# KenRad UDL-35A1 HID (pics)



## Kiessling (Oct 1, 2003)

Hi all !

I recently purchased a 35W KenRad HID divelight and wanted to let you know about it:

It is a cool-looking HID divelight with a 35W Metal-Halide bulb and a 4.5 Ah NiMh battery pack inside the light. A smart charger with lots of adapters for international use is supplied as well as a lanyard, although it is not possible to mount a shoulder strap because of the lack of a second hole in the handle.
It is 9 7/8" long and 3 1/4" wide, weighs approx 2kg and is rated at about 200m watertight. It has a lockable 3-stage magnetic switch at the rear end and is dimmable 100%-90%-80% producing a runtime about 55 - 65 - 75 minutes. Charging time is about 6 hours. To charge it, you have to open the light for reasons of water tightness. A cool feature is a 5-LED battery status indicator and a built in auto shut-off for total discharge protection.











rear view: the lockable magnetic switch and the battery indicator are clearly visible.

Overall it is a very solid construction and has a good feel in the hand, although the lanyard seems pretty useless to me on dry land, it is too heavy to have it dangle from your wrist.

There are two possible reflectors: a 4° spot and a stochastic flood reflector, they are easily interchangable via opening the light at the front end.

*What it does*
It makes light. A lot. Really. In total silence, no sound from the Auerswald ballast at all. The bulb is rated at 3200 lm, but the output should be considerably less as with all lights. Color temp is 4500K. There is an optional bulb with 6500K, but it is dimmer, beware!
The spot beam has a decent hotspot, but is of course less focused than, say a MaxaBeam for it's smaller reflector. I do not have other HIDs to compare it directly. The Metal Halide lamp produces a red-tinged beam that has a zone that is more yellow in it and some minor artifacts but no holes or dark spots. In the field outside it is very useful, and I (as a newbie to HID) am truly impressed.
Warmup time is about 12 seconds to full brightness, in about 2 seconds it produces already a lot of light though. Hot re-strike is possible.





spot reflector





flood reflector

The flood reflector however has almost no beam artifacts and a much more unifrom color and puts out a huge wall of light that lights up everything around you! It still easily outthrows an SF M6, so "flood" is relative here.

Of course it completely stomps my beloved M6 to an extend that I changed the batteries in the M6 to make sure it is really at peak performance when I fired up my new monster the first time ...





SF M6 HOLA - UDL-35
(the difference in the hotspots is not reflected by my poor digicam)

Outside in the field is really a killer! You may notice from my enthusiasm that I am new to HID /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I tried to do a couple of comparison shots against the M6 with new batterie in a mildly foggy night and noticed that this is a very difficult task. I bow very low thinking of Kenshiro's shootout /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif, a tremendous work! Anyway, here is an approximation with my crappy digicam of what your eyes should see:





SF M6 aimed at a tree approx. 150m away





... and the UDL-35

*Summary*
The interesting thing here is that the UDL-35 is a "no-brainer". I mean that you simply can't make anything wrong here. It uses NiMh battereis without any explosion hazard, is watertight and rugged, has a battery indicator, a versatile international charger and the bulb has no high internal pressure when cold, meaning you won't get hurt if you should drop it. Your wallet will feel the pain though.
On the other hand it has significantly less runtime than the Li-Ion KumKang, no adjustable focus (have to open the thing and change the reflector with your hands like a man), less throw than the other HIDs due to a smaller reflector (if this is important for you) and a warmer reddish color temp, not the bluish HID tone.





screaming fire ! (and yes, maybe I should have cleaned the lens first, but who cares? it fits with the rest of my appartment /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif)





and this is the evil afterglow when turning it off. I do not know what exactly glows here, but it looks like coming directly from hell ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

* positive*
- no dangerous lithium power source
- status indicator
- watertight
- dimmable
- lockout switch
- alternate reflectors
- very good flood beam
- total discharge protection
- hot re-strike

*negative*
- no adjustable focus
- less throw than other HIDs with bigger reflectors
- unusual color tint
- less runtime than the KumKang
- have to open to charge
- no 12V car power source
- no shoulder strap possible without a mod

I hope I have it all covered ...

bernhard


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## Zelandeth (Oct 1, 2003)

I'm sure many people say this, but WOW...I really really really want one...I'm going to have to find someone who has a HID of some kind just so that I can actually see a HID light in action.

Guess I'd have to sell my car ten times over to buy this though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

Ah well, there's always the lottery.


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## Cones (Oct 2, 2003)

Bernhard,

Very impressive. The beamshots are not that dissimilar to the Megaray ones that I took. I really like dive lights for their durability. 
I have two Fa&Mi ones and they have never seen water. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

How much did this light cost? I like the fact that there is a good choice of HID lights from many dive shops.
They are usually quite expensive though!
Is it rated for long use out of the water? I know my 20 Watt Fa&Mi is only supposed to be used for less that 10 Minutes at a time out of water due to it overheating.

