The Quark lights thread! (Part 5)
- Thread starter Badbeams3
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Uh...maybe someone to explain it to me. You're making the assumption I know what you do, I don't. What did I expect? I expected that when it said it was rated 3.0 - 9.0 V that if you put a 3.0 V battery in the light it would work as advertised. The was no "*" after the 3.0 V. Doesn't seem like too big of a stretch for you does it? Now, I know otherwise. It was just a case of me being a newb, no big deal.
Perhaps you missed it but somebody already answer my question.
As I understand the reply even though the light is rated 3.0 - 9.0 V according to 4sevens, it needs more voltage than 3.0 to work on turbo. I have a rechargable Li-Ion on the way and I'm sure it will be fine after that. My understanding is that it is 3.7 V.
Also, thanks to others on the color comments, my packing gives NO indication of color (I checked today) so I am assumming that I did indeed get a cool white. The color charts provided help explain why it looks warmer than my Romisen.
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It won't last long. When the voltage starts dropping so will the output of turbo.
So are you saying that a 123-2 head on a single Li-Ion (16340) will not be regulated?
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=234960
Looking at the thread above it shows that a 123 head on a single Li-Ion (16340) has very good regulation on Turbo for about 30 minutes.
It also shows that a 123-2 on a single Li-Ion (17650) has very good regulation on Turbo for about 1 hour 14 minutes.
If the 123-2 head will not be regulated on a single 16340 in turbo mode then I will order a single 123 head. Regulated on all outputs is one of the reasons I chose this light.
Can anyone confirm this?
Thanks.
The 2xCR123 head isn't advertised to run on anything but 2xCR123, but it's easy to draw other conclusions given what everyone is getting it to do. The light is only advertised to perform as specified on two 3V or 3.7V (4.2V charged) cells, which would start at 6 or 8.4 volts.
As you already know now, the light's operating voltage range does not imply maximum output at the low end; only that it will continue to emit some light at that point. Below that, it's not even expected to fire up. Most lights in this class use the same format for voltage specification.
You'll find it nice and bright on one fully charged li-ion cell at 4.2V, but it's not designed for that and regulation will not be flat. ie: the light will dim towards the end of run time. Some people actually prefer this and it's one of the reasons they run the 2xCR123 head on one cell.
All buck-only circuits behave this way on one cell, regardless of brand. It has to do with the way the LEDs work. The electronics forum has some discussion on LED forward voltage, drivers, current draw, etc... in great detail.
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You are correct. But Nake also has a point...I wouldn`t run it much past 20 minutes of turbo just to protect the batt. You have the better head for running LI-IONs of any type. Protects the batt better...but still don`t push to the limit. I would definently order the 17670 batt to run in your 123x2 body. That will give you nice runtime as you said...but wouldn`t push it beyond 1 hour of turbo...again to be kind to your batt.
Play a bit and recharge often...as I understand it, it is the ticket to long batt health. If you think you might want to run the batt down, on a camping trip for example...use basic 123 and throw away. :thumbsup:
DHart
Flashlight Enthusiast
Though the cost is higher, for me the sweet spot is to buy a two Quarks and an extra body: a 123-2 and a AA, and a 123 body tube. I happen to prefer the regular head to the tactical head, but I like having a regular AND a tactical tailcap. With the parts you get with these lights and tube, you can put together a wonderful array of flashlights with a wide range of sizes and powering options. Flashlight lego-lovers will rejoice in this!
Personally, I run li-ions exclusively in these lights and 17670 only in the 123x2 bodies I have. I recharge them often, don't run them down too far, and carry extras when gone for extended periods of time.
Also, if I want a longer runtime, I would choose high output rather than turbo because you don't lose much in the way of visible output, but you really gain quite a bit more in runtime! :thumbsup: I also keep an ample supply of primaries (123 and AA lithiums) in the cooler for long-term emergency back up powering options. I view turbo for occasional use and high, medium, low, or moon for longer use applications.
