ORB RAW 3W LUXEON TORCH

Orb Raw 3W Luxeon Torch, retail $68.10 (£35)* (www.theorb.co.uk...)
Manufactured by The Orb (www.theorb.co.uk)
Last updated 12-16-08

* IMPORTANT: Pricing is accurate as of 03-03-07. Please visit the Currency Calculator for the latest currency conversion rates from British pounds to US dollars.




From the makers of the Fliklite comes the Orb Raw. The Orb Raw is a VERY sweet looking LED flashlight ("torch" for UK viewers). It looks a lot less like a woman's kegal excersizor than the original Fliklite does. It comes in an all-aluminum body, with a mineral glass window protecting the light-emitting goodie in the end.

Speaking of "light-emitting goodie", a 3-watt Luxeon LED at the bottom of a slightly texturised reflector provides a large amount of light when you need it.


SIZE



To use the Orb, place the battery in it first if necessary (see below).

Turn the bezel (head) clockwise (as if tightening it) until it springs to life. Turn it the other way to turn it off.

See, that's all there is to it.




To charge the battery in your Orb Raw, unscrew & remove the the bezel (head), throw it in the {vulgar term for feces}bole, yank that silver handle on the front of the cistern down, and flush it away...O WAIT!!! THAT'S THE GOOD PART!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the used RCR2 cell out of the barrel and into your hand, and pop it in the included charger.

Insert a freshly charged RCR2 cell into the flashlight body, orienting it so the nipple-end (+) positive faces outward, and screw the bezel back on. Unscrew that bezel a bit when your Orb Raw springs to life; you don't want to discharge that freshly charged RCR2 cell ya know.
Aren't you glad you didn't flush away that bezel now?

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

I do not have a battery charger for RCR2 cells (I purchased the Orb Raw second-hand), so I cannot tell you how to charge it.

Advertised runtime is just 12-15 minutes - however, that is a very BRIGHT 12-15 minutes.




Photograph of the front of the Orb Raw, showing the LED and reflector.

The Orb Raw appears quite durable. The Luxeon LED means there's no blub to burn out, and the all-aluminum body means that if you drop it, the worst damage you can expect are superficial dings in the body.

The walls of the Orb Raw's barrel are very thick and robust, and it looks like you could run over the flashlight with a tank (the kind with treads, not the kind behind the commode).

The flashlight appears to be very sturdy. Ordinary flashlight accidents should not be enough to do it in. I administered that terrible 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 minor gouging on the sides of the tailcap and bezel where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

The Orb Raw is not anodized; it comes in a handsome brushed aluminum body. I was *VERY EASILY* able to leave a mark on the body with the blade of a Swiss army knife, so it is rather delicate in the sense of it staying new-looking.
Would I really try to cut up a brand spanken new flashlight I paid good money for?
You bet your sugar-coated toilet muscle I would, if it's in the name of science!!!

The LED and reflector are protected by a 2mm scratch-resistant mineral glass window (or "lens", if you are more comfortable with that term, even though it does not adjust or focus the light in any manner).

The Orb Raw is splash-resistant, but it is not totally waterproof and is definitely NOT submersible. So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of calico cat 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 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 flashlight to smell like seashells or piss when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or pee-pee) can't be very good for the insides.

The Luxeon LED in this particular Orb Raw is what's known as a U-bin. I don't know if this refers to the color tint or the intensity; but this particular Orb produces a pure white light with no "rotten cow urine green" tint to it. Not in the hotspot; not in the corona either.



Beam photograph at ~12".
Measures 1,290,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
This is a very good value for a single LED.

That "rotten porpoise urine green" color does not actually exist in the beam.

On a disposable (primary) CR2 cell, intensity measures 268,000mcd.
So it really does pay to use a rechargeable Li:ION RCR2 cell in this flashlight.

Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED 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.




Beam photograph at ~15'.



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased from a Candlepower Forums member on 08-31-05, and was received on the morning of 09-06-05.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Durable casing
Decent intensity for its size


CONS:
Not all that water-resistant (there goes the last ½ a star)



    MANUFACTURER: The Orb
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 3 watt Luxeon LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with wide corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Twist bezel on/off
    BEZEL: Metal; reflector and LED protected by glass window
    BATTERY: 1xRCR2 rechargeable cell
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Splash-resistant at best
    SUBMERSIBLE: NO WAY HOZAY!!!
    ACCESSORIES: 1 RCR2 battery, charger, protective case
    WARRANTY: 1 year

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star RatingStar Rating





Orb Raw 3W Luxeon Torch * www.theorb.co.uk...






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