# Polarion Night Reaper (CSWL)



## Patriot

Sorry guys for the blatant teaser but I'll be posting a lot more info as the next couple of days unfold.






































Yes dudes, it's the Iatola of Rockn'rolla! ....and darkness hasn't even fallen yet.


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

You musta been waiting by the front door all day just to catch the UPS guy! A mighty fine piece of hardware if I do say so myself!

I don't see in the pics how you charge it? Through the DIN connector and if so, where's the cord/and/or charger.

"The strategies of LOW LIGHT engagements"??? Now Ken G, how in the heck does one accomplish that with this light???


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

I know what time the truck hits my hood so it wasn't hard.


That battery is removed and then charges from the port on the back of the battery pack, just like other Polarion models. The battery can't be charged through the DIN connection but perhaps someday. I already had the charging equipment from my other Polarions so didn't need any of that equipment. 

As for the Ken Good's publication, if I can figure out how to mount this on a 1911 pistol, I'll employ his methods... But I love the pun "low light"...lol. Like that's possible...haha.


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## Illum

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> You musta been waiting by the front door all day just to catch the UPS guy! A mighty fine piece of hardware if I do say so myself!



indeed, the UPS truck is quite well built in my opinion, I used to wait for the UPS truck too, but hardly ever thinking about a package.

I'm good friends with the driver


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Paul, what is the DIN for if not for charging? Axillary power and/or charging when used as a crew served light?


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## Ken J. Good

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Charge-on-Place
It is short-fall in this version of the Night Reaper. It was framed around the PF40 and the only way "I could get there from here", given the time, engineering and manufacturing resources available at the time of conception.

That being said, we have made believers now...The path is wide open for continued development/improvement.

Short-run: We can add an additional connector through the tail cap to add this capability for those customers that have to have it. In fact, we are doing for a foreign customer as we speak.

Longer-run: This and many other cool enhancements are in process. 

Keep in mind, the leading system (was leading ) out there in this category does not even have an internal battery....

The basic Strategies for Low Light Engagements do not change even if the weapon systems and distances change. The tactics and specific techniques do, of course. But there are underlying principles that remain constant.

When I was still running around shooting people with Simunitions F/X, on several occasions I would use a pistol in one hand and a PH40 in the other during the drilling. I use offset flashlight techniques. After multiple engagements (read lambs to the slaughter), people would refuse to step up on the other end because of the incredible advantage we had.

I am talking about element on element. It was game over almost immediately. The total surface area and angles my element could dominate in comparison to the opposing force was ridiculously lopsided. Any individual who tried to deal with my light was hit in the pupils with 4,000 plus lumens. When I wanted the light out so I could re-position, I simply tucked the bezel into my chest. When I talked to those we engaged post the drill, all they could see for several minutes were blue dancing stars....

Fairly easy for my element teammates to move in and successfully engage, blind, hiding targets. I use the word "target" very specifically here, because they were not longer credible threats.

Any individuals who chose not to expose anything, were systematically dealt with. Hide blind or hide with vision, either way your are stuck.
Maneuver warfare wins the field. If you can't maneuver and you are dealing with folks that can, you will die more times than not.

"Win the light fight first and you will probably win the gunfight"


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Ken J. Good said:


> I am talking about element on element. It was game over almost immediately. The total surface area and angles my element could dominate in comparison to the opposing force was ridiculously lopsided. Any individual who tried to deal with my light was hit in the pupils with 4,000 plus lumens. When I wanted the light out so I could re-position, I simply tucked the bezel into my chest. When I talked to those we engaged post the drill, all they could see for several minutes were blue dancing stars....





During some testing, and playing, with the light inside the house (day adapted eyes, I originally made the mistake of examining the shape of the hotspot on the white wall. About 3 minutes later I was entering some notes about my observations in MS Word and I just had a big, dead, darkened blind spot at the center axis of my vision. I sort of had to look a degree or two off to the side to read properly. Since then I've been wearing two pairs of my darkest sunglasses for the lux tests I've been doing which helps a lot but I'm also making sure to shine the light a good 30 feet away otherwise the blind spots in the eyes still occurs. I doubt it's healthy to repeatedly subject your eyes to that anyhow especially after seeing how long after exposure the effect remained. It reminded me of one of those times that I've not used the best judgment and felt a bit convicted afterward, as if I went quail hunting without hearing protection on...haha. Mind you, we're only talking about the reflected beam on the wall and not exposure to light coming directly off the reflector. 



Lux tests:

*PH50*.................886 peak 526 stabilized
*Night Reaper*......902 peak 609 stabilized


Double check my math folks but that 1.2% "peak" and 13-14% "stabilized" increase beyond the venerable PH50. 14% equates to 500-600 lumens of difference. Wow! Taking into consideration that previous lux tests with my PH50 showed it to indeed be very close, or right at 50W compared to the 40W Polarion and other 35W and 24/25W lights, I have to suspect that the Night Reaper is exceeding 50W. The original test that I did about and hour after unpacking the light showed a 9% stabilized increase but I quickly realized that I had been standing practically on top of the sensor which was throwing the results. I was more careful during subsequent tests.

Overall, this light is significantly brighter and has a tighter hot spot than my PH50. After staring into the reflector area of each of the two lights for several minutes it's a mystery to me how this was accomplished. My only guess is that the Night Reaper underwent a lot of tuning TLC during assembly. Most of you know that I have a nice power line tower about 335 yards from the end of my driveway. If a person was to stand behind me with both lights and shine them alternately at the tower while trying to fake me out, I could call out each time which light was which. 

More to come later including the full story behind how this light arrived in my hands.


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## vee73

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Now I can say that I have a hard time keeping my pants. I look so forward to my own Night Reaper. Time passes slowly.:ironic:
Patriot, I am surprised that the Night Reaper is more effective than the PH50. Great!:kiss:


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



vee73 said:


> Now I can say that I have a hard time keeping my pants. I look so forward to my own Night Reaper. Time passes slowly.:ironic:
> Patriot, I am surprised that the Night Reaper is more effective than the PH50. Great!:kiss:





Your lux testing methods are more sophisticated and consistent than my own so I'll be eager to see your results as well. Since you have a PH50 also, I hope your NR provides slightly better performance as well.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Interestingly, their weights are pretty close since my PH50 has the heavy duty tailcap on it. The Night Reaper feels noticeably heavier because of the lack of top handle. 



PH50 with heavy duty tailcap 4.23lbs (1.9kg)





Night Reaper 4.43lbs (2.0kg)


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Opps, same photo for both..

Now fixed. That's better


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> Opps, same photo for both..
> 
> Now fixed. That's better





You're too fast Bob! :thumbsup:

Thanks though because I feel like a buffoon when I do that and leave it overnight.


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## Lips

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Wow, that's some serious equipment!



Thought the Night Reaper would be much heavier, looks great.


On the output point, my two PH-50's were about 20% different in output from each other according to ceiling bounce test. One was significantly brighter than the PH-40 and one was pretty good bit brighter than the next. The brightest one was just 20% less output than the 75 watt barnburner. That's allot of light and I'm guessing it was dialed in more around 60 watts instead of 50 watts... 


Paul, you ought to join your police dept's reserve unit and ride around with that thing hanging out the window 



.


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## ANDREAS FERRARI

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Patriot said:


>



I know what that driver is thinking.....

"There's that guy that's been stalking me for the last 3 years.Is that a camera he's pointing at me?!?!?!Why did I wear these skimpy shorts today?I hope my picture doesn't end up on some internet site being viewed by a bunch of weirdo's."

Sorry Patriot-but I couldn't resist.

What a magnificent looking light.Can't wait to see some beamshots.


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## LuxLuthor

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Night Reaper. Just the name gives me the eebie jeebies.


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## DM51

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

*BEEEEAMMSSSHOTTTSS !!!*


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## vee73

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Lips said:


> On the output point, my two PH-50's were about 20% different in output from each other according to ceiling bounce test. One was significantly brighter than the PH-40 and one was pretty good bit brighter than the next. The brightest one was just 20% less output than the 75 watt barnburner. That's allot of light and I'm guessing it was dialed in more around 60 watts instead of 50 watts...


 
What is your estimate of what that power could be due to the differences? Ballast or burner?


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## BlueBeam22

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Congratulations on your beautiful new HID, Patriot! It must be incredibly nice to have a light that size with so much throw and mind blowing output. I hope you enjoy using it, and it would be great to see a reflector shot.


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## Team Member

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Ooooh, jeez....

I will have to consult with my VISA...


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BlueBeam22 said:


> Congratulations on your beautiful new HID, Patriot! It must be incredibly nice to have a light that size with so much throw and mind blowing output. I hope you enjoy using it, and it would be great to see a reflector shot.




Thanks Houston. The last couple of weeks have been hard getting over the flu myself and helping with my uncle who's terminally ill with cancer. I'm squeezing in bits here and there where I can. Also, I'm eager to tell the story of how this light wound up in my hands but I'll probably be teaming up with Vee73 to coordinate that. 


Here is your pic man... The front of this light is very robust and protected compared to the P and X1 series. It's not that the others are weak it's just that this one was obviously build with more lens protection in mind. Its bezel protrudes and the threaded retainer is a heavy alloy ring, instead of plastic. The lens is recessed 13.5mm from the tip of the bezel.






I hope you enjoy it even 1/100th as much as I'm enjoying this light so far.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Andreas, got a good laugh out of your post and needed it...lol. Thanks man. You and Lux can always make me laugh with you senses of humor. 



DM51 !!!!!! 

haha.... I can tell you're excited.  I will work on that for you tonight. The beam profile is typical Polarion perfection but there are subtle differences compared to the PH50. I think that with a proper exposure the camera will be able to show the 13% increase. The target will be the power line tower again since I need to stick close to the house tonight. Hopefully that will be good enough for satisfy the beam hungry for now.


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

I was just going to ask for the "Patriot tower shot" before I saw that you have it planned for tonight. That, to me, is your reference shot by which I judge all your lights.

Sorry to hear about your bout with the flu. Which version?


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> I was just going to ask for the "Patriot tower shot" before I saw that you have it planned for tonight. That, to me, is your reference shot by which I judge all your lights.
> 
> Sorry to hear about your bout with the flu. Which version?





I'm glad that you like my tower. I figure if I use it enough they may dedicate it to me.  It will be a while before I ever own another light that could burn through it like your 84W Blitz creation though. Gotta love customs!

I don't know which version I had. Never saw a doc. Chills, fever, extremely tired, liquid but no throwing up (being keen you'll catch that). It lasted about 5 days, followed by 3-4 days of a stuffed up head . Sleep, Emergen-C drink mix, Imodium, and Pepto took care of it. An occasional Tylenol allergy sinus provided sinus relief.


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## BlueBeam22

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Awesome reflector photo, Patriot; thank you very much for taking it for me and posting it so quickly! It is exactly what I wanted to see, and even better. I can tell its reflector is incredibly smooth/shiny and very deep, so I can see how it collimates the light so well for a tight throw beam. 

I also really like the fact that I can see the detail of the front part of the light's body so well in your close-up - it's gorgeous looking.

I am sorry to hear about your flu that you have been sick with, and your uncle will be in my prayers.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BlueBeam22 said:


> and your uncle will be in my prayers.



Thank you sir. That's very much appreciated.




Also, I'm glad you liked the picture. It's an angle that I've never seen taken before of this light.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Ken J Good,

Can you advise me as to what I should or shouldn't do about the heavy plastic wrapped around the battery? I started to remove it but upon seeing that it fit into the light body with the plastic on, I hesitated thinking maybe it was suppossed to be there. Right now I've only removed the plastic from the ends. 

Thank you sir.


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## Ken J. Good

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Whoops...

It is there for 3 reasons. 

1. To prevent the battery from moving within the battery compartment under weapon recoil.

2. To help prevent the battery housing from splitting when dropped or if it experiences rapid temperature changes...

3. To create situations like this online.

So:

I can send you another plastic sleeve. You will have to slide it over the battery and then apply heat by means of a heat gun to shrink wrap it around the battery. 

You can send it back to me & I will re-wrap it for you.

You can not worry about it.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Mine won't be mounted to a M2, MK19, or M134 so I think I'll go with option "C" and not worry about it. 

Sometime in the future when I order something from you I'll ask you to send a battery sleeve my way and I'll install it myself. Excellent idea btw. That's some good tough stuff.

Many kind thanks Ken.


*


Attention Vesa: Leave the plastic on the battery. *


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Random Observations and Points of Interest.





The battery tube is smooth instead of grooved like the P series. This allows the battery to be inserted in any orientation and doesn't have to line up with grooves.








The CSWL battery is wrapped in heavy, clear plastic and I began to remove it thinking it was packaging. Turns out it's suppose to be there for the reasons Ken mentioned in his last post. It's marked CSWL but the batteries work interchangeably. 







The tailcaps are not interchangeable, have different seating depths and even different threads. My heavy duty PH50 tailcap is pictured below the PH50 along with the stock cap with aluminum insert. The cap on the left belongs to the CSWL. Sorry for the dark photo's. I can see now that I should have used my flash. 












