brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,161
Despite its limitations I decided to run test the CMG Reactor against the new Streamlight 4AA LED. My purpose was to choose a (relatively) small LED light other than the Inova X5 that would remain brighter than the Attitude or the Opalec for at least five or six hours, and still have a relatively bright reserve of several hours.
The non-instrumented and relatively informal test was intended to give a general idea about how both the Streamlight and the Reactor performed over a period of at least eight hours. I chose that figure because Brock's chart shows that the Mag/Opalec maintains 100% regulated brightness for that period before dropping off.
I started the test at 1:37AM. Both lights were loaded with fresh lithium AA's (1.77v) and placed on the kitchen table next to a Mag/Opalec ("Magalec"?). The Opalec was loaded with fresh lithiums and kept off. I would only use it periodically to compare with the other lights. I went back to work at my desk for about 45 minutes until I returned to the kitchen for a snack.
The Reactor was cool to the touch but the entire rubberized head of the Streamlight was very hot, though the lens was somewhat cooler. I went back to work and perhaps dozed a bit. When I woke it was 5:39AM and I went to check the lights.
The kitchen was filled with a subtle burnt odor. The Streamlight had died while the CMG was still much brighter than the (fresh) Opalec. The rubberizede head of the Streamlight was too hot to touch, but the body was relatively cool. The LED's had turned the color of burnt amber, or of a light rosin. Using a cloth I unscrewed the very tight head. The metalized reflector/heatsink (I thought it was aluminum but it flexes with pressure applied to the sides when the unit is on its side) was still too hot to touch, and the area that contained the "countersunk" LEDS was reticulated within the inner periphery of the LEDS, appearing like crinkled aluminum foil. This effect was especially noticeable within the depressed central portion of the reflector, and I can't say whether this was pre-existing or a result of the test. To put it directly: those LED's were fried.
The Reactor was still significantly brighter than the (fresh) Mag/Opalec and was cool to the touch.
Fast forward to 11:30 AM, my next observation. The (cool) Reactor was still brighter than the fresh Opalec. This was after ten hours of running. The Opalec starts to drop after eight hours, but this one had been run for a total of perhaps 30 seconds over the course of the test and was still not as bright as the Reactor, although they were noticeably closer in brightness than before.
The next check was at 12 hours. The Reactor was now dimmer than the (fresh) Opalec and perhaps slightly brighter than a fresh ARC AAALe, with greater reach because of the collimeter. At this point I stopped the test.
Conclusions:
1) Do not use lithiums with the Streamlight 4AA LED (unless my results were highly atypical)
2)The Reactor out shines and out runs the Streamlight 4AA LED, the Opalec, the Inova X5 and the Attitude for at least 10 hours, and probably altogether. Since some of my conclusions are extrapolated rather than directly measured, I invite others to confirm or adjust them.
3) I will not replace my Streamlight 4AA, and I look forward to receiving my ARC LS 2nd.
4)My Reactor is a keeper.
Brightnorm
The non-instrumented and relatively informal test was intended to give a general idea about how both the Streamlight and the Reactor performed over a period of at least eight hours. I chose that figure because Brock's chart shows that the Mag/Opalec maintains 100% regulated brightness for that period before dropping off.
I started the test at 1:37AM. Both lights were loaded with fresh lithium AA's (1.77v) and placed on the kitchen table next to a Mag/Opalec ("Magalec"?). The Opalec was loaded with fresh lithiums and kept off. I would only use it periodically to compare with the other lights. I went back to work at my desk for about 45 minutes until I returned to the kitchen for a snack.
The Reactor was cool to the touch but the entire rubberized head of the Streamlight was very hot, though the lens was somewhat cooler. I went back to work and perhaps dozed a bit. When I woke it was 5:39AM and I went to check the lights.
The kitchen was filled with a subtle burnt odor. The Streamlight had died while the CMG was still much brighter than the (fresh) Opalec. The rubberizede head of the Streamlight was too hot to touch, but the body was relatively cool. The LED's had turned the color of burnt amber, or of a light rosin. Using a cloth I unscrewed the very tight head. The metalized reflector/heatsink (I thought it was aluminum but it flexes with pressure applied to the sides when the unit is on its side) was still too hot to touch, and the area that contained the "countersunk" LEDS was reticulated within the inner periphery of the LEDS, appearing like crinkled aluminum foil. This effect was especially noticeable within the depressed central portion of the reflector, and I can't say whether this was pre-existing or a result of the test. To put it directly: those LED's were fried.
The Reactor was still significantly brighter than the (fresh) Mag/Opalec and was cool to the touch.
Fast forward to 11:30 AM, my next observation. The (cool) Reactor was still brighter than the fresh Opalec. This was after ten hours of running. The Opalec starts to drop after eight hours, but this one had been run for a total of perhaps 30 seconds over the course of the test and was still not as bright as the Reactor, although they were noticeably closer in brightness than before.
The next check was at 12 hours. The Reactor was now dimmer than the (fresh) Opalec and perhaps slightly brighter than a fresh ARC AAALe, with greater reach because of the collimeter. At this point I stopped the test.
Conclusions:
1) Do not use lithiums with the Streamlight 4AA LED (unless my results were highly atypical)
2)The Reactor out shines and out runs the Streamlight 4AA LED, the Opalec, the Inova X5 and the Attitude for at least 10 hours, and probably altogether. Since some of my conclusions are extrapolated rather than directly measured, I invite others to confirm or adjust them.
3) I will not replace my Streamlight 4AA, and I look forward to receiving my ARC LS 2nd.
4)My Reactor is a keeper.
Brightnorm
