The Pelican Little ED Recoil LED model 3610 is a unique
departure from most other lights in that it uses a Luxeon
high dome LED which points back at the user. The light
is then collected by a solid reflector which projects
the light forward. It essentially works like a satellite
dish. This type of light projection is becoming a little
more common and is useful in that it produces a very
tight beam. This light is basically an adaptation of
the 2410 Recoil LED with a 90 degree adapter for the
head which includes a clip and split-ring for attaching
to Fire/Rescue turnout gear.
Body description: The Little ED Recoil 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 bezel and reflector design is
where you find the majority of the innovation is on
this light. Basically it works on the same principal
as a radar or satellite dish. The Luxeon LED sits on
a bar that spans the front of the reflector and points
backwards, toward the reflector. The reflector is one
piece and collects all of the light from the LED and
projects it forward past the LED. All of the light is
concentrated into a relatively small area, making this
design one of the few able to illuminate targets at
a rather long distance with an LED light source. 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 white light produced
by the LED is a high color temperature and produces
good color rendition weighted slightly toward the blue
end of the spectrum. A slight tint is detectable when
compared against a near sunlight-white source, but this
tinting is not noticeable during normal use. 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. Can
be attached to turnout gear, belt, pack straps, etc
for a forward facing beam.
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