I did remove the stock O-ring and installed a #38 silicone rubber ring. It stretches more but seals the light light noticeably better as well. I have two of them on the PH50 that have been there as long as I've owned the light. The CSWL only has one O-ring groove instead of two like the PH50.







Length comparison with tailcaps removed.






Length comparison with tailcaps installed.


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## sledhead

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Congrats on your purchase! Looks like it is built like a tank- thanks for the photos, they speak volumes.

Can't wait for the story of how it wound up in your hands- Vee73 had a hand in it? This should be interesting!


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



sledhead said:


> Congrats on your purchase! Looks like it is built like a tank- thanks for the photos, they speak volumes.
> 
> Can't wait for the story of how it wound up in your hands- Vee73 had a hand in it? This should be interesting!






Thank you for participating in my excitement. It's a serious piece of hardware and has the feel of a chunk of military equipment. Photos explain so much don't they! It's why I try to use them liberally. 

Vee73 will have a CSWL in his hands shortly also. Out of respect to Vee, I'm going to wait until his arrives and then tell the story. Vee is in Finland as that's why his is taking longer.


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## Kubbie

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> I was just going to ask for the "Patriot tower shot" before I saw that you have it planned for tonight.



Just watched a youtube video  of the night reaper. You aren't going to mount that on the side of Ma Deuce and start slingin some tracer rounds at that tower, are you?

I wonder if the LED guys ever leave their AA vs 18650 and SSC-P7 vs SST-90 discussions and realize the real porn is over here...


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## LuxLuthor

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> Sorry to hear about your bout with the flu. Which version?



Being humbled by a lowly flu virus  builds character, so I salute your incipient victory.

I am saddened however, to hear of your uncle's terminal illness. Such things are horrible and upsetting. My sincere condolences, hopes, & prayers for the best possible process for everyone involved.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



LuxLuthor said:


> Being humbled by a lowly flu virus  builds character, so I salute your incipient victory.
> 
> I am saddened however, to hear of your uncle's terminal illness. Such things are horrible and upsetting. My sincere condolences, hopes, & prayers for the best possible process for everyone involved.




Thanks Lux, it's nice to be feeling better. Thanks for your condolences as well. Difficult circumstances and unexplainable happenings are certainly a part of life but the good Lord has been faithful in seeing this family through.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

*Beamshots!!!* wide about 40mm. F5.6 @ 10" ISO50 Auto WB 

*Powerline tower is 335 yards. *


As always, I like to toss a few odd lights in the mix for reference or in this case giggles. 





Control





WE Boxer 24W





Microfire K3500 (had it on wide focus, sorry)





PH50





Night Reaper





Another control to compare with above





Night Reaper top, PH50 bottom









The exposure turned out to be fairly accurate. Typically I prefer to over expose them a little and probably should have used F4.0 instead.


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## vee73

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Great pictures! NP is indeed effective. Patriot, you beamshot only add to the pain of waiting for me. Thank you very much.:twothumbs


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

There looks to be a VERY significant increase in Lumens output, not just a different focusing reflector. To me, the beam itself in the foreground of the NR shot is larger in diameter as if it was slightly geared towards more flood. And more trees on either side of the beam are lit up and more of the tower itself is lit up - again supporting flood. However, the tower itself is more brightly lit than with the PH50 - supporting throw. So....You can't have it both ways unless there's more Lumens.

Interesting there is a very defined outer corona in the PH50 shot but almost no defined corona in the NR shot. Look at the color of the asphalt in the NR shot. Much lighter than in the PH50 shot.

My only disappointment??? The far streetlight is still on!!!

Paul, I wish you had a BarnBurner to do a comparison with.


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## jeffyred

Your neighbors probably thought Clark Griswold plugged in his Christmas lights when you turned on the NR!


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Kubbie said:


> Just watched a youtube video  of the night reaper. You aren't going to mount that on the side of Ma Deuce and start slingin some tracer rounds at that tower, are you?
> 
> I wonder if the LED guys ever leave their AA vs 18650 and SSC-P7 vs SST-90 discussions and realize the real porn is over here...





Naw, not likely but it may see some long range night shooting use. 

I think many of the LED guys make it over here and they're usually very respectful of the HIDs. The best single MC-E light that I ever tested couldn't even be photographed next to a full range of HID's because it just looked like it wasn't turned on. If I increased the exposure enough to make it look correct, the other big HIDs were way over exposed. Whatcha gonna do?


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Kubbie said:


> Just watched a youtube video  of the night reaper. You aren't going to mount that on the side of Ma Deuce and start slingin some tracer rounds at that tower, are you?
> 
> I wonder if the LED guys ever leave their AA vs 18650 and SSC-P7 vs SST-90 discussions and realize the real porn is over here...



I'm an HID guy that makes it over to the LED sections, does that count? Just got a couple D-Mini VX Ultras and a Blue Preon in today's mail! Just like Christmas. Should get 3 4/7's Mini123's on Saturday, I hope.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> There looks to be a VERY significant increase in Lumens output, not just a different focusing reflector. To me, the beam itself in the foreground of the NR shot is larger in diameter as if it was slightly geared towards more flood. And more trees on either side of the beam are lit up and more of the tower itself is lit up - again supporting flood. However, the tower itself is more brightly lit than with the PH50 - supporting throw. *So....You can't have it both ways unless there's more Lumens.*




Excellent observations Bob. It's almost as if the corona that's so defined in the PH50 as been squeezed into a more narrow angle and is throwing it further down range. The tree on the right is much more brightly lit by the NR as well.





> Interesting there is a very defined outer corona in the PH50 shot but almost no defined corona in the NR shot. Look at the color of the asphalt in the NR shot. Much lighter than in the PH50 shot.
> 
> My only disappointment??? The far streetlight is still on!!!
> 
> Paul, I wish you had a BarnBurner to do a comparison with.




It is much brighter "lighter" including the curb all the way up to the edge of the frame. 

lol...yes, I've never thought about trying to turn that light off. The 84W Blitz might have.

I wish that I had a BB as well just for fun. Although the NR is a powerhouse I just don't think 50 or 55W is going to make an overly impressive showing for itself compared to a 75-80W light. I witnessed this first hand when comparing the PH50 to the 84W blitz. Completely different platforms of course but the Polarion gets the gold medal when it comes to the combination of attributes, especially in the form factor category. It's so wonderful to use these as opposed to a Kleenex box with a handle mounted on top. I think I recall you making that observation when you still owned your PH40.


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## Patriot

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



BVH said:


> Just got a couple D-Mini VX Ultras and a Blue Preon in today's mail! Just like Christmas. Should get 3 4/7's Mini123's on Saturday, I hope.




You go Bob! CPF is going to convert you into and LED junkie yet...lol. Seriously though, it's really fun to hear you talk about LED's and get excited about them. You've come a long way in the last year or two.


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## Patriot

Ken, in looking at the bezel design of the NR, it doesn't appear that it's compatible with conventional Polarion filters. I guess it wasn't deemed necessary for the CSWL role? Or perhaps there is a special line of slip over filters for the NR? 

I was just wondering because I exchanged emails with Vesa and he was talking about "making effects" with the NR. I think he was talking about using his filters on it but I don't believe that's going to work. 

Your thoughts..


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## BVH

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Patriot said:


> You go Bob! CPF is going to convert you into and LED junkie yet...lol. Seriously though, it's really fun to hear you talk about LED's and get excited about them. You've come a long way in the last year or two.



Let it never be said that BVH is prejudiced against LEDs and Incans.


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## vee73

Patriot said:


> Ken, in looking at the bezel design of the NR, it doesn't appear that it's compatible with conventional Polarion filters. I guess it wasn't deemed necessary for the CSWL role? Or perhaps there is a special line of slip over filters for the NR?
> 
> I was just wondering because I exchanged emails with Vesa and he was talking about "making effects" with the NR. I think he was talking about using his filters on it but I don't believe that's going to work.
> 
> Your thoughts..


 
I figured something. One of the rubber fitting part. But it is not necessary to agree on. After all, I have always PH. But I would handle the need.

Edit: I do not always use the filters. I usually do not use.


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## Ken J. Good

We have uniquely designed IR filter that will not possibly allow any white light to accidentally escape when the filter is closed. White light on the battlefield when you don't want it, is a bad thing.

The filter features a magnetically locking as well as pin-locking swinging gate that allows the filter to be open and locked or closed and locked into place.

The filter frame is 6061 T6 Aluminum with a highest quality tempered 850 nm IR glass. The dogone shock-isolation buffer/O-ring in is a $22 item!

Given the fact that our systems are going to be on vehicles in rough conditions, you cannot expect a plastic part that is simply twisted locked in to place to do the job. Not to mention you don't want to be carrying around an IR filter in your pocket when not in use.

The filter is machined to close tolerances and it press fits on with some significant pressure in an of itself. That machined ring you see on the bezel is where the 4 retention screws that lock the filter in place end up interfacing with.
You can see it clearly in the IR Filter installation instructions found here:
http://polarion-usa.com/pdfs/NightReaper-SpecsOpsManual.pdf

Here is an image of a pre-production prototype with IR Filter installed. Production version have stainless steel lanyard that secures the Push/Pull Pin to the filter frame so you don't end up losing that in the dark.


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## vee73

Ken, Night Reaper filter system seems absolutely up to the end than planned. It is true, all what you told. It is perfectly understandable, this new system.


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## Patriot

vee73 said:


> Ken, Night Reaper filter system seems absolutely up to the end than planned. It is true, all what you told. It is perfectly understandable, this new system.




+1 to that Vesa. I just read the installation instructions and that IR filter is very "built." I don't imagine that's an inexpensive item either.


P.S. I'm going to have to make you a new rotating gif. signature once your Night Reaper arrives, aren't I.


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## Patriot

Bob, I can't believe you didn't poke fun at the Boxer and its blue beam...haha. The bulb hasn't been broken in yet but it will end up about the same color as the Microfire in the picture. I've got it running with a fan on it right now. 8-10 hours and it will come around.


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## Juggernaut

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*



Kubbie said:


> I wonder if the LED guys ever leave their AA vs 18650 and SSC-P7 vs SST-90 discussions and realize the real porn is over here...


 
, Lets keep it that way:laughing:……


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## dudemar

Hats off to Paul for such an awesome post.:twothumbs

My eyes were on the PF40 because of its menacing looks (and nice price), but my attention is now more focused on the NR. That thing looks like it will eat you alive just sitting there!

Want to add the commentary that the CSWL is a full $3000 cheaper than the SF Hellfighter- what a deal.

You can almost get 2 NRs for the price of 1 HF. How's that for lumens?:naughty:


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## RWM001

Patriot- thanks for the review. The beam shots are awesome.


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## vee73

Patriot, I took the right to edit your pictures. I thought that this system can easily see what the difference is the light in the middle and sides. 
NR gives a lot more light on the site.
Actually, I try to do but to come up with while waiting for mine.

PH50





NR





PH50





NR





Edit: Patriot, can you make these GIF images?


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## Billy Ram

This thread has been very interesting. I always injoy out door beam shots and reviews on equipment. Patriot has made a high quality report as usual on this high end light. Even though something's a bit out of my reach or not very practical for my usage I still find reviews like this very intertaining:twothumbs
Billy


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## BlueBeam22

Terrific job on the beamshots, Patriot! I am surprised and very impressed at how much it outperforms the PH50 in output and throw; the Night Reaper appears to beat the PH50 by nearly the same amount the PH50 beats the PH40 (based on the beamshots I have seen). I think Polarion did an exemplary job on creating the NR, as it seems like such an amazing little light to be able to throw so well. I'm glad you are so happy with it!


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## Patriot

dudemar said:


> Hats off to Paul for such an awesome post.:twothumbs
> 
> My eyes were on the PF40 because of its menacing looks (and nice price), but my attention is now more focused on the NR. That thing looks like it will eat you alive just sitting there!
> 
> Want to add the commentary that the CSWL is a full $3000 cheaper than the SF Hellfighter- what a deal.
> 
> You can almost get 2 NRs for the price of 1 HF. How's that for lumens?:naughty:




Thanks dudemar but the real hat's off has to go to Ken Good for designing such a product from the ground up. In reading his first thread about the CSWL and the progression from concept to reality you can get a sense for just how much blood and sweat went into it. Good observation about the retail price of the NR vs. the Hellfighter. That's a huge difference and it makes me wonder how the price gap could be so great when the NR handily outperforms it. The NR also has the huge advantage of on board power which translates to mobility. 




> *RWM001
> *Patriot- thanks for the review. The beam shots are awesome.



Very welcome. I feel very fortunate to be able too. I plan on taking a few more pics this evening, possibly at a difference location near my house.






> *Vee73
> *Patriot, I took the right to edit your pictures. I thought that this system can easily see what the difference is the light in the middle and sides.
> NR gives a lot more light on the site.
> Actually, I try to do but to come up with while waiting for mine.




