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I wanna buy a light...

paul

paul

Moderator
potholer said:
What're they like for the beam and spread of light?
Is there a Nova-type central beam, or something tighter?
Click to expand...

I bought a Stenlight while on a trip to the US last year. They have 2 LEDs and each has a separate collimator (similar to a lens) in front, with different spread angles: 5 degres and 15 degrees. So the default arrangement gives a spread similar to the Nova 3 (which my partner Karen uses) but also a greater "throw".

The collimators (not reflectors as c**tplaces refers to) are user-replacable and you can choose different combinations. See http://www.pbase.com/darklightimagery/stenlight&page=all for examples using different collimators.

Prior to buying the Stenlight (see www.stenlight.com) I was using an Oldhams headset with combination LEDs/reflector I bought from yourself (www.bisun.co.uk). I really like that combination, especially with the "spread" LED - and the "spot" LED has still to be beaten!

I tend to use the Stenlight most of the time manly due to its brightness and very light weight - the battery is tiny.

Although it can be run other batteries (small 9v PP3 - Provides >24 hours of light on Low, 6 hours on Medium, or 1 on High or 6 AA batteries in a special holder which can be bought separately), I prefer the "Bisun" light when using non-rechargables such as when on a trip to Slovenia last year.
 
P

potholer

New member
There's really no perfect beamshape. For distance, you either need a tight beam or a shedload of power, for medium distance (checking out the floor closer to home in big passage), something a bit wider is nice, and in more confined spaces, I'd rather not have much beam at all.
A lot can even come down to who you're with - a light that might seem perfectly adequate when solo can end up seeming worthless if people nearby have something much brighter, and that can be the case over a pretty wide range of power outputs.

I personally tend towards a tighter spot, but close-up, it's really too tight for some things. Looking for some lost keys in the grass outside a hut, it was hard to light up a wide enough area at my feet with my regular light in my hand, but a somewhat wider-beamed (pretty Nova-like) LED conversion that I'd built to fit a Sabrelight for a diving mate to play with was much better, though it being a ~2W K2-powered setup probably helped a bit there.

I've just been playing with some tiny conical reflectors to drop over regular wide-angle Luxeons, and getting some fairly interesting results for close-up lighting which I'm keen to check out underground next weekend.
There's significantly more forwards throw than if using no optics at all, only really losing the extreme sideways-spreading light (which is of limited use anyway), but still keeping a fairly diffuse 'beam' largely free of bright or dark spots, and alignment isn't exactly critical. Depending on the reflector geometry, there's some variation possible in the beam's spread and hardness, though even at the extreme, it's still pretty wide and soft. Definitely a worthwhile option for home-build lights.
Best of all, in true Blue Peter fashion, the material cost is effectively nil. Which is nice.
 
D

darkplaces

Guest
They have started to try reflectors as well recently, finding (like we could have told them) more light comes out :D
http://www.jtice.com/review/lights/stenlight_s7/#reflectors

 
paul

paul

Moderator
c**tplaces said:
They have started to try reflectors as well recently, finding (like we could have told them) more light comes out :D
http://www.jtice.com/review/lights/stenlight_s7/#reflectors
Click to expand...

Ah - that's news to me. The reflectors seem like a good idea - but i'm more than happy with the standard setup.

 
P

potholer

New member
Although it can be run other batteries (small 9v PP3 - Provides >24 hours of light on Low, 6 hours on Medium, or 1 on High or 6 AA batteries in a special holder which can be bought separately).
Click to expand...
That's pretty useful performance off a PP3.

I really like that combination, especially with the "spread" LED - and the "spot" LED has still to be beaten!
Click to expand...
I compared my spot beam at full power with one of those Chinese LED mining caplamps, and it seemed basically equivalent in brightness and spread. I don't know how the 'spill' light compares between the two - we were just shining them on a hut ceiling rather than comparing them underground.
 
A

andymorgan

Guest
The Stenlight sounds good although it is a bit pricey at $310, or £155. If it is reliable then I suppose it will be good value in the long term.

I have identified 5 points that I want in a light, but unfortunately most on the market fall down on at least one of these points.

1) Robustness/reliability
2) 20+ hour burn time
3) brightness
4) helmet mounted battery pack
5) completely waterproof
 
andysnook

andysnook

New member
andymorgan said:
The Stenlight sounds good although it is a bit pricey at $310, or £155. If it is reliable then I suppose it will be good value in the long term.

I have identified 5 points that I want in a light, but unfortunately most on the market fall down on at least one of these points.

1) Robustness/reliability
2) 20+ hour burn time
3) brightness
4) helmet mounted battery pack
5) completely waterproof
Click to expand...

I think you're basically right there Andy - I think the trouble is the technology isnt quite there yet.

For example, to have something which is bright AND last 20hrs would require a battery which is going to be a bit heavy for the helmet.

We've entered an era where we can have a truely useful light that doesnt need a battery on the belt - perhaps it wont be long before the technology allows us to tick all your boxes.
 
L

Lincolnshire poacher

Guest
I've used a Petzl Duo 14 LED for over 2 years now and have had no problems at all.  It's been bumped around all week in the van, used at work, covered in oil working on the Disco, attacked by a springer spanial and gone underground.  No problems with battery life at all and no broken casing.  I'm also looking to update my lamp as well.  So far i like the look of Andys lamp.  I know several people who have had trouble with their Nova switchs!.

 
paul

paul

Moderator
andymorgan said:
The Stenlight sounds good although it is a bit pricey at $310, or £155. If it is reliable then I suppose it will be good value in the long term.
Click to expand...

Yes - £155 sounds a lot for a caving light (especially if you started with "stinkies" and home-brew Oldham NiCad conversions like me...) but that include the nifty, small Smart charger. When you look at alternatives (Andy's Chinese lamp, Speleotechnics Li-Ion Nova, etc.) it isn't that bad. The Stenlight is certainly very robust.
 
Les W

Les W

Active member
darthnoddy said:
where do you buy one Les
Click to expand...

I would guess the details will be on the web site once they are for sale - they say they will have the lamps in March so I would keep an eye on the site.
 
A

andymorgan

Guest
paul said:
andymorgan said:
The Stenlight sounds good although it is a bit pricey at $310, or £155. If it is reliable then I suppose it will be good value in the long term.
Click to expand...

Yes - £155 sounds a lot for a caving light (especially if you started with "stinkies" and home-brew Oldham NiCad conversions like me...) but that include the nifty, small Smart charger. When you look at alternatives (Andy's Chinese lamp, Speleotechnics Li-Ion Nova, etc.) it isn't that bad. The Stenlight is certainly very robust.
Click to expand...

You are right. After remembering how much I spent on my speleotechnics halogen a few years ago, and actually looking at the price of the Nova 3,it is actually very competitively priced. In fact it is actually cheaper than the Nova 3!
 
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potholer

New member
Though there's rumoured to be a new Luxeon out very soon, the Cree XR-Es and Seoul SSC P4 LEDs seem to be the way to go just at the moment, with something over twice the brightness of Luxeons for the same power consumption, giving about as much light at 1 Watt as a Luxeon III at 3W

It looks like Stenlights with SSC P4s are on the horizon - prototypes seem to be being passed around for comments stateside.

I've just been playing with both SSCs and Crees, and built a pair of prototype lights which are both looking pretty good. I suspect I'll be moving away from Luxeons pretty soon, unless the rumoured device is announced *and* becomes easily available.
 
W

wormster

Guest
This may have posted before but look at Miles's review of the stenlight here:
http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/reviews/stenlight_s7/default.asp
 
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