Peak Beta testing results...

[Greta]

Originally posted by Robocop on 6-21-07, HERE.

I have just received the new prototype from Peak designed for law enforcement and military use. I will have to post pics and beamshots later as I have not had time yet to fully compare it to any well known lights however will say it is a stunner and should compete very well.

Thus far the light performed very well on duty for the first night. I will say the single most impressive feature thus far is the sidespill....it is truly incredible. This is the only light I have that uses the Seoul P4's however I am very impressed with this emitter. I do not know if it is the emiter or the reflector that is responsible for the sidespill however it is impressive.

At first glance I thought the large adjustment knob would be a negative point however it is actually very practical. After reading past posts wishing for the knob to be flush with the finned head I now think this would not be a good idea. I was able to adjust the brightness with one finger even with leather gloves on and the levels of adjustment would be harder I believe with a smaller flush knob.

The brightness on full power (using standard 3 volt 123 cells) created a blinding effect when trying to search a vehicle interior. I used it on full power upon approach and the spot and spill did clearly light up the entire vehicle and all 3 persons inside. I left it on full power after we had all persons exit the vehicle and it was too bright to search the interior without the blinding reflection.....a quick adjustment with the knob and a lower setting was used and did nicely for the interior search.

The tint is also impressive and just like I like it personally with a cool and crisp look to it. I was suprised to find the hotspot so large and round especially with the 3 reflector set up however it is round and very well centered.

Just a few quick points on the lights first night on duty......I plan to do some comparison shots later and hallway beamshots using various battery set ups. I will save any long term comments and reliability conclusions until I can further test the light in a duty capacity.....thus far first impressions are very impressive for a duty light. I will try to include photos after I have time to set everything up later tonight.

 

[Greta]

Copied Replies:

greg_in_canada06-21-2007 11:08 PM
Re: Peak Beta testing results...

Thanks Robocop.

Were you the guy who said he preferred incandescents for shining through tinted windows on vehicles? If so has this light changed your opinion?

Cheers - Greg

Robocop06-21-2007 11:19 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I have noticed no real difference on either style beam for window tint as neither one works very well. On truly dark limo tint the best option is not to approach without back up at all.

I do prefer an incandescent for a main light however that is my personal opinion. In a hazy environment or for best color rendition incandescent is better however these new Seoul emitters do have a very nice tint and so far do very well as a main light. As far as brute output goes this light could be a main duty light and for many consumers output is all that matters....as I said the other benefits or even negatives will have to wait until I can test further.

I have not changed my mind as of yet on incan VS luxeon however the tint on this light is very well balanced for my tastes and may sway me a little. I will say I was able to clearly see all details on my traffic stop earlier tonight. The stop was made under an overpass with no street lighting at all and the ambient light was very little. It was about as dark as I will ever get on a traffic stop and it did very well. I am most curious to see how well this light performs on large building searches while using a grip holding my handgun with the light. I suspect it will do very well as the sidespill should cover a huge area....more to come after I have more time and thanks for reading.

greg_in_canada06-21-2007 11:22 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Cool. Thanks for the info.

Greg

PhantomPhoton06-22-2007 04:21 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Thanks for the initial impressions. I will look forward to more updates as you have time to do them. Pictures are always nice as well .
Stay safe out there!

Archangel06-22-2007 06:41 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

(grin) And just think - it wasn't even running at the full 9watts.

AFAustin06-22-2007 06:50 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Thanks for the early report. Sounds very promising.

Grubbster06-22-2007 07:24 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I should be getting mine today. Sounds like it will be a great light!

Robocop06-23-2007 01:43 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Just to post a few quick photos to show the general size of the light I have it compared to my duty light (Raider 9D) and an all time favorite workhorse the pelican PM6....




