Yukon HL runtime?

[DBrier]

It seems to be a very popular light, but I can't find anything outside the manufacturer runtimes.
Does anyone have any "real" runtimes?
I am looking for good caving headlamp, and runtime is VERY important. I need to know how many batteries to bring.

 

[DiamondCut2_0]

A good reference site: http://flashlightreviews3.home.att.net/reviews/princetontec_yukonhl.htm

Looks like you have plenty of runtime between the two modes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Have fun!

 

[DBrier]

Yea, I checked that site early in my searching, but it too only lists the advertised runtime. I'm not buying 25 hours of good light from 1 watt on 3AA. 25 hours until it looks like a PAL light in "always on" mode - sure, but not usable light.

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

i thought the advertised runtime was like 44 hours of useful light or something (taken from brightguy.com)..
Quickbeam doesn't say the 25 hours is the advertised runtime in his review (he usually points that out)..

i would take that 25 hours as a legit' rating for decent runtime on the luxeon.. like you said, it wont be the original brightness, but i dunno if anyone has done done a runtime plot on it or not.. you could check with Roy.

 

[DBrier]

From Quickbeams site...
Battery / Power Type................ 3 x AA included
Battery Life (advertised) .......... LED 120 hours, Luxeon 25 hours

From Brightguys site...
Its impact-resistant design, 10,000-hour bulb life and burn times ranging from 44 hours of useful light from the 1-watt L.E.D., to 120 hours of useful light from the 3, 5-millimeter L.E.D.s, gives the YUKON HL unmatched versatility.
That is the same text from Princeton Tec website.

I guess even if it is only 5-6 hours of good light, that will be fine. I think I'll be running the 5mm most of the time anyway.

I looked at Roy's Runtime plots, but it is not there. Anyone test the amp draw on these yet? That would give a good guess.
Maybe I need to buy one and send it to him for a test. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Roy]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

lmao
that's actually a good idea. Roy's appearance was just golden tho.

 

[Quickbeam]

My runtime numbers came directly from the retail packaging...

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

oh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Princeton Tec normally doesn't pad runtimes. The runtimes given on the Matrix (Module) are totally accurate.

The problem is the definition of useful light. Unfortunately, this means different things to each manufacturer, and to each end user.

 

[Jerimoth]

There was also a comment somewhere on this site maybe a month ago that the 3 5mm LED take more current than the Luxeon- I assume though that the drop-off isn't as extreme as it is for the Luxeon, but it creates a dilemma. When I'm using a light like the BD gemini, I run the LED most of the time so that I can save the battery for the incandescent when lots of light is needed. It seems though that if the 5mm LEDs draw more then the opposite would be true, and once the batteries are well drained maybe the 3LEDs work better than the Luxeon- just a guess. In any case, I still have the same batteries that came with it and have used it on several hikes at night and one overnight winter camping trip, so I haven't run them down enough to figure this out.

 

[Phaserburn]

The Yukon HL is waterproof, right?

 

[Alan]

Jerimoth,

If my memory serves me right (it fails sometimes:-)), the one you described was AAA driven Luxeon headlamp from other company (black diamond?) and not Yukon HL.

Alan

 

[Quickbeam]

Phaser: It's listed as "water resistant" on the package - good for rainstorms, but not diving.

 

[Jerimoth]

Alan you're right...that was Chuen's comment in a post about on the Black Diamond Zenix thread of a few months ago. I can feel better about using the 5mms to save battery power on the Yukon. Thanks.

 

[Alan]

It's great to know my memory still functions well:-)

Alan