Okay I found the Duracell CR2 that I purchased to do some tests with several months ago. It has never been used (I checked its voltage and it was 3.2 volts so I felt it was fine to use tonight. I did some quick tests.
U bin Orb Raw with RCR2 that was charged about 1 1/2 months ago and has been in a storage case. (4.19 volts)
1570 lux at one meter.
U bin Orb Raw with a several month old but never used Duracell CR2
233 lux at one meter.
Nuwai Q3 with fresh Titanium CR123A (3.3 volts)
545 Lux at one meter. (After initial quick drop)
Now for practical descriptions, sorry I did not have time to pull out my digital camera tonight.
Even with a regular CR2 I could dimly but noticably light up my neighbor's white slatted utility trailor around the 165 feet from where I was standing on this very dark night (0 street lights).
The Q3 lit it up well just not bright.
The Raw with a RCR2 lit it up very nicely and I could even see the vertical post that holds the trailer hitch end up.
In my yard the U binned Raw, with a CR2, lit up part of my yard that is around 75 feet away well enough to identify objects,with natural light/dark color contrasts, without any real trouble and within 50 feet it was was much better. That is until I turned the Q3 on. Then the Q3 looked much better and brighter.
Of course when I turned the Raw on with an RCR 2 in it the Q3 then seemed rather dim.
I do own 2 U binned Orb Raws and within say 45 to 50 feet the difference between one with a CR2 and one with an RCR2 was obviously brightness, but not necessarily visibility. Beyond that and everything changes dramatically.
One other important point to mention when comparing the Raw with a CR2 and a Q3. The Raw's corona is much wider and the transition from hotspot to the corona is much smoother. Everything is dimmer but more even. In the example above, the CR2 Raw dimly lit up not only objects 75 feet away but a very wide section up to that point. The Q3, which actually has a fairly wide beam, was very narrow in comparison. Brighter, twice as bright, but narrower.
From 1 foot away the diameter of the Raw Corona was 19.5"
From 1 foot away the diameter of the Q3 Corona was 13.25"
The last measurement I will mention is from a little light box I made. It is a modification of Quickbeam's design. Both designs us a milk carton on it's side. Quickbeam's design has the hole for the light in the center of the top side and the hole for the meter in what would normally be the bottom of the carton. Facing the beam at a 90 degree angle.
My design involved marking the carton into halves lengthwise so the hole on the top side could be in the center of one half and the hole on the side (actual side not normal bottom of the carton) could be in the center on the other half and not facing the beam itself. Think different axis in parallel a plane. I did this for testing the relative fill capabilities of mtb lights. It is very consistently repeatable. ( I will soon retire this as I have a new large design I plan to make)
Relative fill values
Orb Raw CR2 335
Q3 691
Orb Raw RCR2 2193
In summary a CR2 works in a U binned Orb raw The light it gives is very wide and even, though dim. On a dark night like tonight it creates a wide area of dim and useable light that is not too hard for the eyes to adjust to when either turning on or off.
It is half as bright as my Q3 and roughly 1/6 th as bright as using a RCR2.
Take Care,
mtbkndad :wave:
