Stenlight in the UK

[Cave Monkey]

On the chip you linked to, there weren't even multiple settings as standard. Having a user-configurable number of settings isn't remotely standard in lights. Can you select whether a Duo 14LED has 2,3, or 4 settings? Can you configure a Nova?

Presumably it means they can be made more difficult to change, so someone playing with a light is unlikely to alter anything accidentally.

There are 10’s if not 100’s of LED driver chips out there, you can even get them with auto switching and regulation for incorporated charging.

Another example with more of the previously stated functions on…
http://www.linear.com/pc/productDetail.jsp?navId=H0,C1,C1003,C1094,C1769,P15693

The LED needs to be connected to a heat sink to stop thermal run-away, the temp of lithium cells needs to be regulated to stop them exploding.

 

[JohnnyM]

Hi Y'all,

gotta say the new Scurion lamp looks very pretty indeed. A couple of points on the Sten vs Scurion debate.  StenLight can supply a twin P4 version of the S7.  It costs a little more, and is only made to order.  But there are some points you should be wary of: SSC don't seem to have very good quality control on their LEDs (wider range of coloration and focus), and their design (although they use the same basic die as the amazing Cree) is not robust, unlike the bombproof Luxeons. StenLight make these points very clear if you enquire about the P4 version. That said, several people in the US have upgraded their StenLights to twin P4, and they do get more useable light and/or 30% more battery life. And I'm sure the guys at Scurion will be selective when they are picking P4s for their lights.

I'm pretty sure that StenLight will be producing a larger battery in the not too distant future. Lots of people have asked for it, and they'd be soft not to provide it. Incidentally, do Scurion make a smaller one, for those of us who want less weight on the helmet?  And do they make a version with a universal blade mount? 

The best add-on I've seen for the Sten (until they produce that large battery!) is the custom reflectors made for JSBurlys in the States. Much more useable light (reflectors are way more efficient than plastic lenses) and a good spillbeam to stop you tripping over. 

Have a good one,

JM

 

[anfieldman]

Perhaps consider also the new Scurion @ http://www.scurion.ch/ms

That's a very sexy bit of kit.

And a very expensive bit of kit too!
Ouch.

 

[MatthiasM]

Would anybody who has access to both lamps like to test them (unbiased!) and write a review?

Regards
Matthias

 

[Wolf]

My only other question would be about mounting the lamp part.  I have an ecrin roc ready for use as a replacement caving helmet, so it's not been drilled full of holes yet.  I assume it comes with the bracket seen in the photos ?  Two screw job ?

The battery tank is fixed with 2 screws and the bracket for the lamp with 3 screws (but using only two of them should be sufficient). All needed screws are shipped with the lamp. I can sent you a picture tonight.

Please do - that'll be great.

Ta 

I've put some pictures here: http://perswww.kuleuven.be/~u0049353/gallery/scurion_gallery.html

 

[andysnook]

My only other question would be about mounting the lamp part.  I have an ecrin roc ready for use as a replacement caving helmet, so it's not been drilled full of holes yet.  I assume it comes with the bracket seen in the photos ?  Two screw job ?

The battery tank is fixed with 2 screws and the bracket for the lamp with 3 screws (but using only two of them should be sufficient). All needed screws are shipped with the lamp. I can sent you a picture tonight.

Please do - that'll be great.

Ta 

I've put some pictures here: http://perswww.kuleuven.be/~u0049353/gallery/scurion_gallery.html

Thanks for the photos wolf.

 

[cap n chris]

For that sort of money you'd at least expect all the crossthreads of the screws to be aligned neatly.

 

[andysnook]

For that sort of money you'd at least expect all the crossthreads of the screws to be aligned neatly.

It's pricey for sure.  Not sure it's that far off the other lithium ion based lights though.  I think it'll all come down to how sturdy they are, and how useful all the fancy stuff is.  Is the reports are good i'm seriously thinking about one.

One thing that does interest me is the fact that there's both a spot and wide angle.  I like my nova 3, but it's a bit too focussed - so you struggle to see where your feet are without staring at the ground.  I used to cave with someone who would insist on using nothing but his carbide generator, and I was always very jealous of the way it lit up all of your surroundings.  So I really like the idea of something which may be able to give some nice "peripheral" light.

 

[Wolf]

For that sort of money you'd at least expect all the crossthreads of the screws to be aligned neatly.