Now for two very quick beamshots just to show the difference between the lowest power supply in the form of 2 Rayovac Hybrids below


And now running 2 of the protected 123 Li-Ion cells.....at full power the spot is huge and the spill even larger. It did light up the entire room and the plant is about 15 feet from the light....I would say the hot spot is about 3 feet wide......using rechargeable Li-Ion is the way to go for ultimate lighting from this light.

Robocop06-23-2007 02:01 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I will be working on testing the light on duty using the various forms of power supplies. I am also trying to get a few hallway beamshots also using the different power levels.

My first impression is that these Seoul emitters are tinted nicely and have incredible output when driven hard. The throw is also very nice and will reach out almost as far as my Wolf-Eyes Raider incandescent.

I have used the light on R123 cells for about 1 minute constant and it does get warm. The fins seem to be a huge help with the heat and actually look much better than I thought they would.

My beta testing has just began as I have only used the light for one shift at work due to my off days being Friday and Saturday....testing will resume Sunday night on duty.

I really like the unbreakable lens as my Wolf-Eyes has went through many bezels in a short time. The only negative thus far is the way to carry the light on duty. I am sure Peak will have a holster available however it does not fit my current holster. I very much like the lanyard point of attachment towards the front heavy end of the light as it allows for a quick flip of the wrist to swing the light back into a proper grip for a field stop.

The body of the light is very well thought out as well and the rear section fits perfect for use with a handgun and forward facing grip while maintaining control of your weapon.

Just a few quick points as longer term testing is in order however again to sum it up this baby is very bright and even more versatile due to the clever design allowing so many power options. I have no idea as to camera settings or other ways to show the spill at full power however maybe others can do that......you really have to see it in person to understand.

I will not baby this light on duty and like I said I have already broken a few Wolf-Eyes bezels so we shall see how this light does in longer term testing.

lowatts06-23-2007 07:48 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Thanks for the update Robocop. Looks like a nice light, hope Peak will offer a kick off discount....though I really shouldn't be spending this kind of cash on one light since for me it's just a hobby not for my job.

Rob18706-24-2007 03:16 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I appreciate that it is a test unit but is 'enforcement' spelt 'enfocement' on the side?

Grubbster06-24-2007 04:13 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob187 (Post 2037122)
I appreciate that it is a test unit but is 'enforcement' spelt 'enfocement' on the side?

It is spelled correctly on mine.

Robocop06-25-2007 01:31 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

The light was used on a high risk entry tonight where the building was a 3 room dwelling. This is where the side spill does its magic as I was able to clearly check for any sideline threats while holding the spot on the main hallway. Thus far my sample has yet to fail me and the tail switch is even doing fine. I was worried at first as it seems to be a standard Kroll switch that is prone to failure but again no problems so far.

My friend Owen came over tonight with his Surefire M3 sporting the LumensFactory EO-M3 lamp assembly....well you guessed it the new Peak actually seemed better as far as output goes and just as nice on the throw.

I very much like the un-breakeable lens and mine has been dropped a few times from waist high without any damage. I have broken several of my Raider bezels from this same distance and this is kind of a sore spot for me so I am happy with the added confidence in the Peak lens.

I am now working on general rough usage and long term effects of night shift patrol work. Thus far in buildings this light does very well and I am curious to see how ambient lighting effect the beam quality in a city environment at night......I am still very impressed with the Seoul emitters and their neutral tint. Does anyone elses samples show the same quality of tint?

Norm06-25-2007 02:54 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robocop (Post 2037453)
I have broken several of my Raider bezels

Have you broken bezels?; or just lenses?
Norm

Robocop06-25-2007 10:56 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Norm I have broken several of the actual lens however the bezel and lens are mostly one section and there is no way to simply replace the lens without buying an entire bezel.....so in a way yes the entire bezel had to be purchased.

nerdgineer06-25-2007 01:52 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I hope the switch under that rubber tail cap is better than the old Krolls. The tailcap looks like the one on the old Arcs which used Krolls, and I definitely had issues with those...

