Streamlight ProPolymer 3C 10 LEDs!!!!

More new LED lights from SL. They have the 10 LED version of the ProPolymer 3C at brightguy. Assuming its high current draw like the 4AA, I bet you could get 10 hours of super bright overdriven 10 LEDs and probably 1 LED brightness for the rest of the 366 claimed hours of use. I also think it uses the old style switch, without being deeply recessed like the 4AA.

I would like to see how this compares to the Trek 14 or maybe even the 19 if it is extremely overdrive like the 4AA.

$35 at www.brightguy.com

Cool, but I don't get it!

A 4AA light should be able to support more LED's than a 3C light, right? After all, that is 4 * 1.5 volts, vs 3 * 1.5 volts?

True, but for how long? 10 LEDs won't run for very long on those wimpy AAs.

--Scrimmy

Not necessarily.

The internal impedance (resistance) of the C cells is much lower than the AAs and the capacity (ampere hours) is about 2.5x.

Also, since you don't have a peak voltage of 6V to ballast the LEDs for, you may actually be able to get more light longer. It's all in the design and I believe Streamlight showed very capable design and a deep understanding of the dynamics involved with the light plot I got from the 4AA.

Greg sez that the 3C is substantially brighter than the 4AA.

I had just ordered 4 4AAs and now ordered 5 3Cs ... some are going back, for sure, but I'm very excited. The 3C would be a better car light than a 4AA IMHO.

The bad thing is the switch. Pushbutton in tail, turn head for constant on. But it sould be reliable.

Cheers,

Richard

At 4.5 volts, 10 Nichia LEDs will be overdriven unless resistored down (which I bet they are).

Running the same 10 Nichia LEDs on 4 AA batteries at 6v conveys no advantage whatsoever (except the size of the package). They will have to be resistored down even more to achieve an acceptable voltage for driving the LEDs. Result: more voltage wasted in the resistors. 1 battery is totally wasted. That's all.

The 3 C config will, of course, give longer runtime and will have less voltage wasted as heat by the resistors. I'm very interested to see how this compares to a LW 4000.

When my 4AA LED "exploded" from the 4 lithiums AAs I experimemntally used, I must confess I almost felt a sense of relief.

The brightness was fine, but I strongly disliked the intensely blue beam. it really bothered me. The beam from my Trek 1400 is the closest to a "pure white beam" of any of my LED lights, including my SLS. Perhaps this is not typical and I was lucky, but I am wary of that blue tendency of Nichias. It seems that the harder they are pushed the bluer they get.

Would two Luxeons in the 3-C be a good idea?

Brightnorm

Brightnorm,

Have you seen the pic's of the KL2 vs the KL1 and KL3?

The KL2 is the 19 LED SureFire head. That appears (in the pictures anyway), blue also. But I am betting that, in person, it is a very wide, bright light.

I didn't think my Streamlight was just but a tiny tinge of blue, until I compared it to all my other Luxeon Star lights, then it looked very blue.

I took it with me the next day to go hiking, and used it as my only light for three people, and we were on a dirt road, miles in the woods, and it was just fine.

I still really like that light, but I see where you get the "blue color" comment from.

It's funny, now that I know that it is there, I look for it, but by itself, it is a very bright, useable light, in my opinion.

It doesn't look blue by itself, but in comparing it to other lights, it does look blue.

And I am one of those people that really detest those "fake blue" headlights that people put in their cars.

A tinge of blue in white actually gives the appearance of a "whiter than white" color. If you have a piece of plain white paper, hold it up to a "white" refigerator, and notice how yellow the paper looks.

I understand now why you and others comment about the blue color.

Like I need another light, but I just ordered one!

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It'd be really great if you would do some comparison shots and a runtime grpah!

Well, well, well, as in oil well. It's got a UL safety rating (explosion proof) and 10 LED's.

OK, now my collection grows by one.

Ross

Like I need another light, but I just ordered one!

I think that, for some purposes, this type of light is actually better than the LS's, because it puts out a more, diffused, wider light.

For some reason, there is a mental dollar limit that I will just buy a light. For instance, I want a K3 with a 3 cell body from SureFire, and that will cost, what, around 150$, but I have to plan for that, but a 35$ light, no problem!

Now what should be interesting, is that 19 LED head (KL2 I think) from SureFire. While probably dimmer, it is probably a real nice area light.

Why do you people tempt me like this? My next (and last) light was going to be a KL-1, then this appears!

I bought a 3N and 4AA Streamlight (because of BuddTX's review - good recommendation by the way). I was thinking I shouldn't buy any more (although my wife already knows I'm crazy, so that situation can't get worse with a new light).

Ok, will someone buy this light and post their review?

I hope to see Streamlight's LED collection grow in the future, maybe some LS models with great pricing (like these) so people like Joe Schmoe will see the light.

Originally posted by BuddTX:
I think that, for some purposes, this type of light is actually better than the LS's, because it puts out a more, diffused, wider light.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You could also use an "old optic" on an LS and get a more diffused, yet still bright, swath of light.

Charlie,

Where can you buy the "old optics"?

Man that SL 4AA 7 LED gets really hot. I ran it for about 20 min and I was using Nimh. It got so hot I could barely hold the LED module in my hand. That can't be good for the LED's.

It is bright though, but at what cost to longevity? At least it has a lifetime warrenty. I might start using a dummy cell in it to run it at more acceptable amperage levels.

Does the life time warrenty cover the LED's? Most warrenties don't cover bulbs or batteries. TX

The warranty does cover the LED's. It specifies only the batteries as being exempt.

Originally posted by cave dave:
Man that SL 4AA 7 LED gets really hot. I ran it for about 20 min and I was using Nimh.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I think Streamlight needs to clarify its recommended power source. Lithiums and NIMH cells both have a flat discharge curve. I'm thinking Streamlight figured in the sharp early curve of alkalines, and then didn't tell the user of the risks of flat discharge sources. Maybe after they receive a few fried ones back they'll include a warning in their package.