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Is this currently the brightest bike light - 2600 Lumens!
Does anyone know if there is a claim for a brighter light than this on the market today? (Darkness Dominator - http://www.troutie.com/Products/Detail/Darkness-... )
I own a Trout Light 7 UP light (now discontinued) - 1,700 Lumens and that is bright but 2,600 Lumens. That's very bright! Is there a limit to how much light one needs when riding...mmmmm? What is the ideal trade-off between light output, battery endurance and weight/size? Any thoughts? Comment? Opinions?
Specification for this beast:
Leds Cree XML U2
Output boost 2600 lumens measured
Output High 1000 lumens
output low 400 lumens
Endurance battery boost 2 hours
Endurance battery Hi 10 hours
Endurance battery low 30 hours
small battery half the above figures
battery endurance 14.8 v 5.2 AH Li ION
small battery 14.8 v 2.6 ah Li Ion
Battery mounting soft bag with velcro
Colour Black only
light mounting Bar mount QR
Endurance battery size 40mm x 40 mm x 140
endurance battery weight 440 grams
light head size mm L=76 W=49 H=45
light weight 200 grams
Price with endurance battery £355 including UK shipping
Price standard battery £300 including UK shipping
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I'm sceptical that you'd be able to run it continuously on boost. To flatten that battery in two hours (on boost) you'd be dissipating over 35 watts. I reckon the light would cook.
@zoom - very good and interesting point you've made. Interestingly, my 7 UP light can run on high (1,700 Lumens) for close to 2 hours and providing I keep riding, the housing can be touched without burning your hand. I think the guy (Troutie) who builds these beasts uses heaps of top grade thermal paste and good heat dissipating housing design to keep the LEDs as cools as pos. I have noticed when I do stop to drink/rest (sometimes that's often!
), the housing temp rises significantly. So much so, I cannot touch it without risking burning my hand (without my glove off of course) but the light output does not seem to waver. I gather the hotter LEDs get, the output reduces as does the life of the LEDs.
The current Lupine Betty 12 has 2600 REAL measured lumens http://www.lupine.de/web/en/products/helmetlight... .
Good points Winco. I'm guessing it's called Boost because you only use it for a short time. I imagine the rated time on Boost is a theoretical time, unless you were moving fairly fast in cool conditions. The circuit boards on these devices have built in temperature monitoring and I'm guessing the light drops to a lower output when it hits a pre-set temperature limit. The circuit that drives theses lights is usually a switch-mode device with a constant current output. I think the limiting factor for temperature is when your PN junction melts, but not 100% certain about that.
I've known Troutie for a number of years now and you'll be hard pressed to find a better engineered light but do remember that he lives in the cooler climes of the Northern hemisphere and his summer nights would be not much warmer than most of our winter nights. When you're stationary you rarely need the 2600 lumens available, heck you rarely need that when you are riding. That is one of the few lights around that will meet the claimed performance levels. Yes, the taskled drivers used will throttle down at a preset temp, this is to protect the driver as much as it is to protect the leds because I can assure you that the LED's are the cheap component of those lights, and not because they aren't good quality, but because the money is generally in the housings, the drivers and the battery.
If you want to keep your dollars local then look at Kerry from K-Lite. It's been a while since I have visited his site so I am not sure if his doing a 7up or not but his lights are also top quality.
OP, I am sure there are lights that claim to have a greater output, but whether or not they produce what they claim are two completley different stories.
For a fairly comprehensive comparison of various lights available have a look here http://reviews.mtbr.com/2012-bike-lights-shootout
If you are interested in following the development of that light and seeing beam shots and videos then have a look at this thread http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-diy-do-yourself/ye...
I'll vouch for K-Lites, I have two of them. Additionally, I've been following Trouties lights over the years and they'd have to be the best outright, he's on the cutting edge of light technology. I've had a play with building my own lights but these days you're better off buying a kit or a ready made light. Cutter Electronics sell all the components. http://www.cutter.com.au/products.php?cat=Sport+...
I ordered my 7Up from Troutie but was unable to get lipo battery due to restrictions on importing from the UK. So Kerry at K-Lite made up a bottle battery to order for me, plus set up the charger etc etc. all for a reasonable price. As a consequence, when I buy a helmet light to compliment my 7Up on the bar, it will be from K-Lite. Top kit. Lightweight. Waterproof. Locally made.
You can get LiPo batteries from Hong Kong. Look on eBay under model aeroplane batteries.