Space Needle II

Space Needle II, retail $TBA (http://darkgear.com/mrbulk/spaceneedle2.htm)
Manufactured by Mr. Bulktm of CPF
Last updated 04-05-09




Ok, I'm gonna ask this yet again: What do most people do when they get a new flashlight?
That's right - they point it at their face and push the button. If you try that with a Space Needle II, you'll be in for a very rude surprise!!! And you might not see so well for awhile afterwards too.

The Space Needle II uses a 5W white Luxeon Star LED and three CR123A photograph batteries in a 2-C Mag body to provide you with a bounty of white light like you've probably never seen before except for maybe a short-arc HID light on a boat. This is not an April Fool's joke!!! This thing puts out some serious light!!!


SIZE:



Use the Space Needle II like you would a 2-C Mag Lite; press the rubber button on the barrel to get its pure snow-white light, and press it again to plunge yourself back into darkness.



The Space Needle II uses three CR-123A batteries enclosed in a length of rubber hose or tubing, rather than two C cells like the Mag Lite body was made for, so the battery change procedure is a bit different.



Unscrew & remove the tailcap. Tip out the "battery carriage" (a length of radiator heater hose slit along its entire length). Remove and properly dispose of the three CR123A cells in this hose, and replace them with new ones. Be sure the cells go in the same way - the (+) button of one touches the (-) end of the next. Once the hose is full (3 batteries), slide it back into the barrel of the flashlight (+) button-end first, and screw the tailcap back on.

Current consumption was measured at 1.15 amps.




The flashlight feels light - almost empty - thanks to the light weight of the lithium batteries. But don't be fooled, and for heaven sakes don't throw it into the koi pond or toilet bowl to see if it floats. The host body - a 2-C Mag - is water resistant, but I don't believe it is totally watertight and submersible. Don't worry about using the Space Needle II in rain or snow (it's plenty weather resistant for that), but do try to keep it off the lake bottom.



Beam photograph at 1 foot.
Measures 3,130,000mcd (3,130FC) on a Meterman LM631. :-O
(That's BRIGHT for a single LED!!!)



Beam focused to its tightest at ~5 feet.


Beam defocused to around its widest at ~5 feet.


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



TEST NOTES:
The maker of this amazing light has no affiliation with Mag Instruments, and uses the Mag body only as a "host" for the 5W LS lamp.

Because this is a modified light, conventional ratings will not be assigned to it.


UPDATE: 08-11-03
According to a 3rd party source, the Space Needle flashlights are no longer being made or sold. If you supply your own 5W Luxeon Star LED to Charlie, he *might* make one for you, but that's just a maybe.


UPDATE: 08-23-03
Today, I got a package from Hawaii. I usually don't get packages on Saturday except near Christmas, so this was definitely a surprise - until I saw the address label. Then I *knew* what must be in there!
Inside, was an "Assault and Batteries" (or "Photon Baton") battery extension barrel for all Space Needles in the 2-C Mag Lite body. The A&B tube lets you use 6 AA cells in your Space Needle or Space Needle II flashlight, instead of 3 CR123A cells. Not only are AA cells a lot less expensive than CR123 cells in most areas, you can use the flashlight as a defensive weapon if need be. (Note: Not recommended!)






The Assault and Batteries tube is very thick, and you don't need pipe or hoses to use AA cells with it and your Space Needle. The extension tube also fits all the way up inside the Mag Lite, so the whole flashlight is strong, instead of just the part that extends beyond the original Mag's tailcap.

Load six AA cells, button (+) end facing up toward you. The last cell you put in will stick above the top of the A&B tube; this is normal, so you should expect it. Holding the A&B tube upright (so the batteries don't fall out), insert it with the batteries in it into the open tail end of your Space Needle or Space Needle II flashlight, then screw it on firmly. See how it's flared and then threaded about 1/3 of the way down? Part of it goes inside the Mag's barrel, and then screws onto the threads on the Mag's tail end.

Use your new Assault and Batteries as you originally used your SN or SN2: push the button on the barrel until it clicks to get light, push the button until it clicks again to not get light.

If you don't have a Space Needle or Space Needle II, you can use the Assault and Batteries tube to allow you to run a 9 volt Carley bulb in your 2-C Mag. This is a very easy modification - all you need to do is install a 9v bulb in your Mag and then screw on an A&B tube.

If the light is set down head first, and then gets knocked over, you'll hear this metallic "clink" kind of noise. The sound has a solid "sound" to it, not that hollow clanking sound you might hear with other metal flashlights.

Depending on how things go, this could be a loaner unit that needs to be passed along, or I could have it forever. Let's hope it's the latter, because I really like the A&B, even though I've only had it for a few hours as of this writing. :-)
If you want one, they cost $75. Send the money to Charlie, not to me.
But DO NOT send money without asking Charlie first. This part is very important!!!


UPDATE: 11-18-06
I used the Space Needle II to find the key for my electric scooter a short time ago today - I accidentally dropped it outside and who knows where it went...but the Space Needle II revealed its location under a bush very quickly.


UPDATE: 04-05-09
Seen on the Nickelodeon online TV schedule on 04-03-09 was this:



Note the episode title "Assault and Batteries".








Space Needle II * http://darkgear.com/mrbulk/spaceneedle2.htm






Do you manufacture or sell an LED flashlight, task light, utility light, or module of some kind? Want to see it tested by a real person, under real working conditions? Do you then want to see how your light did? If you have a sample available for this type of real-world, real-time testing, please contact me at ledmuseum@gmail.com.

Please visit this web page for contact information.

Unsolicited flashlights, LEDs, and other products appearing in the mail are welcome, and it will automatically be assumed that you sent it in order to have it tested and evaluated for this site.
Be sure to include contact info or your company website's URL so visitors here will know where to purchase your product.


WHITE 5500-6500K InGaN+phosphor 
ULTRAVIOLET 370-390nm GaN 
BLUE 430nm GaN+SiC
BLUE 450 and 473nm InGaN
BLUE Silicon Carbide
TURQUOISE 495-505nm InGaN
GREEN 525nm InGaN 
YELLOW-GREEN 555-575mn GaAsP & related
YELLOW 585-595nm
AMBER 595-605nm
ORANGE 605-620nm
ORANGISH-RED 620-635nm
RED 640-700nm
INFRARED 700-1300nm
True RGB Full Color LED
Spider (Pirrahna) LEDs
SMD LEDs
True violet (400-418nm) LEDs
Agilent Barracuda & Prometheus LEDs
Oddball & Miscellaneous LEDs
Programmable RGB LED modules / fixtures
Where to buy these LEDs 
Links to other LED-related websites
The World's First Virtual LED Museum
The Punishment Zone - Where Flashlights Go to Die
Legal horse puckey, etc.
RETURN TO OPENING/MAIN PAGE
LEDSaurus (on-site LED Mini Mart)



This page is a frame from a website.
If you arrived on this page through an outside link,you can get the "full meal deal" by clicking here.