Elektro Lumens Various Modifed Flashlights History

I designed a web page with many of the flashlights I have modified in the past. Glaringly absent are the Mag Lite mods I've done. That's because I removed all the photos and documentaiont I had on my web site, related to Mag Lites. This was because of patent infringement concerns.

Elektro Lumens Various Modified Flashlight History

Wayne J.
www.elektrolumens.com

What's that light directly below the "stellar", Looks like a CMG Reactor on steroids

Originally posted by x-ray:
What's that light directly below the "stellar", Looks like a CMG Reactor on steroids

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No, I made that long ago, I am pretty sure before the CMG Reactor ever showed it big head, so the Reactor looks like that Brinkmann 2AA on steroids!

That has a step up regulator I designed in it (MAX757 Circuit), and uses 2 AA batteries. Lasts about 2 hours on a set of batteries. It has a 1" copper head on it (1" copper plumbing pipe connector). I suppose CMG saw the design and liked it. I always thought it looked like a WWII German hand grenade! Anyway, I gave it to my wife.

Wayne J.
www.elektrolumens.com

What's the brightness of your version versus the CMG Reactor? Or you don't compare your superior products to inferior retail products?

Originally posted by Stefan:
What's the brightness of your version versus the CMG Reactor? Or you don't compare your superior products to inferior retail products?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I don't think the Reactor is inferior at all. Mine was a garage hack job, and it looks it. The Reactor is designed for maximum battery life, and is a nice flashlight. I designed mine to use a step up regulator, so it would be bright, while only using 2 AA batteries. I set it at 3.2 or 3.3 volts, and about 350mA to 400mA I think. I was at that time making step up circuit boards, about 1" diameter. I am not an EE, and I don't like working under a microscope.

I don't know how bright the reactor is, so I cannot compare the two. I am driving mine at specs, so it would be at the 18 lumens, or thereabouts?

Wayne J.
www.eletkrolumens.com

Hey, there's my bike light! The one with three Luxeons!

The Arc LS is brighter than the Reactor, Stefan. However, Arc goes for brightness, while CMG goes for runtime. Still, the Reactor achieves a nice balance between runtime and brightness. CMG's products are intended for backpacking and other activities where you don't want to hump a bunch of batteries.

One additional advantage I see with the Reactor, is the big head. It can be operated with gloves on, like in caving.

I have yet to experience any of Elektrolumen's mods, but they do look well done.

True enough, but isn't the Arc LS also 4x more expensive?

4 times +, Stefan. Then again, the Arc LS is a top of the line flashlight and can use either 123s or AAs (only the LS3 can use 2 x 123).

It is the old story of the tradeoff between brightness and runtime. Just going on brightness alone, brighter is not always better. Neither is dimmer always better. It depends on what is needed for your application(s).

The actual 'useful' runtime of the Reactor will be something less than 25 hours, of course. Even that is a subjective thing.

Speaking of getting up at night, I keep my Illuminator and a Brinkman Rebel hanging on the headboard of my bed. Perfect for this application.

Wayne, if you're trying to keep all Mag-lite stuff off the page, you might want to recheck the pics for the DoubleStar- the uhm, 'Temporary power-cell' looks interesting. Nice red color. Clipping the pics to remove that shouldn't harm the concept.

Are any other light amnufacturers as twitchy as Mag Instruments? Besides, I thought US patents expired after either 7 or 14 years.

Originally posted by Charles Bradshaw:
The Arc LS is brighter than the Reactor, Stefan. However, Arc goes for brightness, while CMG goes for runtime. Still, the Reactor achieves a nice balance between runtime and brightness. CMG's products are intended for backpacking and other activities where you don't want to hump a bunch of batteries.

One additional advantage I see with the Reactor, is the big head. It can be operated with gloves on, like in caving.

I have yet to experience any of Elektrolumen's mods, but they do look well done.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Going for runtime makes a lot of sense. Low price, too! Guess I'll have to buy one.

Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night, and reach for a flashlight. If I happen to grab a 5 watt modified flashlight, well, that's a mistake. A low powered Luxeon Star flashlight, or even just the four Nichia flashlight is plenty of light.

Many of us get so enamoured with brightness, but most of the time, it is not really needed. A 1 watt Luxeon Star is plenty of light for most situations where a close up light is needed.

Wayne J.
www.elektrolumens.com