Norm06-25-2007 02:01 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Robocop you raider bezels must be different from the one I have, there is a retaining ring inside the bezel and the lens can be replaced by unscrewing the retaining ring.
Norm

Theatre Booth Guy06-25-2007 08:36 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Nice set of descriptions and congratulations to Peak! Looks like they have been much busier working than I had guessed

Grubbster06-26-2007 03:03 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

A few quick observations about this light.
When using battery combinations that are >6 volts (two RCR123s or two 14500s), the lowest setting on the selector knob will give a real nice low level light. With battery combinations that are 6 volts and less, the lowest setting will not light up.
So far, I really like this light. It is designed to be modular so parts can be replaced without buying a new light, including the light engine. The range of batteries that will fit is fantastic.
I filed a groove perpendicular to the center line of the light so I will know what level it is set at. Here is a picture with the knob set at the lowest level. The knob travels about 320 degrees from off to full power.

cy06-26-2007 05:33 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

robo.... nice review! nothing like a real life workout...

Robocop06-26-2007 11:14 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I really do like the modular design of this light and thus far see not much I would change about it. Tonight we had some wet weather and it functioned very nicely in the rain with no problems.

I did try to use it for one night on the lowest power batteries it will take in the form of 2 of the AA rechargeable Hybrid cells (1.3V each) It was bright for such low power cells however not really bright enough for something I would search a building with. It did fine on directing traffic at a wreck scene and also for searching vehicle interiors for drugs but again I would switch to higher power batteries for anything more.

I did notice after about 30 minutes on the hybrid 1.2V cells the light began to flicker slowly. After about 5 minutes of this it became more rapid and I believe this is some form of warning that the cells are almost done. I read in the manual that it has a 2V cut off built in to the light so maybe before it does it flickers as a warning. Mine did not shut off however I stopped using it when it started to flicker.

I am now wondering if this light will drain 2 unprotected rechargeable 123 cells down too much by over discharging them. I know nothing of batteries however have read many times that running unprotected Li/Ion cells down is bad for them. I am using both protected and un-protected versions in mine however have not yet tried to run them until the light shuts off.

If the light has a 2V cut off would this be way too low for 2 of the unprotected 123 cells? I do not know what is a safe voltage to go down to on unprotected batteries.

I have been playing with several different holsters lately as well and thus far no matter what ones I use it is very easy to activate the light when sitting down due to the Kroll switch being so sensative. I did speak with Robyn who allowed me to speak to her engineer who advised a switch protector was in the works. Thus far an old baton holder with an open end has worked the best as a holster.

Tonight I had the chance to try the light out in a foggy humid environment due to the rainy weather. We had rain tonight for the first time in months and as a result the inner city seemed very steamy and muggy after the cooling rain. While still a fan of incandescent lights in this type environment I did find this light to be acceptable and better than any other luxeon I have found. I compared it to my back up TW4 while trying to spot addresses from the patrol car and the TW4 did not have the color rendition nor the ability to pick out fine details as much as this Peak light. I also compared it to my Raider while checking a parking lot for a car theft suspect and the spill of the Peak actually seemed to do just as well as my Raider.

I am going to test the light next at my firing range just to see how well it does while using a firearm. The greates distance we shoot from there is 50 yards for 12 rounds while the rest of the course is 25 yards and in. I am curious to see just how nice this light will do from the 50 yard line and will keep you all posted as to the results.

So far I like the product and am slowly gaining confidence in it as well.

lowatts06-27-2007 09:07 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robocop (Post 2038196)
I am now wondering if this light will drain 2 unprotected rechargeable 123 cells down too much by over discharging them. I know nothing of batteries however have read many times that running unprotected Li/Ion cells down is bad for them. I am using both protected and un-protected versions in mine however have not yet tried to run them until the light shuts off.

If the light has a 2V cut off would this be way too low for 2 of the unprotected 123 cells? I do not know what is a safe voltage to go down to on unprotected batteries.