Nice diagnostic effect Vesa. You can really see a good deal more light seeping around the edges of the "Black Hole" testing tool.  Are you saying, 'Something for you to do while you wait for your NR'? Haha, yes, that's funny man. Thanks for posting those pictures. Hopefully it won't be much longer until you have yours.  I post a gif image of those two a bit later.





> *BillyRam
> *This thread has been very interesting. I always enjoy out door beam shots and reviews on equipment. Patriot has made a high quality report as usual on this high end light. Even though something's a bit out of my reach or not very practical for my usage I still find reviews like this very intertaining:twothumbs
> Billy




Thanks Billy. I'll continue to post more information as I learn more about the light. I plan out getting out for some additional beamshots this evening as well, in order to try to show the differences in the beam shape. Check back later. 





> *BlueBeam*
> Terrific job on the beamshots, Patriot! I am surprised and very impressed at how much it outperforms the PH50 in output and throw; the Night Reaper appears to beat the PH50 by nearly the same amount the PH50 beats the PH40 (based on the beamshots I have seen). I think Polarion did an exemplary job on creating the NR, as it seems like such an amazing little light to be able to throw so well. I'm glad you are so happy with it!




Thanks Houston, I'm glad that you enjoyed them. I felt they were a slightly under exposed (for beamshots) but they probably represent fairly closely what the eye sees. If anything they're conservative since the beam effect isn't exaggerated at all. Yes, this exact PH50 was my same light tested back in the PH50 Main Thread and it was clearly brighter than the PH40 that I owned at the time. I wish I still owned that light too. This example of NR provides a nice 14% increase from the PH50 which was almost a 20% increase from the PH40.


----------



## CajunJosh

Is it not being discussed yet or did I just miss what the possible price point of the NR would be on the civilian order?


----------



## Patriot

Sorry Josh, don't know exactly. Ken Good posted the retail price once but I couldn't find it in the other Night Reaper thread. It's probably buried in some random Polarion thread because someone asked for the price there. I want to say it's around $3800 but with the optional mounts and accessories it only goes up from there.


----------



## dudemar

CajunJosh said:


> Is it not being discussed yet or did I just miss what the possible price point of the NR would be on the civilian order?



It's $3730 at Tactical LEDs, you can check it out at their website:

http://www.tacticalleds.com

Another interesting perspecive: one NR you can by two X1s, but it'll be nowhere near the 10:3 lumen ratio of the NR and HF comparison. It's evident the NR is a heck of a deal, even at this price point.


----------



## Lips

.


The price looks low for military hardware considering the apparent leap forward in design and function from current lights available 


.


----------



## Ken J. Good

Be glad to entertain the idea of doing a limited time CPF group buy on the Night Reaper if there is interest and it's Okay to do that on this forum.
Don't want to get blasted for running a fire sale here.

On a technical note, the internal electronics on the Night Reaper has gone and is going through changes to ensure the highest reliability we can given the application.

Some of the internal physical changes you will note:

The connection terminals between the battery and the electronics package are now vertical/spring loaded "towers" as opposed to leaf springs.

The battery sits against a internal shelf so that it can not apply any significant force against these towers when the light in used in a heavy weapon application. Not good to have a battery (1 lb. piston) moving back and forth against your electronics!

The entire electronics and platform the lamp sits on is now milled out of a solid piece of aluminum and press fit together. Then that whole assembly is press-fit into the searchlight. Gone are the relatively weak plastic molded parts and adjustments screws to center/focus the lamp.

The now tighter tolerances make for a no need to adjust lamp replacement process. We also eliminated the difficult to exchange lamp retention clips.
Now it's just a simple clamp that slides over the lamp assembly. 2 screws and you are done. The lamp will be perfectly centered and in in focus.

We will eliminate the 2 access plates that cover the toggle switches fairly soon. This will prevent the possibility of any water intrusion through that area and eliminate parts.

I suspect the what appears to be a better beam signature might be attributed to this now near perfect focus system. A few thousand's of an inch makes a difference.

Some of the changes incorporated into the Night Reaper are going to find their way into Polarion's handheld searchlight line.

It's akin to running a race car team. Good stuff is revealed when you are trying to push it so to speak.

Although the light outwardly appears to be the same from it's initial inception. It's not. Based on fairly extensive testing at this point, we have made a myriad of changes from front to back. 

We went through a brutal round of testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground for the US Army and did fairly well to say the least. These things were soaked in water and salt-water, dropped on concrete, subjected to a wide range of temperatures and temperature shock scenarios, EMI signature determined etc. etc. A few things did show up, but virtually every one of those we were aware of prior to submission of our samples. We just did not have time to implement those changes prior to the test samples submission dates.

Everyone of those issues have been addressed in our latest production units.

We are now submitting units for testing for the SpecOps community. 
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportu...6b75a9602&tab=core&_cview=1CSFS&cck=1&au=&ck=

After meeting the program managers a couple of weeks ago, we are fairly optimistic that would should have Polarion's in the hands of that community fairly soon.

We are also in process of retrofitting quite a few US Military Vehicles with Night Reaper variants as well as in the hunt for some fairly substantial foreign opportunities.

2010 will be a wild ride for Polarion-USA, but I am having fun to say the least!

Back to our regularly scheduled programming...


----------



## Lips

Ken J. Good said:


> Be glad to entertain the idea of doing a limited time CPF group buy on the Night Reaper if their is interest and it's Okay to do that on this forum.






That sounds like a Dichotomy in you philosophy...! 




.


----------



## BVH

Ken, I'd possibly be interested in a group buy. There's a section over on the Marketplace for "Group Buys and Passarounds". I don't know if you would have to register as a manufacturer to be able to do it or not?

Would the light you offer in a possible group buy be a version that incorporates the improvements you describe in your post above?

EDIT: I just read this over at MP so it doesn't look like you need to be a registered dealer to hold one:

A "Group Buy" (GB) is a sale conducted by a member who is selling a product to a group of buyers. The participants are leveraging their buying power/numbers to obtain said items.
• A GB should offer some advantage to the group such as a special price or an item that's not normally available to an individual or merely a handful of individuals (a certain number of participants are typically required to get the item or applicable price breaks). It is NOT another opportunity for dealers to offer their wares. Supporting dealer's may offer any discount they wish in the Dealer's Corner.
• Typically a GB is offered for a limited amount of time or to a limited number of individuals and then closed.
• The GB coordinator posts their offer with description of the item, cost, time frame, number or participants, and other applicable information.
• Participants typically post their interest in the thread and/or contact the seller via other methods.
• A list of participants is maintained in a single post by the GB coordinator or other designated individual. This keeps the "post clutter" limited & cleaned up throughout the thread.
• Pre-pays on a GB are up to the coordinator and participants to work out. The administration and owner of CandlePowerForums and CPFMarketPlace will not prohibit pre-sales but also will not be responsible for or get involved in any issues that may result.
• Questions regarding these policies can be addressed in the Issues & Inquiries forum.


----------



## CajunJosh

I would also more than likely be interested in a group buy although I need to sell my PH50 first.

*Edit - I just realized the system configured with a battery and power cable is over $5000


----------



## Patriot

You're frightening me again Lux...


----------



## Mr Brandy

Nice "flashlight" (?)
But I wonder if the DIN connector isn't missing its protective cap?

What I'm used from the military is that all connectors have a cap protecting the terminals from corrosion and dirt.
It's one thing if the light is going to be permanent installed, but I doubt that in this case.


What a pitty that Sweden is such a dark country without nice HIDs in the stores.


----------



## Patriot

Mr Brandy said:


> Nice "flashlight" (?)
> But I wonder if the DIN connector isn't missing its protective cap?
> 
> What I'm used from the military is that all connectors have a cap protecting the terminals from corrosion and dirt.
> It's one thing if the light is going to be permanent installed, but I doubt that in this case.
> 
> 
> What a pitty that Sweden is such a dark country without nice HIDs in the stores.








:welcome:


Hi Mr Brandy,

I suspect that it doesn't have one because the CSWL spends most of its time connected to external power and the battery is only used for emergency mobility power. The current design doesn't even charge the battery from the DIN so it's truly meant to be used just for back up. 

If you were going to go through the trouble of having a cap you'd want to have it captive to the light but at the same time you don't want it dangling from a wire, banging against the light or filling up with dust and mud as the open end is exposed to the elements. For emergency dismounting purposes, soldiers probably don't have the time or calm wherewithal to think about removing a stored protective cap and installing it over the port. If it get's dirty, they're just blow it out in order to remount it to the crew served weapon. Additionally, when mounted the plug faces downward so any debris would probably fall out on its own. 

It would make a nice accessory but I don't know how a cap could be carried around with the light all the time without making a dummy mirror port just in order to hold it. As a civilian, I'll probably just stop by the hardware store and get a plastic plug that fits over it.


----------



## Mr Brandy

Yes, you are right Patriot.
I forgot that the guns and accesories aren't dismantled every day for storage, as that is what I'm used to with my "week-end-runs". 
(As it is now days. Was different in the Airforce where even the protective cap had its own dust bag when it was not in use (airplane service))


To return to the subject.
It is intressting to see a flashlight with dual input modes, batteries or extrenal source via cable.
And I suppose that it is possible for civilian to make/buy an cable to run it from the car for an example?


Reading this forum isn't any good.
I just makes me want to have!
I'll keep on reading for a while, I might come back with some questions in an appropirate thread.


----------



## DM51

Mr Brandy said:


> Reading this forum isn't any good.
> I just makes me want to have!
> I'll keep on reading for a while


LOL! Welcome to CPF, Mr Brandy!

I can already tell you are doomed, just like the rest of us...


----------



## vee73

Night Reaper is here in Finland. Oh, boy! What I would say ..  First, the appearance is impressive. The light is really bright. I have the PH 40 and PH50. Still, I say that this is bright! I was just a light in my hand, and now I will take a few photos, and over the power. I give the lamp to cool that I get measured at the same time how quickly it comes on. 
Now, I must say that I can not thank enough Ken J. Good. Thank you! ..
I will return to this when I read the more light the lamp.

Edit:


----------



## Bronco

Wow! This Night Raper, er um Reaper, looks like quite the impressive piece of gear. Come on lotto numbers.


----------



## Patriot

Congrats Vesa! I'm very excited that you received your light and have already posted an output graph. Very cool!

Now that Vee73 has received his light I figure it's a good time to mention my thanks and appreciation to Ken Good. I told you that there was a special story behind how I acquired the Polarion CSWL but the story is actually pretty short. Ken PM'd me one day last week and thanked me for my enthusiasm for his products and offered to send me a "like new" Night Reaper, no strings attached!!! Rather than try to recapture my emotion, I'll just post my own PM responses with personal information removed.


_"Ken, I'm flabbergasted by your incredible offer! You literally just took the breath out of my lungs and I'm sitting here with my jaw open.  I'm so stunned with excitement that I'm not even sure what to say yet except a huge THANK YOU...and yes, I gratefully accept Ken.

I've never received a physical gift of this magnitude my entire life, never mind for Christmas...lol. 

Thank you very much once again Ken, I'm so charged up right now I think I'll go sprint around the house with my PH50...haha. I've been down with the flu most of the week so this is a huge uplift to my moral and renews my strength greatly. I'm now excited to handle, review, take beamshots, and just to show this thing to people, including the guys at Dillon Aero and Scottsdale Gun Club. 

THANKS KEN!

Paul_ :twothumbs:thumbsup:"


This is my PM to Ken after the light arrived......
_

"...and now I've been blessed once again! 

The light arrived about an hour ago and I've just been stumbling around here in stunned amazement ever since. I did manage to settle down enough in order to run a few tests though. The NR has a slightly smaller and tighter hotspot than my PH50. Fully warmed and stabilized, after its initial start-up boost, it's outputting 9% more light than my PH50!!! That's about 450-500 lumens. Amazing! I suppose that has something to due with the additional heat sinking, special temperature control circuit and how high it allows the wattage to go. This is one meaty piece of serious hardware and you built and designed it piece by piece Ken. I'm honored to own it at the hands of your generosity. 

I started taking measurements and drawing up a handle design for it which I plan of finishing tonight. I'm going to send the specs off to the machinist in the morning and get some of his feed back. The straight tube body should allow for a robust KISS design though. Ultimately he'll want to have the light in person so I'll have to drive out of town to see him. Additionally, I thought I'd have him machine a knurled collar to fit over the 5 pin external power port. Either that or acquire the proper connector and have it modified with a closed end to protect the pins while keeping dirt out. Yeah, I'm pumped and the creative juices are flowing...lol. 

As a long time fan, I was also very surprised and happy to get a copy of your low-light strategies manual. I've seen part's of it in PDF form before but all of the illustrations are new to me. Very cool stuff.

I don't have the words to thank you for this and honestly it hasn't all completely sunk in yet. The more I carry it around like a baby the more it will seem real I suppose. I'm too happy for words even though I've rambled on pretty freely thus far. 

