100-LED TORCH

100-LED Torch, retail $22.23
Manufactured by (Unknown)
Last updated 04-05-06




This is the so-called "shower head" flashlight that has been a topic of minor discussion on Candlepower Forus as of late.

This flashlight has an amazing 100 5mm white LEDs in its head, and is powered by four AA cells held in a plastic carriage in its aluminum barrel.


SIZE



Press the button on the barrel rather firmly until it clicks and then release it to turn the flashlight on.

Do the same thing again to turn the flashlight off.

There is no momentary or signalling mode available in this flashlight when it's off, however you can blink the flashlight while it is on by partially depressing the button. If you don't mind the backward or reverse feeling of this, you can blink the flashlight this way if necessary.



To change the batteries in this flashlight, unscrew and remove the tailcap, throw it in the {vulgar term for toilet}, yank that silver handle on the front of the cistern down, and flush it away...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the open end of the barrel in your hand, so that the translucent plastic battery carriage slides out of the barrel and into your palm. If necessary, remove and dispose of or recycle the four AA cells in this carriage.

Insert four new AA cells into the chambers in the carriage, orienting each AA cell so its flat side (-) negative faces the spring for it in each chamber.

Orient the carriage so the two brass contacts on one end face the open end of the barrel (so that end goes in first), and insert the carriage into the barrel. Turn the battery carriage if necessary until it drops all the way in the barrel.

Screw the tailcap back on, and be done with it.

Aren't you glad you didn't flush that tailcap away now?

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




Photograph of this flashlight's "business-end", showing the 100 white LEDs.

The flashlight appears to be reasonably sturdy. Ordinary flashlight accidents should not be enough to do it in. I administered the smack test on it (ten whacks against the corner of a concrete stair; five whacks against the side of the tailcap and five whacks against the side of the bezel), and found the expected damage. There is some very minor gouging on the side of the tailcap and some fairly significant gouging and denting on the side of the bezel where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

This flashlight is splash- and weather-resistant at absolute minimum, but it is not submersible - it failed "The Suction Test" rather miserably. So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of gecko pee, slush piles, mud puddles, tubs, toilet bowls, cisterns, sinks, fishtanks, dog water dishes, or other places where water or water-like liquids might be found. A little rain or snow probably wouldn't hurt it though, so you need not be too concerned about using it in moderately bad weather.

If it fell in water and you suspect it got flooded, disassemble it as you would for a battery change, dump the water out of the barrel if necessary, and set the parts in a warm dry place for a day or so just to be sure it's completely dry inside before you reassemble and use it again.

If it fell into seawater or if somebody or something peed on it, douche all the parts out with fresh water before setting them out to dry. You don't want your flashlight to smell like seashells or urine when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or pee) can't be very good for the insides.

The switch on this sample appears to be somewhat finicky; if the flashlight's bezel (head) is turned a bit in either direction, the switch will stick either on or off. This sticking is a significant issue; I will definitely be substantially derating the product just on this issue alone.

There is a wide band of rubbery material over most of the barrel; this helps to aid in retention (the ability to hold onto the flashlight when your hands are oily, cold, or wet).



Beam photograph on the test target at 12".
Measures 566,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
This equates to 5,660mcd per LED.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrometer plot of the white LEDs in this flashlight.
Ocean Optics USB2000 Spectrometer on loan from TWO-CUBED.



Beam photograph on a wall at ~15'.

Those rectangular graphic things near the bottom are marquees from:
Midway ''Omega Race''
Williams ''Robotron: 2084''
Gremlin/Sega ''Astro Blaster''
Atari ''Tempest''
Williams ''Stargate''
Williams ''Joust''
Venture Line ''Looping''
Midway ''Gorf''

upright coin-op arcade video games from the early-1980s.

And that red thing is from an American DJ Laser Widow.



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased on Ebay and was received on the morning of 01-13-06.

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.

The rubberised cover on the barrel has a noticeable chemical odour to it; this odour is not objectionable by any means, but it *is* noticeable.


UPDATE: 04-05-06
The pushbutton switch seems to be flakey at times; it seems to have a tendency to become stuck in both the "on" and "off" positions at times.
This will significantly affect the rating I furnish this flashlight.


PROS:
Bright - but you knew that because it has 100 LEDs
Batteries it uses are common and relatively inexpensive


CONS:
Switch is flakey - it's a "catbeat segment of poo-poo momma farker" (toilet words replaced with innocous ones - the correct acronym is PWPOSMF) - this will knock at least four stars off. The flashlight really, really should ***WORK*** when called upon to do so.
Not very water-resistant
Product could fail permanently if bezel (head) is tampered with


    MANUFACTURER: Unknown
    PRODUCT TYPE: Large handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 100
    BEAM TYPE: Wide spot with gentle fall-off to extinction
    SWITCH TYPE: Pushbutton on barrel on/off
    CASE MATERIAL: Aluminum with rubberised grip on barrel
    BEZEL: Metal; LEDs inset into cells for them
    BATTERY: 4xAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Light splatter-resistance at maximum
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: 4xAA cells
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





100-LED Torch *






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