OVAL "LIGHT DISPENSER" FLASHLIGHT

Oval "Light Dispenser" Flashlight, retail $39.99 (www.ovallight.com)
Manufactured by Gelb Design, FLLC. (www.ovallight.com)
Last updated 04-17-06




The Oval "Light Dispenser" Flashlight (hereinafter, just called the Oval) is a new flashlight made by Gelb Design. The Oval features four bright white LEDs that face forward like you might expect, and two wide-angle bright white LEDs that face downward where you would not expect, so it lights the ground right at your feet and shines forward at the same time. It comes in a high-impact polymer body, and is available with body colors of slightly greenish-yellow or black.

According to the letter enclosed with the evaluation sample, the LEDs are the latest LEDs from Nichia - probably NSPW500CS for the forward facing LEDs and NSPW510CS for the downward facing lamps.

The Oval was specifically designed to be used while walking or running at night, puttering around the house after dark, walking the dog after sunset, and other tasks where it is beneficial to have the area around your tootsies illuminated as well as the area in front of you.


SIZE



To use the Oval, remove the top battery of the three cells in the battery chamber (see directly below), turn it 180°, place it back in, put the door back on, and then you'll be ready to go. You only need to do this once, when you receive your Oval.

Press the rocker switch on its rear edge to turn the four LEDs on the front on.

Press the rocker switch on its front edge to turn the four LEDs in the front and the two wide-angle LEDs on the bottom on.

Set the rocker switch to its center position to turn all the LEDs in the Oval off.

The Oval comes with a wrist lanyard that can be installed through a hole toward the back of the flashlight if you wish to use it; this lanyard goes all the way around the Oval, so the flashlight can be hung from a small-diameter pipe, tree branch, or other thin horizontal object with no readily accesible "end".



To change the batteries in your Oval, lay it down on its right side.

Now visible, you should see a black thumbscrew. Unscrew it until the battery door comes off - no need to remove the thumbscrew completely. Set the screw and battery door aside.

Remove the three used AA cells from the battery chamber, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Insert three new AA cells into the battery chamber, orienting them so their polarity (button-end and flat-end) is as indicated by the embossings in the bottom of the chamber. Press the batteries straight down if necessary until they snap into place.

Place the battery door back on, and tighten the thumbscrew until it is finger-tight.

Unable to measure current consumption due to how the Oval was constructed.




Photograph of the LEDs in the Oval.

Because the Oval is primarily made of plastic, "The Smack Test" really isn't that appropriate here.

(Edit 09-26-05): I was advised by the product's inventor that I could indeed do "The Smack Test"; so after 14 smacks against the corner of a concrete stair (five against both the left and right sides, two on the top, and two on the bottom), visible damage was limited to some minor scuffing and gouging of the body. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

"The Toilet Test" is still inappropriate. There are no O-rings or other environmental barriers visible in the Oval, so I would not have performed "The Toilet Test" anyway. I was made aware that this was a cost-saving measure; not a fault of the light.
So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of albino rat 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 lightly bad weather.

If it fell in water and you suspect it got flooded, disassemble it as you would for a battery change, dump out the water 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 Oval to smell like seaweed or piss when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or pee-pee) can't be very good for the regulator circuitry, the battery contacts, or the switch.

Speaking of regulators, there is a regulator in the Oval, so it won't just dim steadily as the batteries become used up, but maintain near-maximum intensity for much of the life of the batteries.

The Oval is comfortable to hold, and your thumb naturally falls right over the switch, so it is very easy and natural feeling to turn the Oval on and off; plus it aims forward and (assuming the lower LEDs are also used) down with no unnatural twisting or other contortions of your hand or arm.

What I like about the Oval is that it directs a broad flood of light at your feet AT THE SAME TIME as it directs a narrow flood of light ahead of you!!!
This is the only flashlight - that I know of anyway - that has this feature!!!

The thumscrew for the battery door screws into a threaded brass receptacle; this is FAR less likely to become stripped than if the thumbscrew screwed directly into the plastic.

If you're reasonably careful, the Oval can be stood upright on the two plastic feet on its underside. The Oval isn't 100% stable in this configuration, but it *can* be stood upright if need be.



Beam photograph (main beam) on the target at ~12".
Measures 73,700mcd.



Beam photograph (wide-angle beam) on the target at ~12".
Measures 12,900mcd.
Remember, wider viewing angles always, always, ALWAYS equal lower mcd values.

Both measurements were taken on a Meterman LM631 light meter.


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



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was sent by S.M. of Gelb Design, FLLC. and was received on 09-26-05.

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


UPDATE: 11-14-05
I have decided to rate the Gelb Oval 4 1/2 stars and place it in The Trophy Case on this website.
The lack of waterproofing is what prevented it from being rated a full five stars.


PROS:
Decent brightness from the forward-firing LEDs
Has two wide-angle lamps aiming toward the bottom
Regulated, so brightness will not drop off as soon as you turn it on
Ergonomically designed to fit your hand
Equally comfortable for right-handed or left-handed people to use
Uses batteries that are relatively inexpensive and readily available


CONS:
Not waterproof or even all that water-resistant


    MANUFACTURER: Gelb Design, FLLC.
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight for walking at night
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 6 (4 at front and 2 aimed downward)
    BEAM TYPE: (Main) Narrow flood with soft perimeter, (Downward) Wide flood
    SWITCH TYPE: Rocker on/off on top of handle
    BEZEL: None; LEDs inset into light body
    BATTERY: 3xAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Splash-resistant at best
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: Wrist lanyard, batteries
    WARRANTY: 1 year

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star RatingStar Rating





Oval "Light Dispenser" Flashlight * www.ovallight.com






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