MCLUX FLASHLIGHTS

McLux Flashlights (www.skunklights.com/tksale/)
Manufactured by Skunk Lights Team (www.skunklights.com/tksale/)
Last updated 02-28-09
*
The Black Widow McLux was lost in a move between 10-10-04 and 10-20-04; but I still have the other (white LED, silver body) McLux.






Both of these lights were spawned by and made for members of Candlepower Forums, a group of people out there looking for one thing: a better flashlight!

And a better flashlight is exactly what this is. A Luxeon Star LED, surrounded by a McFlood reflector, is powered by a special DC-DC inverter and a single CR123A lithium camera battery. A Kroll clicky switch is mounted in a recessed compartment in the light's tailpiece, so you can easily turn the flashlight on & off, or get intermittent operation out of it.

The "Black Widow" is as its name suggests: an all-black body with a red LS LED hidden away in its head.
I don't believe the white LED model has a formal name yet.


SIZE



To use either one, just grab it and push the tailcap in until it clicks, and you've got light. Press the tailcap in again until it clicks, and you've got dark.

To use the Black Widow or white LED McLux in momentary mode, press the tailcap in part way. Not until it clicks, otherwise you'll be in continuous mode.

The lights come with two different sizes of holes in the tailcap. These are for attaching lanyards, swivel holders, and other accessories to the unit.



Both lights came to me ready to use, and yours probably will too.

To change the battery in either one, unscrew & remove the head, and set it aside. Tip the dead CR123A cell out of the barrel and dispose of it how you see fit. Lithiums don't like water, so don't throw the dead battery in a full tub or try to flush it down the john. :-)

Drop a new battery in the barrel, button (+) end facing up. Screw the head back on, and you're done with it.



These lights are very good looking, and like other CPF member creations, very professionally made.

The "Black Widow" came in an all-black body with a titanium pocket clip. It produces a "HeNe laser red" light from a 1.2 watt Luxeon Star LED, with a custom made McFlood reflector around the LED emitter. This in turn is protected from the elements by what I believe to be a pyrex glass window. I tried to scratch it with a knife, but was not successful; that's why I think the lens is pyrex. I did the same thing to the white LED McLux, and got the same results.

Both flashlights are protected from the elements by O-rings at the head and tail. And both passed a suction test I made at the front end; so I know the tailcaps are totally waterproof. Since I could not remove the tailcaps of either though, I don't know how water-resistant the heads of the flashlights are. But I believe they are, at very minimum, splash resistant, so they should do fine in any outdoor hiking or camping activity you might do, even if it's raining or snowing.

The white LED McLux comes with a two-tone case, featuring a bead-blasted tail and head, and a shinier body and bezel. The red LED McLux Black Widow comes with an all-black body, which I believe has a type 2 anodized finish to it. Both come with titanium clips, which allow you to affix them to pockets and not simply fall out or come off without you knowing about it.

(Edit 03-08-04): According to the person who makes these:
The black McLuxes are actually HA-III, and the silver ones are EN (electroplated nickel). The matte parts are bead blasted first, but the entire light is then EN coated. The lenses are all mineral glass, and these should all be leak-free to the deepest bathtup depths that we tested them to.



Beam photograph of the white TK unit at ~12".
Measured 67,800mcd


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED in this flashlight.


Spectrographic plot
Same as above; newer spectrometer software & settings used.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.



ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis; showing wide viewing angle because of the McFlood reflector.
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.




Beam photograph of the red TK unit at ~12".
Measured 67,700mcd

Both lights were given a new SF123A cell for these tests.
White McLux came with an Energizer E2 123 cell, and red McLux came with a SureFire 123 cell.



TEST NOTES:
A red "Black Widow" McLux was purchased in January or February 2003; a white McLux was also received around March 2003 for testing and inclusion on this website. So I ended up getting a "two fer" deal on these.
Thanks, Skunks!!!

Because these are limited production, user-made flashlights, conventional ratings will not be assigned.


UPDATE: 08-19-04
Don M. (McGizmo) now has his own forum on Candlepower Forums. Go to this link to access it.


UPDATE: 01-06-06
I've been using the white LED McLux virtually daily for at least the last year; I reach for it even if other flashlights are closer.










McLux Flashlights * www.skunklights.com/tksale/






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 or send your potential victim to:

Craig Johnson
c/o The LED Museum
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Sacramento CA. 95831-5632
ph. Please e-mail for phone number (costs me $0.50 a minute, use only if urgent)

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