins currently on the market.
My current qualms are its PWM based regulation.. IMHO, it's a bit slow to me, and the inductor whine. though that may be my sensitive hearing.

Black Rose, I don't see any "slowness" in the new modules... :thumbsup:

oh, and ah yes. it works on 1xAA at a lower output, 2xAA looks roughly the same as liion, though I cant really compare.

 

[Tom_123]

Thanks you for the comments,

Judging by the Panasonic CR123a data, it looks like the regulation is on the boost side of the circuit.

Yep seems that regulation starts at about 3V.

How is the speed of the mode switching?

There's no delay that I could observe visually. (tested with foreward and reverse clicky)
The 5-mode drop in on the other hand has a noticeable delay.

It's interesting to see that the 5 mode low is lower than the 3 mode Low because from my testing the 5 mode low was almost 2x the 3 mode Low
However the 3 mode low I would guess is about 25 lumens

Readings in this range (15-17 lux) are on the edge of measurability for my set up,
hence not very accurate anymore.
So I'd rather say that both drop ins have almost the same output at low.

Further, as I bought the 5-mode drop in with my first L2 from "the other store",
I'm not even sure if it is from solarforce or just a noname from unknown origin.
The lable just say "R2".

regards
Thomas

 

[Meganoggin]

Great review Thomas - looks to be perfect for my L2M that is sitting on a shelf waiting for a module. :thumbsup:

 

[Tom_123]

IMHO, it's a bit slow to me, and the inductor whine

I'd confirm that, but I had to find a real quiet place and press the light
direct to my ear to hear it.
In my age I'll hardly hear something above 15 kHz, so PWM should be
in the 10kHz-15kHz range.
Sorry for the wild guess, still pondering over an inexpensive setup for PWM measurement.

Great review Thomas - looks to be perfect for my L2M that is sitting on a shelf waiting for a module.

Thanks Meganoggin

 

[csshih]

I'd confirm that, but I had to find a real quiet place and press the light
direct to my ear to hear it.
In my age I'll hardly hear something above 15 kHz, so PWM should be
in the 10kHz-15kHz range.

actually.. it's not really a whine, moe like a buzz..

and I'm sorta being a whiney one.. in real use, I'd think the buzz wouldn't be noticeable!
young ears

 

[jake25]

Hmm current regulation.

 

[HKJ]

I just got the new 1 mode drop in and compared to a old solarforce 1 mode drop in, it is much brighter when using one LiIon battery. A measurement makes it 80% brighter, but that was with a LiIon battery around 4.05 volt, i.e. not fully charged.
But I wonder about the low voltage limit, will we soon be see AA battery tubes/lights from Solarforce, that can be used with a P60 drop in?

 

[Black Rose]

But I wonder about the low voltage limit, will we soon be see AA battery tubes/lights from Solarforce, that can be used with a P60 drop in?

Yeah, Jake was teasing us in another thread about a 2xAA battery tube.

 

[hellter]

Yeah, Jake was teasing us in another thread about a 2xAA battery tube.

Got that. It´s the 9p extension. Can handle 3xcr123a or 2xaa. Now thats a really cool cost efficiency.