I had removed the front glass once. So you'll have to blame me.

 

[cap n chris]

I blame you. 

 

[Known by None]

After recently bribing myself through a tight looking squeeze with the promise of one of these, I have now ordered one and was hoping (when it arrives) for some ideas on a good place/method to test it out, I'm guessing GB might be the best place for a good test, as it has mud, water, chambers of behemothic proportions and places to bang my helmet on.

 

[andysnook]

After recently bribing myself through a tight looking squeeze with the promise of one of these, I have now ordered one and was hoping (when it arrives) for some ideas on a good place/method to test it out, I'm guessing GB might be the best place for a good test, as it has mud, water, chambers of behemothic proportions and places to bang my helmet on.

I assume you mean a Stenlight ?

I seem to have accidentally ordered a Scurion - i'm not sure how it happened, everything went all fuzzy - then when I came round i discovered I'd ordered one.  I await the repo men.......

So, perhaps we should do a GB trip together to see how they compare ?

 

[MatthiasM]

andysnook,

Well, if you have a Scurion, that will not be an accident at all..... 

Concerning the spot and wide angle LED: I have a DIY lamp with a 5W fluorescent lamp (DULUX S/E) which emits 250 lm with 180° wide angle, absolutely as bright and uniform as a carbide lamp (maybe not so warm light). The Scurion wide angle LED is with 250 lm at max. power a bit less wide but thus a bit brighter than my DULUX and has within (estimated) 130...140° angle an absolutely perfect, uniform, room filling light. 

 

[Known by None]

Ah, lack of detail on my part, I meant a Scurion! and yes when they arrive we will definately have to blast our way through Gb with them! Can't do a comparison as we will have the same lights, but we can give them a roadtest and compare opinions! 

 

[Les W]

Ah, lack of detail on my part, I meant a Scurion! and yes when they arrive we will definately have to blast our way through Gb with them! Can't do a comparison as we will have the same lights, but we can give them a roadtest and compare opinions! 

What colour have you ordered?

black I expect 

 

[Known by None]

Ah, lack of detail on my part, I meant a Scurion! and yes when they arrive we will definately have to blast our way through Gb with them! Can't do a comparison as we will have the same lights, but we can give them a roadtest and compare opinions! 

What colour have you ordered?

black I expect 

You got it!, although I am going to have to rethink the black oversuit thing. That trip yesterday destroyed my brand new black boiler suit, it is utterly ruined  Maybe Warmbac will do something in black!

 

[andysnook]

Ah, lack of detail on my part, I meant a Scurion! and yes when they arrive we will definately have to blast our way through Gb with them! Can't do a comparison as we will have the same lights, but we can give them a roadtest and compare opinions! 

What colour have you ordered?

black I expect 

You got it!, although I am going to have to rethink the black oversuit thing. That trip yesterday destroyed my brand new black boiler suit, it is utterly ruined  Maybe Warmbac will do something in black!

I went for the black too - I thought I could coordinate it with my new red ecrin roc by going for the red - but I think you'll find it's caving law to not have any two items of caving apparatus that are the same colour.

 

[Les W]

but I think you'll find it's caving law to not have any two items of caving apparatus that are the same colour.

Unless of course the colour concerned is mud brown 

 

[mountaingoat]

That must have been the Scurion Henry was using last Saturday night in P8

Henry has the Scurion prototype just now and i waiting for his now. The prototype has only about half the light compared with the production version.

 

[Martin Melzer]

Hello all,

maybe some notes on Scurion (I designed it BTW)...
We have tried the small LED optics as well, but the large optics we currently was so much better than the regular 20mm types that we decided to use the larger one. It's not only the focusing that is better, the overall amount of light getting out of the optics is just higher. This, together with the space needed around the wide angle LED, led to a larger lamp head, but with the cooling fins it gives a very good cooling of the power LEDs, improving efficiency and lifetime.
Best is to see for yourselves. I just got the prototype back (doing an Austria - India - UK trip). Those of you who have seen it: The actual Scurion version uses better LEDs than the prototypes. Also the scratched glass of the prototype won't be an issue with the series lamps, it uses a window with scratch resistant coating (Rolf has a Polaris lamp with this type of window in heavy use for about 10 years - looks like new). There will probably be another Scurion going to a China expedition from the UK, maybe it will be around before or after it!

- Martin