ELEKTROLUMENS XM-3

Elektrolumens XM-3, retail $39.99 (http://elektrolumens.com/XM-3/XM-3.html)
Manufactured by Wayne J. (Elektrolumens) (www.elektrolumens.com)
Last updated 03-05-07




The Elektrolumens XM-3 flashlight is an almost all-metal flashlight that has a type II anodized matte black finish, uses a 3 watt Luxeon Star LED, and a pair of common AA cells to power that LED.

It uses a mirror-smooth reflector, and produces a fairly narrow hotspot with a brighter than usual corona.


SIZE



You'll need to feed your XM-3 first, so go ahead and do that now (see below).

Once it's all fat and sassy, press the tailcap button until it clicks and then release it to get continuous light; press and release it again to turn the XM-3 back off.

For momentary or signalling mode, press the tailcap button less firmly (before it clicks) to get light; release it to not get light.

The XM-3 comes equipped with a stiff but springy bezel-up belt clip, already affixed to the body of the flashlight.



To change the batteries in your spiffy new flashlight, unscrew and remove the tailcap, throw it in the {vulgar term for toilet}, yank that silver handle on the cistern down, and flush it away...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the two used AA cells out of the barrel and into your hand, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Insert two new AA cells into the barrel, positive end (+) button first. Screw the tailcap firmly back on, and be done with it.
Aren't you glad you didn't flush away that tailcap now?

Current usage measures 903mA with known-new Duracells on my DMM's 4A scale.




Close-up of the XM-3's "business-end", showing the LED and smooth reflector.

The XM-3 is a reasonably durable instrument. I gave it the new smack test - 10 whacks against the corner of a concrete stair (five against the tailcap and five against the bezel), and the damage I found was pretty much exactly what I expected to find on a Type II anodized product. No damage at all was found on the tailcap, and only some minor scuffing and scratching was found on the bezel. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected. Granted, I cannot sell this as a "mint condition" product, but I never intended to sell it in the first place.

The XM-3 is water-resistant, but it is not submersible. I performed that dreadful suction test on it, and some air leaked around the bezel (head). So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of wild boar 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 seaweed or piss when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or urination) can't be very good for the voltage regulator circuitry inside.

Speaking of voltage regulation circuitry, the XM-3 features this to help keep the brightness of its Luxeon III reasonably steady as the batteries become used up.

The XM-3 has areas of knurling (diamond-shaped texturising) on the barrel and tailcap, so retention (the ability to hold the flashlight when your hands are cold, wet, or oily) should not be an issue.

The XM-3 comes with a wrist lanyard, which fits all the way around the flashlight. So not only can you hang it from your wrist, you can hang it from small pipes, tree branches, or other locations with no readily accessible "end".

The light that comes out of the XM-3 is a pure, slightly warmish white, with no yellow, blue, purple, or "rotten cat urine green" anywhere in it. Not in the hotspot, and not in the corona either.



Beam photo at ~12".
Measures 739,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.


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


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




Beam photo at ~10'.
That red star on the wall is from an American DJ Laser Widow,
and those red splotches on the wall near the ceiling are from a Laserpod.



TEST NOTES:
Sample was purchased from Candlepower Forums Auctions (CPFA) on 11-26-04, and was received on 11-29-04.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: Elektrolumens
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: Luxeon III LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with brighter than usual corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Rubberised pushbutton momentary/on/off on tailcap
    BEZEL: Metal; LED and reflector protected by plastic window
    BATTERY: 2xAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 903mA
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes, weather-resistant at minimum
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: Wrist lanyard
    WARRANTY: Unknown/TBA

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Elektrolumens XM-3 * http://elektrolumens.com/XM-3/XM-3.html






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