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9 years ago


My old lamp doesn't work anymore, so just ordered a Phaethon lamp from Greece, with 3000k warm-white LED's fitted.

Anyone else tried one?

Looks like a nice bit of kit. The website persuaded me to try it.

http://www.phaethoncavinglight.com/ 

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simonrl
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9 years ago
I've always wondered about that lamp. It looks excellent, and rather like what the Sten should have evolved to, if StenSat hadn't lapsed into a coma for 5 years :(

The idea of using a GoPro mount is brilliant.
my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by
RAMPAGE
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9 years ago

well, I thought it looked pretty good. Not sure about the cable and glands but hard to say.

I like the way you can just put 18650s in it without needing propriety packs but opening and closing it looks time consuming, given that it's done with bolts rather than some kind of clamp.

Still it looks simple, tough and bright without being outrageously expensive, though still not cheap.

If I'm the first around to get one I'll report back.
Beneath my steely exterior beats the heart of a dashing hero
rufenig
9 years ago
One thing that I noticed
it ONLY allows the use of un-protected 18650 cells.
Worth remembering as I would think most peoples stock will be protected cells.
RAMPAGE
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9 years ago

Yes, that's true.

I suppose I'll have to get some dedicated ones just for that lamp. They recommend those nice Japanese ones (Sanyo?) but it comes with two anyway so I can get going with it.
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royfellows
9 years ago
Hi Miles, a chap on UK Caving bought one and did a bit of a write up, if this is helpful.
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christwigg
9 years ago
It certainly looks nice, but I don't know anyone with one.
You'll have to let us know how you get on.

I've got 'warm' LEDs in one of my current lights and I personally prefer it for photos.
royfellows
9 years ago
"christwigg" wrote:

It certainly looks nice, but I don't know anyone with one.
You'll have to let us know how you get on.

I've got 'warm' LEDs in one of my current lights and I personally prefer it for photos.



Interesting comments Chris.

I am currently using XM-L2 U2 emitters which are slightly warm on the colour temperature scale, but not to everyone's liking. I can get natural white and T6s which are bordering the blue end.

If asked to recommend a lamp, other than my own, I would go for the El Speleo Rescue 2200.

Apart from anything else its sold by a UK retailer, Bernie's cafe and looks a good lamp for the money.

I have reservations about the 2 cell battery pack on the Phaethon, and if manufacturer does not recommend protected cells this says something. Most protection circuits cut off at 2 amps, the lamp must be drawing at least 3 amps. The 2 18650s must be in series so the 3 amps plus is your battery hit per cell. OK cells are safe at this, no dispute, but what about life span, burn times etc?

My Dragon 1800 hits for 2 amps but cell pack electronics are rated up to 4, and power packs are sealed units.

Thing is where people can put their own batteries in, there has to be someone sooner or later who will buy 9800 mAh Junkfire of ebay
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Mr Mike
9 years ago
Roy, they get connected in parallel looking at the user manual and + markers on the battery case. Or maybe even drive each emitter from each cell if it is a 3 core cable?
Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk
royfellows
9 years ago
"Mr Mike" wrote:

Roy, they get connected in parallel looking at the user manual and + markers on the battery case. Or maybe even drive each emitter from each cell if it is a 3 core cable?



Thanks I didn't know this.

I think I stand by my recommendation though.
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RAMPAGE
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9 years ago
"royfellows" wrote:

Hi Miles, a chap on UK Caving bought one and did a bit of a write up, if this is helpful.



Thanks, I had a look! He seems very happy with his, I hope my experience is the same.

In regards the draw comments, yes he suggests unprotected cells as the protection is built in to his driver circuit. He says that it is because protected cells are slightly longer (true) and using protected cells can be a struggle to get a super-tight seal on the battery box. He also says if you don't need to dive with it, then protected cells are ok, so long as they are happy to provide 3A of course.

He does say on full blast each emitter draws 3A, and has run-time graphs on the website, so he's quite upfront about all that.

Having not actually tried my new lamp yet I can't really comment beyond what it says on the website, other than to say the guy has been very helpful over email, clearly both a professional caver and skilled engineer.

Delivery is by express courier and being an EU country there is no import duty. I didn't have to pay the VAT so I got it 100 euros cheaper. Even so, the damage is 350 quid, much more than I've ever paid for a lamp but in my line of business I don't mind investing a bit more for the right lamp.

The El Speleo Rescue 2200 also looks very good indeed from the website, I'm sure I'd have been happy with that too. Nice to see a bit of choice on the market, I'm a bit out of touch these days as to what's hot or not.
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gNick
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9 years ago
Looking at the Phaethon, the battery mount is the only bit I didn't like. For some reason, the -ve end of the battery is in direct contact with the housing with it being recommended to trim back the insulation on the battery to ensure a good contact.
If the battery case was 5mm longer using a contact spring in the base, then both protected and unprotected cells could be accommodated.
I'm also not convinced by the reliability of the contact between a battery & the aluminium casing, aluminium oxide not being a good conductor.

I'm rather tempted to get one of the DualFlex driver boards to make my own more light than I really need lightset...
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Mr Mike
9 years ago
Re batteries, I mentioned the they are connected in parallel, well they are on the Phaethon Dual, but on the Phaethon they are in series.
Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk
royfellows
9 years ago
An interesting question for everyone to ask themselves is what really governs their choice of lamp, I mean honestly.

Is is say a brand awareness, like Petzl (sorry, put the stones down), highest level of recommendation which would imply logical thinking, or just looks, web presentation, and image?

If one thinks about it, Petzl duo has sold more than anything else put together.

Interesting question there. Could be applied to anything.
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Tamarmole
9 years ago
"royfellows" wrote:

An interesting question for everyone to ask themselves is what really governs their choice of lamp, I mean honestly.

Is is say a brand awareness, like Petzl (sorry, put the stones down), highest level of recommendation which would imply logical thinking, or just looks, web presentation, and image?

If one thinks about it, Petzl duo has sold more than anything else put together.

Interesting question there. Could be applied to anything.



(a) Will it do the job I want it to do?
(b) Will it continue doing the job I want it to do after repeated dunkings in ochre?
(c) If it does not continue to do what I want it do will the person who sold me the lamp make sure that it will be returned to the state where it will do the job I want it to do in a reasonable time?
(d) Will it do the job I want it to do without requiring a mortgage?
royfellows
9 years ago
A good reply Rick, but how many people think the way we do.

Of course, if we all thought the same it would be a boring world and we would have nothing to talk about
:lol:
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RAMPAGE
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9 years ago

I want it reliable, easy to charge, tough, a nice beam pattern and last priority is brightness.

I used to use a 30 lumen Oldham before they went over to halogen (48 lumens!) and I did some of my finest exploration with that. Entire mines have been created with nothing more than a candle (I draw the line at a glowing fish)

In recent years there have only really been two lamps that I've been really pleased with. One was a Petzl Ultra (I don't care what anyone says, it was a good bit of kit, underground with me all day every day for several years) and also an all-in-one Chinese job that, contrary to expectations, is an absolutely fantastic work lamp.

Prior to the Petzl I had a Oldham head fitted with a Biff Q5 insert, coupled to a Raptor Pro battery on the back. Absolutely bomber setup, still got it now.
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royfellows
9 years ago
The all in one sounds a good idea to me if its bright enough for you, why bother with a separate battery?

Logic prevails.
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Wormster
9 years ago
A bit of thread necromancy:

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/community/viewtopic.aspx?t=10742 

Same applies, send me a .STL file and it can be done!!
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gNick
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9 years ago
"Tamarmole" wrote:

"royfellows" wrote:


(b) Will it continue doing the job I want it to do after repeated dunkings in ochre?


Or in the case of some of the latest of Roy's offerings, how long does it take to fire the ochre so it is solid enough to walk on?
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