Two gens of the LED Maglite Solitaire?

[bykfixer]

Heck, I'd never noticed they had serial numbers. Twisted mine to on and dawg-gone if there wasn't a serial number.

47 lumen SN starts with SL, a few zeros and what appears to be just over 100 thousand (presuming each is stamped in series).

 

[etc]

I will make a note of it and next time I remove the tape, will determine which one it is. Visually it *seems* like 47 lumens but of course I know how hard it is to tell the difference that is only 10 lumens, even though it's 25% or so.

 

[bykfixer]

Does the warm version constitute a 3rd generation?

The modern Solitaire:
Early incan models bezels differed;

L to R
- modern incan version
- 37 lumen LED
- 47 lumen LED
- Spectrum series

How the serial numbers look:
Note incan did not have serial numbers (or at least none of mine do)

Note the differing font types. Look at the number one in the serial numbers.

The beam:
Note, the incan shown has a 10 year old battery in it.

37 and 47 are virtually the same.

 

[etc]

It's not that the 10 lumen difference is significant but it is about a 25% increase in lumens. I can def tell the difference.

OTOH the lower lumen one should generate better runtime, presumably.

 

[xxo]

My 37 lumen solitaire has a serial in the 274,000 range and my 47 lumen in in the 757,000 range - presumably they made the change somewhere between these numbers.

The 47 is a little brighter in the spill and has a little bigger hot spot, the 37 has a tighter and more intense hot spot, which I like for increased throw. Run time is about the same.

 

[etc]

This is helpful, thank you.

 

[xxo]

BTW, it's easy to tell the 37 lumen version from the 47 if you look at the beams side by side - with the beams focused as tight as possible, the 47 lumen's hot spot will be easily 2X the diameter of the 37 lumen's hot spot.

 

[etc]

My 37 lumen solitaire has a serial in the 274,000 range and my 47 lumen in in the 757,000 range - presumably they made the change somewhere between these numbers.

.

I cannot find the Serial Number on my solitaire anywhere. It just does not have one apparently. And it's LED.
Ideas?

 

[etc]

You have to twist the head and it's under there.

FYI

 

[bykfixer]

If only there was a photo of the location of the serial numbers...(cough post 63 cough)..

 

[etc]

Looked at the photos several times and just didn't notice the S/N there.

 

[etc]

My 37 lumen solitaire has a serial in the 274,000 range and my 47 lumen in in the 757,000 range - presumably they made the change somewhere between these numbers.

The 47 is a little brighter in the spill and has a little bigger hot spot, the 37 has a tighter and more intense hot spot, which I like for increased throw. Run time is about the same.

Mine is:

01038510

looks like the 47 lumen one.
also feels like one.

 

[etc]

what kind of runtime to expect off 1xAAA Eneloop? I got my own observations, just wanted to contrast with what others are getting.

 

[xxo]

what kind of runtime to expect off 1xAAA Eneloop? I got my own observations, just wanted to contrast with what others are getting.

a little less than 2 hrs total, they start to dim around 1 hr and 45 min.

 

[greenpondmike]

I like mine, but I'm always worrying about when is it going to cut off and leave me hanging.

 

[Jaxon]

I carry a 47 lumen version of this light,and it's really a decent edc light.
i also carry a spare aaa battery with it.

 

[bykfixer]

Green Pond, if you run an alkaline in it you get about 30 minute dimming. Click on the link in post 24 to see the run time graphs.

I ♥️ the Spectrum warm

 

[greenpondmike]

Ok bykfixer, thank you.
I just want to add that I mostly use sunbeam alkalines now, but when I can afford them I prefer rayovacs. I think the sunbeams give good runtime for the money although they don't last as long. So far no leaks with them, but I've seen where the heavy duty non alkaline sunbeams ruint a d cell light.

 

[bykfixer]

I've had good fortune with Sunbeam batteries but switched to Rayovac a few years back. They are US made and so far have only had one out of hundreds leak and it was about 8 years old. The gray wrapped kind.

But I check lights with alkalines in them every so often or leave batteries beside it for lights I don't use much. I have a routine where I check the batteries in my Solitaires hanging in various places on a nail throughout my home when I change the air filters for the comfort system. (ie heater/ac)

 

[Chicken Drumstick]

Interesting thread. I hadn't realised the had been a more powerful Solitaire LED. Albeit that was a few years back. Nor the warm variants. Does anyone know what LEDs are used in the newer ones?

I have an original 37 lumen LED one, a bit worn as I've used it a lot. But really like it.

I believe the LED is an Osram LED of some kind. Somewhat unique at the time, I didn't know of any other torches using them. And none in the Mag range.

The LED is very small and has no dome (it's lat on top a bit like a CREE XPL-HI). This would explain the good throw in such a small reflector.

I'm assuming the newer model uses a larger LED or one with a silicon dome on. Hence less throw and more flood and a bigger hotspot.