Blaster II+ With Comparison Images & Lux Readings

Sorry for the delay in post this but I've been really busy these past few days.

First, some notes: I'm starting to think either LEDs flashlights are very "temperamental" or my Light Meter is crazy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif All my flashlights here have between 50% to 75% battery life left. In the past, my Inova X5T registered 95-105 Lux. This time around it registered 130 Lux...crazy. My Mr. Bulk Mini-LGI and LGI both usually register a few hundred lux more. This time around...it is what it is. *shrugs* Next, of my 3 Blaster IIs, the one you see in the photos is the brightest at usually 1,700+ Lux. Today it registered "only" 1,560 Lux. Finally, my Streamlight SL-20X consistently registers 7,000+ Lux but could only muster 6,700 Lux this time around. So all the flashlights were reading low except the Inova X5T which set a record. Go figure. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

As you can see, the Blaster II+ has a much tighter beam than Blaster II and the hot spot is larger as well. In addition, the light is significantly whiter. The Blaster II was a bit blue with a hint of pea grean around the edges. It's amazing how minor changes can create such a bright 1 watt Luxeon Star. I thought 1,500+ Lux was incredible, my Blaster II+ registers an astonishing 2,890 Lux and has seen over 3,000 Lux a few days ago. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

There's really not much more to say, the Blaster II+ is definitely my favorite all-around LED flashlight. My EDC is still the compact Mr. Bulk Mini-LGI but I have a Blaster II in my car, at home and carry my Blaster II+ in my back pack.

OK, I will shut-up now, here are the photos. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Dan,

These LM631 light meters (or other brands in the same price range) are at the lower end of the scale; the truly precision laboratory light meters can cost thousands. The ones most of us care to afford and employ here were designed for field use, for example an OSHA guy measuring overhead office lights for threshold compliance, etc. Thus they only need to be reasonably accurate within a broad range.

That said, even in laboratories the strict control of variables is maintained. I have found that any ambient light can affect readings. For instance if I take measurements in the daytime, even in our pitch-black little laundry room with sliding pocket door shut tightly behind me, the slight bit of light leaking from under the door will cause readings to go up. So I stuff a towel down there. Just because the meter does not pick up any readings whether the towel is used or removed does not tell us anything. If you put a small dog on your bathroom scale it may not register at all, but if you weigh yourself, then pick up the dog, you will see a difference in weight (in fact that's how my wife who raises toy breeds as a hobby sometimes weighs them).

Also, in any given situation the readings from these meters can vary by as much as 10%. I am not sure if it is only because of the mediocre calibration of the meter, or perhaps due also to the way the LEDs themselves will vary in output due to battery discharge state, the LED warming up, whether you are holding the light in your hand or placing it on a neutral surface (if you feel the light getting warm, especially after repeated or extended testing, then your hand is actually acting as an additional heatsink as opposed to dissipation of this heat directly into free air), or even the precise position of the reflector in relation to the LED in lights with focusing capability...

HTH.

Dan,

Mr. Bulk is right. We can only get a general, or comparative, reading with our meters we have. I try to be consistent in the way I do my testing, but it may differ from the way you do your testing. Hence, we may come up with different readings.

We can get an idea relatively, how one light compares to another in brightness, but we shouldn't claim absoluteness in our measurements. And it probably isn't that important to most people, whether a light is 2,500 lux or 2,890 lux, or whatever. As our eyes perceive the light, they would both look the same anyway.

Lux readings can also be misleading. I can sometimes get a higher lux reading from a 1 watt Luxeon Star than a 5 watt, but the 5 watt is still putting out maybe 4 times as much light. But the 1W is very tightly focused, and the 5W has a wider degree beam.

I have one super bright Blaster II, with a lux reading over 5,000. Most of the 5W, including many of the cyan 5W direct drive, only measure a lux reading of 2,500 to 3,000 lux, using either the NX05 optics or the 30mm optics. But the 5W is putting way more light.

Probably none of us could afford the kind of expensive equipment needed to do accurate measurements. Or if we could, would we shell out that kind of money?

Wayne j

i recently got a LM631 also and from the conditions i described to meterman, they tell me that mines defective, i can't seem to register much with a the peak max on. I have a light that can and will hit 2000 lux and over, but in x10 mode with peak max on, it wont budge.. meter is always stuck at ~142 in x10 mode. Anyone have any clue at whats going on, and what you get when you hit peakmax.

Thanks for replying Charlie and Wayne. I am aware of everything you both mentioned (with the exception of the ~10% margin for error of light meter, which is discouraging), thanks for reinterating it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I always do my Lux readings the same, in the same completely dark room, and the flashlights are the same exact distance each time for readings. I turn on the flashlights for 10 seconds then take the readings.

And yes, it's important to point out the differences between lux and lumens, lux = brightness at a specific point why lumens is spherical = total amount of light that's put out.

