brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,161
I recently stopped a Reactor/Inretech run test (fresh lithiums) after about 33 hours. They were both fairly dim but the Reactor was distinctly brighter. Of course the notorious Luxeon inconsistancy kept this from being a definitive test.
NTL, I've come to respect the clunky little Reactor and unregulated Luxeons in general. I'll definitely take it with me on any future hikes or treks, of course along with other lights, but first I wanted to test its toughness.
I have an exposed radiator in one of my rooms. This is a big, old fashioned cast iron job about 30" high with prominant relatively sharp edged "fins". While my usually tolerant girlfriend watched in dismay I turned the Reactor on and started wacking it against one of those solid edges, gradually increasing the force while keeping an image of Craig in mind for inspiration.
I gave it 22 or 23 hits, the last eight or so being pretty hard, but the Reactor simply rebounded from each one and ran on, seemingly unaffected. Whatever that plastic is, it's tough and very resilient, in effect a very large and effective shock absorber. I didn't give the Reactor any longitudinal blows. OK, I'll do that now------------------------------------------------------OK,I just went into the athroom (solid tile floor) and dropped the Reactor while ON face-down from chest height. It stayed on after the first and second drop, but went out after the third on fourth. In both cases, a slight rotation of the head restored the light. On the fifth drop the light went out and could not be made to work. The switch (gen. 1) became totally smooth and would not operate. I fussed with it for several minutes without success and finally rapped it, face up, against the tile floor. It flashed on each rap; I was surprised that the Luxeon was still alive, but I couldn't figure a way to get inside the switch mechanism without destroying the light so I put it back on my desk where it now sits as I type this report.
Conclusions: The CMG Reactor is an inexpensive, very long burning, reasonably bright unregulated Luxeon flashlight housed in a virtually unbreakable "potato masher grenade"-shaped housing made of aluminum and a very strong and resilient plastic of unknown composition.
If it is water proof (anyone know?) then, with lithium batteries it would make a superb survival light. My only question concerns its resistance to longitudinal shock.
I just ordered two more (with the improved switch), but this time I won't be testing them.
Brightnorm
NTL, I've come to respect the clunky little Reactor and unregulated Luxeons in general. I'll definitely take it with me on any future hikes or treks, of course along with other lights, but first I wanted to test its toughness.
I have an exposed radiator in one of my rooms. This is a big, old fashioned cast iron job about 30" high with prominant relatively sharp edged "fins". While my usually tolerant girlfriend watched in dismay I turned the Reactor on and started wacking it against one of those solid edges, gradually increasing the force while keeping an image of Craig in mind for inspiration.
I gave it 22 or 23 hits, the last eight or so being pretty hard, but the Reactor simply rebounded from each one and ran on, seemingly unaffected. Whatever that plastic is, it's tough and very resilient, in effect a very large and effective shock absorber. I didn't give the Reactor any longitudinal blows. OK, I'll do that now------------------------------------------------------OK,I just went into the athroom (solid tile floor) and dropped the Reactor while ON face-down from chest height. It stayed on after the first and second drop, but went out after the third on fourth. In both cases, a slight rotation of the head restored the light. On the fifth drop the light went out and could not be made to work. The switch (gen. 1) became totally smooth and would not operate. I fussed with it for several minutes without success and finally rapped it, face up, against the tile floor. It flashed on each rap; I was surprised that the Luxeon was still alive, but I couldn't figure a way to get inside the switch mechanism without destroying the light so I put it back on my desk where it now sits as I type this report.
Conclusions: The CMG Reactor is an inexpensive, very long burning, reasonably bright unregulated Luxeon flashlight housed in a virtually unbreakable "potato masher grenade"-shaped housing made of aluminum and a very strong and resilient plastic of unknown composition.
If it is water proof (anyone know?) then, with lithium batteries it would make a superb survival light. My only question concerns its resistance to longitudinal shock.
I just ordered two more (with the improved switch), but this time I won't be testing them.
Brightnorm
