I'm just curious. Does either Princeton Tec or Surefire (or any other top performers for that matter) offer any flashlights in their lines that contain voltage regulators such as is found in the Arc AAA? After getting spoiled on a constant light output and the ability to suck the very last drops of life out of a battery, I find it hard to use anything less sophisticated any longer. BTW, I'm still working on a voltage regulator for a MagLite, but funds and time have been quite limited as of late. I think voltage regulators (stepup/stepdown) should be one of the most sought after features in the top-notch flashlights of the future. After all, the technology is there, it's relatively cheap to produce, especially when you consider that you are already paying a small fortune for a top notch flashlight anyway. So, are there any really cool voltage regulated flashlights either on the market or in the works?
Voltage regulated flashlights.
- Thread starter X-CalBR8
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txwest
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm not sure about PT, but I seriuosly doubt you'll ever see a SF with a voltage regulator. For one thing, it could make it less dependable (something else to go wrong). The other is that with a VR, you keep a bright light till close to the end, then nothing. With a tac light, you need to know well before you batteries roll over. It's not like useing it to check your breaker box. We're talking about checking dark places where someone may be waiting to do you serious harm. TX
Txwest: I take your point, but couldn't such a problem be overcome with a low battery indicator? What about a micro sized red LED that would flash once every 10 seconds when the batteries are in their last half hour or so? We know from the flashlights on the market today that have a flashing LED for flashlight location purposes that a blinking red LED consumes practically no power, itself, so that would do away with the argument that the indicator LED would draw power and make the low battery situation even worse. Also, the indicator wouldn't need to kick in except when the flashlight is in use. That way it pulls no power while just sitting around. I've wondered several times why there isn't some sort of low battery indicator in the Arc AAA. I just assume that it is a space limitation issue with it, but you would have no such limitations with a "normal" sized flashlight. I dunno, what do you guys think about having voltage regulators in combo with low battery indicators?
"We're talking about checking dark places where someone may be waiting to do you serious harm."
I don't know. It just seems to me that if I were a Cop that I would want a flashlight that was always at it's full brightness right up till the batteries were completely dead. After all, how would it be to be chasing a criminal and your flashlight starts to dim to the point that you can't visually scan an area far away from yourself? Perhaps there are factors that I'm not taking into account here. Hmm…
I don't know. It just seems to me that if I were a Cop that I would want a flashlight that was always at it's full brightness right up till the batteries were completely dead. After all, how would it be to be chasing a criminal and your flashlight starts to dim to the point that you can't visually scan an area far away from yourself? Perhaps there are factors that I'm not taking into account here. Hmm…
txwest
Flashlight Enthusiast
Originally posted by X-CalBR8:
I've wondered several times why there isn't some sort of low battery indicator in the Arc AAA.
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They do. It's called Moonlight Mode.
As far as the low battery LED, VR & other like items; I think SF wants to keep it simple. TX
I've wondered several times why there isn't some sort of low battery indicator in the Arc AAA.
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They do. It's called Moonlight Mode.
txwest
Flashlight Enthusiast
Originally posted by X-CalBR8:
Perhaps there are factors that I'm not taking into account here. Hmm…
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I could speculate, but best answered by some of the LEO's here. TX
Perhaps there are factors that I'm not taking into account here. Hmm…
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I could speculate, but best answered by some of the LEO's here. TX
bikeNomad
Newly Enlightened
Black Diamond (also the maker of a nice LED headlamp) makes a headlamp that uses Willie Hunt's LVR PWM voltage regulator.
See them at Black Diamond
Also,Sure Fire have several flashlights with the same voltage regulators.
See them at Black Diamond
Also,Sure Fire have several flashlights with the same voltage regulators.
Dying really fast right at the end is pretty much how NiCD lights like the SL20x behave. One second you have full light, and 5 seconds later you only get a faint glow. This is BAD. When you need light, something is better than nothing. This has happened to me a couple times, but luckily not in the middle of anything bad.