I don't know the minimum save voltage for the Li-Ion batteries, but I know 2V is way too low! I think it might be 2.7v per battery (twice that for 2 bats in series) but not sure, maybe someone can verify this. I've heard 80% of the rated voltage is a save minimum. Here're some info I found but don't have time now to go through it to find the save minimum:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone.htm

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-5B.htm

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-21.htm

Robocop06-28-2007 11:40 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I pasted and copied the recent e-mail sent to Peak however thought it would also serve as a quick update here as well. Thus far the light has yet to fail me and it has been through some pretty tough nights......see below

Hi Robyn,

My test light is performing well and I will say that in spite of my doubts on a luxeon based light for patrol this one is suprising me thus far. I do think the Seoul emitters are a good choice as their tint seems to be much better than other luxeons.

The finish is holding up well and the unbreakable lens is also a feature that all of my co-workers approve of. The light was used on several high risk entries and was more than enough light to illuminate an entire room. I also had the chance to test the light in a rainy environment and it did show to be water resistant and held up nicely.

The side spill is hands down the best feature of this light as it clearly will light up an entire vehicle and it is this that most officers will need the most. I like the blend of throw and sidespill and the hotspot is nice and big past 25 feet or so.

The only negatives I see thus far is the tailswitch has no lockout feature and has activated several times very easily. I have yet to find a way to carry the light in any holster that did not allow the tailcap to be activated almost every time I sat down with it on my duty belt. Maybe adding some form of a tailcap cover would be a plus for this light.

The second negative I see is depending on the type of batteries used for higher power applications. Many officers carry standard un-protected cells in the Li/Ion form. Most of these are the rechargeable 123 versions as well as the 18650 cells. It is said that discharging the Li/Ion cells down past a certain level is bad for the cells and I noticed that this light has a cut off voltage of 2 volts. If using either 2 of the 123 cells or even one of the very popular 18650 un-protected cells this will be way too low for these cells to discharge to. I do see the light flickers at a certain voltage way before cutting off however I do not know at what voltage the flicker begins.

Maybe adding a feature that would not allow un-protected cells to be pulled down too low or maybe some kind of warning as to low voltage.....however maybe the flickering of this light is indeed doing this to warn the user to swap cells however I am not sure as to the voltage of the flickering.......can you ask your tech. guy if he knows the voltage the light begins to flicker at?

I have dropped the light several times while running or climbing and it never failed me so ruggedness seems to be doing well also. I did notice after a few drops the reflectors became off center a little however this was only something you would notice if being picky....it did not have an affect on the output but did distort the beam slightly. It was an easy fix as I removed the lens and aligned the reflectors and tightened the lens down again.

I very much like the modability of the design however again this is something that most cops or military would never use. Many I know never change their lights and have no idea of all the newer advances for lights.

I have had several co-workers ask to use the light and all have returned it with positive comments. Many have also asked if it came with any type of weapon mount or pressure switch attatchment for a patrol rifle and I told them I was unsure if this would be a future option.

Longer term testing is in the works and I will keep you informed as to the results. Thank you again for your time and it was nice to speak with you on the phone last week.....I forgot the tech. guys name however he was very helpful as well and thank him for me if you will.

Robocop06-29-2007 08:35 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Ok as this light was designed for duty or first responders I think it is best to keep the comparison between this light and my current duty light in the Raider 9D. The first photo is my Raider at about 30 feet to the interior room focused on the small table.

Raider


Now the Peak using 2 R123 cells


Now the Peak using 2 of the 1.3V hybrid cells



The sidespill is amazing and I have tried to show it as best I can here but again it has to be seen in person to truly appreciate it.


BrightIdeaOSU06-29-2007 08:54 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

-Very- impressive, on 2.6 volts it beats the incandescent with 9 like it's an ugly stepchild. Can't wait to get my mits on it; when can I buy it?

Robocop06-29-2007 11:25 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Well honestly it is pretty bright on 2.6 volts however my camera is crap and my settings I also do not know how to adjust. There is a greater difference in person than in the pics but it is very impressive on lower power cells.

