Blaster II 1W @ 4,600 lux

I know it's hard to believe, but I have a Blaster II here, which I took a lux reading at 4,600 lux, at one meter. It's brighter than a 5W I have. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif I've been measuring around 2,500 on most of the 1W Blaster II's. This one seemed a bit brighter than the rest, and when I took the reading, I was amazed. These batteries are not even new, being somewhat used.

Some have commented on the unreliability of lux readings. But I use it more as a comparative basis. The reading may be a bit off one way or another, but if I'm consistent in how I measure, it can give me relative brightness, compared to other flashlights. This one seems to be nearly twice as bright as the others. No, it is not a 5 watt.

I do not have my camera here with me, or I'd take a beam shot.

This is a Blaster with the 'police special' head. It weighs 7.3 oz., as compared with 3.2 oz. for the regular head. It has a lot of aluminum in it. I suppose it could be considered a pretty good club. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif

I've stated before that I am not trying to sell the brightest flashlights. I do have resistance in them. They can be brighter, but I'm also trying to make them reliable. Nothing is more depressing than burning up a Luxeon Star /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif

Wayne j

That's incredible Wayne! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I just want to clarify/confirm that the new Blaster II+ output is ~2,500 Lux and not the older Blaster IIs. Is this correct? Thanks.

Amazing...

Email sent.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Could it be that you've come across a 1 in 10,000 super LS?

If that's true I wonder what circumstances cause it to happen.

[ QUOTE ]
S4MadMan said:
That's incredible Wayne! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I just want to clarify/confirm that the new Blaster II+ output is ~2,500 Lux and not the older Blaster IIs. Is this correct? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I cannot make claims that every single Blaster II will be such high lux readings. I just wanted to point out the very high readings possible on some of them.

I've measured much higher readings with the lambertian Luxeon Star than with the batwing, when combined with the 30mm optics. I was waiting for others to do some testing and post their results, but it never happened. I have had several flashlights come in over 4,000 lux, using the lambertian Luxeon Star and 30mm optics, many around 2,500, and some that are less. These are not direct drive, but have resistance in them

The high lux reading is mainly because of the tight focused beam from the 30mm optics, and also because the 30mm optics seem to be much more efficient in collecting the light, than other optics and/or reflector combinations I've seen.

With super high lux readings from the 1 watt, and the much longer battery life as compared to the 5 watt, it makes the 1 watt Blasters very much a viable solution. I really like the 5 watt, and it is incredibly bright, but you will not see the kind of battery life with the 5 watt that you see with the 1 watt. I make a modest claim of 72 hours on 3 alkaline D cells. Actually it is more like 4 or 5 days, the first 24 being high brightness.

Wayne j

[ QUOTE ]
Icebreak said:
Could it be that you've come across a 1 in 10,000 super LS?

If that's true I wonder what circumstances cause it to happen.



[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think so. Yes, it must be a very high flux 1W. But I've had readings this high with other 1W lambertian / 30mm collimator combinations. This is not direct drive, and the batteries were somewhat used.


Wayne j

Wayne, great post with very valid points.

I'll be content if the Blaster II+ gets 2,000 Lux. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Your point about the longevity is the key for me, I want continuous run time. Based on output and runtime, it's hard to be the Blaster II. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I decided to do brightness test on the Blaster II flashlights, as I make sure they all work correctly. Here are the brightness values from the last 5 flashlights I checked. Note that I am not using new batteries. New batteries would give higher readings.

2,690 lux
2,820 lux
2,890 lux
3,120 lux
3,180 lux

These measurements are taken at 1 meter.

When you begin to receive your Blaster II's, you will be amazed at how bright they are. I'm amazed every time I take one outside at night. I keep thinking, 'this is a single LED?'. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

Wayne j

Have you started shipping them yet? I can hardly wait to take mine to work with me and show it off /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Aeryk

[ QUOTE ]
Aeryk said:
Have you started shipping them yet? I can hardly wait to take mine to work with me and show it off /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Aeryk

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I started shipping them out yesterday. The earliest orders go first.

Every Blaster II I have taken a lux measurement have come in over 2,000 lux ! This is with the older batteries I was using.

I put new alkaline batteries into the 'police special', and measured 5,250 lux at 1 meter! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif This flashlight does have resistance in it. I don't know why it is so bright?


Wayne j

WOW!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif That's some serious lux!

Any chance I can purchase one of those police specials and/or a B2+ that is above 4,000 lux?

If so, please e-mail me, thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I started using new alkaline batteries, instead of the used ones, for testing. The average reading is around 3,500 lux.

Please note (if you didn't already know) that even though the lux reading is so high, close to a 5W, total lumens is not near what the 5W is putting out. Lux and candlepower measure the brightest spot in the beam, not total light output. It is possible for a 5W to have a lower lux reading, yet be putting out 4 times as much light (lumens) as the 1 watt LS.

(BTW, I am shipping out a load of Blaster II's today) I was unable to ship a couple of orders, as I still have more of this production run coming from the factory, along with the Blaster V and Blaster VI.)

Wayne j

[ QUOTE ]
ElektroLumens said:
I started using new alkaline batteries, instead of the used ones, for testing. The average reading is around 3,500 lux.

Please note (if you didn't already know) that even though the lux reading is so high, close to a 5W, total lumens is not near what the 5W is putting out. Lux and candlepower measure the brightest spot in the beam, not total light output. It is possible for a 5W to have a lower lux reading, yet be putting out 4 times as much light (lumens) as the 1 watt LS.
Wayne j

[/ QUOTE ]

Average of 3,500 Lux?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

And yes, I understand lumens. Lumen is a spherical measurement, the total output of light while lux is a linear measurement, the intensity at a specific given point.

Thanks Wayne, I really like your approach, information and professionalism. You, Mr. Bulk and Lambda are first-rate! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif