For information Roy: you can regenerate silica gel by microwaving it in a shallow pyrex dish - heating causes the moisture to evolve out; you have to be prompt to place the newly dried silica gel into a non-absorbent bag or container otherwise it absorbs moisture from the air and you'll be back where you started.

The usefulness of silica gel depends on matching the volume of container to the amount of silica gel - its better to put too much in the container than too little.

Yes I gathered this. The refills for the dehumidifiers from stores such as Homebase package a large quantity for about £4, and considering that it will be kept sealed I probably have 5 years supply. I shall probably just discard used gel.
:lol:

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Just to advise, all back orders filled and back to normal with nearly all lamps in stock inc an X6000.

Future of X6000 lamp is uncertain due to issues regarding putting together the 12V belt packs. I MAY be able to get one more together and then that's it.

I will be developing a new model with an aluminium cased belt mount power bank probably with built in charging electronics, so just connect a mains adaptor.
Don't know when it will be but price will probably be off putting, though long way to catch up with some.

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Yes I gathered this. The refills for the dehumidifiers from stores such as Homebase package a large quantity for about £4, and considering that it will be kept sealed I probably have 5 years supply. I shall probably just discard used gel.
:lol:

There's a few odd ones about too that I don't think would suit.
One absorbs moisture and turns it into a gel of some sort, and another uses Calcium Chloride so could produce fine - moisture absorbing - dust. Maybe not the best. Stick with the silica gel for best results.
BTW, what brand did you use Roy?

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I am using one that does contain calcium chloride but with a separating layer of fine towel to avoid dust.

Tested it first on my own lamp and all OK.

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FWIW there is a self-indicting Silica Gel available from scientific supply companies or FleaBay. Blue when its dry, orange when its saturated and wants drying out. A couple of hours in a 50'C oven - when she's out of course - will do the trick. Better still, plan your oven-based task list to include refitting your Norton crankshaft bearings and melting bitumen for the shed roof. 😉 Better be hung for a sheep than a lamb! :angel:

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On subject of dust.

If you have a high power LED upright on full wack you can see fine dust particles in the air actually ignited by the heat in an ordinary room as a fine smoke.

Larger particles can settle on the LEDs and burn into the dome, this is more likely to occur when a particle of something used in assembly remains in the lamp. I am in the habit of carefully inspecting the inside and using a fine blow brush as used for maintaining cameras. Just something to watch out for.

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Hi Roy, been out on a trip for about 4 hours today, i get a little condensation on the:thumbup: glass of my X2000 but it doesn't effect operation, and goes after use. It allows me to take bloody good pics though especially used with a fill in flash and longer exposures. Even better is it can be used to keep your hands warm after use on high setting! Top lamp. :thumbsup:

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Thank you for your kind remarks.

The X6000 that was in stock went in 2 days. I may have materials for one final one, but that will be the last as its the last headset shell, its unlikely that I will be able to source any more of them as well as running out of components for the big blue belt batteries.

A replacement will be on the cards but probably well into next year, and at an increased price.

I am currently testing an ultra high discharge 4 cell power bank which is only 300 grams as the others but is safe for 40 amps discharge, governed electronically to 10 amps.
This is designed to power the SAR at max throughout the discharge range in a light helmet wearable fitting.
Its rumored that these Pansonic cells are used by Tesla, I have got into referring to to the power bank as the "Tesla battery"
:lol:

My own test setup has given good results now for months, but when I am working underground, which is often, I use the lighter and smaller Dragon.

The standard flat pack 7000 mAh @7.4V nominal is fully backwards compatible with all of the Trigons, I can also overhaul Trigons with uprated flood LEDs etc for nominal cost.
The Trigon although now replaced is good lamp.

Technology moves forward as such a pace, I wonder for those who have consumer electronics mass produced to find them virtually obsolete by the time time they hit the stores. But from a consumer point of view, many will wonder what its all about.

There are plenty of my Trigons out there which are as bright to the eye as anything I am producing now except the big jobs like the SAR. In any event with lamps you are faced with diminishing returns as the brighter you get the more the eye closes down, diminishing returns in other words.
I often wonder.

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My MagnumStar is still going strong and a faithful companion where photos are to be taken! :thumbup:

I may soon have to re-do the heat shrink around the connectors.

My MagnumStar is still going strong and a faithful companion where photos are to be taken! :thumbup:

I may soon have to re-do the heat shrink around the connectors.

Good

Any new 12V power bank I develop will of course be backwards compatible.

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In any event with lamps you are faced with diminishing returns as the brighter you get the more the eye closes down, diminishing returns in other words.
I often wonder.

True in small caves, not so much in the big ones where you are trying to light stuff up far away. I was a bit disappointed when I went down GG with the floodlights on; the Dragon on full blast seemed nearly as bright! Still can't see stuff on high walls properly... hoping to get an SAR to complement my Dragon at some point 🙂 (plus a big stack of batteries to feed my light addiction)

Plus cameras eat up the light 🙂

Thank you for your loyalty and kind support Andrew.

Latest news is that unfortunately sales are on stop again due to having no battery cells and of course, deliveries will be upside down at this time of year.

Anyway, thanks to all my customers old and new and I wish everyone a good Christmas and New Year.

The X6000 is now discontinued, with a replacement not really in sight until well into 2017.

On the more positive note, a new design SAR is about to be announced, basically it will be the only lamp I will be able to supply with the battery situation, as its uses its own special power bank.

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Happy New Year customers old and new, and he is something good to start the year.

