UK Light Cannon = WOW!

[YeeDude]

videocal: Thanks for the headsup for the charger at CCrane. I went to their website and found this answer-machine-looking unit going for $49.95 plus shipping:

Is this the the one you're talking about?

Mr. Ted Bear: Was I right or what?

As you put it, the Light Cannon is money well spent (by a Flashlightoholic)! Thanks for MAHA 777 recommendation; where might I get one for the best price?

Brock: Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures this weekend during my camping trip. I'm too tired right now (just got back earlier this evening) to discuss much at length but, needless to say, the UK was amazingly (disgustingly?)

bright out in the woods at night.

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Yep, that be the charger in question.

Only charges 4 cells at a time, but has all the technology needed to go easy on the batteries and still recharge them quickly.

I wish I knew where my instruction book was. I could tell you the recharge time for the C cells... Sorry.

 

[vcal]

Gadget/YeeDude,
If either of you two (or anyone else) has any operational questions about that charger pictured, or the R.S.#23-410 (basically same unit-only fancier), you can just email me for an answer.
I only have 3 of these type chargers

-with both operational manuals.
I have been using these chargers DAILY for almost 3 years.:O

Edit: -15min.later

book says for "C" cells (2200mAh):
1 cell-1hr.10min
2 " -2 " 20 "
4 " -4 " 40 "

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Cool Doug, I may be asking you some questions if I can't find my book.

As for the Maha 777, Thomas dist. has them for $45, but you would have to come up with your own battery holder (8 cells). http://thomas-distributing.com/maha-mh-c777.htm

It uses nearly the same technol. as the CCrane, but is a universal charger. i.e., it has no battery compartment. It is mainly for laptop and camcorder batteries. But it does have an adapter that outputs to 2 leads for charging any pack or batteries in a holder.

 

[YeeDude]

Gadget: Hmm... that's the same conclusion I came to after looking into the MAHA 777. Sounds like a great universal charger, but kinda overkill for my usage as a 8 c-cell charger for the Light Cannon.

Good bang for buck overall, of course, but am I right in assuming that I'd have to splice together some 4 c-cell Radio Shack battery holders or something in order to use it? Sounds very clunky to me; but I guess the end result (8 charged batteries in about five hours) is pretty impressive...

Any other rapid chargers out there that I should be considering, folks? Thanks!

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

You could always Mod your light cannon with a charging plug.

Looks like there's room in the very bottom of the case. Run the wires up the sides to the main 2 contacts.

Only problem is waterproofing. May be hard to find a waterproof charge jack...

 

[YeeDude]

Well, FWIW, I don't really mind having to take the batteries out for charging, especially since we're talking about a guesstimate of possibly 3 hours of run time for the light on a full charge.

I'd just rather not have to buy two of those CCrane "answering machines" to charge all 8 at one time...

 

[YeeDude]

Yeah, I guess, all things being equal, I'd rather have the light waterproof/watertight than not. I don't dive or anything (like Mr. Ted Bear), but like stuff to be as sealed as possible.

I'd have to wire the two 4 C-cell battery holders in series in order to use the MAHA charger, right? Isn't funny that they go into great detail on their website about their charger and then leave no links or explanation about where to get the "optional battery holders".

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Is waterproof a concern?

If not, it looks pretty easy to put in a charge jack from the pics you have posted.
Or, the dual 4C batt holders seems ideal to me.

 

[V8TOYTRUCK]

That light is absolutely badass. My Streamlight Ultrastinger is now for sale. I once thought my Ultrastinger was the baddest light ever made. I am soooo wrong.

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

Spoke to one company today that specializes in the remanufacture of battery packs (commercials applications like television equiptment and motion picture stuff, medical, industrial etc)

When asked about the use of NiMH versus nicad for the Light Cannon, they strongly advised against it. The reason given, is the fact the NiHH batteries vent hydrogen gas when discharged. In a sealed container like a dive light, that gas will accumulate and with an electrical spark, could explode.
He mentioned the fact that there is currently a lawsuit pending here in California regarding this. To resolve the hydrogen issue, we would need some "hydrogen absorbing pellets" but could not suggest a supplier. When they have built packs for the military, they were provided....

Regarding the use of battery holders, several of the companies on the net that I have spoken to today, said why bother?
For a couple of bucks (10 cents a tab) they can easily make up a battery back, all nice and neatly heat shrunk/wrapped into one block.

Photos latter tonight

 

[NightShift]

lol.....I had a dream lastnight about having that UK light cannon but I couldnt find any batteries for it anywhere and I wanted to try it out so bad...very frustrating

 

[YeeDude]

Hmm... Interesting...

I've noted in the past that my Pelican flashlight have the hydrogen absorbing thingie-wingies; even for lights that didn't come with rechargables.

Another example that comes to mind is the SureFire 8NX Commander. I have read that one reason they "can't" make it watertight is because of the aforementioned venting. (Note the small hole in the head assembly by the O-ring of the bezel) This is particularl interesting as the 8NX batteries (as y'all know) are nicads and not NiMH...

I guess the C8R battery pack has a built in hydrogen gas absorbing doohickey onboard.

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

Humm, I thought I expressed this clearly

NiMh vent gas... not good.

NiCads do not vent, and are recommended

 

[geepondy]

The instruction manual in my 8AX specifically mentions not to block the vent holes to prevent a gas build up from the battery pack. (I know little on batteries, I'm just repeating what it reads)

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

I ain't an engineer....

Just repeating what I was told

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

Thinking that NiMh is not the way the go.

For a few dollars more, I can have two Ni-Cad battery packs, one in use, and the other on Charge, ready to go; also, the total run time will be longer (i hope)

my 02

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

Here are some comparison pics of the Light Cannon. Please note that the exposure time for the Light Cannon was 1 full second compared to 1/2 second for the Stream Light SL 35.

THe objective of this set is to show just how wide of a beam that the Light Cannon has when using one difuser disk.

The light cannon is less bright but see how much more area the light cannon covers and how even the beam pattern is.

The camera and lights were 20 feet from the house. In the right column, the light was moved to a 45 deg angle relative to the "camera to house" position. The photos are 18 feet "wide"

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by YeeDude:
....I'd have to wire the two 4 C-cell battery holders in series in order to use the MAHA charger, right? Isn't funny that they go into great detail on their website about their charger and then leave no links or explanation about where to get the "optional battery holders".

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry, thought you would have seen them or I would have linked them in prev post.

They have a 2 cell and a 6 cell for "C" batts.
Looks like their site is down right now but here's the link for later: http://thomas-distributing.com/battery-holders.htm

Radio Shack has the 4 cell C holders for $1.59. (270-390) in stores.

They also have an 8 cell holder listed online (only), but no pics of it.
Plastic Battery Holder for 8 'C' Type 1.5V Batteries - $2.45 - Cat.#: 910-0339

Here's the description:
Holds eight 'C' type 1.5V cells in a side-by-side, back-to-back configuration. Total Voltage is 12.0V. Includes solder tabs.

A couple options...
Hope this helps.

 

[Kenny Yum]

Hello,
I want know the UK Light Cannon 100 the focus
is good and have a perfect circular, can post
some photo about it. Thanks.