Docter Aspherilux 125 halogen

I thought I would share this one here as it is not often these days that you can go out and buy a brand new and quality incandescent torch that is truly a bit different from the rest of the lights our there. But this is the case with the Aspherilux. A German made compact light that also has some unique features, the main one being an aspherical glass optic to shape the light beam. I got mine from Pinhole Solutions in the UK and when I asked I was told that the main buyers of this were museums and art restorers. Here's the box https://www.dropbox.com/s/ry496hjensetpvs/20161217_131832.jpg?dl=0 and for £35 you get batteries and a spare bulb too.
Here's the English description on the back https://www.dropbox.com/s/posxy71pcp4hh3p/20161217_131913.jpg?dl=0
And some of the instructions https://www.dropbox.com/s/2doqoddriykagcx/20161217_132130.jpg?dl=0
I opened it up to fit the batteries and to get a feel for it. Here's a photo of the inside with batteries fitted - my own, not the supplied alkaline cells. https://www.dropbox.com/s/zojlfo9pvjoylv3/20161217_132414.jpg?dl=0

The light is what I would call 'quite well made' as it is made of good materials with good fit and finish but it is not sturdy and designed for punishment. More for the pocket or rucksack. The glass lens is slightly recessed and has a very light diffusion to smooth the beam. As the Aspherilux has a small but very shiny orange peel reflector and a 5.2 Volt 0.5 Amp bulb it is much punchier than it looks. The beam is an almost perfect circle with just the faintest of hazy spill. It covers around 5 feet in a 12 foot room. This is the beam https://www.dropbox.com/s/2h1rwil54lj00y0/20161217_132552.jpg?dl=0 which i have underexposed a little to give better clarity. Its like the Daylo in way, soft yet defined. Fitted in the optional leather case it looks appealing to my eyes and feels nice in the hand https://www.dropbox.com/s/evwzgrw75fow0jh/20161217_132505.jpg?dl=0

It is not a new light on the market but has definitely improved since it was first released a few years ago as now the lenses are cemented together and the switch is more positive. Just sharing as I am very pleased with mine and will now be carrying it.

That's a neat light. Now to try 4x imr14500 and a Potted WA01131-U😀

vicv said:

That's a neat light. Now to try 4x imr14500 and a Potted WA01131-U😀

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Yes, its tempting to hot-rod it, but as the bulb is in a sealed chamber heat would be an issue. I would say the most I would do is use lithium primary cells for a whiter output.

Ya I was joking. Still a neat idea. Besides the aspheric lenses a 4xAA light is very awkward. Too long and skinny. Having the cells abreast like that is a much better form factor. And incans love voltage. Also a mag 4 cell bi pin bulbs with adaptor would probably make an ever tighter and possibly whiter beam. Or a 3 cell bulb if it'll take the voltage

vicv said:

Ya I was joking. Still a neat idea. Besides the aspheric lenses a 4xAA light is very awkward. Too long and skinny. Having the cells abreast like that is a much better form factor. And incans love voltage. Also a mag 4 cell bi pin bulbs with adaptor would probably make an ever tighter and possibly whiter beam. Or a 3 cell bulb if it'll take the voltage

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Well I just threw in some Energizer lithium AA's - and the extra voltage was appreciated as the beam is noticeably brighter and whiter - up by a third at a guess. I will leave them in as they are much lighter too. I will try the Mag bulb when I get some time, however the consumption of the Mag bulbs is quite a bit higher so battery life would take a hit.

I've never used the lithium 1.5V primaries. Nice they give a bit brighter light than NIMH. I wasn't really asking you to experiment for my curiousity. Just throwing out ideas. How much current does a mag 3 or 4 cell draw? I've never checked.

vicv said:

I've never used the lithium 1.5V primaries. Nice they give a bit brighter light than NIMH. I wasn't really asking you to experiment for my curiousity. Just throwing out ideas. How much current does a mag 3 or 4 cell draw? I've never checked.

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No, its a good idea and with lithium primary I will get nearly 6 hours of white light. Mag bulbs are about 0.85 Amp so just over three hours with those as the lithiums are 3000 mAh give or take.

I got that bulb idea from your super bulb sale page. It says 14 eneloop or 4 protected. I know I said IMR but I figured imr14500 would give the same voltage under load as 4 protected 18650 being they're a much smaller cell and a protected 14500 couldn't handle the current of that bulb

Come on!
There was (and is) not much type about that light, because it is a showpiece
(To Show how a projection beam works)
Completely plastic with not the slightest protection against the elements at all.

Good luck with Modding to more output, as all that plastic (even the reflector) is already near/at melting in normal state.
Just put in rechargeables and let go for a few sets of batteries, check how the perfect circle of the beam did change


You could Start your modding with widening that small hole in the black plastic part between reflector and lens, as then more light would pass there and thus the beam will get wider (and this part of the already produced light not simply "stolen" inside the housing)
(You know how a projection beam works?)
Or cut an outline - like a bat logo - instead of the round hole to receive a "truly individual" beam


one of the main negative points remains: no spill light at all!
("Thanks" to how a projection beam works)

PS: that Story with the Museums has been shared already when these things were 1stly sold.
My interpretion is: because it is an easy and cheap way to show how a projection beam works. (That time they were started in cars)
The construction would not stand more than showing it at Museum, so that makes sense