Princeton Tec lumens?

Bought myself a Torrent. How accurate is the 115 lumens they claim, and what's a more believable runtime? The stated five hours is down to .25 lux at 2 meters using eight alkaline cells.

Re: Princeton Tec help?

Picked up my Xenon Torrent today, and much to my dismay my eight freshly charged, rested Eneloop AAs didn't cause the tiniest glimmer of red. I thought I had a DOA bulb. ( :sigh: ) So I throw in the Duracells that they provided me with as a courtesy, and would you look at that. Lit up like a champ. Princeton Tec warns you of potentially lower initial lumens with ni-cad and nimh cells, but they're recommended there right next to alkaline cells (but not L91 lithiums).

Anybody know of an incompatibility between those cells and that torch that might have surprised me here?

Re: Princeton Tec help?

Chrontius said:

Picked up my Xenon Torrent today, and much to my dismay my eight freshly charged, rested Eneloop AAs didn't cause the tiniest glimmer of red. I thought I had a DOA bulb. ( :sigh: ) So I throw in the Duracells that they provided me with as a courtesy, and would you look at that. Lit up like a champ. Princeton Tec warns you of potentially lower initial lumens with ni-cad and nimh cells, but they're recommended there right next to alkaline cells (but not L91 lithiums).

Anybody know of an incompatibility between those cells and that torch that might have surprised me here?

Click to expand...

sounds like the eneloops may have a short or fat nipple that isnt making contact correctly
have a look at the nipple on top of the eneloops and compare them to the duracells

there may be a little reverse polarity guard in the light

Re: Princeton Tec help?

Echo63 said:

sounds like the eneloops may have a short or fat nipple that isnt making contact correctly
have a look at the nipple on top of the eneloops and compare them to the duracells

there may be a little reverse polarity guard in the light

Click to expand...

There most definitely is reverse-polarity protection on this thing - remember, two banks of four batteries in opposite polarity equals a monster

Re: Princeton Tec help?

Appears that the positive contact furthest from the bulb doesn't play nice with the Eneloop's positive contact button. I have no earthly idea why, but... a speck of aluminum foil completes the circuit and holy cow, Eneloops are brighter than fresh alkalines.

Re: Princeton Tec help?

Chrontius said:

Appears that the positive contact furthest from the bulb doesn't play nice with the Eneloop's positive contact button. I have no earthly idea why, but... a speck of aluminum foil completes the circuit and holy cow, Eneloops are brighter than fresh alkalines.

Click to expand...

I remember Rayovac rechargeable batteries having a special extra dimple on the positive contact that made normal rechargeables incompatible with their charger. I hadn't seen much difference between Eneloops and Alkalines in shape, so...what gives? Can you take comparison measures and pictures?

Re: Princeton Tec help?

I get 0.202" wide for Duracell buttons, and 0.215" wide for Eneloop buttons.

1.977" long for Eneloop and 1.976" long for Duracell.

And suddenly I find that I have to twist the Eneloops once they're installed, but they work now? With no aluminum foil? Weird...