Dorcy Super 1 watt, and insulated Lux I temps

rider

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
189
I checked out a Dorcy Super 1 watt (CR123 body) light the other day, and was surprised at the way it nearly fell apart in my hands- you couldn't find an easier mod host, I suppose.

The light output and tint is fantastic (rx0h Lux I), although the reflector throws a wierd ringy pattern.

I'm wondering about the potential life of that nice emitter. The star seems to be intentionally thermally insulated, or at least I haven't been able to think of any other way to engineer a total absence of any thermal path. It's surrounded by two half-ring plastic retainers, and sits on a plastic ring. There's also no airflow. The contrast between this light and another 3V Lux I (2-AA Inova Radiant) is amazing- the Inova has gimmicky gill-like venting, but the air-flow path does reach to an aluminum tube with a copper heatsink inside of it, which (hopefully) is bonded to the emitter's star. The Inova's metal internals rapidly heat up after a short use, indicating good heat dissipation from the LED. The Dorcy shows no measurable external temperature rise even after extended use.

I have been looking for thermal measurements of an insulated Lux I. The thermocouple for my Fluke is kaput, so I can't try measuring this particular specimen.

I'm sure that for intermittant usage, the life of the emitter won't be too significantly degraded, but for hour at a time usage, I'm concerned it'll have a short, hard life. The Vf of the diode is pretty low, but it doesn't appear the light really has any regulation, it just seems to ride off of the discharge curve of the LIon battery.
 

parnass

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
2,576
Location
Illinois, USA
rider said:
I checked out a Dorcy Super 1 watt (CR123 body) light the other day, ...

The light output and tint is fantastic (rx0h Lux I), although the reflector throws a wierd ringy pattern.

My Dorcy CR CR123 has a very good pattern. The rings are just barely visible on a white wall compared with the rings on the Inova T4.
 
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