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The Pelican StealthLite 2400 is a xenon bulb incandescent
flashlight which uses 4 AA cells for power. It is dive
rated to 500 feet.
Body description: The light has a polymer, roughly
octagonal, flattened body which is available in bright
yellow or black. The body is constructed of Lexan resin
with a polycarbonate shatterproof lens with an hard
nylon shroud. All very tough stuff. The light operates
on 4 AA batteries that are placed directly into the
light. Access to the battery compartment is via the
removable head. Operation of the light is accomplished
with a lever switch on the side of the light below the
head. Inside the light are catalyst pellets to prevent
the buildup of hydrogen gas which can result from incorrect
battery polarity insertion. This light includes an umbrella
vent on the side opposite the switch to allow the venting
of pressure without allowing liquid inside. A lanyard
comes attached to the tail.
Bezel/Head: The head of the light
contains the xenon bulb/reflector assembly. The reflector
is textured to help smooth out some of the beam artifacts.
A new addition to the Pelican lights is the glow in
the dark bezel which allows for easier location of the
light when turned off.
Output description: The beam is very tight with
little noticeable spillbeam. This makes it excellent
for penetrating fog, smoke, and other particulate haze.
It also helps greatly underwater, where much of a light's
output is lost to suspended solids.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot:
Runtime
completed with Duracell brand batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
Switch description: On the side of the light
just below the head is a hard plastic lever switch.
Push to the side to activate the light. Return to its
original position to turn the light off. There does
not appear to be a lock-out ability built into this
light.
Seals / Water Resistance: O-ring
seals and a special umbrella vent protect the light
from the entry of water. Keep the main o-ring lubricated
any you should have no problems with water entry.
If it gets wet inside, just disassemble as much a possible
without tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: The body has a flat profile which
makes it very "back pocket-able". The switch
is oversized and very easy to operate. The O-ring seal
grips the head very well and so it takes a bit of torque
to remove the head for a battery change. The body has
minimal grip enhancing surface texture, so use the attached
wrist lanyard if there is a risk of dropping and losing
the light.
Size
Batteries: Four AA cells power the light. As
with many other Pelican lights, the designers seem to
feel the need to add additional parts to the battery
compartment which could be engineered out. This light
is no exception. In addition to the head and light module,
there is a special contact plate that drops out of the
light and must be placed on top of the inserted batteries
for the light to work. This plate converts the two contact
areas of the side-by-side AA cells to a single contact
area that is compatible with their lamp module design.
To change out the batteries: unscrew the head, remove
the light module, remove the contact plate, then drop
out the old cells. Place in new cells observing proper
polarity. Reinsert the contact plate (it only goes in
one way) and the light module. Then reattach head and
you're ready to go.
Accessories: Lanyard (attached); batteries are
included.
What I Liked: Waterproof, Tough/impact
resistant, Long battery life, Bright penetrating beam,
Easy battery change, Easy to operate switch, glow in
the dark bezel.
What I Didn't Like: Additional
contact plate in the battery compartment - one more
thing to lose.
Other Things I Noticed: Nothing
Conclusions: Exellent light for
producing a penetraing beam of light. Uses common AA
cells which are easy to find and cheap to replace.
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