Surge no longer brightest AA light

Surge used to be my favorite AA light, it is bright, beam is smooth and pretty good runtime until I got the 5W Cyclops from Lambda.

Although Lambda told me that rings won't be problem on 5W SE LS, I was a little hesitated due to the poor nature of Mag reflector. I was proven totally wrong. The 5W Cyclops not only outthrow the Surge, yes, it outthrow our very favorable Surge albeit not too much. Surge is very yellow, wait, isn't Surge beam pretty white and smooth? Not when compare with Lambda's 5W Cyclops, the 5 Watter not only outthrow the Surge a little bit, its beam and spill is even smoother than the Surge. No rings or any artifact at all, not a bit. In fact, its beam pattern is very similiar to Ultra Stinger w semi-smooth reflector but only a little dimmer.

I run the 5W Cyclops continously for an hour, I couldn't see any drop in brightness (compare w freshly charged batteries on Surge). I don't have patient to try to run it down. I guess it will maintain its brightness for a couple of hour and start to drop and last forever.

I like Surge so much that I have 3 of them. It's sad that I have to retire them and keep them as *old* collection. I still could tell friends that these light used to be the brightest AA light available.

What will be the next? With lambda's excellent heatsink, I guess 8AA (NiMH) might be the next move if the body that fit 8AA could be found. Or 8AA with step down regulated for constant brightness?

Great work, Kevin

Alan

Suprising how the 5W smooths the beam pattern compaired to the 1W. I think it's just the larger die of the LED that provides enough overlap from the focal point that the result is nice even light.

In testing some of these other Cy5s I've found a good two hours of near constant output, and even when left to run for over 24hrs, they still produce useable light. I've not let one run in moon mode until the batteries die, so don't know how long it really last but suspect days.

Picked up some new 1850mAh NiMh Friday and those are all charged up for run time test today. I may even meter it if time permits.

Sorry about your trusty surge, but some of the new 5Ws are even brighter yet. So, it's fate is pretty well sealed.........

Can one really compare modified C/D body to take AA with a flashlight designed to take AA ?

What if a 4D body were to be stuffed with 16AA? Would we still call it brightest AA flashlight?

Just in argumentative mood today

- Vikas

Vikas,

By my experience, for incandescant light, the failure point would go to the reflector unless you could find a good aluminum reflector. The heat generated by the bulb will melt the reflector really fast. Some users use MR glass reflector, I don't know how fit it would be. One of major advantage of LED is its reliability - won't break when it drop.

Alan

Originally posted by lambda:
Sorry about your trusty surge, but some of the new 5Ws are even brighter yet. So, it's fate is pretty well sealed.........

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I measured 6.2v at the Bulb in the Surge - isn't that Luxeon-class voltage? - and the Surge already has a pretty hot emitter, just like the Luxeons ... hmmmm ...

I assume there's not enough room to do an LED conversion and the heat dissipation is probably all wrong. It's too bad because a Surge is a really solid body - lack of protection for the bulb when changing batteries is that only real objection I have to it now (after getting the batteries installed the first time).

I take this to mean the price will be in the range of the Surge. Right? Well.... isn't that right?

James Van Artsdalen,

4AA (x2) will not have enough voltage to drive 5W LS brightly.

Empath,

I wish too. Like most semiconductor, I think LS will drop the price significantly after a year of 2 in mass volume production like Nichia. For the moment, 5W LS is still ... :-(

Alan

Alan - outbrights the SURGE??? Wow, Lambda must have a secret formula for his reflectors or somethin'...I must investigate further!

Originally posted by MR Bulk:
outbrights the SURGE??? Wow, Lambda must have a secret formula for his reflectors or somethin'...I must investigate further!

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You don't have to go far to see a 5w cyan outperforming a surge. Here's a shot of your very own Nexneedle up against a Surge:



The hotspots are roughly equal size and brightness, but look at all that extra spill light from the Nexneedle.

And I bet the Surge can't do this:



This image has not been edited in any way, it's simply a long exposure

errr... Woohoo.. Great pic!

Originally posted by Alan:
x-ray,

Nice picture. What is the donor for your mod? It looks cool and small.

Alan

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It's a Brinkman NexStar, built by Mr Bulk, see this thread for details.

x-ray, wow! Did not really think about comparing the one I sent you to a Surge. I think I actually see DUST SPECKS in the beam, like when there's sunlight! I guess all that shipping and waiting for it to arrive in England was worth it. Thanks for posting the picture!

Nice donor, small and solid

By the way, I know Cyna is brighter. Did you try it on trail (woods or anything green) and how it works? I have been thinking to get a 5W Cyna but I don't know how effective it will be on real life (not on white wall). I'm sure Royal Blue will draw attention

Alan

Alan,

I've not really used it out and about yet.

Just did a quick test in my garden, the hotspot is not as visible against the darker colors of trees and grass, It seems to act more like a floodlight, illuminating a wide area while still having a pretty good throw.

X-Ray, Thanks for your info. It seems I'd better stick with White

Alan

x-ray,

Nice picture. What is the donor for your mod? It looks cool and small.

Alan

Mr. Bulk,

The 5W marginally outthrow Surge. It provides very smooth spill and ironically, the *infamous* Maglite reflector contribute a bit in this case - bright hot spot and smooth spill.

Alan

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