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MODUS 1 FLASHLIGHT

ICON Modus 1 Flashlight, retail $38.46 (http://supremeco.com.hk...)
Manufactured by (Unknown) for ICON in California (www.myiconlight.com)
Last updated 01-17-12

The Modus 1 is a single-AA cell flashlight that has a white high-powered LED focused by a TIR (total internal reflection) optic.

It comes in a thick polymer plastic, and has a transparent plastic window in its "business-end" to protect the LED and optic.

The Modus 1 is turned on and off using a rubberised button on its tailcap. It is a two-stage light (high and low); these can be easily selected by pushing the tailcap button.

Size of product w/hand to show scale

SIZE

To use the Modus 1, press & release the tailcap button once to activate it in "high" mode, press & release it again to turn the flashlight off, press & release it a third time to turn the flashlight on in "low" mode, and press & release it a fourth time to turn the flashlight off.

When you desire low mode, you have to turn the Modus 1 off and back on again within ~2 seconds of initially turning it on.

Just like it reads on the back of many shampoo bottles, "lather, rinse, repeat".
In other words, pressing & releasing the tailcap button again turns the Modus 1 on in "high" mode.

Momentary (signalling) operation is available by pressing the tailcap button less firmly (before it clicks) and holding it that way for as long as you need light. As for constant-on mode, if you need low mode, you have to turn the Modus 1 off and back on again within ~2 seconds of initially turning it on.

To change the battery in your brand spanken new (or corroded old)

Modus 1, unscrew and remove the bezel (head), gently place it on the ground, and kick it in the garden so the praying mantids will think it's something yummy to eat and subsequently strike at it...O WAIT!!! THAT'S THE GOOD PART!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the old used-up AA cell out of the barrel and into your hand, and dispose of or recycle it as you see fit.

Slide a new AA cell in the flashlight barrel, orienting it so that its flat-end (-) negative goes in first. Finally, screw the bezel firmly back on.
Aren't you glad you didn't kick that bezel into the garden with all those hungry, hungry praying mantids now?

Here is what a praying mantis looks like.
I found this guy on the morning of 09-08-06 clinging to the basket of my scooter.

Unable to measure current usage due to how the product was constructed.

Runtime is advertised as 70 hours on "low" and 3 hours on "high".

The flashlight appears to be reasonably sturdy. Ordinary flashlight accidents should not be enough to do it in. I wanted to administer the smack test on it (ten whacks against the concrete floor of a porch; five whacks against the side of the tailcap and five whacks against the side of the bezel), but since this a polymer body flashlight and not a metal body one, this particular test will be foregone this time around. I know you like to see me try and break things, but "ain't" "gonna" happen today, folks.

Water-resistance will not be an issue here...if it falls next to the mailbox and the dog lifts his leg on it, just douche it off under the faucet or take the garden hose to it and keep going...good as new!
A rather beefy O-ring is present on the barrel where the bezel screws on; the unit also passed "The Suction Test" with flying colors.

Low mode uses PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) where the LED is rapidly pulsed. This was evident when the light was activated in low mode and then rapidly waved about.

Beam photograph on the test target at 12".
Measures 185,100mcd (low) and 1,478,000mcd (high).
Both measurements taken on a Meterman LM631 (now Amprobe LM631A) light meter.

Beam photograph on a wall at ~10 feet.

Those colored graphics toward the left are my "Viva Piñata" posters, and that clock on the right that looks like a gigantic wristwatch is my Infinity Optics Clock.
You may also be able to see two of my SpongeBob SquarePants plush (Squidward Tentacles and Patrick Star) and a Digimon plush (Greymon).

Spectrographic analysis of the LED (high mode) in this flashlight.

Spectrographic analysis of the LED (low mode) in this flashlight.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.

ProMetric analysis

Beam cross-sectional analysis.
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.

TEST NOTES:
Test unit of this and one other flashlight were furnished by P.K. of www.myiconlight.com and were received at 1:26pm PST on 12-07-09.

Product was made in China.
A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.

UPDATE: 01-03-10
The following shows an oscilloscope screen displaying the Modus 1's PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) when the flashlight is on in "low" mode:

UPDATE: 01-04-10
I see that I failed to mention this earlier...this product has a lightly crenelated (scalloped) bezel, enabling you to tell if you left it turned on when it's placed bezel (head)-down onto a flat surface.

UPDATE: 01-07-10
Another thing that I failed to mention this earlier...the longitudinal "ribs" on the barrel not only aid in retention (the ability to hold onto the flashlight when your hands are cold, oily, or soaked in Orange Crush, coffee, milk, bird doody, water, etc.), but they function quite nicely as an anti-roll device -- simply meaning that the flashlight will have less of a tendency to try and get away from you (roll away) when it is placed on an unlevel surface.

UPDATE: 11-17-12
My stepmother accidentally stripped the threads on the bezel so that the product no longer functions without some tape on the threads -- although this restores operation, the flashlight is no longer reliable and goes out without provacation.
Therefore, the dreadful, " Failed or was destroyed during/after testing

Failed or was destroyed during/after testing

" icon will have to be appended to its listings on this website.

PROS:
Bright for its size
Nice to look at - whether on or off
Reasonably durable construction
Water-resistant and even submersible to shallow depths

CONS:
PWM frequency is a bit on the slow side; may bother some users -- this is what nocked that last ½ star off

Unknown, for ICON in California

Small handheld flashlight

High-powered white LED (LED type not known)

Medium spot w/wide corona

Pushbutton on/mode change/off on tailcap

Polymer

Polymer; LED & optic protected by plastic window

1xAA cell

Unknown/unable to measure

Yes

Yes, to ~3 feet (1 meter)

1xAA cell

4.0" L

2.80 oz.

1 year

PK ICON Modus 1 Flashlight, retail * http://supremeco.com.hk...

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