Anyone noticed that the runtime specs for the Preon have been reduced? 60lm level has dropped from 2 hours to 1, max from 1hr to .75hr or less, and low from 120hrs to 100hrs. (The spec summary graphic in the description still claims a 120 hour max runtime though.)
The 15lm level remains unchanged at 10hrs.
I just did a 15 lumen runtime test. Given my results, it'd be silly to pretend I'm not disappointed. No one else is reporting any data here, so I'm left wondering if I'm the only one with a lemon. Or is everyone so concerned with ungluing the tailcap that they're not actually using their lights, lol! :laughing: Seriously though, can someone make runtime observations on their own lights so we can see if they're in line with mine at all?
I needed to get a definite sense of runtime because a week of daily use, with known batteries instead of just pre-charged, had only strengthened my efficiency doubts, which I'd noted here:
I used it mostly on low and medium. . . . And I would guess that my mostly momentary uses over a couple days totaled far less than ten hours, so I was surprised when it gave out as soon as it did.
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I did observe something I found odd: The Beta and Preon run at about the same medium output, but the Preon is supposedly more than twice as efficient at this level, and yet it also gets noticeably warmer than the Beta. . . . So I do wonder, how does the P1 generate about the same light and more heat on much less power?
The answer to how it does that is that it doesn't.
I put charged Eneloops, from the same package, used and charged the same number of times, in the Beta and Preon and turned them on at their 15lm settings. As mentioned previously, the Preon actually appears to be slightly lower in output than the Beta, though not by much.
The Beta is specced at a runtime of 4 hours, the Preon at 10 hours.
10 minutes in, the Beta was running at basically room temperature, while the Preon was very warm all the way to its tail.
90 minutes in, I was surprised to look up and find the Beta cruising along, but the Preon flickering in its usual death throes.
98 minutes, Preon stopped flashing and settled into a steady matchstick glow.
I didn't notice when exactly the Preon shut off altogether, but it was stone dead by 110 minutes.
15lm for less time than the original claim for 60lm. Dude, that's... a bummer and a half.
The Beta dropped to a low output around 3hrs and 25 minutes, and at just over 3.5hrs it gave one last sputter and died.
The Beta is more than twice as efficient as the light that's supposed to be more than twice as efficient as it... so the specs are accurate in a funny sort of way, just reversed. :candle:
Based on my observations in use, I expected this Preon wouldn't be nearly as efficient as claimed, so I had an expectation that both lights might only manage about the same three to four hours, but I certainly didn't expect the P1 to be so much less efficient than the very similar Beta. What more can you say about that... 90 minutes at 15 lumens is not ten hours. It's not even half of the more than three hours of the Beta. This is a remarkably inefficient light—or at least my copy is; hasn't anyone made some observations on theirs yet?
So my feelings are mixed at this point. I really like the Preon overall. Form factor, UI, outputs, clip, beam, tint—all excellent. And I can still get some use out of the light as a smaller alternative for brief uses. But part of why I bought this light was because its UI and impressive claimed efficiency would allow it to largely replace my bulkier AA light for my typical uses. The reality of the efficiency shortfall I'm actually getting from it is that it can't entirely do what I bought it to do. It's not just a disappointing efficiency underperformer, it's is-my-light-broken? inefficient. Seriously, hoping other users will give input here, because it seems like my light's broken, even though the spec page changes have already acknowledged that actual efficiency is less than originally claimed.
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Anyone experiencing any issues with the clicky not turning the light on?
I bought one off another member on the sales section, and have experienced on occasion the light not turning on with the clicky.
Does it only hesitate to come on for a moment? I've had it sometimes not register an activation for a fraction of a second after an uncertain push, then come on. I think this might have to do with making dodgy connections in the switch when it's not pushed absolutely straight, maybe combined with the feature that's intended to prevent mode changes when bumped? But I can't come up with a sensible explanation of why I'd think that.
Does this happen with fresh and depleted cells? Mine seems to work consistently on a good battery. Does the problem happen when the button is pressed at a slight angle, rather than straight down? Just throwing out a few ideas.
Also try using your index finger instead of thumb to activate the switch.
I like using it this way, but have found that it makes me more likely to push the switch at an angle, so operation becomes less consistent.