The Lynx SAR 2

This lamp represents the culmination of a mission to combine awesome power with heat sustainability, low form factor and weight. The Mk 1 MagnumStar was the first commercially available lamp to put over 1000 lumens on someone’s head. Albeit at a slightly uncomfortable weight and requiring a belt mounted battery. This lamp manages an awesome 4700 lumens of beam power (data sheet) in a reasonably lightweight lamp and helmet mounted battery.

All thanks to new LED and Li Ion technology.

Similar in concept to the original SAR the new model uses higher output Cree XP-L beam emitters in a smaller and lighter body with more user friendly re positioned switches and heatsinking recessed into the rear of the lamp.

🔗109699[linkphoto]109699[/linkphoto][/link]

🔗109698[linkphoto]109698[/linkphoto][/link]

However, the lamp itself represents no real huge leap from the first SAR, the quantum leap is in the power pack. Weighing in at 300 grams same as the standard ‘long burn’ pack, it is also designed to mount easily on the rear of the helmet and the whole thing is a reasonably light, wearable package.

🔗109696[linkphoto]109696[/linkphoto][/link]

The new lamp is slightly smaller that the previous version and weighs about 260 grams against the 300 of its predecessor.

Just like its predecessor each switch gives three different beam setting, one also gives downlighter, the other also gives flood on three modes same as beams. Low beam on one switch is “Standard” at 200 lumens, the other is a pilot. There are 34 possible different lighting settings and combinations.
The twin switches are now at the rear which is a lot more user friendly, and there is also extra heatsinking recessed into the back of the lamp. On test the extra cooling is quite noticeable.

The new lamp has a slight downward inclination on the flood mounting, this is to get the light where its wanted rather than up the roof.

The downlighter is the same of its predecessor but now runs at just over 250mA for less battery hit than the old one by virtue of a more efficient switch mode driver in place of the old linear driver. The new driver runs at 95% efficiency throughout most of the battery discharge range and gives constant output right down to 6.3V input.

Although the new power bank only contains four cells it easily sustains the output of the lamp regardless of the low voltage overhead by use the latest technology ultra high discharge (20 amps per cell) Panasonic Lithium Ion cells reputedly designed for Tesla. The maximum safe output of the power bank is an amazing 40 amps, but is electronically governed down to 10 amps. The lamp draws up to about 6 amps. Slight drawback is the capacity which is 5200 mAh against the 7000 mAh of the standard 4 cell power banks, they are also slightly more expensive, but worth it to get so much power into a small package. The new power bank isof course backwardly compatible with the original SAR.

The standard mode beams draw about 220 mA, the downlighters 200 mA (at 8V lab PSU) combined these output about 500 lumens for a 420 mA battery hit which will go for over 12 hours. Obviously, if the beams on their own are good enough you can double that, 200 lumens is enough for quite a few people. Full power you are down to a bit less than half an hour, but in reality that output is seldom used.
Twin floods are same as the X2000 and will give over 2000 lumens on their own, great for photography.

UHD Power Bank: Technical Spec.
Weight 300 grams
No of cells 4, configuration 2P X 2S
Capacity 5200 mAh
Cell manufacturer and Type: Panasonic NCR18650NSX
Overcharge protection voltage per cell 4.3V
Over discharge protection voltage per cell 2.5V (under load)
Overall Max continuous safe discharge current 40 amps
Overall Max continuous controlled discharge current 10 amps
IP67 waterproof and blow resistant.

🔗109697[linkphoto]109697[/linkphoto][/link]

For its reasonable price of £325 plus delivery this possibly offers the most advanced lamp on the market at this present time.
I actually have one in stock, but for how long?
:lol:

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That's a nice looking thing Roy. Happy new year.

Same to you old friend, and thanks for the kind remark.

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TRAVEL INFORMATION

ALL 2 CELL POWER BANKS ARE 26 WATT HOURS (WH)

HIGH CAPACITY 4 CELL (BLUE LABEL) ARE 52

HIGH DISCHARGE 4 CELL (SAR, RED LABEL) ARE 38.5

POWER BANKS ARE ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHICH CONTAIN LITHIUM BATTERIES, THEY ARE NOT JUST "BATTERIES"

I am offering this information to help travellers, but obviously not responsible for any travel restrictions that may be in force ant any particular country.

As an aside, the WH rating for the size and weight of the power bank is a good indication of the quality of the batteries it contains. Some lamp manufacturers my be reluctant to state the WH for this reason.
Ultra high discharge, that is a safe 20 amps per cell discharge, results in a lower capacity. However to the best of my knowledge there is only my SAR lamp on the market that needs this specification of battery.

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Due to holidays and other commitments I am unable to take any new orders until further notice.

Please pass this around.

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If someone on here has sent an X2000 in, can you please let me know who you are etc, no advice note or anything. Cant see anything wrong with it except a bit of moisture got in somehow.

I am now fitting better cable glands rated at IP68 and with cable protection, so it will get upgraded anyway.

Also, back orders etc filled and back to normal with most lamps in stock.

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2 cell power banks.

There has been a design change to move to all aluminium cases, as shown below.

🔗112412[linkphoto]112412[/linkphoto][/link]

These are inherently stronger than the plastic ones, price is unchanged.

Other changes
The all popular X2000 now has daylight matched colour temperature XP-L emitters which also give more output.

The new cable gland is universal to lamps and power packs, as it is a much improved component and also is IP68 rated.

Some issues with other power banks.

Issues have come to light regarding failure of inner strands on power banks of the earlier type with metal cable glands.

Batteries affected have soft rubber cable (not PVC) and metal gland.

The issue arises where the cable is under some tension and is a product of the fitment to the helmet. Many have now been in use for several years without issue.
I am accepting returns on failed items and turning them around as soon as possible with upgraded gland.

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Very tidy. Any thoughts on an upgraded battery mount?

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