? Laser Light Beams Over Lower HPP ?

[TomK]

Thanks, terracore. I tried ordering some batteries from Amazon but ran into the "shipping to Hawaii" problem.

[kander]

You might really want to put a name brand battery that will "actually" have the maximum rated output for that type of battery. There are many off brand batteries that claim unrealistic aH ratings and are usually around 1/3 of that rating in actuality.
something like this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4Pcs-Panasonic-...3185052157

And a charger like this will tell you how much power the battery has after being charged.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SoShine-SC-H4-L...3042157269

Just some extra options on the table for you to consider.

[TomK]

Thank you, kander.

[terracore]

Amazon wont ship lithium ion anything to Hawaii so eBay is about it. Since the name brands there are potential knock offs I buy what looks good and has good reviews. But buyer beware, I always assume the mah are greatly overstated. You can usually guestimate by their weight.

The ones I got charged and work fine. The flashlight works with 1,2,3, or 4 batteries installed so you can test each battery individually if one wants.

[terracore]

So in case anybody is wondering what a 10,000 lumen flashlight is like... (if you don't care, keep scrolling).

According to the specs that came with the unit, it says max lumens is 12,000. I assume that means when you first turn it on. But I have no way of measuring lumens, and no experience other than I've owned other flashlights.

My next-brightest flashlight is rated at 800 lumens, so I did a side-by-side comparison, both with freshly charged batteries.

The flashlights cast similar visible brightness, and over an equal distance. The big difference is that the 10,000 lumen model lights up a much wider area. For example, the 800 lumen model can light up part of a tree at several hundred feet, the 10,000 model lights up the entire forest at same brightness. If this particular flashlight had the ability to focus it's beam, no doubt it could go further and brighter in a tighter spread, however that's not an option in the $9.26 price range I was in. Will it blind a trespasser? I have no doubt.

So it's not going to start fires or create superpowers, but it is the brightest flashlight I've ever used. It's about half as tall as an old 2 D-Cell mag light, just as wide, and about 2/3 the weight. It does start getting warm after several minutes of use, but not hot.

ETA: I recently upgraded my (20 year?) old mag light to an LED bulb. $16.00 for just the bulb and no brighter than 20 years ago. I also upgrade it run off of AA batteries using product similar to this AA to D cell adapters (they also make them for C cells). This way you only need one type of rechargeable batteries for AA, C, and D applications. This type is better than the Eneloop AA to D size adapter that can only take 1 AA and at 20% cost :

https://www.amazon.com/Whizzotech-Parallel-Battery-Adapters-Converter/dp/B01M3QAXHR/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=2L9C0B6U59BEN&keywords=aa+to+d+battery+adapter&qid=1554964551&s=gateway&sprefix=aa+to+D,aps,555&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=pw016-20&linkId=d63717f3b4753e0aa001bf6df66e9ecf&language=en_US

[TomK]

"According to the specs that came with the unit, it says max lumens is 12,000. I assume that means when you first turn it on. But I have no way of measuring lumens, and no experience other than I've owned other flashlights."

Your post makes sense. Lumens are defined as the light given off in a solid angle of one steradian, i.e., over a largish area. So you have two flashlights that are both 10,000 lumens, but one of them focuses the light into a narrow beam, it will be brighter in that small area the light covers. However, the total amount of light emitted is still the same as the one that spreads it over one steradian.

I hope that makes sense.

[TomK]

OK, it's bright. Got the batteries charged, installed them, and even though I didn't look directly at the flashlight, I still have a blind spot in my eye five minutes after pointing the beam at a wall.

[MarkP]

Seems like there would be incredible potential for mischief like blinding people on the road.

[terracore]

Hey Tom, what batteries did you go with?

"Seems like there would be incredible potential for mischief like blinding people on the road."

Fear not, if it has a self-defense use one of the political parties will eventually try to ban it. For our protection.

[kalakoa]

blinding people on the road

Two of them. Attached to a stick.