Thank you again Ken.

Paul"_


----------



## karlthev

Kudos to Ken for such a generous gift to such a worthy recipient! Enjoy Paul!! Well deserved!


Karl


----------



## Patriot

Thanks Karl, but instead of "deserved" I would argue to say that it was "graciously received" instead.


----------



## Patriot

For this post I'll be performing a video series of varios HID warm up times and relative output levels. A graph would probably tell the story just as well, if not better, but in many ways the video process saves me some time. I'll save the Night Reaper for last. 


Jil Lite EZNite 10W HID
*28* lux stabilized at 1:15
*45* lux peak at 14 sec 


AE Light PL24/S 24W HID
*100* lux stabilized at 1:00 
*101* lux peak


Wolf Eyes Boxer 24W HID 
*151* lux stabilized at 1:35 
*152* lux peak


Microfire Warrior K3500 35W HID
*305* lux stabilized at 1:30 
*310* lux peak


Costco / Harbor Freight 35W HID 
*296* lux stabilized at 1:10 
*419* lux peak at 35 sec.


ower on Board 35W HID
*326* lux stabilized at 1:35
*333* lux peak at 2:00


Polarion PH50 Helios 50W HID
*650* lux stabilized at 50 sec.
*1000* lux peak at 9 sec.


Polarion Night Reaper (CSWL) 50+W HID
*740* lux stabilized at 1:00
*1134* lux peak at 11 sec.


----------



## BVH

Paul, great stuff! You mentioned a "boost of Voltage" in the Costco video. Just something of interest I noticed in a test with one of Lips 50 watt slim Ebay ballasts. When lighting his 100 Watt bulb, and about 1 second into warm-up (so the 23 KV starting cycle is completely over) there is actually an Amperage boost as opposed to a Voltage boost. Voltage at the bulb at the one second mark is a low 23V but the Amps are around 7 (154 Watts). Over the next 30 seconds, Amps falls very quickly and Voltage increases quickly finally settling on 85 Volts and about .63 Amps for 53.x Watts.


----------



## Patriot

Thanks Bob. That's a great point about the bulb voltage and I'll probably have to go annotate that video to the proper terminology and state increased amperage instead. I think I learned through one of your threads, possibly the 84W Blitz thread, that the voltage spike only lasted for milliseconds followed by a steep voltage drop coinciding with increased amps. Thank you for the reminder.


----------



## BVH

Paul, I was not saying that you got it wrong in your videos. This is just the results of one particular brand of ballast that happens to boost Amperage. There are probably dozens of ways to use a combination of Voltage and Amperage boost circuits depending on what the manufacturer wants to accomplish. I wouldn't change anything you did.

And another thing.....why haven't you added your NR to your rotating Avatar?


----------



## Patriot

BVH said:


> Paul, I was not saying that you got it wrong in your videos. This is just the results of one particular brand of ballast that happens to boost Amperage. There are probably dozens of ways to use a combination of Voltage and Amperage boost circuits depending on what the manufacturer wants to accomplish. I wouldn't change anything you did.
> 
> And another thing.....why haven't you added your NR to your rotating Avatar?




Oh ok, no prob either way Bob.  That was interesting about that particular ballast and amperage boost. But generally speaking I think you're right on the money when it comes to voltage. The highest voltage (kV) is only for milliseconds. I see what you're saying though that higher voltage may remain so it could be coincidentally true when when I made the comment about "voltage boost." But thanks because I handn't thought about it in depth until you mentioned it. I also appreciate the brain exercise. It's so easy to miss something on video or to misstate something that I really am thankful for any help. I'll leave the video "as is" upon your recommendation. :thumbsup:

If I wasn't so busy with NR data and now the new Maratac AA, I would have changed my signature already...lol. I have to size each one of those little pictures and then stack 'em all into a gif. so it may be a few days yet.


----------



## Patriot

CSWL and PH50 now added to post #79


----------



## Parker VH

Paul,
Congrats and you're very deserving of such a gift. You're always willing to help others on this forum and I can say I appreciate and value your opinions very much.
One question, how do you sleep with it stuck under your pillow?:thumbsup:


----------



## Patriot

Thanks Bob for the kind words. Who says I sleep with it under me pillow? The first night I had the light I ate dinner and fell to sleep on the couch with the light laying on chest...lol. True story. 





Warm up results for the Jil EZNite now included in post #79


----------



## one2tim

seeing those resaults makes me wonder if they will make a normal PH with same inside stuff as the NR, that would be great.

Can you take the inside of the NR and put it into your PH50 body?


----------



## Patriot

The regular PH50 was already pushing its thermal limits, that's why they stopped making it. The CSWL doesn't really have that issue because of the extra mass around the head. Also, it has some very sophisticated thermal management circuitry and I've actually seen the light step down 25% in output after 10-15 minutes of running. From what I can gather the electronics in the CSWL won't fit in the PH body nor would you want to try. 

The size weights are so close that the CSWL isn't really handicapped as compared to the PH body. If and effective handle can be made to fit the CSWL, it will be just as usable as the PH. I'm working on a handle as well as Vee73 so hopefully we will come up with one good design between us, if not two. Mine will be aluminum, Vee73's will be polycarbonate.


----------



## one2tim

Patriot said:


> The regular PH50 was already pushing its thermal limits, that's why they stopped making it. The CSWL doesn't really have that issue because of the extra mass around the head. Also, it has some very sophisticated thermal management circuitry and I've actually seen the light step down 25% in output after 10-15 minutes of running. From what I can gather the electronics in the CSWL won't fit in the PH body nor would you want to try.
> 
> The size weights are so close that the CSWL isn't really handicapped as compared to the PH body. If and effective handle can be made to fit the CSWL, it will be just as usable as the PH. I'm working on a handle as well as Vee73 so hopefully we will come up with one good design between us, if not two. Mine will be aluminum, Vee73's will be polycarbonate.



sounds good but still its aloooot more expensive then the ph50


----------



## Patriot

one2tim said:


> sounds good but still its aloooot more expensive then the ph50




For sure. I never would have owned this light if it handn't been graciously given to me, since it's simply more than I can afford to spend. On the plus side a person can buy a Polarion X1 new for about $1650 from 4Sevens. Yeah, it's still expensive but your getting the best since there's no other hand held that can match its combination of attributes. I've also seen Polarion's sell in the Marketplace for as low as $1200 and they were in great shape.


----------



## ShortArc

"Group buy" definitely interested!


----------



## tabiggs

+1 - Group buy


----------



## Mr Brandy

Magnificent films there Patriot! :huh::twothumbs

What I suggest is that these are put into a new thread that is glued at the top of this forum.
This is the kind of info we newbees is looking for.


Question:
How did you have the white balace set on the camera?
It was intresting to see the colour while the warm up, but to me they all seems to be "the same" when they are set.
Which I know is not correct.



Then you could start think of who is the sickest person.
You who made the films or us waching them....????
:thinking:


----------



## Patriot

Thank you Mr Brandy. 


I'll consider making a new thread if I can foresee accumulating enough data to justify a thread. I still have 3 more lights lights to test but one is at my brother's house and the other is at my uncle's house, so I'm not sure when I'll get around to testing them. Short term, I've done about all I can do with the warm-up tests for now. I'd really need to have some other 50W lights like the Xeray50 or L50 to make the tests more interesting but I don't own those lights. I'll give it some more thought though. 


You bring up a good question about white balance since I've never paid any attention to it while shooting video. I've always just left it set to auto white balance. I suppose this means that it's then continuously compensating through each frame of video which would make my footage not very useful as a color temperature reference. As a test, I could set the camera to "daylight" WB then go film two radically different lights to see if the color was captured more accurately. It probably would be though. Thanks for the idea. :twothumbs


----------



## FrogmanM

Man that Group Buy is Tempting, but I'm still gonna try to pick up an X1 or PH40 for xmas. Keep up the great posts Oh Masters of the HID! :bow:

-Mayo


----------



## sledhead

Just caught up on this thread- Wow! A wonderful gesture by Ken, to a most deserving individual- Tis the season!

Great videos! Enjoy that light!


----------



## one2tim

Where is the power on button on the NR? also can the din connector be removed?


----------



## Patriot

sledhead said:


> Just caught up on this thread- Wow! A wonderful gesture by Ken, to a most deserving individual- Tis the season!
> 
> Great videos! Enjoy that light!




Thank you sir. It was a nice surprising Christmas this year. 





> *one2tim
> *Where is the power on button on the NR? also can the din connector be removed?


I'll have to take a picture of it for you. They are small, rubber sleeved toggles. One master switch and one on/off switch. This light would be nearly impossible to turn on accidentally, which I like.


----------



## vee73




----------



## Patriot

*Night Reaper Beamshots Part II*

Camera settings: 10 sec @ F4.0 ISO50 Sunlight WB.

Target: Center of power line tower at 340 yards this time.

All lights at stabilized output based on previous video tests.



The lights from left to right Costco HID, Polarion CSWL, Polarion PH50, Microfire K3500, Wolf Eyes Boxer 24W.





*Wide angle group*

Control 





Wolf Eyes Boxer 24W





Microfire K3500 35W





Costco HID 35W





Polarion PH50





Polarion CSWL





Older picture of 75W Maxabeam (only included the mix to get an idea of beamshape and lack of peripheral light. Similar exposure taken on a different date)







*




Telephoto group

*Wolf Eyes Boxer 24W





Microfire K3500 35W





Costco HID 35W





Polarion PH50





Polarion CSWL





Older picture of 75W Maxabeam (only included the mix to get an idea of beamshape and lack of peripheral light. Similar exposure taken on a different date)


----------



## BVH

I know there's a color temp difference btw the Costco and the CSWL and that may influence judgement, but I think the Costco still puts a brighter spot on the tower. Not as much light for sure, but a brighter spot. Also, the deep orange ambient color cast in all but the CSWL telephoto shots by the HPS street lights is not there with the CSWL. Did the camera settings change or was it just washed out by the CSWL. Did it look that way in real life?

EDIT: It's actually the same for both Polarion shots. Well, there's a little bit on the left so it looks as though there's so much light from both Polarions, that it washed it out (lit the area up)


----------



## Patriot

Vee73, nice pictures man! I won't take any close ups for *one2tim* since yours are so good. Your NR has found a great home with some nice siblings.


----------



## Patriot

BVH said:


> I know there's a color temp difference btw the Costco and the CSWL and that may influence judgement, but I think the Costco still puts a brighter spot on the tower. Not as much light for sure, but a brighter spot. Also, the deep orange ambient color cast in all but the CSWL telephoto shots by the HPS street lights is not there with the CSWL. Did the camera settings change or was it just washed out by the CSWL. Did it look that way in real life?
> 
> EDIT: It's actually the same for both Polarion shots. Well, there's a little bit on the left so it looks as though there's so much light from both Polarions, that it washed it out (lit the area up)




Oh yeah, the Costco still out throws the little 3.5" reflector of the Polarion. The interesting part is that they're not too far behind despite the massive disadvantage in reflector surface area. I just double checked the camera again and it remained set to daylight WB throughout the test. I think you can right click on the picture to see the settings details but I'm not sure how to do it. I think you need a certain program maybe. If someone knows, please tell me since I've forgotten. The color temperature for the entire two sets of pictures is warmer than actual but other than that, yeah it's pretty much what they looked like. The difference is that to the left of frame center, the camera is looking through the illuminated atmosphere of the beam. The brighter the light the more the atmosphere is lit and the more off color it's going to be to the left. To the right, everything is equal. by raising the camera or the light well above the other that could mostly be eliminated. It just so happens that my tripods were both at about 3.5' high about about 3' apart. I hope that all made sense...lol.

EDIT: Also, it makes sense that if you throw enough lumens out there within frame shot, it's going to recolor a percentage of the frame to the light's output rather than the ambient control. I'm guessing that's the main reason for the effect that you're seeing.


----------



## vee73

Night Reaper video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptVomeFK12w


----------



## Mr Brandy

Thanks for the video Vee, even though I didn't understand one word (or almost non).

I have better to catch up on my finnish. I do watch Uutiset at quater to six on Swedish telly.


Even that I have seen the Polarion on pictures I haven't realy understod what size they are.

And no, I haven't been scared away regarding the size. It have just added my want. No, not right word: the need for one.
But for me living in the city I don't know if the output is the right for me. I think it would be to bright.


But it strikes me how smal the DIN contact is.
How many amps are supplied thru the contacts via the external supply cable?


----------



## vee73

Mr Brandy, do not argue. I do not understand English.  Google will help me to translate. Therefore, probably does not always go right.


----------



## Patriot

Mr Brandy said:


> But it strikes me how smal the DIN contact is.
> How many amps are supplied thru the contacts via the external supply cable?




Probably not many amps at all 6-7A perhaps. This light is also powered from an internal battery pack so the draw can't be too high. The DIN contact is 22mm outside diameter, 18.5mm inside diameter.


