Mag Instrument: Difference between revisions
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==Step-down regulation== | ==Step-down regulation== | ||
Certain Mag Instrument LED flashlights, including the 2xAA Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ models,<ref name="Pro">Wang, Robin (28 February 2012) [http://www.led-resource.com/2012/02/mini-maglite-pro-and-proplus-led-flashlight-review/ Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ LED Flashlight Review] LED-Resource. Retrieved 27 January 2013. "As efficient as LEDs are, heat is still produced and has to be dissipated, so step-down regulation is used to prolong battery life and reduce heat." | Certain Mag Instrument LED flashlights, including the 2xAA Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ models,<ref name="Pro">Wang, Robin (28 February 2012). [http://www.led-resource.com/2012/02/mini-maglite-pro-and-proplus-led-flashlight-review/ "Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ LED Flashlight Review"]. LED-Resource. Retrieved 27 January 2013. "As efficient as LEDs are, heat is still produced and has to be dissipated, so step-down regulation is used to prolong battery life and reduce heat." | ||
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|quote=Intelligent Energy Source Management: The second-generation Mag® LED flashlight includes a sophisticated electronic LED module which continuously monitors the balance between high brightness and efficient power usage, allowing for prolonged battery life.}}--> | |quote=Intelligent Energy Source Management: The second-generation Mag® LED flashlight includes a sophisticated electronic LED module which continuously monitors the balance between high brightness and efficient power usage, allowing for prolonged battery life.}}--> | ||
</ref> "Intelligent Energy Source Management". During use, the flashlights dim slowly and gradually. This feature (which is enabled whether or not your batteries are disposable) prevents the flashlights from using up disposable batteries so quickly.<ref>Chicken Drumstick (27 August 2012) [http://budgetlightforum.com/node/8080#comment-220524 Re: Review: Mini Maglite Pro+]. ''BudgetLightForum LED flashlight forum''. Retrieved 24 January 2013. "It’s regulated to offer the max performance and run time off of alkaline cells. The downside is you’ll see little improvement using lithium primaries or Eneloops. But this is all down to the target market and expected customers I guess." | </ref> "Intelligent Energy Source Management". During use, the flashlights dim slowly and gradually. This feature (which is enabled whether or not your batteries are disposable) prevents the flashlights from using up disposable batteries so quickly.<ref>Chicken Drumstick (27 August 2012). [http://budgetlightforum.com/node/8080#comment-220524 "Re: Review: Mini Maglite Pro+"]. ''BudgetLightForum LED flashlight forum''. Retrieved 24 January 2013. "It’s regulated to offer the max performance and run time off of alkaline cells. The downside is you’ll see little improvement using lithium primaries or Eneloops. But this is all down to the target market and expected customers I guess." | ||
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Among those Mag Instrument flashlights with step-down regulation, the regulation works differently on some than on others. Take, for example, the regulation on the 2xAA Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ models. After a few hours of operation, these flashlights fall to about 10% of full brightness; they do not return to full brightness unless the power is cycled.<ref name="Pro" /> This regulation was designed to try to prolong the life of alkaline batteries. (Some say it was also designed to boost [[ANSI-NEMA FL-1#Runtime|ANSI/NEMA FL-1 runtime]] ratings, which measure the time the flashlight runs before falling to 10% brightness.)<ref>[[User:Brted|Brted]] (28 January 2013) [http://flashlightwiki.com/Talk:Mag_Instrument#Thermal-management_article_section Talk:Mag Instrument] ''Flashlight Wiki''. Retrieved 29 January 2013. "The effect of this would be to keep the light running cooler, but also to extend battery life (and some say to distort the FL-1 runtime rating which gives you credit down to 10% brightness)." | Among those Mag Instrument flashlights with step-down regulation, the regulation works differently on some than on others. Take, for example, the regulation on the 2xAA Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ models. After a few hours of operation, these flashlights fall to about 10% of full brightness; they do not return to full brightness unless the power is cycled.<ref name="Pro" /> This regulation was designed to try to prolong the life of alkaline batteries. (Some say it was also designed to boost [[ANSI-NEMA FL-1#Runtime|ANSI/NEMA FL-1 runtime]] ratings, which measure the time the flashlight runs before falling to 10% brightness.)<ref>[[User:Brted|Brted]] (28 January 2013). [http://flashlightwiki.com/Talk:Mag_Instrument#Thermal-management_article_section "Talk:Mag Instrument"]. ''Flashlight Wiki''. Retrieved 29 January 2013. "The effect of this would be to keep the light running cooler, but also to extend battery life (and some say to distort the FL-1 runtime rating which gives you credit down to 10% brightness)." | ||
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</ref> If you're using lithium primaries, the regulation steps down earlier than is necessary. When the flashlights reach 10% brightness, the batteries might still be more than half full. | </ref> If you're using lithium primaries, the regulation steps down earlier than is necessary. When the flashlights reach 10% brightness, the batteries might still be more than half full. | ||
For many customers, Mag flashlights with step-down regulation are fine choices. EDC forums user "watchcollector1968" writes, "If you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again."<ref>watchcollector1968 (2 June 2012) [http://edcforums.com/threads/maglite-ml100-2c.96043/ Maglite ML100 2C]. ''EDC Forums flashlight forum''. Retrieved 27 January 2013. "On high it will start at its full output for something like 12 or 13 minutes, then it begins to step down. Opinions seem to vary as to why, some think it is to prevent excessive heat buildup, others think it is to preserve battery life. Either way, if you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again." | For many customers, Mag flashlights with step-down regulation are fine choices. EDC forums user "watchcollector1968" writes, "If you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again."<ref>watchcollector1968 (2 June 2012). [http://edcforums.com/threads/maglite-ml100-2c.96043/ "Maglite ML100 2C"]. ''EDC Forums flashlight forum''. Retrieved 27 January 2013. "On high it will start at its full output for something like 12 or 13 minutes, then it begins to step down. Opinions seem to vary as to why, some think it is to prevent excessive heat buildup, others think it is to preserve battery life. Either way, if you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again." | ||
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|quote=On high it will start at its full output for something like 12 or 13 minutes, then it begins to step down. Opinions seem to vary as to why, some think it is to prevent excessive heat buildup, others think it is to preserve battery life. Either way, if you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again.}}--></ref> | |quote=On high it will start at its full output for something like 12 or 13 minutes, then it begins to step down. Opinions seem to vary as to why, some think it is to prevent excessive heat buildup, others think it is to preserve battery life. Either way, if you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again.}}--></ref> | ||
But step-down regulation can be bad if you need to be seen: for example, if you are using your flashlight as a bike headlamp. | But aggressive step-down regulation can be bad if you need to be seen: for example, if you are using your flashlight as a bike headlamp. | ||
When used with NiMH batteries, the 2xAA Mini Maglite LED remains at 70% of full brightness for hours.<ref>[http://archive.light-reviews.com/mini_maglite_led_2aa/ "Mini Maglite LED 2AA Review"]. Light-Reviews.com. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2013.</ref> But it is dimmer than some of Mag Instrument's other LED flashlights. | |||
==Thermal management== | ==Thermal management== | ||