The ArmyTek 120 day Challenge!!!

[subwoofer]

...And it has started. Official start time 21:00 (GMT+1) 9 May 2013.

One of Armytek's claims is a fantastically long runtime on the lowest firefly mode. This mode is also the reserve output circuit should the main driver fail.

The latest V2.5 Predator Pro's specifications mention a maximum runtime of 130 days. The earlier Predator V1.2 had this at 100 days.

I've decided to see if these incredible runtimes are possible, so have taken all three Predators that I have out of service, and have dedicated them to an endurance challenge.

There are a total of four lights entering this challenge. The Predator V1.2 XP-G R5, Predator X V2.0 XM-L U2, Predator V2.0 XP-G2 R5 (which appears to be the same as the latest V2.5 XP-G2 version) and a mystery contender.

The target is 120 days, but I will run this endurance runtime test to its conclusion to see just how long they will go.

The conditions of the test are that all three Predators are set to the default 18650 power source with 2.8V cut-off.

A set of 6 Xtar 3100mAh 18650 cells which have undergone a similar numbers of power cycles, were charged on a Xtar WP6 charger and then left a day to rest.

All resting voltages were measured and the closest four were chosen to run the test. As it happens all four measured 4.17V.

The lights were all pre-set to their firefly modes using another cell and once confirmed, the test 18650s were installed.

At the chosen start time, the two Predator V2.0s were simultaneously switched on immediately followed by the Predator V1.2 and mystery contender.

All the lights will be kept together so that ambient conditions will be identical.

The 120 day challenge has begun!

So can the do it....how far will they get?

 

[subwoofer]

Reserved for updates....

Day of
Challenge - Date
10 ---------- 19/05/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
20 ---------- 29/05/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
30 ---------- 08/06/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
40 ---------- 18/06/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
50 ---------- 28/06/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
60 ---------- 08/07/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
70 ---------- 18/07/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
80 ---------- 28/07/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
90 ---------- 07/08/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
100 -------- 17/08/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
110 -------- 27/08/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:
120 -------- 06/09/2013 21:00 :thumbsup:


With the challenge now complete and all final tests completed, here are a list of thread highlights:

120 Day Challenge complete

Success!

First light out

Second light out

Last light out + Summary

Cell test

 

[kj2]

Cool

 

[AnAppleSnail]

Your mystery contender appears to be a bullet-style ("5mm") LED. I'm curious, but I suppose we'll be in the dark until the end? Neat test! Good luck.

 

[PocketBeam]

Yes, neat test. I hope this inspires others to test the moon or firefly modes of lights they aren't actively using.

Fours months to find out the mystery contender? Should it last shorter or shorter?

 

[subwoofer]

Your mystery contender appears to be a bullet-style ("5mm") LED. I'm curious, but I suppose we'll be in the dark until the end? Neat test! Good luck.

I've been a little misleading with the second photo, but check the challenge, it is for four 18650 powered lights.

The mystery contender is not pictured. The two lights in the middle are the V2.0 Predators and the other two in this photo are not 18650 lights.

 

[subwoofer]

Fours months to find out the mystery contender? Should it last shorter or shorter?

I suspect it will be revealed much sooner (as soon as it goes out), but for now this fact may safely be made the subject of suspense since it is of no significance whatsoever

 

[BLUE LED]

I think the Predator X, XM-L U2 will last the longest.

 

[gianetics]

this is going to be a looooong thread. i thought about doing this but i couldnt be without my V2 for so long. good luck ill check back in half a year.:wave:

 

[GotDogs]

This challenge is a GREAT idea. Great in that now I will looking at my friggin calendar for at least the next 100 days. It's like being in jail counting the friggin days. All kidding aside this test is a great idea and I will follow the progress / process. It is like being in jail though, counting the days.

 

[SCD]

Hey Subwoofer,

Somewhat related....but do you know if all "micromodes" are available on the reserve circiut? According to armyTek's literature I believe that the reserve circuit is capable of 0.1lm/0.5lm and 1.5lm? Can you shed any light?

I let a 1500mah K2 LiFePo4 loose at full stabilization and got ~49 minutes at max output in a V2.0 X-PG 5500k model predator.....seems to be right in line with their stated runtimes. They also switched from 2900 Panny's to 3100's for the firefly rating on the new lights. Interested in the outcome for sure!

 

[thedoc007]

Cool test, subscribed so I'll get an update when it finally produces some results.

 

[subwoofer]

this is going to be a looooong thread. i thought about doing this but i couldnt be without my V2 for so long. good luck ill check back in half a year.:wave:

I know I am going to miss them (even though I'll be checking in on them probably twice a day) knowing I can't touch them.

This challenge is a GREAT idea. Great in that now I will looking at my friggin calendar for at least the next 100 days. It's like being in jail counting the friggin days. All kidding aside this test is a great idea and I will follow the progress / process. It is like being in jail though, counting the days.

Absolutely, the 'sentence' I am now serving is just stating to sink in, but I'm determined to get through it.

I've put the challenge lineup in a drawer which I open at least twice a day. This is so I can keep them out of the way, but regularly monitored.

