3X GALAXY

Smith & Wesson 3X Galaxy, retail $14.97 (www.sportsmansguide.com...)
Manufactured by PowerTech (www.powertechinc.com)
Last updated 09-08-07





This is the 3X Galaxy, made by PowerTech and sold by well-known gun maker Smith & Wesson.

It comes in an aluminum body, protected by a handsome jet-black Type II anodized finish. It has three bright white LEDs and a xenon-filled incandescent light bulb in its "business-end", protected by a robust plastic window (or "lens" if you prefer that term, even though it does not modify the light in any manner).

The Galaxy feeds from two included AA cells held in its barrel.


SIZE



The 3X Galaxy comes in a package that you don't need knives, scissors, or other sharp instruments to open.

Once the light & batteries are out, install the batteries (below) and you're ready to go.

Press the small rubberized button on the barrel until it clicks and then release it once to turn the LEDs on, press & release it again to turn them off.
There is no momentary operation in this mode; however, you can blink the 3X Galaxy while the LEDs are on by partially depressing this button while it is on; if you don't mind the backward or reverse feel of this, you can blink the flashlight this way if desired.


Press and hold the rubberised button on the tailcap to turn the incandescent on, and release it to turn it off. This is momentary or "signalling" mode. Turn the tailcap clockwise (as though tightening it) and the incandescent bulb will come on & stay on. This is continuous or hands-free mode.
Turn the tailcap counterclockwise (as though loosening it) and the incandescent bulb will turn off.

Turning the tailcap counterclockwise some more (one full turn from the point where the light turns on) will engage the LOTC (lock out tailcap); this prevents the light from "going off" during storage or transport.



To change the batteries, unscrew & remove the tailpiece and set it aside.

Dump the dead batteries out of the barrel and into the cat box - er - the garbage can or the battery reclamation box.

Slide two new AA cells, button (+) end first, into the barrel and screw the tailpiece back on. Fish the dead batteries out of the litterbox and dispose of or recycle them correctly.

Current usage measures 235mA (LEDs) and 1.030A (1,030mA) (incandescent) on my DMM's 4A scale.


To change the incandescent bulb when necessary, unscrew & remove the bezel (head), gently place it on the ground, and kick it into the garden so the hungry, hungry praying mantids will think it's something yummy for their insect tummies and subsequently strike at it...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.

Pull the old bulb straight out of the socket, and dispose of it.

Inside the small metal cylinder affixed to the keychain attachment (the cylinder is in two parts, and can be opened by unscrewing it), you'll find a spare bulb inside a thin rubber tube. Remove it.

Place it into the socket, pins first. Push it straight down (***DO NOT TWIST!!!***). When it's in there as far down as it will go, straighten it if necessary, place the bezel back over it, and screw it down until it stops turning.
Aren't you glad you didn't kick that bezel 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.



The Galaxy is of all aluminimum construction. The finish appears to be a Type II anodizing. I was able to cut through it to bare metal with the blade of a Swiss army knife.

Would I really try to cut up a brand spanken new flashlight?
You bet your sugar-coated toilet muscle (sweet patootie) I would, if it's in the name of science.

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 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 gouging to the bare Metalagunimon - er - the bare Metalzephyrmon - um that's not it either...the bare Metalduskmon...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 sides of the tailcap and bezel where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

Water-resistance is a minor issue though. When I removed the tailcap and performed that dreadful suction test, a small amount of air leakage was detected. Therefore, water, milk, diet vanilla Pepsi, cold (or hot) coffee, urine, ice cold fizzy root beer, disposable douches, disposable enemas, tranny fluid, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, brake fluid, motor oil, or other liquids could get inside. So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, snowbanks, puddles of rhinocerous pee, tall cold glasses (or short lukewarm glasses) of milk, slush piles, mud puddles, tubs, root beer floats, toilet bowls, cisterns, sinks, cups of coffee (hot *OR* cold), fishtanks, dog water dishes, old yucky wet mops, wall-mounted porcelain urinators, leaky water heaters, busted garden hoses, or other places where water or water-like liquids might be found. A little rain or snow should not kill it though, so you need not be *THAT* concerned about using it in lightly to at most 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, got thrown into a glass of milk, if it fell in a root beer float, if somebody squirted a Massengill brand post-menstrual disposable douche or a Fleet brand disposable enema at it (and hit it with the douche or the enema), or if somebody or something peed on it, rinse all the parts out with fresh water before setting them out to dry. You don't want your light to smell like seaweed, sour milk, flowers, fresh butts, or rotten piss when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater, disposable douches, disposable enemas, or urination), lactic acid (from moo juice), glycerol (from antifreeze), or sugar (from root beer & ice cream) can't be very good for the insides.

There is an O-ring on the tailcap that engages with the barrel when the tailcap is screwed down, so I don't think the Galaxy will leak there.

There are bands of knurling (crosshatch-shaped texturising) on the barrel & tailcap, and what I believe is a 16-sided shape milled into the bezel (head); these will aid in retention (the ability to hold onto the flashlight when your hands are cold, oily, or soaked with water, coffee, or pee). I do not forsee retention to be an issue here.

The incandescent bulb is surrounded by a small reflector & the LEDs are mounted to the outside of that; both are protected by a plastic window.



Beam photograph (LEDs) on the test target at 12".
Measures 76,900mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photograph (incandescent bulb) on the test target at 12".
Measures 763cd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photograph (incandescent bulb) on a wall at ~10 feet.

Those rectangular graphic things in the upper left quadrant of this photograph 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.

That graphic toward the right is:
A "BIG SCARY LASER" poster sent by www.megagreen.co.uk


And that clock to the right of the "Big Scary Laser" poster is an Infinity Optics Clock.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the white LEDs in this flashlight.


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


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



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased on the Sportsman's Guide website on 09-03-07, and was received on the afternoon of 09-06-07.

Product was made in China.
A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: PowerTech
    PRODUCT TYPE: Small handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm white LED, xenon-filled incandescent bulb (2.4V 1.0A)
    No. OF LAMPS: 4 (3 LED, 1 incandescent)
    BEAM TYPE: Wide spot with dim corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Pushbutton on/off on barrel (LEDs), twist / push tailcap (incandescent)
    CASE MATERIAL: Aluminum
    BEZEL: Metal; LEDs, bulb, & reflector protected by plastic window
    BATTERY: 2xAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 235mA (LEDs), 1,030mA (incandescent)
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: 2xAA cells, belt holster, spare bulb in carrier, "lobster claw"/split ring clasp
    SIZE: 7"L, ~1.6"D
    WEIGHT: 4oz
    WARRANTY: Limited Lifetime

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





3X Galaxy * www.sportsmansguide.com...






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