----------



## Patriot

Thanks for the great video Vesa. That was some great close up video of the NR for people to see. Also, seeing it in a person's hand helps very much with scale. 


Kiitos erinomaisesta video Vesa. Se oli mahtavaa läheltä video NR ihmisten nähdä. Myös nähdä sen ihmisen käsi auttaa hyvin paljon ja mittakaava.






*Mr. Brandy*. Vee73 didn't mean to say "do not argue" he meant "do not worry." That's just the google translator messing things up.


----------



## BVH

Paul, your 6-7 Amps is probably close for start and warm-up. Running, assuming 14 Volts average from the battery, it's going to draw about 4.1 to 4.5 Amps (total input power) again, assuming a 15% ballast efficiency loss. I don't know how efficient the Polarion ballast is. That would be nice to know if it's not proprietary.

Edited based on Dan's thought on efficiency.


----------



## XeRay

BVH said:


> Paul, your 6-7 Amps is probably close for start and warm-up. Running, assuming 14 Volts average from the battery, it's going to draw about 4.5 to 5 Amps (total input power) again, assuming a 25% ballast efficiency loss. I don't know how efficient the Polarion ballast is. That would be nice to know if it's not proprietary.


 
I am confident it should be at least 85% efficient.


----------



## Patriot

BVH said:


> Paul, your 6-7 Amps is probably close for start and warm-up. Running, assuming 14 Volts average from the battery, it's going to draw about 4.1 to 4.5 Amps (total input power)



Ok, thanks Bob. I was trying to give Mr. Brandy and idea of peak amps. So you're saying 6-7A would have to pass through the DIN connection at start up, then 4 - 4.5A thereafter for stabilized run? In any case, not very many amps. Mr. Brandy seemed concerned about the size of the pins but I think he was must have been guessing a lot more amperage was passing through. 


*

Xeray* or *Bob* how efficient is a "very efficient" ballast? Is 90% attainable? More perhaps? Dan, I think you tested a Polarion 40W for a while. Did you happen to measure ballast efficiency?

Thanks.


----------



## XeRay

Patriot said:


> Ok, thanks Bob. I was trying to give Mr. Brandy and idea of peak amps. So you're saying 6-7A would have to pass through the DIN connection at start up, then 4 - 4.5A thereafter for stabilized run? In any case, not very many amps. Mr. Brandy seemed concerned about the size of the pins but I think he was must have been guessing a lot more amperage was passing through.
> 
> *Xeray* or *Bob* how efficient is a "very efficient" ballast? Is 90% attainable? More perhaps? Dan, I think you tested a Polarion 40W for a while. Did you happen to measure ballast efficiency? Thanks.


 
1st, you can figure 2X to 3X steady state current especially for initial max current. With the fast warmup used by polarion on the other lights I would expect 3X steady state as an estimate.

We have ballasts with better than 92% with 24V input. with a ~12 input 90-91%. 
Nope, never bothered to test Polarion efficiency.


----------



## one2tim

I,m really interested to see the difference between the ph50 beam vs the NR, it looks like the ph50 have a very defined circle of light where the NR is washed out. Could anyone take beamshots showing it.
Thank you


----------



## vee73

Hi
In this long-distance photos. The lamp and the camera distance is 1 kilometer. Forest edge and the end of the road trip 1300 meters.
Night Reaper is truly incredible! 



























Polarion PH50 give a bit more light on the surprisingly long. Due to the fact that almost all of the additional light output goes to a larger spot. PH40, ie in the middle of a small
bright part, while the PH50 is the bright spot region. PH50 therefore illuminates a larger part effectively.
I hope you understood me.


----------



## Patriot

Great pictures Vee from a very interesting perspective. The shadows must be at least 150 meters long from that angle. These remind me of some of the pictures that Ken Good took on the receiving end of the light on the mountain roads, only yours are much further in distance. I've never taken these kinds of beam shots but I hope to sometime.


----------



## one2tim

It looks like the Ph50 have a neutral tint Where the ph40 and Night reaper is more cool White, is this true?


----------



## Patriot

one2tim said:


> It looks like the Ph50 have a neutral tint Where the ph40 and Night reaper is more cool White, is this true?



They all use the same 35W bulb, therefore the higher the wattage the warmer the color. Over driving lowers the color temperature of bulbs producing warmer light.


----------



## one2tim

ok the pictures cheat a little then i think.

How is it in real life viewing the difference between ph50 and NR? the NR beam feels alot better?
I hope for even more beamshots


----------



## vee73

one2tim said:


> ok the pictures cheat a little then i think.
> 
> How is it in real life viewing the difference between ph50 and NR? the NR beam feels alot better?
> I hope for even more beamshots


 
I have been becoming more photos.
My photos the colors look pretty close to correct. There are color differences.
In fact I would like to PH50 be the same color as the NR. It would be better to my needs. I've been thinking a bulb exchange. If luck would have different colors. I do not know whether it is possible?


----------



## Patriot

one2tim said:


> ok the pictures cheat a little then i think.
> 
> How is it in real life viewing the difference between ph50 and NR? the NR beam feels alot better?
> I hope for even more beamshots




The NR is very slightly warmer in color than my PH50 and the beam is focused slightly better for long distance. For ranges under 150 yards, I think I like the PH50 a bit more. For ranges over 150 yards, I think I like the NR's beam a bit more. The color temperature is a subtle difference compared to the beamshape though. My PH40 had a nearly identical shape to my PH50, just brighter. The NR's beamshape really seems to be a departure from other Polarion lights. Now that I've had time to study the bulb depths of the two lights it appears that the PH50's bulb is seated further into the reflector and the NR's bulb is pushed further toward the front. The funny thing is how minute the difference is. Like Ken stated earlier, a few thousands of an inch can make a big difference. I guess that's especially true for a small 3.5" reflector with such a narrow window of focal length. 



Vesa, my NR is stepping down about 20% in output after 15 minutes of runtime. I was wondering if you had experienced the same thing yet. I'll restated it for the sake of google translator. My NR's light output reduces 20% after approximately 15 minutes of running. Does your do this also?

I guess Ken would also know if this was typical.


----------



## vee73

Patriot, 15 minutes? Documentation indicating that this should happen in less than five minutes. My doing so. Period could be longer than I have.
For me, yes, this function also came as a surprise. Ashamed. I had not understood the instructions.
http://polarion-usa.com/pdfs/NightReaper_OpsManual.pdf

Ken, I would like to know whether at that time affected in any way?

Edit: Or, in fact, I do not know I want it to change, to gain more practical experience. I think 40W is usually enough light, but sometimes the extra power is needed. But on the other hand, I have already two 40W so it could return to full power for longer. It might even be a radio button to choose from. We have here is not the fear of overheating. now-25C

Night Reaper is 50/40W


----------



## one2tim

If you turn it off and on again Will it then be back on full power?


----------



## Patriot

vee73 said:


> Patriot, 15 minutes? Documentation indicating that this should happen in less than five minutes. My doing so. Period could be longer than I have.
> For me, yes, this function also came as a surprise. Ashamed. I had not understood the instructions.
> http://polarion-usa.com/pdfs/NightReaper_OpsManual.pdf




I thought it was about 10-15 minutes, but maybe it's sooner. I'll have to go test mine for real. Thank you for the graph Vesa, this confirms what mine does also.


----------



## vee73

one2tim said:


> If you turn it off and on again Will it then be back on full power?


 
Yes. Fast shutdown is enough.


----------



## Patriot

one2tim said:


> If you turn it off and on again Will it then be back on full power?




I'm not sure if your question translated properly for Vee or not because I didn't quite understand his response. I'll get the light meter out later and try that though. I'm guessing that it will probably switch back on to 100% but the question is probably going to be, how long will it take before output is reduced again?


----------



## one2tim

Taken from the manual

"Inherent within the Night ReaperTM CSWL is a built-in thermal controller that automatically regulates the light down to 40-watts and 4,200 lumens after approximately 5 minutes of CONSTANT ON use. If the searchlight is turned off and then turned on again, it immediately reverts to the 50-watt, 5,200 lumen output and the time cycle begins again."


----------



## one2tim

Sorry but to me that function makes no sence at all. I could understand if it was a thermal controlled stepdown.
"Edit"
ok i get it..its ment to be used continously on the 40w level
but a simple switch from 50w to 40w would have been alot nicer


----------



## Patriot

one2tim said:


> Sorry but to me that function makes no sence at all. I could understand if it was a thermal controlled stepdown.
> "Edit"
> ok i get it..its ment to be used continously on the 40w level
> but a simple switch from 50w to 40w would have been alot nicer




For the collector and enthusiast I would agree that a switch would be better. For the role the light was designed for and the people who would be using it, the function makes sense. Understand that the PH50 is no longer produced due to thermal concerns. Running my PH50 for 10-12 minutes at 70F in still air, leaves the head so hot that you can barely touch it. The NR is running closer to 56-57W at start-up and I don't see how it could maintain that output based on my experience with the PH50. I suppose that if a soldier forgot to switch to 40W, the NR could damage itself, so it's been designed to do it automatically.


----------



## Joe_torch

Patriot said:


> For the collector and enthusiast I would agree that a switch would be better. For the role the light was designed for and the people who would be using it, the function makes sense. Understand that the PH50 is no longer produced due to thermal concerns. Running my PH50 for 10-12 minutes at 70F in still air, leaves the head so hot that you can barely touch it. The NR is running closer to 56-57W at start-up and I don't see how it could maintain that output based on my experience with the PH50. I suppose that if a soldier forgot to switch to 40W, the NR could damage itself, so it's been designed to do it automatically.


+1.
This is what the NR designed for, a heavy duty weapon light.
Congratulation Paul & Vee! What a great purchase!:twothumbs
Judging soley from the beam shots, the NR outperform the PH50 by a significant margin. Do both model share the same reflector design?
Thanks!
Joe


----------



## Patriot

Thanks Joe!

Just to be clear, it wasn't a purchase. These lights were gifted to Vee and myself by Ken Good.

See post #76



Please pinch me.


----------



## Joe_torch

Patriot said:


> Thanks Joe!
> 
> Just to be clear, it wasn't a purchase. These lights were gifted to Vee and myself by Ken Good.
> 
> See post #76
> 
> 
> 
> Please pinch me.


Oh! May bad, I just missed some posts of this thread.
As the truly big fans of the Polarion, you & Vee of course have the privilege to graciously receive such a wonderful gift from Ken.
Does the NR share the same reflector design of the PH50?
Thanks!
Joe


----------



## vee73

Is similar. But seems to me that NR reflective shine more. 
Christmas here was special, and it belongs Thank you Ken J. Good.


----------



## Ken J. Good

All,

This light is PRIMARILY designed to go on a weapon system and operated with remote switching a power.

Military requirements demand that we have MASTER ON/OFF.

Light Output:
In order to have operators get the maximum light output level on start up in a package this size for a reasonable length of time, we elected to go with a pre-determined step down time.

Why? In a combat environment you first priority is to locate and identify potential threats. Engage them if required. This should all take place in the time allotted at full power.

Using proper basic lighting principles you should be lighting intermittently then moving. We reasoned that the time available at full power is more than sufficient to accomplish the task. If for some reason the operator needed an extended activation, the Night Reaper will still emit at levels higher than what is currently being deployed, yet stays way below what we consider acceptable heat management. Remember the ambient temperature in the Middle East can quite hot.

IF the operator has to have the full power after the auto-step down initiates, all that is required is a quick double-click of the remote gunners switch.

We are not going to install a CONSTANT 50W power setting. What will happen is that folks will switch it to that setting and leave it there and effectively negate the required thermal management.

The light is SECONDARILY a handheld unit. Again, what is currently being deployed requires cables and large 5590 military battery be to toted along.
The switch cannot even be reached without using another hand.

Therefore from our perspective the switching and protocol currently in the Night Reaper makes sense.

I am always open to criticism and suggestions, but nothing said here so far is going to move me off the current setup based on what we know to date.


----------



## Lips

Ken J. Good said:


> I am always open to criticism and suggestions, but nothing said here so far is going to move me off the current setup based on what we know to date.





Way gracious giving back to the community and two well deserving guys Patriot & Vee73 :wave:

That's one of the largest recognition of members here to date and should be applauded IMHO, awesome...


I can only comment on the topic and surely not criticize an expert in his field. I would make a few points & questions like:

* Is the reduction in output *heat* or *time* triggered the reduction in output. After 5 minutes the light shift to and stay at 40 watts... Is that correct. No matter what the temp of the light is, say on a moving vehicle in the wind. The light will not revert back to or up-shift back to the original starting 50 watts. Given the design and mass of the CSWL 5 minutes seems a little short of what the light should be capable handling...