I really think it is the tint that makes it appear so bright plus the great sidespill put out the front. My 9Volt Raider is about equally as bright with a little more throw however no way does it compete with the sidespill. I have been using both on duty and the Raider will light up an entire room with a good size spot and spill but the Peak does it just as well in a cooler tint.

The Peaks hot spot reminds me of a larger version of say a good 5 watt emitter such as the KL4 with better throw,tint and spill. If you look at the pics the lights were all the same distance but the raider has a tighter spot and a little less spill. The Peak seems to have a larger equally bright spot with much better spill. It will throw that huge spot pretty well and for most duty applications should do just fine.

As far as the purchase date available I have no idea......myself and a few others are testing out these samples to give a little feedback to the maker who may keep this model or even may make changes before production continues.

greg_in_canada07-03-2007 09:19 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Any reviews from other beta testers?

Thanks - Greg

Robocop07-03-2007 10:46 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I was wondering about the others as well......Oddly enough I have sent Peak several of my findings and have heard nothing yet by way of e-mail.

I very much enjoy this light and thank Peak for allowing me to sample it however I can not seem to reach them at all by e-mail nor by PM here. I did speak to Robyn by phone and advised I would be sending all of my findings to her by e-mail.

It does not worry me much as I am the one who benefits by being a tester however I do want Peak to feel as if I am trying to do my part as a tester and have been sending comments with no reply. I hope they read this to know I have sent several mails with no reply just in case they are not receiving them somehow.

The light is working perfectly thus far and survived several nights in some very bad weather. I dropped it last night while searching a buildling and it fell from about 15 feet to a concrete floor. The reflectors were knocked a little out of line but they were easy to fix after loosening the head and re-adjusting them.....bottom line is the light still worked fine and never shut off after the drop.

greg_in_canada07-04-2007 10:43 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

15 feet. Wow!

I am sure they are listening and are just busy.

Take care - Greg

Robocop07-05-2007 02:27 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Yes it was dropped from about 15 feet as I tried to remove it from a makeshift holster so I did not have the lanyard wrapped around my wrist at first and it was able to fall.

The mod friendly design is a good feature of this light I believe however on my prototype sample the reflectors are held in place by simple friction of the lens being screwed down and pushing down on top of the reflectors. There are small brass collars on the bottom of each reflector to center the Luxeon however if dropped hard enough the reflectors can move slightly causing minor distortions or even a tint variation to the beam in certain areas.

This is not a problem as the reflectors can only move a small degree if the bezel and lens are tightened properly. I am considering taking a few of my old NX-05 optics and swapping 3 of them for the reflectors just to see how it would look. I am not sure if it will even fit however I have a few optics that have the very outer lip filed down and it looks like 3 may fit this head.....just curious as to how these Seoul emitters would behave behind an optic.

cy08-22-2007 09:11 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

robo, looks like you're giving the new peak light a real workout!

BentHeadTX08-24-2007 04:28 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Robo,
Peak has changed the reflectors for the SSC LEDs, the new ones don't require the gold spacer. (I took mine apart and uhhhhh lost one of the spacers ) The "drop on the concrete" testing is going well with a few character marks and attempts at breaking the variable knob just adding more marks.
Once the new SSC V-bin LEDs roll, the upgrade is only $55 so I am saving my pennies. I'll order another LED board ($15) and attempt three Cree XRE R bins and Fraen FRC faceted reflectors. The Fraens snap on the aluminum ring of the Crees and I want to see how things change.
The modder in me wants to see what three R5 bin Crees do at 800mA each feeding off two 18500 li-ions. Three R5 bins will still hit around 300 lumens at the LEDs even when running the 3 x AA body giving 2.5 watts.

greenLED08-24-2007 05:35 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I've said this here and there a couple of times, but *I* think it's worth repeating (even if nobody's listening). :nana:

Is there a chance Peak will "pretty up" their lights? Yes, yes, functionality vs. looks... yada-yada-yada. Please make them nicer looking, that's all I'm saying.