I can't think of a better way for someone to have such a nice range of flashlight sizes and powering options than to buy the 123x2, the AA, and a 123 tube. I have avoided the AAx2 body because the two AA form factor has no appeal whatsoever to me... but it's a good option for those who like that sort of thing.
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Thanks for the replies to all above. I'm getting it now. One last question in regards to this.
When you say dim towards the end of run time. Do you mean it will be pretty flat for an extended time (let's just say 20 minutes) and then it will begin to dim pretty quick over a few minutes.
This I can live with. However, if it just starts out at full brightness and then gradually ramps down:thumbsdow. I'll get the 123 (single) head. One of the main reasons I ended up on this forum is because I hate how all the cheap walmart lights I own don't maintain the same brightness for an extended period of time. They just start immediately ramping down.
I'm not looking for a light to be perfectly flat and then drop off like a brick but I would like it to be relatively flat through the bulk of the run. I can deal with a gradual dim towards the end.
The charts on selfbuilts comparison thread are what I'm looking for. However, he never shows a curve with a 123-2 head driven by a single 16340.
I was hoping to get a nice flat EDC (single battery) and then add the 2 battery tube when I'm camping and hiking. If it's not fairly flat in this configuration, I'll just switch to two lights. A 123 and a 123-2.
When you say dim towards the end of run time. Do you mean it will be pretty flat for an extended time (let's just say 20 minutes) and then it will begin to dim pretty quick over a few minutes.
This I can live with. However, if it just starts out at full brightness and then gradually ramps down:thumbsdow. I'll get the 123 (single) head. One of the main reasons I ended up on this forum is because I hate how all the cheap walmart lights I own don't maintain the same brightness for an extended period of time. They just start immediately ramping down.
I'm not looking for a light to be perfectly flat and then drop off like a brick but I would like it to be relatively flat through the bulk of the run. I can deal with a gradual dim towards the end.
The charts on selfbuilts comparison thread are what I'm looking for. However, he never shows a curve with a 123-2 head driven by a single 16340.
I was hoping to get a nice flat EDC (single battery) and then add the 2 battery tube when I'm camping and hiking. If it's not fairly flat in this configuration, I'll just switch to two lights. A 123 and a 123-2.
That's about what it will do. The driver can maintain regulation as long as the battery voltage remains above the LED's forward voltage (somewhere around 3.5V), after which it will drop out of regulation and start to dim.
Note the funky curve on selfbuilt's graph for the 2xCR123 Quark on turbo powered by 1x17670. It also seems to maintain regulation better at lower output on the next graph.
tsask
Flashlight Enthusiast
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My Neutral Quarks arrived. I got an AA and CR123 also a 2AA tube.
Here's the good:
The AA Quark on the included alk was brighter than my Connexion on a 14500.
It's machined well.
Here's the bad:
It only works on high and strobe, no lower settings work at all, so I will need a RMA to return it.
7777 is GREAT with service yet solid state lighting at it's finest is still not perfect. To the unenlightened this would be a source of MAJOR disappointment!
My CR123:
bright, all modes work yet it does not seem to remember last setting then it starts flashing????
I am a big 4 Sevens fan/supporter and have nothing but the greatest respect and appreciation for their work.
Here's the good:
The AA Quark on the included alk was brighter than my Connexion on a 14500.
It's machined well.
Here's the bad:
It only works on high and strobe, no lower settings work at all, so I will need a RMA to return it.
7777 is GREAT with service yet solid state lighting at it's finest is still not perfect. To the unenlightened this would be a source of MAJOR disappointment!
My CR123:
bright, all modes work yet it does not seem to remember last setting then it starts flashing????
I am a big 4 Sevens fan/supporter and have nothing but the greatest respect and appreciation for their work.
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There is no memory on the Quark standard...it will either start on low if you have had it off long enough...or switch to the next level if not.