If it is the case perhaps a heat sensor would be better instead of time sensor if possible and give it a setting to give at least 15 minutes on high to clear targets. My PH 50 is not that hot after 5 minutes of run-time and the CSWL seems to have better mass and heat management features. I would also say that the 50 watt Xeray is also in the battlefield and the Xeray will run over 60 minutes continuously at a full 50 watts even though its a mostly ABS plastic light shell. Perhaps the larger ballast on the Xeray may help with heat management and the Polarion ballast is quite small. Also looking at the 75watt barnburner (certified 75 watts to the bulb) runs for almost an hour with no shutdown being in the same abs plastic case. Seems like you could stretch the time from 5 min to 15 or 25 and in moving air environments have the light revert back from 40 to 50 watts given these other mostly plastic lights are accomplishing the feet... Not saying its not a good setup now but perhaps it could be made more smart aggressive to match it's other advanced features... Some points to consider or already considered...




.


----------



## one2tim

yes thermal triggered stepdown would seem better


----------



## Patriot

Lips said:


> Way gracious giving back to the community and two well deserving guys Patriot & Vee73 :wave:
> 
> That's one of the largest recognition of members here to date and should be applauded IMHO, awesome...
> 
> 
> I can only comment on the topic and surely not criticize an expert in his field. I would make a few points & questions like:
> 
> * Is the reduction in output *heat* or *time* triggered the reduction in output. After 5 minutes the light shift to and stay at 40 watts... Is that correct. No matter what the temp of the light is, say on a moving vehicle in the wind. The light will not revert back to or up-shift back to the original starting 50 watts. Given the design and mass of the CSWL 5 minutes seems a little short of what the light should be capable handling...
> 
> If it is the case perhaps a heat sensor would be better instead of time sensor if possible and give it a setting to give at least 15 minutes on high to clear targets. My PH 50 is not that hot after 5 minutes of run-time and the CSWL seems to have better mass and heat management features. I would also say that the 50 watt Xeray is also in the battlefield and the Xeray will run over 60 minutes continuously at a full 50 watts even though its a mostly ABS plastic light shell. Perhaps the larger ballast on the Xeray may help with heat management and the Polarion ballast is quite small. Also looking at the 75watt barnburner (certified 75 watts to the bulb) runs for almost an hour with no shutdown being in the same abs plastic case. Seems like you could stretch the time from 5 min to 15 or 25 and in moving air environments have the light revert back from 40 to 50 watts given these other mostly plastic lights are accomplishing the feet... Not saying its not a good setup now but perhaps it could be made more smart aggressive to match it's other advanced features... Some points to consider or already considered...
> .




Thank you Vic! As far as I know this is the largest gift handed down to CPF members from an light related manufacturer. It's truly extraordinary. I'd use the clapping emoticon if I wasn't so humbled.

First, I agree that thermally triggered shut down would be superior as long as it couldn't fail. 

Yes Vic, the light does shut reduce output at 5 minutes. So, it's time triggered. 

Based out the output figures, the NR is actually somewhere around 55-56W actual output during the first 5 minutes. So it's going to heat up quicker that our PH50's, perhaps not on the outside of the body, but the reflector and internals will. If Ken had chosen to start the light at 50W instead of 55W, the elapsed time before output step down could probably be delayed for 10-15 minutes but because of that extra performance right from the start (during the time window that the light will typically be operated) it has to step down sooner. 

As for the Xeray, yes it's plastic, but it's a larger light. The little Polarion only has a 3.5" and it's my understanding than the one or two PH50's that had problems have melted the insulation or sealant material behind the reflector. I'm going from ancient memory now so don't hold me to this. In any case, we know that the PH50 can get too hot and I suspect that if the NR ran at 55W for any period of time in the Iraqi desert, it could be subject to the same thermal failure.

Again, a thermally managed smart circuit would completely take care of these perceived "problems." You guys are right that Vee at -25C isn't going to have the same kinds of thermal issues as Patriot will have in Arizona at 115F. I guess the other possibility would be to eliminate or improve the most thermally sensitive pieces in the NR in order to handle a 55W boost and 50W continuous run thereafter. I still thing the 55W boost is pretty darn neat. I think it's evident from the responses to beam shots and Vee's charts that you guys mostly though it was pretty cool as well. 

Ken's working on the Night Reaper "II" so perhaps these things are being considered. Time will tell.


----------



## HKJ

Lips said:


> If it is the case perhaps a heat sensor would be better instead of time sensor if possible and give it a setting to give at least 15 minutes on high to clear targets.



The advantage of a timer is that it is *always* possible to trigger a period of full brightness. With a heat sensor the light might easily get to hot and not be able to provide full brightness when needed.

For non tactical use a heat sensor together with a high/low switch would probably be better.


----------



## vee73

I've always believed that the 40W is enough power in most cases, at least for me. 
I use mostly PH/PF40. 
But sometimes the extra power is needed. NR is just that.

We must also keep in mind what is really designed for the lamp. There are situations that the air temperature is very high. If you still use the IR filter, heat develops an incredible amount. And the real situation can not afford to overheating. 

This automatic power drop is good. But perhaps someone might want to pass the time in one direction or another. For example, 1-10 minutes. Lamp inside could possibly be achieved by turning the screw which could be affected to some degree. 
I do not know whether this is technically wise? But the idea. 

The only thing that I own I want to change the lamp is switch. 
Not the master switch, but the other one. And I mean just me.

I do not light the lamp wires, and probably will be. 
Here indeed is the winter of constant darkness and temperature, 
often -25C is then to be forced to use very thick gloves. If the situation comes that I need the extra power, it does not work gloves.
And the animals in the forest with no time to take gloves off. I do not want to freeze. 
The best solution (for me) to be printed in just a button or lever which could take extra power for easy pressing. 
Likely that such a need does not have the army?

So I need to find a solution. I think that it is simple, if I find just the right
kind of switch.
It is amazing that I'm among them two who gave Ken NR.
:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:


----------



## vee73

I found a solution to my switch problem.:twothumbs
Carefully I opened the door and noticed that the clutch of seats is very easy to change. And does not need to make any electrical connections.
Now, still should be able to handle. It also gives some protection switches which are now outside.
Full power may now be easily turned on the big gloves on.
I will need to intensify the original hole in the clutch concise.
This is indeed a great lamp!


----------



## Parker VH

Vee, Nice mod, looks great.:twothumbs


----------



## Lips

.


Just got back 2 older Polarion PH-40 battery packs rebuilt with 2600mah Sanyo batteries. Testing them out on a PH-40 I noticed that the area which is heavily finned ( where the ballast rest ) barely gets warm after long run-times. The head of the PH-40 is too hot to hold. I'm guessing that the heat concerns with the PH-50 and CSWL are more with the reflector/bulb (area) overheating than the ballast overheating. The ballast area doesn't seem to get much of the heat... 

*Note for rebuilt packs:* The LED's on the battery system only showed 1 led no mater how much they were charged. I ran the batteries to zero (cut-off) and the LED system started back working as normal... Nice!


Cheers


.


----------



## Patriot

Lips said:


> *Note for rebuilt packs:* The LED's on the battery system only showed 1 led no mater how much they were charged. I ran the batteries to zero (cut-off) and the LED system started back working as normal... Nice!





:shrug: I sold a PH40 and the buyer said this was happening when the light arrived to him. That pack always ran for over an hour when it was in my possession. Assuming there was a problem with the pack, and at his request, I split the price of a new battery pack with him. Guess he really didn't need one. Oh well, that's good to know Lips. Also, thank you for your observations about the ballast temp. 





*Vesa*, I thought that I already complimented you about your switch mod. Apparently I somehow forgot to. Anyhow, nice work my friend. You solved the glove problem. Thank you for the detailed pictures. 

*Vesa*, ajattelin, että olen jo onnitella teiltä vaihtaa mod. Ilmeisesti olen jotenkin unohdin. Oli miten oli, mukava työ ystäväni. Voit ratkaista käsine ongelma. Kiitos yksityiskohtaisia kuvia.


----------



## vee73

Here are a few images
Distance 60meter































Distance 132 meter
















Distance 132 meter





















Distance end of the road 260 meter


----------



## Parker VH

Thanks Vee for the great comparison pics. I'm crossing my fingers that a group buy can be arranged for the CSWL. I have a PH40 which is a great light without a doubt but seeing it side by side with the CSWL, the CSWL is simply breathtaking.:thumbsup:
P.S. Are the Vee diffusers available for sale?
Thanks.
Bob


----------



## DM51

Vee, there is no doubt about it, you are the King of HID Beamshots! Absolutely brilliant photos!


----------



## vee73

Thank you very much for your words. vee diffuser is easy to do yourself. But if it is not possible for you, I can do for you.


----------



## BlueBeam22

Patriot, I really enjoyed your set of beamshots on the last page of this thread. It is great to see the Costco shining at that tower compared to the others, and its super tight beam is very impressive as always. Great videos too!

vee73, those were very nice shots. They do an extremely good job of demonstrating the exact difference between the PH50 and Night Reaper.


----------



## cue003

Looks like i have been missing out on some good stuff in this thread.....


----------



## Patriot

As DM stated, Vee is the king of HID beamshots for sure. The terrain that you chose was perfect. Looking down into a terrain bowl or up against a mountain side always makes the best pictures because the beam isn't just disappearing into the black sky like many of my powerline tower shots. It's great that Vee is able to take the time to really give us outstanding representations of the differences. 

I know how much work those types of shots can be Vesa, as well as the processing and posting at home. Thanks for all of your hard work. 







Houston, thanks for the nice compliment. I'm glad that you liked seeing the Costco in the mix. These days it's about the only time I take it out.


----------



## vee73

Thanks Patriot!
When I took the pictures. It was really cold and really strong winds. Camera images on the screen did not seem very successful. I was angry about myself, but when I got home and looked at pictures from a computer they appeared to be better, much more.


----------



## Coke

> Originally Posted by *Kubbie*
> 
> 
> _Just watched a youtube video  of the night reaper. You aren't going to mount that on the side of Ma Deuce and start slingin some tracer rounds at that tower, are you?
> 
> I wonder if the LED guys ever leave their AA vs 18650 and SSC-P7 vs SST-90 discussions and realize the real porn is over here..._


_

Yes i am a from the led forum as well, we respect the HID, love to join you guys over here, butt its the budget thats why we use leds lights.


The lights like the Night Rapers are not even sold here in Amsterdam :-(
_


----------



## vee73

Finally got the handle. I think this is the best lamp ever.
Now this is really easy to carry, because the weight is distributed just the right place. 
I'm speechless.

Edit: I still have to at some point coated aluminum.


----------



## jellydonut

Now THAT is sweet.

I'll stick to my PH40 though, this thing is out of my league.:mecry:


----------



## ma_sha1

What's the distance that these lux were measured?

It it possible to convert them into approximate [email protected]?

It would be an excellent set of HID throw references.

thanks




Patriot said:


> For this post I'll be performing a video series of varios HID warm up times and relative output levels. A graph would probably tell the story just as well, if not better, but in many ways the video process saves me some time. I'll save the Night Reaper for last.
> 
> 
> Jil Lite EZNite 10W HID
> *28* lux stabilized at 1:15
> *45* lux peak at 14 sec
> 
> 
> AE Light PL24/S 24W HID
> *100* lux stabilized at 1:00
> *101* lux peak
> 
> 
> Wolf Eyes Boxer 24W HID
> *151* lux stabilized at 1:35
> *152* lux peak
> 
> 
> Microfire Warrior K3500 35W HID
> *305* lux stabilized at 1:30
> *310* lux peak
> 
> 
> Costco / Harbor Freight 35W HID
> *296* lux stabilized at 1:10
> *419* lux peak at 35 sec.
> 
> 
> ower on Board 35W HID
> *326* lux stabilized at 1:35
> *333* lux peak at 2:00
> 
> 
> Polarion PH50 Helios 50W HID
> *650* lux stabilized at 50 sec.
> *1000* lux peak at 9 sec.
> 
> 
> Polarion Night Reaper (CSWL) 50+W HID
> *740* lux stabilized at 1:00
> *1134* lux peak at 11 sec.


----------



## AEHaas

These are ceiling bounce tests that are good to compare total output in all directions. A direct, spot reading of lux at 1 meter is not much use except to give some indication of center brightness. The best overall way to determine what light is best for your circumstances is to view outdoor, night-time comparisons at various ranges as is often shown in this forum.

aehaas


----------



## andromeda.73

vee73 said:


> Finally got the handle. I think this is the best lamp ever.
> Now this is really easy to carry, because the weight is distributed just the right place.
> I'm speechless.
> 
> Edit: I still have to at some point coated aluminum.



*vee73, you did an excellent job, as always!*:thumbsup:


----------



## HIDSGT

Any word on when a smaller more tactical version will be available?


----------



## light36

Read the whole thread , mouth watering . Thanks to vee73 & Patriot for all their beamshots and information and congrats on your NR's . Now i want them all : PH40 , PH50 , NR !!! :devil:


----------



## Walterk

AEHaas said:


> These are ceiling bounce tests that are good to compare total output in all directions. A direct, spot reading of lux at 1 meter is not much use except to give some indication of center brightness. The best overall way to determine what light is best for your circumstances is to view outdoor, night-time comparisons at various ranges as is often shown in this forum.aehaas



Peak beam intensity is just that, measured from a reasonable distance and calculated back for cd at 1m.
Its really is one of the parameters describing the beam.
So it would really give more objective data on the light.
Together with beamshots you can evaluate distribution and beamangle, to see what light suits your need best.

