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Detailed
Information:
The ALX-816A is a very nicely made light. Solid construction,
good design, and good output.
The body is made of machined aluminum which has been
"clear anodized" which retains the silver
color of the aluminum. The anodize is Type II which
is fairly durable and will protect the surface of the
body from corrosion and minor abrasion. The raised areas
on the body have been checkered with shallow grooves
which provides some improvement for grip. There are
two deeper grooves near the tailcap which helps with
retention. A flat panel is machined on one side for
logo imprinting. This flat panel also aligns with the
switch to aid in activation when grasping the light
in the dark. The head of the light has 6 raised plateaus
which help prevent the light from rolling away when
placed on its side. The tailcap has a recessed post
which is flush with the base of the light. The post
is drilled for attachment of a lanyard (included). This
design allows the light to stand on its end with the
lanyard attached.
The bezel contains a plastic lens and a silvered plastic
reflector which is quite deep. This allows more of the
light to be captured and thrown forward. This type of
design is important when working with the rather large
light source surface of the Luxeon Star. The LED is
still on its factory heatsink and is held in place by
a retaining ring. The retaining ring is screwed into
the body and clamps down on the Luxeon Star, keeping
it in good contact with the aluminum platform below.
This permits the transference of heat that may develop
in use, thereby protecting the Luxeon from thermal damage.
Runtime Plot: Well, this was a surprise! It appears
that there is some sort of regulator in there. Constant
output for about 4 hours followed by declining output
- 7 hr to 50%, about 10 hr to 25%.
Runtime
completed withRayovac batteries. More information on
runtime plots is available HERE.
The switch is a simple click switch and it is located
just behind the head of the light. The switch actually
activates the light on the upstroke, so it is necessary
to release the button for the light to come on. The
switch is covered by a textured rubber cover that provides
a non-slip surface and water resistance.
The torch is sealed at both ends by O-rings which have
been well lubricated at the factory. The bezel lens
also appears to have an O-ring seal. The switch, as
mentioned before, is also covered by a rubber seal.
This light is not intended for submersion, but should
be able to withstand a good soaking without liquid penetrating
the body. If water does get it, simply open it up and
allow it to dry.
Ergonomically, the torch fits well in the hand. Balance
is toward the rear of the light. The knurling is not
rough at all and does not abrade the skin. No sharp
edges were found. The switch is easy to locate due to
the presence of the large flat panel machined into the
side of the body. It is not excessively heavy, nor does
it require a tight grip to use and handle.
For batteries, the ALX-816A uses 6 AAA batteries in
a special carrier. Normally AAA batteries are not a
very good selection for use with Luxeon Star LEDs. Luxeons
tend to draw so much current that they'll drain AAA
batteries in no time. However the designers of this
torch were pretty clever. They are using 2 sets of 3
batteries to provide 4.5 Volts with double the current
capacity. This is often called a "series-parallel"
battery configuration. Three batteries in series, in
two parallel banks. Because of this configuration the
light will run on only 3 batteries. If you are in a
pinch and can only find 3 AAA batteries, load only 3
into the top or bottom of the carrier and the light
will work, but at reduced runtime.
The carrier was surprisingly easy to load
and slides in and out of the light very easily. Batteries
are expected to last about 10 hours with output intensity
decreasing over that time.
Batteries are included, as well as the attached lanyard
and a very nice padded, full length belt sheath with
a velcro closure. A belt loop on the back will accommodate
up to 1 3/4" belts. There is some elastic sewn
onto the front of the sheath, purpose unknown.
What I Liked: Water resistant,
Tough/impact resistant, Good battery life, Bright, Easy
battery change, Lightweight, Stands up
What I Didn't Like: I never like
using a carrier for batteries. I always think it's better
if the batteries just drop in. The carrier is just one
more part you have to keep track of. However, when using
a series-parallel battery configuration, a carrier is
almost a necessity.
Other Things I Noticed: Although
it doesn't show in the beam picture, the beam had a
slight bluish tint in the center and a slight greenish
tint around the edges of the center spot. The light
output is still "white" but you will notice
the slight tints. This tinting is common and is unavoidable
with Luxeon Stars.
Conclusions: A good Luxeon Star
torch overall. Well machined, well designed, and good
output. Comfortable in the hand and easy to use. No
need to every worry about having to change the bulb
since the Luxeon Star will last a very, very long time
and cannot blow like a normal bulb.
A reader's comments (Oct 2005):
I ordered this item late Sunday, it was shipped Monday
and I got it Wednesday. To me, that fast handling
& shipping by GoldenGadgets, but the item is clearly
not inspected at the of manufacturing plant and quality
control is next to none because the most obvious part
is missing, a part that provide a positive lead (inside
the flashlight) and therefore the flashlight will
not work and you can't do anything to fix the problem.
There are no grease on both ends of the o-ring, and
the battery holder rattles.
Lesson: Be sure to inspect your lights
carefully and make sure they are in working order upon
arrival!
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