You do know...and I think you do...but just to make sure....that the head needs to be loosened a bit to get the lower levels...tight to get turbo?
Actually the solid state lighting technology is not responsible for your problems. What you describe looks like a faulty driver - an electronic circuit similar to thousands of others in devices around us. It only happens to be connected to an LED, not something else.
tsask
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Thanks for the clarification on the memory. Concerning the multiple levels, yes I did losen the bezel albiet to no avail.
I can not believe the size of the CR123 Quark. It is noticably narrower and smaller than the HDS, or Novatacs. My Warm tint CR123 Quark blows away my cherished Nitecore PD 20 Q5 in it's power! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LIGHT INDEED!
I'll work out the details on my AA Quark with 7777 they ALWAYS come through!
tsask
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Excellent point!
Tom_123
Newly Enlightened
It's possible, but you won't have a clip on the 123 then.
Henk_Lu
Flashlight Enthusiast
I got two of my Quarka on friday, the 123 no clip and the 123-2, both tactical and neutral white.
Man, it never took me so long to get a light out of its box! Wonderful package! :thumbsup:
There is a preflash on both lights, a bright one when tha light was in a higer mode the last time it was used, a dimer one when it was in the same mode. OK, we know this by now, so let's pass it.
The neutral white emitter is exactly what I expected. Wondefull warm light, the beam is great, the hotspot is a litle bit like a star, not exactly round and the spill is well lit, no Cree rings around! :thumbsup:
I don't like the long lanyards, so I attached a cut one from a Surefire to the 123 no clip. I really sweated until I had the lanyard in that ring and the ring on the light...
The UI is cool, once I read again how it exactly works I could change the modes somewhat quickly and I like the fact that I have a simple tactical UI which can be changed.
The batteries in the 123-2 rattle a bit, I put some paper around them, now it's OK. Perhaps the spring in the tailcap should be stiffer. That's the only negative thing I found, besides the preflash.
Now I'm waiting for my AA-2 neutral white regular to arrive, it was shipped one day earlier than the other two, let's hope nothing happened to it... :sigh:
The I can lego, if I wat my 123-2 to be regular, it'll get that tailcap, if I want a lanyard on the AA-2, it'll get the tailcap from the 123.
The lights are really great and exactly what I hoped they would be! :twothumbs
Oh, I forgot, there is another negative thing : the neutral white a are limited editions, so I can't recommend them by a review in our local geocaching magazine, the lights will be sold out when people get it... :shrug:
Man, it never took me so long to get a light out of its box! Wonderful package! :thumbsup:
There is a preflash on both lights, a bright one when tha light was in a higer mode the last time it was used, a dimer one when it was in the same mode. OK, we know this by now, so let's pass it.
The neutral white emitter is exactly what I expected. Wondefull warm light, the beam is great, the hotspot is a litle bit like a star, not exactly round and the spill is well lit, no Cree rings around! :thumbsup:
I don't like the long lanyards, so I attached a cut one from a Surefire to the 123 no clip. I really sweated until I had the lanyard in that ring and the ring on the light...
The UI is cool, once I read again how it exactly works I could change the modes somewhat quickly and I like the fact that I have a simple tactical UI which can be changed.
The batteries in the 123-2 rattle a bit, I put some paper around them, now it's OK. Perhaps the spring in the tailcap should be stiffer. That's the only negative thing I found, besides the preflash.
Now I'm waiting for my AA-2 neutral white regular to arrive, it was shipped one day earlier than the other two, let's hope nothing happened to it... :sigh:
The I can lego, if I wat my 123-2 to be regular, it'll get that tailcap, if I want a lanyard on the AA-2, it'll get the tailcap from the 123.
The lights are really great and exactly what I hoped they would be! :twothumbs
Oh, I forgot, there is another negative thing : the neutral white a are limited editions, so I can't recommend them by a review in our local geocaching magazine, the lights will be sold out when people get it... :shrug:
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