Scorpion Heat Issue

[Bravo25]

I was doing some testing on one of my SL Scorpions, and after 10 minutes of constant run it is almost to hot to handle. I realize that these were not really meant for extended operation. So the questions is...Does anyone know of something this size, with this output, without the heat?

 

[Kiessling]

no. heat is always a problem in handheld lights since the effectiveness of our devices is poor, thus waste heat will occur.
you have the option of either using a bigger light with the same output or a light at aq similar size with less output.
LEDs do have the same problem. the modern high-binned Luxeons should have a better efficiency than the high power incans but do not radiate the heat as IR radiation out the bezel but have to bleed it away through the body of the light, making the problem even worse. think L4 here...
bernhard

 

[JasonC8301]

The heat should not be a problem to the light, I have run my Scorpion through 2 sets of batteries with constant on doing a run time test between Kodak Max 123's and Daily Power 123's.

Heat will always be a problem, like Kiessling stated above.

My E2e and Tigerlight heats up even more so than my Scorpion.

 

[js]

Bravo25,

Heat and its dissipation are important concerns for me. I do not own a SL scorpion, but I know that the body has a plastic sleeve over it, right? The problem here might be that the sleeve is an insulator and so the heat gets built up in the head. That raises the question of exactly where the light was too hot to hold? The body? The head?

At any rate, I have run three sets of batteries through my SF D2 with the P61 HOLA--i.e. for 1 hour straight!--and while it got hot, at no point was it "too hot to hold." Not at the head, not at the tail, and not anywhere in between. Actually my Arc LS gets just as hot, if not hotter. And the P61 is BRIGHT! When I quick changed the batteries I can tell you they were hot and had delivered some serious current. But they were not too hot to hold in my hand. I have a pyrex C2 bezel on my D2, which I bought precisely because I was worried about melting the lexan lens on the bezel that came with it, but I very much doubt that I actually needed the pyrex because the body itself is a good conductor and dissipator of heat. Now, a nitrolon G2 or G2Z with the P61, run continuously, would NEED a pyrex lens, from all acounts. The G2Z has this, the G2 does not.

I'm surprised that the SL scorpion got too hot, but in any event, one of the SureFire 2x123 lights, such as a 6P, C2, M2, or G2Z would give you the same size, same or better light, and could be run continuously.

 

[Kiessling]

js, I think you need the pyrex because of the heat (=IR radiation) in the beam of light that travels through the lens and not because of the body gets warm
my Goncz M3's lens melted in the middle of the lens, not at the edges.
bernhard

 

[brightnorm]

A non-metallic body will give you greater sustained comfort in terms of "holdability" as opposed to thermal management. The Surefire G2 with its durable Nitrolon body is a good light for sustained use and also provides superior cold weather handling. You might want to test run it to make sure the plastic lens is up to the task. As js suggests you might need a pyrex lens, but test it first. I routinely run my G2 with a G2Z bexel which has a pyrex lens.

Brightnorm

 

[Catapult]

js, the SL Scorpion body is rubber shrouded aluminum. It should be more comfortable to hold after extended use than some other bare aluminum lights, such as the SF E2e.

 

[js]

Catapult,

I'm sure you're right. That's because, as I said, the rubber shroud is more of an insulator than aluminum. In any case, I find even the 6P w/ P61 HOLA completely comfortable to hold when run continuously. My Arc LSH gets just as hot, or more so, when run constant on.