Robocop08-31-2007 03:53 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

Cy this light has not been babied at all and honestly has suprised me on several nights. Several times I have dropped it and cringed thinking surely it would malfunction however it has yet to fail me. I have to say I am most suprised with the switch as it has not yet failed either.....the Krolls were once crap I thought however thus far not one failure in the reliability of the switch.

Miguel I agree with the "looks" however when this light came to me I thought the big knob and front lanyard attatchment looked a little odd. After months of use I know appreciate all the ugly parts of the light better as it is geared more towards actual usage than cosmetics. It all fits together nicely and oddly enough now seems to look better as far as appearance goes.

My long term testing has shown the lens to have the most wear. At first this annoyed me however again after actual usage I grew to appreciate the lens material. While it scratches more easily I never have to worry about dropping it and suffering a broken lens. The best part is that it is easily replaceable and Peak offers the lens and o-ring seperate. I can imagine any person owning one could very easily swap the lens for a glass one if it could be found in the correct size. On a side note my main duty light has suffered 2 broken lenses during the time I have had the Peak so again the lens is a sore spot for me anyway.

I am still more comfortable with my incandescent as a main light however the Peak has suprised me with the output none the less. Many times I have used the Peak for large area searches as well as building searches. It performed very well and thus far the only downfall with the Seoul light source has been in areas with a good amount of ambient light. My incan seemed to do better under street lights or in a neighborhood with yard lights however in dark buildings I could swear this Peak puts out more spill than my Raider with a wider hot spot as well.

cy09-02-2007 11:02 PMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

very impressive first outing! like greenie stated, not the most pretty out there, but function first. why not have both function and good looks?

Robocop09-04-2007 01:15 AMRe: Peak Beta testing results...

I just received a few of the extra body options for this light and have to say that I am even more impressed with the many carry options available.

For years I have said simple is better and as far as Peaks new 2-123 cell shorty pack goes it does not get any better. This body allows for the use of 2 R123 cells (9 volts) or primary 123 cells (6 volts). What impressed me the most is the tail cap switch. It is a screw in metal plunger without fancy springs or circuits and simply works with every depression of the button. Simple and effective just the way a light should be for duty use.

Also included were two sections that screw together to allow the usage of 3-AA batteries. I added one extra section,also included, to make a much thinner yet longer light that allows a 4-AA set up. This makes the light a little hard to carry due to the added length however output and runtime is greatly improved.

Now as far as looks are concerned.....with the new shorty 2-123 body this light feels nicer to hold and actually looks very nice. The larger finned head and shorter body do very well together and have actually grown on me very much.....I just really like this tail switch design and have switched to this body for future testing.

I had an instruction manual included and just noticed that Peak offers an extended heatsink addition for this light. I am not sure as to how this works however the light is very easy to take apart. I do not have the heat sink option however feel sure it would be easy to add and the extra protection from heat is always a good thing. I also have just received a new screw down bezel attatchment that seems to be made of some type of polymer. The slick part about this attatchment is that it allows a traffic wand to simply snap on to the light. Very slick set up and for night shift work directing traffic would come in very handy.

I received a few extra lenses as well and replaced the one I had been testing with. It did show scratches and wear however really did not cause a problem in actual usage. I have really become a big supporter of an unbreakable lens after carrying this light. I am not really sure of how much better light transmission is to be had from a glass lens however after suffering several breaks to my main duty light glass lens I am beginning to not care to a little loss of brightness. As a matter of fact I have even changed the glass lens on my main light to the polymer type lens that Peak uses on this light.

Future testing of these new body options will be coming shortly however for now this light keeps getting better. I will say that Peak has put much research into this light and for their first outing into the duty carry market have made a very decent product.

Thanks for reading my results and I will keep you posted as to future testing.