That is why many guys carry a backup light like a SureFire. Lithium lights die slowly as they near the end of their life, putting out very usable light while letting you know that the batteries need to be changed.
As far as voltage regulators and warning LED's, I don't think they are a bad idea. They are just something that need to be developed much more and become proven before you can get guys to stake their lives on it AND pay extra. There is already the possibility of a lamp blowing when you drop your light, how about some sophisticated electronics as well?
Note: Not that there isn't a workaround, but I don't think many cops would appreciate a flashing LED sticking out of their back pocket when they don't know their batteries are low...
That is why many guys carry a backup light like a SureFire. Lithium lights die slowly as they near the end of their life, putting out very usable light while letting you know that the batteries need to be changed.
As far as voltage regulators and warning LED's, I don't think they are a bad idea. They are just something that need to be developed much more and become proven before you can get guys to stake their lives on it AND pay extra. There is already the possibility of a lamp blowing when you drop your light, how about some sophisticated electronics as well?
Note: Not that there isn't a workaround, but I don't think many cops would appreciate a flashing LED sticking out of their back pocket when they don't know their batteries are low...
Glow Bug
Enlightened
I think you are beginning to see Surefire incorporating some designs in their new lights that will be geared toward the general public. They will always be in the tactical market but they also seem to be moving in other directions. So, it would not suprise me to see Surefire HID lights like the one that was mentioned in another thread here to be available in the future. ... That one might have a regulator???? http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001140
Brock
Flashaholic
I can understand voltage regulation in an alkaline light, but in a lithium light the discharge curve is relatively flat. I would bet using a VR on a lithium system you would loose about 10% of the runtime to the VR itself. Granted the light output would be more constant. Also it does add another part that has the potential to fail, the less parts the better for reliability. I thought for sure Surefire was going to make a 4 AA alakline cell light with VR and it would use the E2 lamps (I will keep dreaming).
Voltage regulator might be good on alkaline operated lights. All of my lights either runs on lithium or rechargeables and they have almost the same effect of what voltage regulator provides yet without efficiency loss.
Yes, one situation that I need voltage regulator - step up voltage while maintaining small size of the light like Arc AAA and Arc LS.
Alan
Yes, one situation that I need voltage regulator - step up voltage while maintaining small size of the light like Arc AAA and Arc LS.
Alan
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brock:
I thought for sure Surefire was going to make a 4 AA alakline cell light with VR and it would use the E2 lamps (I will keep dreaming).<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I prefer it to be 4AA rechargeable and use e2 lamp - simpler (less cost) and more reliable. Besides, due to high demand of AA rechargeables in other markets, rechargeable technology might grow faster than VR devlopment. I could drop in new higher capacity rechargeable without buying a new flashlight with new VR
Alan
I thought for sure Surefire was going to make a 4 AA alakline cell light with VR and it would use the E2 lamps (I will keep dreaming).<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I prefer it to be 4AA rechargeable and use e2 lamp - simpler (less cost) and more reliable. Besides, due to high demand of AA rechargeables in other markets, rechargeable technology might grow faster than VR devlopment. I could drop in new higher capacity rechargeable without buying a new flashlight with new VR
Alan
As some of you have mentioned, the importance of voltage regulation is greatest with Alkaline batteries, but that was kinda my main point in starting this thread in the first place. Lithiums are very nice no doubt, but I don't think they will ever come close to comparing to alkalines price wise. I'm the sort of person that I don't mind so much the up front cost of a flashlight just so long as the long term use is as cheap as possible. If Lithium batteries were anywhere near the price of Alkalines then it wouldn't be much of an issue, but the fact is that they aren't; therefore the greater need of a very high quality flashlight that performs as well or even better than a lithium, but that cost a small fraction of the cost to operate. I can go to Wal-Mart and buy a 20 pack of alkaline AA's for what it would cost me to buy a couple of lithium 123's. That is a tenth of the cost! That is quite a significant difference in operating cost. I'm curious to know what everyone else thinks of this. Am I the only one that is much more concerned with operating cost than the up front cost of the flashlight?
brightnorm
Flashaholic
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 7,161
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bikeNomad:
Also,Sure Fire have several flashlights with the same voltage regulators.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
bikeNomad,
That's a new one on me! Specifically which lights on the Surefire site are you referring to?
