FENIX P3D CE

Fenix P3D CE Flashlight, retail CA$66.00 (US$59.63)* (www.fenixtactical.com...)
Manufactured by Fenix (www.fenixlight.com)
Last updated 05-05-07

* IMPORTANT: Pricing is accurate as of 05-04-07. Please visit the Currency Calculator for the latest currency conversion rates from Canadian dollars to US dollars.




The Fenix P3D CE is a small flashlight that has several intensity settings plus the SOS signal available with a single pushbutton on the tailcap and a bezel (head) that turns to set these modes.

It uses a Cree XLamp 7090 XR-E white LED, and is powered by a two lithium CR123A cells held in its all-aluminum body.


SIZE



Press the rubberised tailcap switch until it clicks and then release it to turn the P3D on in high mode ("turbo mode").
Repeat to turn the P3D off.

If you turn the flashlight off and immediately back on, it will strobe with a frequency of approximately 8Hz (8 flashes per second).

If you want to start the P3D in low mode, unscrew the bezel (head) approximately 1/8th of a turn before pressing the button. The unit then turns on at minimum intensity mode.

When it's in minimum intensity mode, briefly turning the P3D off and quickly back on allows you to access two additional intensities and the SOS mode.

To quickly put the P3D in maximum intensity mode ("turbo mode") regardless of which mode you have it in (except fast strobe mode), just tighten the bezel (head) while keeping the light on.

If the unit is turned off for more than ~2 seconds, the modes will reset to default - turbo mode with the bezel tightened, and minimum intensity mode if the bezel is loosened.

This light is equipped with a LOTC (Lock Out TailCap). This ensures the P3D does not inadvertently activate when stored or packed in a box, suitcase, duffel bag, etc. for travel.
To activate the LOTC function, just loosen the tailcap approximately 1/2 of a turn.
To return the P3D to normal operating mode, just tighten the tailcap 1/2 of a turn or until it stops.

The flashlight comes with a nylon pouch/belt holster. The flashlight fits this holster bezel-up or bezel-down. This holster fits belts up to 1.5" wide. I do not own or use pants that require a belt however, so I cannot test this accessory in the manner in which it was intended to be used.



To change the battery, unscrew and remove the tailcap, gently place it on the ground, and kick it in the garden so the praying mantids will think it's something yummy to eat and subsequently strike at it...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the old used-up CR123A cells out of the barrel, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Slide two new CR123A cells in the flashlight barrel, orienting them so their button-ends (+) positives go in first. Finally, screw the tailcap firmly back on.
Aren't you glad you didn't kick that tailcap into the garden with all those hungry, hungry praying mantids now?


Here is what a praying mantis looks like.
I found this guy on the morning of 09-08-06 clinging to the basket of my scooter.

Current usage ranges from 16.8mA on low to 656mA on turbo.




Photograph of the front end of this flashlight.

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 concrete floor of a patio; 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 rather minor gouging to the bare Metalgreymon - er - the bare Metalstingmon - um that's not it either...the bare Metaltaomon...ummm that's not it either...the bare Metalcalmarimon...er...uh wait a sec here...THE BARE METAL (guess I've been watching too much Digimon again! - now I'm just making {vulgar term for feces} up!!!) on the side of the bezel where it was struck; no damage was found on the tailcap.
No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

The exterior finish is a Type III hard anodize ("HA-III" as us flashaholics know it), so it should stay new looking for longer, even if it goes up against keys, coins, or other flashlights during storage or transport.

The P3D is waterproof and submersible. When I removed the tailcap, relieved the flashlight of its batteries, and performed that dreadful suction test on the barrel, no air leakage was detected. So if it falls into water, just shake it off and keep going. And if it falls next to the mailbox and the dog pisses on it, just douche it off with the garden hose or under the faucet - good as new.

There is an O-ring on the barrel that engages when the tailcap is screwed onto the barrel, and another O-ring on the barrel that engages when the bezel (head) is screwed on, so I don't think the P3D will leak from either of those locations.

No battery rattle can be detected whatsoever when the flashlight is turned on or off, regardless of how vigorously the unit is shaken.

The flashlight can be stood up on its tail on a dresser, counter, table, or other flat surface and beam onto the ceiling, acting like an electronic candle, even if the wrist lanyard is attached, because the holes for it are not on the bottom of the tailcap, but on the side.

The Fenix P3D has a glass window (or "lens" if you prefer) with an AR (antireflective) coating.

The tint of the light emitted is a pure, slightly cool white, with no red, pink, yellow, blue, purple, or "rotten octopus urine green" coloration to it at all.

In my opinion, the SOS mode operates ***MUCH MORE SLOWLY*** than might be desired.
But in my opinion, so few users will actually *USE* the SOS mode that I will not derate the product because of this.

The dimming functions do not use PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), as no flickering is evident when the unit is waved about rapidly.






Beam photograph on the test target at 12".
That "rotten octopus urine green" color you see in the photograph does not exist in reality.
A more accurate rendition (though without the greenish corona around the hotspot) is shown in the photograph directly below.

Measures 69,100mcd (low) to 2,270,000mcd (high) on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photograph on a wall at ~10 feet.

Those rectangular graphic things near the center are marquees from:
Nintendo ''R-Type''
Super Tiger...er...uh...Konami ''Super Cobra''
Midway ''Omega Race''
Sega ''Star Trek''
Williams ''Joust''
Venture Line ''Looping''
Universal ''Mr. Do!'s Castle''
Jaleco ''Exerion''
Gremlin/Sega ''Astro Blaster''
Atari ''Tempest''
Gottlieb ''Q*bert''

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


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


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis.
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was sent by Alex P. of www.fenixlight.ca on 05-03-07, and it arrived on the morning of 05-04-07.

You can also buy the Fenix P3D flashlight in the United States from http://fenix-store.com...


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: Fenix
    PRODUCT TYPE: Small handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: Cree 7090 X RE LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with dimmer corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Press tailcap on/mode change/off; twist bezel mode change
    BEZEL: Metal; LED & reflector protected by glass window
    BATTERY: 2xCR123A cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 16.8mA to 656mA
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: Yes, to shallow depths (~12") at minimum
    SIZE: 11.4cm L, 2.1cm D
    WEIGHT: 48.2g empty
    ACCESSORIES: 2 spare O-rings, belt holster, wrist lanyard, spare switch rubber
    WARRANTY: Limited lifetime

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Fenix P3D CE Flashlight * www.fenixtactical.com...






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