PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 11-04-05)

LuxIII RTP's

HIGH SETTING
Duracell Copper Tops supplied with the light 1 hour and 30 minutes in regulation, low power blinks were observed 1:23 into the run.




HIGH SETTING
Sanyo 2500mAh NiMH cells 24 hours off a fresh charge 3 hours and 35 minutes in regulation, low power blinks were observed at the same time it dropped out of regulation.




11-04-05 UPDATE
LOW SETTING
Sanyo 2500 NiMH cells, 7 days off a fresh charge 11 hours and 30 minutes in regulation, low power blinks were observed at the same time it dropped out of regulation. I also ran this plot with cells fresh out of the charger and it ran for 12 hours for a gain for 30 minutes :shrug: Not a very realistic test but I was just curious what the loss would be after a week on the shelf.

Part 1


Part 2



UPDATE 11-08-05
HIGH SETING
Energizer e2 Titanium Cells
This was a bumpy ride but I don't think you would notice it with your eye. Sorry I missed the low power blinks but it looks like it dropped out of regulation around 2 hours and 10 mins. These cells had the longest slope of any between drop out and flat line.




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5mm LED's RTP's

HIGH SETTING
Panasonic Plus Alkaline cells, use by date on the package 2009. 5 hours and 20 minutes in regulation, low power blinks were observed at the same time it dropped out of regulation




HIGH SETTING
Sanyo 2500 NiMH cells, this plot ran for 8 hours I had to start another when it ran out :sweat:
Part 1


Part 2
Add in a few minutes between plots for the screen capture and the start of the second run and it's dead on 9 hours in regulation, again low power blinks were observed at the same time it dropped out of regulation.



Enjoy!

Later
Kelly

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH

Thanks for posting the RTPs! I'm glad you did because I didn't realize that NiMHs would perform that much better than the alkalines. I usually run lithium AAs in my headlamps but I may have to change my strategy a bit! Thanks again.

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH

Great runtimes Sway, thanks for taking the effort to do them and posting them here.
I always use NiMh in my headlamps. Really happy that the Apex did this well with them. I usually keep a set of lithiums as spares, but since even the NiMh handle cold pretty well they are rarely used.

I will probably not use alkalines in this light unless I forget my charger or some other unlikely event

Sverre

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH

Thanks for the runtime plots, Kelly.
Over 3hrs on rechargeable cells...
Now I'm really looking forward for my two PT Apex which are on it's way.
I'll use my Titanium 2400 mAh NiMH cells in these and use BS Lithium AA as spares.

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH

Great plots Sway.
The Nimhs really whopped butt there !!

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH

RTP added for the 5mm LED's on high

Later
Kelly

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 10-31-05)

Has PT published a claimed runtime (in regulation) for the 5mm LEDs on low? The only claims I've seen have been for total run time which, by their definition, is the total time the lamp is capably of producing .25 lux at 2 meters.

Edited to add another thanks to Sway for the RT plots!

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 10-31-05)

LVC2 said:

Has PT published a claimed runtime (in regulation) for the 5mm LEDs on low? The only claims I've seen have been for total run time which, by their definition, is the total time the lamp is capably of producing .25 lux at 2 meters.

Edited to add another thanks to Sway for the RT plots!

Click to expand...

LVC2 I haven't seen anything else on run times either except what PT says on the package, since the light is regulated I do wish they would publish run times in regulation with a specific battery. I have a plot up and running now with the 5mm LED's on high using the 2500mAh Sanyo NiMH cells, I will try and get it posted later today. So far I'm really liking this headlamp

I plan on making a plot with the 5mm LED's on low hopefully sometime this week if I get the time.

Later
Kelly

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 11-01-05)

Can you contimue the test past the point of falling out of regulation? I am always concerned with the warning and time a light gives you to get the battereis changed before it goes out.

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 11-01-05)

mrme said:

Can you contimue the test past the point of falling out of regulation? I am always concerned with the warning and time a light gives you to get the battereis changed before it goes out.

Click to expand...

mrme sure

Note to Kelly: Stop being so impatient.

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 11-01-05)

Keep up the good work Kelly it's us being impatient

PS! Could you please maybe do a runtime test with NiMh and the Luxeon on low?

Sverre

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 11-01-05)

NoFair said:

Keep up the good work Kelly it's us being impatient

PS! Could you please maybe do a runtime test with NiMh and the Luxeon on low?

Sverre

Click to expand...

Sure, I don't know how I'm going to do it yet other than plan my weekend around it :nana:

Later
Kelly

Re: PT Apex Run Time Plots Alkaline/NiMH (UPDATED 11-01-05)

Sway said:

Sure, I don't know how I'm going to do it yet other than plan my weekend around it :nana:

Later
Kelly

Click to expand...

Thanks Kelly

Just turn the lights off in one room, put a red filter on the Apex and tell your significant other you're planning a romatic evening

Sverre

LuxIII Low Setting RTP added

Later
Kelly

Thanks Kelly

Great that you take the effort and possible home confrontations for us.
12 hours with the luxeon on low is great! Often this will be my most used setting. Especially when in the mountain with slightly limited ability to recharge.

Sverre

I'm expecting this Wednesday to be, in addition to "hump" day, the Apex of my week with the arrival of Princton Tec's new headlamp. With the posted photos and RTP's it seems that the Apex will have significant improvements over the Yukon HL.

The Yukon has been my workhorse but I wonder if it's normal? The 3 LED's provide good, useable, flood but the side emmiting Lux is rather anemic and seems to be declining in output. The Lux draws 280mA compared to 340mA for the 3-5mm LED's.

The switching for the Apex should be a pleasure compared to the extremely stiff, small, button on the HL. I've been tempted to send the HL to PT to see if the switch and Lux output are normal.

If my HL doesn't seem normal I'll have it checked out once the Apex arrives. Do any of you have the same problems with your Yukon HL?

Comparing the switches on my Yukon HL and Apex, the Yukon switch is just a little stiffer and has more travel. It takes a little to get use to the Apex switches they don't have as much travel or feel to them, not a real solid "click" like the Yukon. I don't see this as a problem though just something new to get use too like the press and hold to turn off it's just different.

I think your going to be real happy with the Apex, the output and beam shape of the LuxIII and 5mm LED's is better than the Yukon HL. The HL may have a very slight edge in throw due to the reflector but the Apex has a much wider and useable beam, I would by another in a heartbeat

Later
Kelly

I just placed and order for 2 Princeton Tec Apex Headlights. I was planing on ordering bulk AA Lithium Batteries. However, after reading the PT Apex Run Time Plots here, I now have placed an order from Amondotech.com for 2 sets (8 Batteries) of the new Titanium 2700 mAh rechargeable NiMH AA's to try. I also already have 4 sets of the Titanium 2400 mAh rechargeable NiMH AA's that I could use if needed. I'm very impressed with the NiMH runtime plots you did. However, I do have two (2) questions regarding the use of the of NiMH rechargeables, will the light out put be less then with Alkaline AA's, and could I expect even better run time from the new Titanium 2700 mAh over the 2500 mAh batteries that were used in your Run Time Plots?

It is just as bright with NiMH as with alkalines. I can't see any difference and since it is regulated and both set-ups are over the Luxeons Vf it should not matter.

The 2700 mAh should give very slightly longer runtimes than the 2500s, but not much. Higher mAh cells also seem to self-discharge slightly faster so the difference in actual use will be very small.


I'm going to try to put a Seoul LED in mine to get past 100 lumen on high

NoFair said:

I'm going to try to put a Seoul LED in mine to get past 100 lumen on high

Click to expand...

Interested to see how difficult this is, and how it turns out!