Opalec Newbeam

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This comparison proves to me that for most jobs regulated lights are the right tool for me.

I can understand Mr. Dimbulb's point about using a nonregulated light for a backup for caving, but for every other use I can think of I would much rather have a NewBeam than a LightWave 2000 (and truthfully I really don't do any caving.)

Even for the power outage scenario, I would rather have the NewBeam using 2 batts at a time providing 8 1/2+ hours of bright light than the lightwave using 3 batts providing steadily declining brightness.

I truly believe to each their own, but I really see no contest for me between the NewBeam and the Lightwave, especially since the Lightwave is only brighter for an 1 3/4 hr.

Once again, thanks for the info. Brock. I'm glad you have the equipment, time, and patience to provide us with these tests.

Pat
 
This is very interesting!

Opalec gets the prize for regulation, of course. It's all a tradeoff between battery life, size, and light output.

For fun, I measured the light output of my Arc LE with a battery showing 5 bars on the RS 22-091 battery tester and it was about 18cd while a new battery (7 bars) showed 25+cd. The used battery measured about 1.4V.

So even the Arc LE droops fairly quickly.

We should have someone do a chart on the LE.

Also, we had a chart for the Lambda Illumintor posted today. Mr Ted Bear kindly posted it.

So the Opalec is wonderfully flat, but only 2x the light output of the ARC LE in a much bigger package.

The Lightwave 2000 is certainly doing well in Brock's tests--giving us as much light as a fresh ARc LE after 12 hours and continuing down to a used battery LE after 24 hours.

I'd love to see the Opalec circuitry applied to an LS. That would be quite useful.

In my experience, light output needs to jump 5-10 times to show a really useful difference between lamps. I'm not sure how I'd use the Opalec over the LE even though I marvel at the Opalec's engineering results.

For example: LE to Lambda Illuminator (although the pill is more interesting as the MiniMag is a nicer package to EDC than the Brinkmann) to SF E2e to UKE SL6 to maybe an LSI something (still thinking about that).

Cheers,

Richard
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rlhess:
So the Opalec is wonderfully flat, but only 2x the light output of the ARC LE <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, remember... the Opalec is "only" 2x as bright for the first hour. After 3.5 hours, the Opalec is 3x as bright... and getting better all the way up until battery death. Something to consider!
 
Ready for the answer that we've been waiting for (regarding using the Newbeam in an OldMag)?

Here's the official blurb:

Darell - Thanks for your inquiry on the use of the NewBeam on older
Mini-Maglites(tm). The design goals for the NewBeam were to make a
friendly, useful and reliable conversion for one of the worlds most
popular lights. We wanted the light to "never let you down". We feel
that the output regulation along with the battery indicator helps do
this. We also wanted the NewBeam to exceed the ruggedness of the light
with the original incandescent bulb.
The purpose of the two plastic legs on the NewBeam is to lock the
module in place and prevent in moving forward or twisting the
electrical contacts. It is designed to pass an 8 ft drop to concrete
(although the batteries don't like it). Although the module functions
in the older version, we do not feel that it is as mechanically rugged
(since the legs don't lock well into the older switch assy). Since
extreme reliability was one of the goals, we do not recommend its use
in these lights.
There are places that sell replacement switch assemblys that could
upgrade the older lights to the new switch. Perhaps we should be
refering to that option on our website. The cost and hassle of switch
replacement might not be attractive however.
Again, thanks for your interest in the NewBeam. I hope I have answered
your question. Please let me know if I can help further.
Steve Post

So basically - it works fine in the older lights. Just don't drop it onto concrete from higher than, say, seven feet.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MR.dimbulb-beam:
But...say for a caving back up light...or emergancy light after that storm knocks out the power for several nights...the lightwave would take the lead.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Ya wanna know what would REALLY be best? A dimmable, regulated light. After your big storm, or when all your other lights fail, you can CHOOSE to make the light last damn near forever on a dim setting, or you can have full-on for a reasonably long time if it were needed. That's the answer that I've been trying to pound home forever! If you regulated the thing at a real dim setting (think CMG) you could make two cells last way longer than the three cells in the Lightwave. But you'd still have the option of firing it up full blast at any time. Now you know the light *I* want. The Newbeam is nearing the mark of perfection... just needs one more circuit!
 
do you plan on using a flashlight the whole night in the power outage? I keep some long burning candles and spare batteries around. they work great for temporary lighting as long as you keep a good watch on them. remember the sun still shines even when the power is out
cool.gif
 
Yeah, but the sunshine may not make it through the settling dust of the mushroom cloud...
frown.gif


Mostly I think that *I* want to be in control of how much light is produced and how much battery is consumed. In all of our lights today, the circuit or the batteries make at least one of those decisions for us.
 
Darell let us know when you have found it. If the Eternal Lights were in a more "normal" size and just had full on, then a couple of dimmer levels I would be happy. I like the Pal, except for the shape, I can't just throw it in my pocket, and it doesn't get quite bright enough for my taste.

For me something the size of a 2 C cell Mag, with an infinity level (10mcd), Arc (20mcd), something around 50 mcd and full over 100 mcd, would really do the trick. Also I want it truly regulated. Imagine the infinity on 2 C cells, it would last about 120 hours constant on regulated output.

Then again the light would probably cost over $100, and I wouldn't pay that much
wink.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by darell:
Yeah, but the sunshine may not make it through the settling dust of the mushroom cloud...
frown.gif


Mostly I think that *I* want to be in control of how much light is produced and how much battery is consumed. In all of our lights today, the circuit or the batteries make at least one of those decisions for us.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Darell,
Go buy one of the Coleman 4cell lanterns with the rheostat switch. Then buy a Dorcy CoolBlue LED flashlight. Take the bulb out of the CoolBlue, and install it in the Coleman lantern. You can adjust it down as much as you like, and the batteries will problably last for months.

The only thing is, you do the regulating.
 
The PT Aurora Headlamp has those options 50-20-10 cd.

At 10 cd the run time is supposed to be pretty good. I've never measured it.

Also two flash modes so you can find camp or someone can find you.

Cheers,

Richard
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Empath:
Darell,
Go buy one of the Coleman 4cell lanterns with the rheostat switch.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hmm. Good thought, but not nearly high enough "cool factor" - I need the Minimag "form factor" as well. Real men don't use lanterns.

Yes Brock, I'll send you an email just as soon as the perfect light is created. Don't hold your breath! Like you, I am totally sold on this "completely regulated" business. Opalec has thrown down the gauntlet, and I've just helped to finance their bold offering by ordering up three of their Newbeams. Semi-regulated is nice an all. I mean I love my Arc lights, but if they were *really* regulated (with a dimmer!) then I'd be writing my email to you right now. Give me at least two levels of fully regulated light, and... well, you could just have your way with me.
 
Well, I'm totally sold on these NewBeams! I have three of them installed in three older MiniMags, and they work perfectly, of course. I even dropped my biggest beater light onto the concret garage floor for fun. Held it over my head, so probably got eight feet of out if. No problem.

Finally, a good use for my Minimags. Anybody need a bunch of stock and Nextstar bulbs?
 
About using the Opalec in older mags. I'm thinking that the twisting on off action could be tranmitted down to the module and into the leads, since the pins holes aren't there to keep it from twisting. This could eventually break off the leads.

BTW I put some glow sheeting on the black spacer/pusher. Now when it gets turned on it charges the GITD up real good and then glows all night long, so you can find it easy.
 
About using the Opalec in older mags. I'm thinking that the twisting on off action could be tranmitted down to the module and into the leads, since the pins holes aren't there to keep it from twisting. This could eventually break off the leads.

I would tend to agree it might become an issue over time. Yet another great reason to add the tailcap switch.
 
where do you order the tail cap switch? I heard the ones from bright guy werent that great but it was a while ago.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cave dave:
About using the Opalec in older mags. I'm thinking that the twisting on off action could be tranmitted down to the module and into the leads, since the pins holes aren't there to keep it from twisting. This could eventually break off the leads.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I'm not sure I follow this. The two plastic pins fit into the Mag's holes, and those two pins take the force of the twist. The metal leads don't do anything mechanical - they just pass the juice. Did I miss something obvious?
 
I think what they meant was that in the older mags the support shafts of the modual dont hold tight but the the power leads do. So the twisting action is actually being transfered by those little (and thin) conductors instead of beefy plastic. This might make them break prone.
 
Well, the plastic legs fit the holes damn near perfectly on all my old mags. If they were tighter, it would be hard to shove the thing in, actually. A drop of super glue would fix the problem if there was any looseness.

Thanks for the explanation though It's just that there isn't any play in mine, for some reason.
 
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