The ceiling bounce does give a good comparison between lumen output though.

Hope someone will post lux measurements sometime.


----------



## matthewcyho

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

Does the Battery of the Night Reaper is same as the PF/PH 40 ? Can the PF/PH 40 Charge the Night Reaper battery ?


----------



## mohanjude

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

If you look at the earlier posts the NR battery looks exactly the same as the PH50 battery. According to other posts all the latest batteries work in the both the 40 and 50 W versions.


----------



## DM51

*Re: Polarion Night Reaper*

3 posts have been deleted. Dealer discussions should be handled in the MarketPlace, or by PM.


----------



## light36

light36 said:


> Read the whole thread , mouth watering . Thanks to vee73 & Patriot for all their beamshots and information and congrats on your NR's . Now i want them all : PH40 , PH50 , NR !!! :devil:



Very very excited , i just bought a NR from Polarion USA and cannot wait for it to arrive . Thanks to this thread i had no choice , he he.....


----------



## mohanjude

You didn't - that is a heavy weight torch... I was trying to buy one from a CPf member in Europe but he has now stopped corresponding. So I have given up. I couldn't afford to buy it from outside the USA due to prohibitive import duty and and VAT which will another USD 1100 to the price in the USA.

Well done for getting one. Maybe if you do get fed up..... Can I have Dibbs.


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## light36

mohanjude said:


> You didn't - that is a heavy weight torch... I was trying to buy one from a CPf member in Europe but he has now stopped corresponding. So I have given up. I couldn't afford to buy it from outside the USA due to prohibitive import duty and and VAT which will another USD 1100 to the price in the USA.
> 
> Well done for getting one. Maybe if you do get fed up..... Can I have Dibbs.



Thanks mohanjude , i have been thinking about getting a NR for a few months but decided to hold on and even tried to find a nice 2nd hand one but to no avail . Now this month was different , it was Christmas and the NR is very keenly priced at Polarion USA so i went for it . And yes , i cannot wait .


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## dudemar

Congratulations! I know you were disappointed with the pool incident, hope this more than makes up for it!


----------



## light36

dudemar said:


> Congratulations! I know you were disappointed with the pool incident, hope this more than makes up for it!



Thanks dudemar , yeah i am still busy trying to sort out the PF40 will probably have some answers in the next week .
I stand corrected but i think this will be the first NR in South Africa .


----------



## polarion

light36 said:


> Thanks dudemar , yeah i am still busy trying to sort out the PF40 will probably have some answers in the next week .
> I stand corrected but i think this will be the first NR in South Africa .



Congratulations on your new and most likely the first NR in SA. I'm sure it will not disappoint you! It's a formidable piece of equipment. Only minor drawback is the lack of a blindplug for the contact (easy to fix) and relatively low runtime on the battery(not so easy to fix). Also I do not like the switches. Was about to sell mine (shelfqueen) but it did one hell of a job through two severe winterstorms lately with winds at 160 km/h followed by poweroutages. It really cuts through the dark. So I decided too keep it!





[/IMG]


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## mohanjude

Polarion - I understand why you suddenly stopped communicating with me regarding the Night Reaper.


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## matthewcyho

I pay for the NR a few days ago , i'm from HK , same as can't wait it arrive


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## light36

polarion said:


> Congratulations on your new and most likely the first NR in SA. I'm sure it will not disappoint you! It's a formidable piece of equipment. Only minor drawback is the lack of a blindplug for the contact (easy to fix) and relatively low runtime on the battery(not so easy to fix). Also I do not like the switches. Was about to sell mine (shelfqueen) but it did one hell of a job trough two severe winterstorms lately with winds at 160 km/h followed by poweroutages. It really cuts trough the dark. So I decided too keep it!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/IMG]



Polarion , this is some real nice eye candy i like your combination and thanks i am looking forward to my NR.


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## light36

matthewcyho said:


> I pay for the NR a few days ago , i'm from HK , same as can't wait it arrive



Yeah , now it is just a waiting game .


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## polarion

On every NR I have seen and also on those I have seen pictured , the plug for the "gunner switch" and remote power stands unprotected.
Hard to understand as this light is meant for serious business and these caps only costs a few USD. Connector pins is easily damaged in rough use!
Therefore as a tip to new owners and as more than a hint to Ken at Polarion i recommend this:_




[/IMG]

Ok guys I admit that some black paint to the cap and chain would add an extra touch!




[/IMG]


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## matthewcyho

I got the cover of the "gunner switch" too .


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## polarion

matthewcyho said:


> I got the cover of the "gunner switch" too .



Ok! It may be standard delivery with the CSWL now! Better late than.......!:shakehead


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## matthewcyho

I will get the Night Reaper today !!


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## mohanjude

Matthew - I can see the excitement brewing.. Hope it is dark soon ... Should be +9 GMT so you can try it straight away if the battery has charge.


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## matthewcyho

I just got it , in HK , it's already 22:02 PM , so , i have tried the light , what i want to say is awesome .


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## light36

matthewcyho said:


> I just got it , in HK , it's already 22:02 PM , so , i have tried the light , what i want to say is awesome .



Congrats with you NR , do you have any other polarions or HID's to compare it to .


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## matthewcyho

Maybe I can use the Abyss to compare it ? The Night Reaper is more flood and the Abyss is more focus


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## light36

matthewcyho said:


> Maybe I can use the Abyss to compare it ? The Night Reaper is more flood and the Abyss is more focus



Yes i think the Abyss will compare nicely . I think the NR should easily out throw the Abyss even if the Abyss have more focus , but let us know . Some photos would be nice.


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## matthewcyho

light36 said:


> Yes i think the Abyss will compare nicely . I think the NR should easily out throw the Abyss even if the Abyss have more focus , but let us know . Some photos would be nice.



I have posted some beamshot on it , check it out


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## light36

My NR was delivered , hee ha !!.


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## matthewcyho

Show us some Photo


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## polarion

light36 said:


> My NR was delivered , hee ha !!.



Congrats with you NR , I'm sure it will not disapppoint you! It's a thrower and a beast!:thumbsup:


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## Patriot

matthewcyho said:


> Maybe I can use the Abyss to compare it ? The Night Reaper is more flood and the Abyss is more focus



Just the opposite, although the Abyss "S" does unexpectedly well even with textured reflector.


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## Parker VH

Patriot said:


> The regular PH50 was already pushing its thermal limits, that's why they stopped making it. The CSWL doesn't really have that issue because of the extra mass around the head. Also, it has some very sophisticated thermal management circuitry and I've actually seen the light step down 25% in output after 10-15 minutes of running. From what I can gather the electronics in the CSWL won't fit in the PH body nor would you want to try.
> 
> The size weights are so close that the CSWL isn't really handicapped as compared to the PH body. If and effective handle can be made to fit the CSWL, it will be just as usable as the PH. I'm working on a handle as well as Vee73 so hopefully we will come up with one good design between us, if not two. Mine will be aluminum, Vee73's will be polycarbonate.



Paul,
Did you ever make an aluminum handle for your Night Reaper?


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## Ken J. Good

We just did a demo for a European Military Customer. They have elected to go with our Night Reaper.


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## Patriot

Awesome Ken and congrats! Gotta love a heat discolored M134! Is it a GE or a Garwood?


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## Ken J. Good

It's actually a Dillon Aero


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## BVH

My new (to me) 600 Watt Short Arc sits atop an M-134 - or, well it used to anyway. Its' high flying Huey days are long over but I hope to breath new life into it soon. Ken, is that an M-134 but by the company you name?


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## Patriot

Ken J. Good said:


> It's actually a Dillion Aero



Ah ok. They're just down the street from me. In fact, I was just there today at lunch time to pick something up...haha! Funny coincidence. I didn't know they were filling overseas contracts.


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## Phil Ament

Ken J. Good said:


> It's actually a Dillion Aero



Just to be completely accurate Ken and Patriot, it is actually a "Dillon Aero", not Dillion. 




100th POST!!!  :twothumbs :goodjob:  
I HAVE NOW OFFICIALLY ACHIEVED FLASHAHOLICLISMNESS!!!

It has only taken me four long years to finally accomplish it yet now I can't even see it because of the stupid "Illustrious Supporter" thing. I just new that I shouldn't have paid for a subscription!!!


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## Phil Ament

BVH said:


> My new (to me) 600 Watt Short Arc sits atop an M-134 - or, well it used to anyway. Its' high flying Huey days are long over but I hope to breath new life into it soon. Ken, is that an M-134 but by the company you name?



Yes BVH, it is a M134. I think that you may just find that it is the very latest model from Dillon Aero and it's called the M134D Gatling Gun (see here).


Also if you are at all interested I highly recommend that you check out their two videos of it here.

Don't show it to your new light though as it may just make it feel a bit homesick.  


Though if I was a light I too would most probably want to straddle it, well at least until it got a bit too warm that is.





P.S. Where I am from every man and his dog has at least one. Only joking!


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## Phil Ament

vee73 said:


> Finally got the handle. I think this is the best lamp ever.
> Now this is really easy to carry, because the weight is distributed just the right place.
> I'm speechless.
> 
> Edit: I still have to at some point coated aluminum.




Very nice job there vee73. Speaking of which, is somebody ever going to make a slightly more aesthetically pleasing one for the Abyss, for all of us non scuba types. One that isn't so sharp that it nearly cuts all of your fingers off would be kinda handy too, unlike the standard one! Surely one of the many highly talented custom fabricators that are here at CPF would find it a job that they could very easily handle! :shakehead


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## Parker VH

Phil Ament said:


> Very nice job there vee73. Speaking of which, is somebody ever going to make a slightly more aesthetically pleasing one for the Abyss, for all of us non scuba types. One that isn't so sharp that it nearly cuts all of your fingers off would be kinda handy too, unlike the standard one! Surely one of the many highly talented custom fabricators that are here at CPF would find it a job that they could very easily handle! :shakehead


I was wondering if Patriot ever made a handle for his as he mentioned having an aluminum one made.


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## Patriot

Parker VH said:


> I was wondering if Patriot ever made a handle for his as he mentioned having an aluminum one made.



No, because I passed along the light to someone who really needed it. 

I took Ken's spelling as a type-o since I know that he knows who Dillon is. I've known Mike Dillon since I was a kid picking up reloading components from the back door of his original 800 square foot shop then riding them home on my bicycle. He used to stay late himself if my dad called in an order for me to pick up. Later on in life Dillon Precision sponsored my shooting and I also serviced his and his wife's Mercedes vehicles. Funny to look back and consider how successful he has become.


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## MDJAK

Phil Ament said:


> Very nice job there vee73. Speaking of which, is somebody ever going to make a slightly more aesthetically pleasing one for the Abyss, for all of us non scuba types. One that isn't so sharp that it nearly cuts all of your fingers off would be kinda handy too, unlike the standard one! Surely one of the many highly talented custom fabricators that are here at CPF would find it a job that they could very easily handle! :shakehead




I own the Abyss, and though I do carry it mostly with the shoulder strap (always on dry land, btw), I'm usually hanging on to the handle just in case and also to direct the beam better. I've never noticed anything sharp about it, nor do I think it's uncomfortable. Just my humble opinion.


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## Phil Ament

MDJAK said:


> I own the Abyss, and though I do carry it mostly with the shoulder strap (always on dry land, btw), I'm usually hanging on to the handle just in case and also to direct the beam better.  I've never noticed anything sharp about it, nor do I think it's uncomfortable. Just my humble opinion.



Hmmmm, that's just a little strange. On my Abyss where the groove is on the handle that runs the full length along each side, it is bordering on being razor sharp, especially on the front and rear corners. So sharp in fact I could cut paper on it and it would very easily slice through skin with absolutely no trouble at all, and which is something that I have unfortunately already done. I also know two other people with an Abyss and theirs are exactly the same too, and as a matter of fact it is so bad that they have both had to smooth out the edges with a file for fear of also cutting themselves too, and one day soon I will have to do the very same thing to mine. Bit disappointing really, especially for such a relatively expensive light!


P.S. Not to be argumentative or anything, but I never actually said that it was uncomfortable, that is of course as long as it is not slicing through skin.


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## MDJAK

Sorry, Phil, I took "could someone make it more aesthetically pleasing" to mean more comfortable.

I just rechecked mine and rubbed my hand and fingers over and over along the ridges you speak of. While mine cannot cut skin, I also ran my Amex bill up and down it. When I did it enough times, or caught it just right, it did put a tiny slice in the paper.

I do see what you mean by a fine edge, but yours and others must be a lot finer than mine as mine could not cut skin no matter how it's held. And I'm sure glad about that.