Hey Subwoofer,

Somewhat related....but do you know if all "micromodes" are available on the reserve circiut? According to armyTek's literature I believe that the reserve circuit is capable of 0.1lm/0.5lm and 1.5lm? Can you shed any light?

I let a 1500mah K2 LiFePo4 loose at full stabilization and got ~49 minutes at max output in a V2.0 X-PG 5500k model predator.....seems to be right in line with their stated runtimes. They also switched from 2900 Panny's to 3100's for the firefly rating on the new lights. Interested in the outcome for sure!

The micromodes are the set of three firefly modes available during normal operation and as far as I know, the idea of the reserve circuit is to give only the lowest output mode 0.1lm, if and when the main circuit is damaged.

I don't fancy trying to blow the main circuit to test the function of the reserve circuit.

 

[Tulip bush]

Nice one.

 

[sinnyc]

This is great. Subwoofer, I salute you, your lights, and your poor batteries

 

[reppans]

Subwoofer, you have the ability to measure the output right? Would you mind measuring the modes you are testing, including some benchmarks sub-lumen lights like Quarks and Zebralights (if you have them)?

I find the low and sub-lumen specs of some manufacturers off by multiples (SC52 for example), which has a huge impact on spec'd runtimes.

 

[subwoofer]

Subwoofer, you have the ability to measure the output right? Would you mind measuring the modes you are testing, including some benchmarks sub-lumen lights like Quarks and Zebralights (if you have them)?

I find the low and sub-lumen specs of some manufacturers off by multiples (SC52 for example), which has a huge impact on spec'd runtimes.

Unfortunately at the moment my integrating sphere's (IS) sensitivity means I cannot measure below 2lm. These sub lumen outputs are very difficult to measure accurately.

I am considering a redesign of the IS sensor to include an ultra sensitive setting, but calibrating this to actual lumens will be next to impossible. I'm also not convinced it will have a linear response.

During my IS design and testing I did have a sensor design which picked up a dim table lamp being turned on in the room and was impossible to use during the daytime as the background light levels were too high. It was so sensitive that even the light from the meter's display affected the reading it was showing. As long as I can achieve a constant ambient light level I can take off the background reading and get a measurement.

This challenge thread may well inspire me to revisit a sub-lumen sensor for the IS (as an add-on sensor module). If I do I'll post some readings from this.

The photo in post 2 of this thread shows the Quark Regular AA on the left of the two Predator V2.0 with a Photon Freedom Micro on the right. The idea was to use the photo to show the relative brightness of these firefly modes.

 

[Shooter21]

Awesome cant wait to see the results of this. Only light i know of that reached 100 days of runtime is a quark so this should be interesting.

 

[reppans]

Unfortunately at the moment my integrating sphere's (IS) sensitivity means I cannot measure below 2lm. These sub lumen outputs are very difficult to measure accurately.

I am considering a redesign of the IS sensor to include an ultra sensitive setting, but calibrating this to actual lumens will be next to impossible. I'm also not convinced it will have a linear response.

During my IS design and testing I did have a sensor design which picked up a dim table lamp being turned on in the room and was impossible to use during the daytime as the background light levels were too high. It was so sensitive that even the light from the meter's display affected the reading it was showing. As long as I can achieve a constant ambient light level I can take off the background reading and get a measurement.

This challenge thread may well inspire me to revisit a sub-lumen sensor for the IS (as an add-on sensor module). If I do I'll post some readings from this.

The photo in post 2 of this thread shows the Quark Regular AA on the left of the two Predator V2.0 with a Photon Freedom Micro on the right. The idea was to use the photo to show the relative brightness of these firefly modes.

I feel I can quite accurately measure down to 0.10 lumens (from a 125 lumen calibration, btw) with a DSLR and bounced ambient light only - it's a dead linear measurement as well. Through a second stage measurement, I can read down to 0.01 lms easily. I took a look at one of your reviews and believe you to be using a DSLR as well... if you're interested in discussing the methodology, please PM me - would love add another tool to your toolbox, esp. since you're a CPF reviewer.

Which Quark emitter BTW... my XPG-S2 measures ~0.17 lms and my XML ~0.33 lms - and not surprisingly, in my own moonlight mode runtime tests, the S2 ran about exactly 2x longer.

 

[subwoofer]

I feel I can quite accurately measure down to 0.10 lumens (from a 125 lumen calibration, btw) with a DSLR and bounced ambient light only - it's a dead linear measurement as well. Through a second stage measurement, I can read down to 0.01 lms easily. I took a look at one of your reviews and believe you to be using a DSLR as well... if you're interested in discussing the methodology, please PM me - would love add another tool to your toolbox, esp. since you're a CPF reviewer.

Which Quark emitter BTW... my XPG-S2 measures ~0.17 lms and my XML ~0.33 lms - and not surprisingly, in my own moonlight mode runtime tests, the S2 ran about exactly 2x longer.

Thanks for the offer, but I have read your thread on this subject and I'm not keen to employ this method myself.

I am intending to build the second sensor array for sub-lumen readings. Just have to find the time.....