Run-Time Plot - CMG Reactor

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Roy

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This runtime plot is for a CMG Reactor with a LS Led. At the end eight hours, it was still putting out enough light to see your feet with.

Equipment used is a photocell and a Radio Shack 22-805 multimeter with a PC interface that is using ScopeView software (V 1.08).

The vertial axis is in MA and the horizontal axis is in 30 minutes per division.

Be aware that your actual battery mileage may vary from that indicated by this runtime plot.

Runtime Plot using 2 Everactive Alkaline batteries
react-a.jpg


ADDED:09-29-02

Runtime Plot Using 2 Lithiun Batteries
react-li.jpg
 
Roy,

I just want to say a quick thanks for sharing your runtime graphs with us. Not having the equipment to do it myself, I really appreciate having your information to look at.

Thanks,
Pat
 
this looks like one of the more efficient lights using lithium batteries. According to brightnorms review stays brighter longer than the x5 and opalec. I have my reactor with improved switch on the way from brightguy.
 
Those lithium's sure make a difference, thanks for the info.
 
Hey Roy!

I have to ask - are you sure about that lithium plot? If that's correct, (and correct me if I'm wrong - I don't know how the light sensor detects the output) the Reactor on alkalines reaches 50% of it's starting output after 1 1/2 hours. On Lithiums it reaches 50% of it's starting output after 20 hours.
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That means even if the Lithium batteries cost 10 times as much, you are still getting your money's worth and then some.

BTW, you are one "hoopy frood" who knows where his towel is! (obscure HHGTTG reference)
 
Originally posted by Quickbeam:
Hey Roy!

I have to ask - are you sure about that lithium plot? If that's correct, (and correct me if I'm wrong - I don't know how the light sensor detects the output) the Reactor on alkalines reaches 50% of it's starting output after 1 1/2 hours. On Lithiums it reaches 50% of it's starting output after 20 hours.
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That means even if the Lithium batteries cost 10 times as much, you are still getting your money's worth and then some.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Actually, those plots look absolutely correct for a Luxeon driven directly from a two cell flashlight. As you drain an alkaline battery, it's voltage falls quickly at first, then the voltage falloff rate tapers off to nearly linear. Two alkalines might start out at 3.1-3.15 volts, and quickly fall to 2.75-2.8V. From there the voltage continues constantly creeping down. Fresh, they produce barely enough voltage to effectively drive a Luxeon. If you took them out when the Reactor's light was no longer useful - they would still have a good amount of energy in them that the Reactor couldn't use. I bet you could take those AA's out of the reactor, and use them in a CMG infinity (which has a voltage boost circuit) for another 20 hours - as they still have a lot of usable capacity, though their voltage is depressed.

Two Lithium AA cells start at 3.2-3.4V, and under current drain fall to 3.0V - BUT they stay at 2.9-3.0V until they are nearly dead. At this point the voltage begins creeping down. By the time the Reactor's light is no longer useful - you've extracted most of the energy from the Lithium cells - you got your money's worth.

The Reactor would be a more useful light with a switch mode boost circuit driving the Luxeon - like the ARC LS, and all the famous maglight Luxeon "pill" conversions. (I'm a homebrew switch mode boost circuit hacker).
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