I just checked the specifications on my Light Meter and they are +/- 5% so it could be -5% one day and +5% another...for up to a 10% deviation. But I know it's ISO9001, UKAS and CE certified and calibrated.

One final note, sometimes it's hard to discern even in pictures. For instance, look at the picture below, the Blaster II+ and SL-20X look comparable in performance even though the SL-20X has a hot spot over twice as bright as the Blaster II+.

The peak button on mine always causes the reading to rise from "000" to about 26 lux when activated in total darkness...regardless of range setting. My readings are almost exactly the same as Lambda's (we both have LM631's) when measuring the very same flashlight (for example the Micro Illuminator he sent me metered at 84-86 lux on both our meters).

[ QUOTE ]
ufokillerz said:
i recently got a LM631 also and from the conditions i described to meterman, they tell me that mines defective, i can't seem to register much with a the peak max on. I have a light that can and will hit 2000 lux and over, but in x10 mode with peak max on, it wont budge.. meter is always stuck at ~142 in x10 mode. Anyone have any clue at whats going on, and what you get when you hit peakmax.

[/ QUOTE ]

I too have a LM631 light meter, and am also having problems using the "peak hold" feature. The meter seems to work just fine if I don't use the peak hold feature. If I turn on peak hold (even with the cap over the photo sensor) the meter will jump up 117 units (of measurement) depending on what range it's set for...

I have a open call into Wavetek on this problem but have not received a response yet. Since this problem seems to be somewhat "widespread", I will post a discussion topic in it's own thread when I find out what's going on.

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Slick said:
[ QUOTE ]
ufokillerz said:
i recently got a LM631 also and from the conditions i described to meterman, they tell me that mines defective, i can't seem to register much with a the peak max on. I have a light that can and will hit 2000 lux and over, but in x10 mode with peak max on, it wont budge.. meter is always stuck at ~142 in x10 mode. Anyone have any clue at whats going on, and what you get when you hit peakmax.

[/ QUOTE ]

I too have a LM631 light meter, and am also having problems using the "peak hold" feature. The meter seems to work just fine if I don't use the peak hold feature. If I turn on peak hold (even with the cap over the photo sensor) the meter will jump up 117 units (of measurement) depending on what range it's set for...

I have a open call into Wavetek on this problem but have not received a response yet. Since this problem seems to be somewhat "widespread", I will post a discussion topic in it's own thread when I find out what's going on.

[/ QUOTE ]
good to know that i'm not the only one with this problem. i'm not happy in anyway that we got lightmeters like this, i would think that a company that has some name would have better QC.

So I was showing a tech some of my LS lights. I pointed out that they were great for desk diving and gave him a brief run down on the technology. He was quite interested in buying one which kind of surprised me.

He became a member of CPF. I let him know it would be good to watch this forum and see what is being offered. I suggested the Blaster for him because it looked kinda like a standard flashlight except for it was just beautiful. I also was sure it would be high quality.

When he received his B2 we arranged to have a little shoot out in a conference room that has no windows. Don't get me wrong. The LS lights some of you guys allowed me to buy are incredible at doing what they were designed for and I absolutely will not sell them.

I fired off a fantastic BB500 at the far wall about 20' away and it did what it was supposed to do. I then fired off a superlative LGI and it did what it is supposed to do. Then he fired off his new Blaster II+. Unbelievable! It looks a bit like a focused theater spot except it was a kind of white that was a like twenty full moons. Could that be a new measurement? 20 lunes. <insert joke here>

Again, I would not sell my BBs or LGI for twice what I paid for them. Obviously, the Blaster II was designed for a different task. With both the BB500 and LGI on; the Blaster II+ just wiped out their hot spots. Then my buddy showed me that you could back the head off a little and make the beam widen to fill a 10' diameter area at 20'.

I have a Blaster V and Blaster VI on the way and if they just equal the Blaster II+ I will be very pleased. I'm slowly learning a concept that you ModMen have tried to explain that I would like to refer to (and I'm sure one or more of you have used this phrase before) as "Photon Management". I just can't believe that a solatairy stupid solid state component can be coaxed to do this.

Got my Blaster II today (green). Strong beam. Just drowns out my E2 with KL1 head, and my ARC LSH. Must be 10X brighter and fuller. Can adjust head for wider beam, but head gets loose. Looks like there is room for one more O ring forward of existing one on head. I might try that. Anyone know what ID and OD of rubber rings that Wayne uses? Will this work? This flashlight is a true daylight use light. WOW!

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Bullzeyebill said:
Looks like there is room for one more O ring forward of existing one on head. I might try that. Anyone know what ID and OD of rubber rings that Wayne uses? Will this work? !

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I tried that using the same o-ring before I went out and bought another. Moved it to the second grove. The second grove is a shallower one and the head wouldn't screw on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif You need a thinner one.