Brightnorm
.
Also,Sure Fire have several flashlights with the same voltage regulators.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
bikeNomad,
That's a new one on me! Specifically which lights on the Surefire site are you referring to?
Brightnorm
.
vcal
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm not much of a Surefire zealot, (for some of the same reasons that x-cal talks about), And, yes, -I've got an E1 that I don't use much. Their HQ is just down the street from where I live. But in having looked over their line, I've never seen any of their "regulated" lights either.
Brock
Flashaholic
Alan what would be cool is a Surefire light that uses 4 AA cells with some dort of regulator so you can use Ni-MH or alakline and you get the same light output!, the VR would just adjust to match the lamp. Oh am I dreaming or what
I agree X-CalBR8, the other big issue is lithium are only commonly avaiable in AA and 123 size, and if you do find them they localy they are usually way more $. So a 2 C sized light or 4 D or what ever would get a big boost from VR.
I agree X-CalBR8, the other big issue is lithium are only commonly avaiable in AA and 123 size, and if you do find them they localy they are usually way more $. So a 2 C sized light or 4 D or what ever would get a big boost from VR.
If you use NiMH and NiCD, then voltage regulator is not needed. However, in alkaline flashlights this really should be obligatory. Making a battery indicator is not that hard anyway, at least no challenge for most brands. I have a (LED)battery indicator in my 15$ (backup) halogen bike light.....and it's never failed!
By the way...I thought all HID-lights have voltage regulator??
By the way...I thought all HID-lights have voltage regulator??
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by txwest:
I'm not sure about PT, but I seriuosly doubt you'll ever see a SF with a voltage regulator. For one thing, it could make it less dependable (something else to go wrong).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Get real, you are talking of a lamp with a 20 hour life expectancy and a voltage regulator that engineered well can be anywhere between 10000 and 100000 hour MTBF. Given that voltage regulation improve bulb life expectancy the whole package will likely end being more reliable regulated than not.
I'm not sure about PT, but I seriuosly doubt you'll ever see a SF with a voltage regulator. For one thing, it could make it less dependable (something else to go wrong).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Get real, you are talking of a lamp with a 20 hour life expectancy and a voltage regulator that engineered well can be anywhere between 10000 and 100000 hour MTBF. Given that voltage regulation improve bulb life expectancy the whole package will likely end being more reliable regulated than not.
mrchri5: I agree. Why turn to Surefire et al to do the job when we have one of the finest flashlight VR engineers on the planet, namely Peter Gransee. How about it Peter? How about a high quality, high output, voltage regulated, incandescent flashlight to add to the Arc line? I, as well as, I believe many others on the board, would be very interested in such a project.
I mean, even if there is a loss involved in the VR, who cares when you are paying one-tenth the price for the batteries? I just don't know, this just seems so clear to me that this would be a great idea. I really don't understand why there is so much resistance to this idea. More than that, I don't understand why no company has ever made such a high-output VR flashlight in the past, unless it was a cost issue (which it should no longer be) or they were just worried that no one would be willing to accept something new. Perhaps, considering the negative comments so far, the latter would be the primary reasoning behind the lack of such a flashlight. Hmm…
I mean, even if there is a loss involved in the VR, who cares when you are paying one-tenth the price for the batteries? I just don't know, this just seems so clear to me that this would be a great idea. I really don't understand why there is so much resistance to this idea. More than that, I don't understand why no company has ever made such a high-output VR flashlight in the past, unless it was a cost issue (which it should no longer be) or they were just worried that no one would be willing to accept something new. Perhaps, considering the negative comments so far, the latter would be the primary reasoning behind the lack of such a flashlight. Hmm…
