Various Arc4+ Runtime Data

I thought I'd post this graph for the benefits of some of the new folks who are not familiar with the Arc4+. This chart shows the 1st 2.5 hours of runtime of some varous Arc4 lights. All lights were tested using a new SureFire 123-cell.

Is the correct distance to sensor 2.5" as stated in your graph? What are you using for data logging?

I got a LM631 a couple of weeks ago and planned to do some runtime test using TY-1/5A-400ma Ni-MH rechargables. I have a Fluke 189 and Fluke Forms. I haven't got around to doing it yet!

I posted questions about doing this test but nobody answered. Did you use a darkened room? How did you hold the Arc? If not handheld, didn't the Arc's temperature sensor effect it's output because of the lack of the hand being a heatsink?

Now the LM631 analog output isn't as the manual states, did you notice that? In lux, it's supposed to be 1 mv = 1 lux but the lower scales are correct but the higher scales are off by one decimal place, 500 lux = 50.0mv. The fc is off as well and as I remember the 200 fc scale reads directly 1 fc = 1mv when the manual states, 10mv = 1 fc.

Yes, that's the distance. Logging is totally manual. The light rests on top of an inverted opaque film canister, so I don't have to move it throughout the test. The readings are taken at the top of the minute, at every 5-minute mark. My tests are really never to display output, but instead for comparision purposes between multiple lights.

I've been playing with my new light-meter, which is an Extech #401036. This meter is nice because it has an auto-logging feature, so I don't have to worry about watching this thing while the test is going. I can start the test, walk away, then dump the data down to the laptop. Anyway, I thought I'd start measuring some of my Arc4+ lights. I have all but one of those completed (the other is off getting a S/W upgrade), so I thought I'd post the results.



The test went for 3.5 hours and samples were taken at 1-minute intervals. The light was 2.5 inches away from the light sensor, resting on an inverted opauqe film canister.

tin:

Did you know that the your LM631 is really a Extech unit too?

Nope. I didn't know that.

...ain't automatic data-logging great? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

Sure is. I just wished the included software had more built-in reporting to it. I still need to export the data and import into Excel to produce the graphs. It's not that big of a deal, however it still would have been nice not to do anything.