Comparing lights

[menacer]

Hi all.
Anyone who went to Otleys Hidden Earth may have seen Wookeys talk, comparing many of the LED lights out there.
A summary of his work is available here.
http://wookware.org/talks/LEDlights-BCA.pdf

We are looking at running a 2nd lot of caving lights though their paces at Reeds Cavern again on Sunday 28th February.

All lights will be photo'd using the same F stops and timed exposure using the same camera on the same scene for comparison.
Anyone interested in adding a light to this session for comparison please contact me.

I already will include the Little Monkey - a mendip based light - proffesionally built by a local caver,
the Viper, another professionally sold light designd by road bikers and modded for caving sold by Warmbac and the latest Sten - I need to contact the sten guys still to borrow a lamp for the review.

Anyone interested in having a light/their light or any light compared under this process please PM me.

 

[Rob]

Sounds like and interesting and useful project. Any info on the Little Monkey light to hand...?

 

[Maggot]

I just got the latest Sten, I could bring it along if thats any help. Also have a Raptor Pro.

 

[sluka]

Practical use of UV feature of Scurion - detection of aragonite!!! It is possible to use any simple and "cheap" construction just for it. UV LEDS are not so cheap.

 

[Ed W]

Any info on the Little Monkey light to hand...?

I've been using one for a couple of weeks.  It does not attempt to join in the "my lamps got more lumens than yours" willy waving that has been going on of late.  Instead it is small and efficient.  It has a single LED with a 2.6Ah Li Ion battery pack (a 6 x AA pack is also available).  4 light levels, c.100 hrs, 30 hrs, 12 hrs and 4.5hrs - the last at 365 lumen.  Levels 2 & 3 are great for caving on.  It is noticeably smaller than the Duo or Bisun I was using before, particularly so when in awkward digging positions.  Build quality is up there with Scurion, whilst being c.?100 cheaper than Scurion P4 or Viper (you also get a mains charger and car charger for your money).

The only slight downside is that using a single LED (CREE R5?) is that the beam pattern is a compromise between flood & spot compared to a Scurion or Bisun, but saying that it is a pretty good compromise.  In short it seems to be (so far) a bloody good lamp!

 

[mrodoc]

'We are looking at running a 2nd lot of caving lights though their paces at Reeds Cavern again on Sunday 28th February.'

Tis actually Read's Cavern! Reeds is in Devon and is closed at present

 

[simon.moorhouse]

the monkey looks nice... where can u get it from?  been lookin around online with no joy so far...

 

[sluka]

Hi all.
Anyone who went to Otleys Hidden Earth may have seen Wookeys talk, comparing many of the LED lights out there.
Anyone interested in having a light/their light or any light compared under this process please PM me.

What about Philips Ledinos?  http://www.ledino.philips.com/

 

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Lights so far.

The little monkey
the latest sten
a raptor
the viper
The scurion K
a home mod scurion
the ledcavinglight.co.uk

I emailed about the troglite in this months Descent but have had no reply.
Does anyone on mendip have one I could borrow this weekend.(by pm please)
Any other suggestions welcome, (lights developed within last 2 years because we've done most the others)
or just get it to me be the sunday morning (10am from the wesssex)

Wookey will be adding them to his database of lights.
It takes into consideration weight and cost, lumens etc

 

[KevinR]

I have a Troglite and a KSE (9 LED version) - both of which I think work well, could drop at Wessex Sunday AM, If I can get a trespass permit.
Kevin R
(BEC)

 

[menacer]

Thanks Mark have replied to your Pm - didnt think youd appreciate a phone call after midnight 

carm

 

[biff]

the monkey looks nice... where can u get it from?  been lookin around online with no joy so far...

Sorry, hadn't realised this was in circulation. Just had my ear bent by Carm in Hunters. Im on the lash all day tomorrow for my sins, but I will post detailed info Monday. Lamps are now very much available.

 

[menacer]

Many thanks to all who helped with this project today.
The lights tested in the end were.

Retro 2
Scurion K
Kse
Troglite
Scurion regular
Raptor
Sten r100++
Ledcavinglamp.co.uk
Little monkey
Viper light
Duo 14 led
Duo side bulb led mod
Nova
Nova 3
Myo xp
Hand torch from japan as recommended on this forum
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22569


Great to meet some new faces.

Carm

 

[graham]

Must have been really, really bright down Read's today.  :idea:

 

[cap n chris]

Anyone care to tally up how much value that little lot amounts to?

 

[Maggot]

About 3500 lumens 

 

[Jaz]

And the winner is...............

BTW, hello (first post).  I've just returned to caving after an absence of more than 20 years after taking my kids and their friends down Goatchurch they loved it and I was reminded how much I do too.  But the ?8 'Gellert'  needs an upgrade.  I was also reminded just how much you ache the next day.

 

[KevinR]

There will never be a "winner" - bit like saying "what's the best car?"

The lights reviewed vary in cost from ?50 to ?500, so really you have to decide on your budget and then compare the lights in that range.

I was in Read's Cavern for part of the test, and I can assure you there was a BIG difference in the light output of the various lights! :
KevinR

 

[cap n chris]

You could do a lumens/? ratio for all the lights on their maximum settings but that would need to be offset with a light longevity on max setting and a light longevity/standard lumen setting.

Certainly, having seen the photos I have no doubt what the best dedicated helmet mounted lumen/? light is.

 

[Jaz]

Many thanks to all who helped with this project today.
The lights tested in the end were.

Retro 2
Scurion K
Kse
Troglite
Scurion regular
Raptor
Sten r100++
Ledcavinglamp.co.uk
Little monkey
Viper light
Duo 14 led
Duo side bulb led mod
Nova
Nova 3
Myo xp
Hand torch from japan as recommended on this forum
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22569

I've just ordered the hand torch mentioned above but I got it from a British supplier who keeps them in stock, www.lumenjunkies.co.uk I ordered it yesterday and it arrived this morning.  Dealextreme were cheaper but appear to be a non-stock holding supply portal and the products get despatched from China.  Depending on the exchange rate, you could save about ?5 by ordering from them, I opted to order from a UK supplier.  I also ordered their ?15 headlight    Afterall, anything has to be better than the Gellert I've been using and I need something to tied me over until we get the results for this comparison.


My first impression of the hand torch is the build quality is surprisingly good and altough the stated 900 lumens seems somewhat hopefull, it is certainly very bright.  It's a useful torch for all sorts of applications, I'll using it at work, for cycling as well as to compliment caving.

The headlamp was a bit of a punt and I wasn't expecting too much but again the brightness is miles ahead of other stuff (tescos, gellert etc.) in this price range.  It's not really robust enough for caving but I'm going to give it a go over the weekend.  My only disappointment is that one battery tube is just the right size, the middle one is a bit tight but will release the battery with some tapping BUT the other is not far off being a 'press fit' and I will have to get the long nosed pliers in there to get it out (hopefully).

Has anyone used the Fenix HP10, as seen here http://www.polimil.co.uk/acatalog/Fenix.html  I'm thinking I might get one to see what it's like.