Review: Elektrolumens Wall-Of-Fire

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jerry i h

Enlightened
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Jul 26, 2007
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Mods: this is a duplicate of one my posts in the marketplace. I re-post here, with the hope that you will move it the review board.

Well, I just got mine
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, and I am very happy. First, I do not have a digital camera, so will not provide beamshots or pictures; however, Elektro has put many such on his website. Second, the NiCd's will not arrive for a couple of days, and then require 2 days for the trickle charger to do 6 batts. When all this does happen, I will do a full scale stress test and post the results. But, it is the one of the most incredible things I have ever seen: who would have thought you stuff the equivalent of 16 – P4's in a M*g?.


Well, let me load 'er up with these used W*lgr**n D cells, to make sure it survived the trip from Oregon.
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HMMOJ. OK, I AM TURNING IT OFF NOW. Whew, that is one bright piece of equipment. Wait, this is only partial brightness? The smiley is unusually apropos, since I did blind myself. No, I did not point it right at my face. I turned it on pointed sideways; it was turned only slightly toward my head, and my eyes caught only a sideways glance, and I saw spots for several minutes.


OK, we went playing, but keep in mind this was with tired alkys. We light up an entire parking lot, much of a small urban park, and small-ish backyard. The really bright light extended maybe 2 dozen feet, and still good ambient for much beyond. It seemed like the equivalent of several kerosene lanterns. Remarkable would be an understatement.

Let me be clear: this is NOT a flashlight per se. The strength and distribution pattern is an awful like one of those halogen flood lights you use to light up the backyard, porch, or deck. It does not have throw, but I have no doubt someone will figure out how to put optics of some sort into it; in that case, it will probably throw clear into the next state. At nearly three and a half pounds, you will not be holding it in your hands for the 2 hour runtime; I will use it propped up on a chair, picnic table, bookshelf, or what have you.

It looks exactly like a regular 6D M*g, except when you look into the bezel (which looks, well, kind of industrial). Fully loaded, it comes in at 3# 5oz; a regular 6D with the same batts measures 3# 1oz. I was worried that the WOF would weigh a ton and sort of look like the Creature From The Black Lagoon, but this was not so. I desperately want to take it apart and see the guts, but I know better since I am notoriously klutzy when it comes to these things.


WOF is a rather remarkable bit of engineering, and I am duly impressed. It will set you back 3 bills, but, like I heard on a cable shopping channel a few days ago, 'Granted, it ain't for everybody'. For your money, you get an awful lot of thoughtful design and execution, and, as such, it represents very good value. If you are thinking about it, get your credit card ready, you won't be disappointed; I surely wasn't. You get professional engineering of the highest caliber. Wayne has done a fabulous job.


How bright is it? Come on, get serious. I used 6 alkys that are NOT fresh and strong. I put the same 6 batts in the WOF and a 6D M*g (destined for a hot wire, BTW). It was a dramatic difference: it is impossible to believe they will light up a parking lot in one flashlight, and just be a normal focusable flashlight in the other. In fact, I am thinking that putting tired alkys in for fresh rechargeables would be a good way to control the brightness. If we assume that they are putting out, say, 1 amp, and the WOF is trying to pull 6 or 7 amps, the tired alkys are putting out a mere fraction of what the WOF is capable of. As is, it seemed to light up a room as well as 40 watt light bulb.


GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
Good News: it surpasses my wildest expectations, and it is hard to believe that a handheld flashlight could be so bright. WOF is clearly in HID territory, and LED's have certainly come of age. Finally, there is an LED product that will light up an entire room just as good as a regular light bulb.
Bad News: I am afraid to use it. I had an entire summer of regular usage planned for it, but now, I do not want anything to happen to my bright, shiny new flashlight. Specifically, I do not want it to sprout legs and walk away. It might just become a shelf queen. We shall see. It might suffer the same fate as some custom knives that cost about the same as the WOF: don't you dare use my knife on that apple.
 
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