Phil Ament said:


> Hmmmm, that's just a little strange. On my Abyss where the groove is on the handle that runs the full length along each side, it is bordering on being razor sharp, especially on the front and rear corners. So sharp in fact I could cut paper on it and it would very easily slice through skin with absolutely no trouble at all, and which is something that I have unfortunately already done. I also know two other people with an Abyss and theirs are exactly the same too, and as a matter of fact it is so bad that they have both had to smooth out the edges with a file for fear of also cutting themselves too, and one day soon I will have to do the very same thing to mine. Bit disappointing really, especially for such a relatively expensive light!
> 
> 
> P.S. Not to be argumentative or anything, but I never actually said that it was uncomfortable, that is of course as long as it is not slicing through skin.


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## Phil Ament

MDJAK said:


> Sorry, Phil, I took "could someone make it more aesthetically pleasing" to mean more comfortable.
> 
> I just rechecked mine and rubbed my hand and fingers over and over along the ridges you speak of. While mine cannot cut skin, I also ran my Amex bill up and down it. When I did it enough times, or caught it just right, it did put a tiny slice in the paper.
> 
> I do see what you mean by a fine edge, but yours and others must be a lot finer than mine as mine could not cut skin no matter how it's held. And I'm sure glad about that.



Absolutely no problems whatsoever MDJAK, no apologies necessary! When I had said that I wouldn't mind one that was a little more aesthetically pleasing (like a PH40/50 one), it's just that when it's compared to the body I feel that the handle is more than just a little fugly, if you know what I mean. Whilst I do realise that it may be almost perfect for a scuba diver (well maybe not the slice and dice aspect of it), I am not one of these and so for this reason I would much rather have a handle that is easier on the eye, or more accurately, one that is just as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of the light is.



P.S. I also just wanted you to know that I am not exaggerating in any way about the sharpness of it. So much so that whenever I go to pick it up it is always the very first thing that comes to mind, and I have to make a conscious effort to very positively and firmly grab the handle so as to ensure that it does not slide through my hand/fingers at all!


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## Ken J. Good

All. Just so you know we have not been asleep at the switch.












You can get more details of the new direction here: http://nightreaper.com/pdfs/NR-Ver3.pdf

Want to keep everything on a SUPER POSITIVE note.
I am never satisfied with the Status Quo. If and when I determine that current process is moving too slowly or directly agains the stated goal, then I make the changes necessary to reach that goal and move forward.

I am standing up full US Production of the Night Reaper CSWL which is my design and patents pending. The new company will be Night Reaper Systems LLC and we will be teaming with some significant companies to create excellent synergy. 

US-Based manufacturing gives us complete control of design, manufacturing and distribution process Front to Back, Inside and Out. The result: A significantly improved System. We own the process and there will be no more "Mother may I's"

With respect to hardware, instead of extruded body components, each part is CNC machined. The fit and finish is like nothing I have handled in the past, and I have some experience with illumination tools.

The heart of the system is a Digitally Regulated AC 50W (at full power) Ballast as opposed to the previous DC ballast. Our electrical engineer has told me this greatly increases lamp life. This Night Reaper can accept external power from 10-30V without the need for any inline voltage reduction hardware. In other words, direct hookup to many military vehicles with 24V NATO outlets. It is programmable for power, switching, and thermal threshold settings prior to embedding into the Ballast housing. This gives end-users some useful options, including the ability to strobe. If a searchlight comes back to us with problems, we can download it's digital runtime history for analysis. It has been designed to create a low EMI signature which is important in today's battlefield conditions. 

New battery will feature 20% more capacity and a more ruggedized case. It is fully backwards compatible with existing Polarion searchlights.

Ver 3.1 is already in the works and will feature some MASTER ON/OFF & Toggle ON/OFF switch changes which will make the searchlight waterproof as opposed it's current water-resistant rating.

We have had some "issues' lately with unscrupulous parties trying to hijack our webstore, misuse our name, folks stating to customers that they are representing our company (Polarion-USA) and/or we are no longer in business. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have stated it a thousand times: "It's is much easier to steal than innovate." If you ever have any questions on that front, just drop us a line and we can discuss the facts.

Can't wait to put a couple of these in some CPF'rs hands. As soon as you "fondle" it and fire it off you will appreciate what is under the hood!

Standby for some cool things coming out of Night Reaper Systems!


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## BVH

Great to see improvements on an already great product!


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## jellydonut

I had been made to understand that the reason for my Polarion's instant-strike/restrike capability without the minute-long warmup required by other HIDs was due to the specially selected lamp assembly and electronics.

With the change to off-the-shelf lamp assemblies, does the new Night Reaper still have this capability? I understand it might not be as critical for a mounted gun application.


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## Ken J. Good

The Night Reaper is a Instant Strike/Re-Strike HID Searchlight.

I think it is exceptionally critical that you have this capability for a light to be used in a combat application. You need to locate, identify and act accordingly with all possible haste! That last thing an operator would want is latency.

Regardless of what you may have been told, the Lamp Assembly is not proprietary in any of the Polarion searchlights, other that it has had it's protective shield removed, the plug connector cut to facilitate a 3-wire solder as opposed to a connector to fit into the space allotted. We re-engineered the existing ballast housing and body components so that the end-user does not have to obtain anything but an off-the-shelf Osram DS1.

With respect to the electronics. Yes, one needs to have a ballast that is capable of instantly striking/re-striking, which is a matter of understanding what is needed to accomplish this tasking.


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## Parker VH

Ken,
That is beautiful!! I love the OD Green option. Just when you think it can't get any better. Very nice work.


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## Ken J. Good

Bob,

Thank you. It is quite satisfying to take it from concept to reality. We looked at EVERY part and questioned everything. Made quite a few changes to "tighten" everything up and make the fit and function what I have always wanted. Last thing to do on this model is replace the Toggle Switches with a different set of switches. We had to stay with the Toggles on this run because we had already won a contract and we could not drift to far from what was accepted. 

We also have some digital safeguards built in that were not possible with the original ballast. Now we can inject code as required, to meet customer needs or address unforeseen applications. 

For instance, we had a customer connect 24V of power to the 5-Pin Connector and then connect a switch separately. The customer then Opened the switch (kept it open) and started rapidly cycling full power. The ballast could not handle that. It was designed to be toggled with the switch not power. So the searchlight was switching to the internal battery and then to external power when it was reapplied. 

Digital Fix: Code the Ballast so that the external power is interrupted with the power ON, immediately go to the internal battery and stay there for X amount of time. Do not go back to the external power until it is stabilized (not rapidly cycling ON/OFF). We shut off that unforeseen situation through the USB port. 

This could not have happened with our cabling, but the customer is scheduled to be using Night Reaper's on their tanks so their were developing their own power/switching cables and they are boss!


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## Ken J. Good

I have some really awesome images of the new Night Reaper in action on some weapons platforms. As soon as we get permission to share them, we will decimate.

In the meantime, static will have to do....


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## jfl

Congratulations, Ken - the new Night Reaper is SO impressive with it's great new features. 

Can you tell us if the digitally regulated AC ballast and increased capacity battery are exclusive to the Night Reaper, or will they also find their way into the other products in the Polarion line?


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## bulbmogul

Where can you buy this new NR and what is list on it..?


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## Ken J. Good

jfL: Exclusive to the Night Reaper manufactured under Night Reaper Systems LLC.
Bulbmogul: If you would like pricing information, please contact me directly at [email protected]


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## jellydonut

Ken J. Good said:


> jfL: Exclusive to the Night Reaper manufactured under Night Reaper Systems LLC.



I suppose the next logical question would be if Night Reaper Systems LLC are looking to branch out and make their own handhelds as well.


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## jfl

jellydonut said:


> I suppose the next logical question would be if Night Reaper Systems LLC are looking to branch out and make their own handhelds as well.



Maybe they can make a Night Reaper Jr., compact in size for more mainstream usage with a 45watt AC ballast or a 45 / 30 watt with smooth reflector...


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## Ken J. Good

Night Reaper Ver 3.0 with MK2 Mount / Dual Throw Lever Base
Very Small Footprint for 5,200 Lumen Unit.


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## andromeda.73

Great Job Ken!:twothumbs


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## Lips

*Haven't seen this one before, did a search and didn't see it here. Found it looking for an infrared lens*


*Polarion Mark I*







http://www.spytechs.com/military-search-lights/default.htm



*360 View*

http://www.spytechs.com/images/Mark-I/Mark-I.html


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## Ken J. Good

I thought I've seen it all....But nope...
I might have to order this!

http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/ddqylmaaxtesebpspxrn.html


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## hron61

Im a new night reaper owner as well. i just won one for a great price. i know i could never afford one of these new. im ok with that as it has very little runtime.
im looking forward to putting it up against my abyss dual s. should be here in about a week or two.

btw, it is marked on the handle polarion night reaper. the one in the beginning of this thread reads polarion cswl. whats the difference between the two?


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## Ken J. Good

xxxxx


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## hron61

pm inbound...


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## Patriot

That MK19 & Cantilever mount looks like an awesome rig Ken! 




> hron61
> Im a new night reaper owner as well. i just won one for a great price. i know i could never afford one of these new. im ok with that as it has very little runtime.



I'm happy for you and I know you'll giggle every time you turn it on. I actually really miss mine. Sometimes you trade or let things go without realizing how much you'll miss them. Even just the pride of ownership in having a NightReaper is a great feeling! I hope that you'll share your thoughts, beamshots & video with us when it arrives.


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## Ken J. Good

More Night Reaper Ver 3.0 Goodness

Testing in a Maritime Environment:









Night Reaper affixed to .50 cal with a Brugger & Thomet Mount


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## firelord777

Ken J. Good said:


> More Night Reaper Ver 3.0 Goodness
> 
> Testing in a Maritime Environment:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Night Reaper affixed to .50 cal with a Brugger & Thomet Mount



Whoa! You actually have those guns on your boat?


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## Parker VH

Very nice work Ken!!


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## Patriot

A truly awesome set-up Ken! I'm sure testing will go very well!


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## Nativetexan

Congratulations Mr Ken J Good on your continued improvements to the awesome Night Reaper and especially for your commitment to stand up complete production in the US. I'm sure everyone joins me in wishing you complete success. Whenever your selling the best light on the planet, and continually improving it, it's hard to imagine anything else. The newest ones look great and can't wait to see the new switches on the next version.


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## Patriot

Nativetexan said:


> The newest ones look great and can't wait to see the new switches on the next version.




New switches! I'll be eager to see those as well! The others were very well protected but a bit difficult to find in the dark after being used to the P & U series. Can't wait to see it!


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## Ken J. Good

The Boyz in Europe are Testing and Choosing....


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## Patriot

Nice! although I wonder what they're choosing between? Is there any system that even comes to the the CSWL?


----------



## Parker VH

Very cool Ken. Thanks for the pics. I'm sure their tests will be a success!


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## fracmeister

OK, I got a nice box today. My CSWL.






Excited to open. So this is what you see after removing some protective foam.


The miscellaneous stuff












The light.




Untitled by fracmeister, on Flickr


Gen II. I am just a working stiff back from a year and a half doing unpaid humanitarian work so I can't afford military current gear.

Not fully charged.... so I have to wait!!


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## hron61

OMG!!! Ok, im jealous. 
Beamshots of that badboy is a must. 

Congrats!!!


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## Patriot

Dude, you're going to have some fun with that thing. As you may have seen from past beam shots, that thing out classes the PH50 by a noticeable margin. Enjoy and report back, please! 

Thanks for the pictures as well.


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## fracmeister

Going hog hunting tonight. Will try to report with pics...


----------



## Patriot

fracmeister said:


> Going hog hunting tonight. Will try to report with pics...



It looks like you'll be enjoying pork chops and bacon because that light will be incredible out there!


----------



## firelord777

Speaking of pork chops, have you guys seen the video "to this day"?


----------



## Patriot

firelord777 said:


> Speaking of pork chops, have you guys seen the video "to this day"?



Just now. Looks like something for the Underground.


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## LightJunk

This came in few days ago. Thanks to Ken for keeping up with me asking questions etc. It's a Gen 2. Built like a tank. Been playing with it in the house. Can't wait to bring it out tonight for the "real world" shot.


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## Greenbean

Nothing like a SEVEN year bump, lol...

I have owned one of these for I believe two years now, used it quite a bit for fun as a night shift Patrol Sgt for a large hospital system. Had lots of properties I checked on. Now it sits in my office for time to time fun at my buddies shooting range. 

This light is truly a beast! It’ll throw a hotspot the size of a city bus at over a 1/2 a mile! 

See the picture below for proof. 

The tower being constructed is a 10 story building. I tried my best to include a daytime shot for comparison. All pictures taken with an iPhone 6S+ with no editing done at all. 

Enjoy!


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## sledhead

Gotta love the big HID's. Never had the Reaper, but I've had the pleasure of owning some Polarions and Lemax's. They always bring a smile to everyones face that experiences the output! 
Thanks for the shots and keeping HID thread alive!


----------