Many Thanks

Mark


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## Kiessling (Oct 2, 2003)

Mark, I got it second hand for $650, full price is $1200, actually it is reduced on KenRad's site and sells for about $850.
It does get warm over time, but not extensively hot, so I think it will be ok out of water, but I have no exact statement of the manufacturer.
And durable it should be, you simply can't make anything wrong here, a very forgiving light.
bernhard 

edit: the megaray should be MUCH brighter with a much more focussed beam ... and much more painful to pay for /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## K-T (Oct 2, 2003)

Bernard,
a few things:

1)nice review
2)excellent price on the light /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
3)want one, too

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

How is the carry-ability with this handle? Is it comfortalbe to carry for a longer time?


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## Kiessling (Oct 2, 2003)

there seems to be some sort of alliance between KenRad, Auerswald Electronics and the German Treble Light Company. Their web sites are all linked in a rather confusing matter.

The interesting part is that the Treble Lights seem to be functionally identical or at least very close to the UDL-35 and even use the same order code.
The difference I noticed is the less cool body of the lights and a facetted reflector. I do not know more about them right now.

But ... they offer a *50W Dive Light*, look here:
http://www.treble-light.com/en/hid_lampen.php
anyone got the balls to give ot a try?

bernhard


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## Kiessling (Oct 2, 2003)

K-T ... thanx a lot!
And for the price, kudos to our great Don!

I am not sure if you'd not want something a bit more on the cutting edge of performance as you are more of a specialist than I am. I *think* that the UDL-35 has a somewhat weaker performance than the other big names: KumKang, McCulloch, ...
I like this one because it is the best compromise for an unexperienced HID-man, nothing to worry about. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As for the carry-ability: it is ok to carry for at least 20 minutes in a row, haven't tried longer yet. for excessive carrying you might want to mod it for a second hole in the handle to attach a shoulder strap. On the other hand it is not really heavy, so it should do well in this aspect when compared to the other HID lights available.

bernhard


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## K-T (Oct 4, 2003)

[ QUOTE ]
*kiessling said:*
there seems to be some sort of alliance between KenRad, Auerswald Electronics and the German Treble Light Company. Their web sites are all linked in a rather confusing matter.(...)


[/ QUOTE ]
Somehow that light looked familar to me, now I know why. I have been clicking through the Treble light site for a while. I don't know how they are connected though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

50W HID...hmmm... :evilgrin: ... :checking funds: ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif


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## Kiessling (Oct 4, 2003)

K-T, clicking on some of the links on the Treble-Lights site (partners or so I think) you will be led to vantage lightning where KenRad is situated and they are advertising those two and Auerswald electronics, which Treble Lights are also using.
In addition to that, the lights look very familiar and seem to have the same core features.

and go ahead on the 50W HID! I'd be interested in your findings ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bernhard


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## Kiessling (Oct 4, 2003)

small update:





beam in a very very foggy night





interiors of the light with charger plug and a security switch that blocks everything when deactivated (in addition to the lockable three-stage switch at the rear end of the light)

bernhard 

P.S:: K-T, as with all lights that use a handle, there is the problem that the natural position of our hands when empty is a little bit in pronation (rotated inwards) and you have to actively rotate them outwards a bit (suppinate) to align the light / beam straight forward. ergonomically speaking a handle twisted a little bit counterclockwise would be more convenient but would have other disadvantages such as bulkiness and the like. Of course this should be the same for all lights that use a handle for carrying purposes, e.g. the KumKang, or are sufficiently big to have to be carried hands down like the PSL-35.


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## K-T (Oct 5, 2003)

[ QUOTE ]
*kiessling said:*
(...)pronation(...)suppinate(...)

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard these words somewhere, if I only could remember where /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


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## McGizmo (Oct 5, 2003)

K-T,

I ran into these terms when I used to fit ski boots 30 years ago. In Bernhard's context, a more ergonomic handle will cause a "righty" and "lefty" model. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

- Don


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## K-T (Oct 5, 2003)

Wouldn't that be cool, a lefty or righty flashlight. The knive nuts have them, why shouldn't we have them, too? ;D /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif


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## Kiessling (Oct 5, 2003)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif right Don, as alway right on the point!

sorry for being unclear, these are medical terms.
think of "suppination" when screwing a screw "in" with your right hand and of "pronation" when screwing it out again..
this applies for hands/arms only here.

bernhard


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## K-T (Oct 5, 2003)

The only one being unclear was me, sorry. 

I am familiar with these medical terms. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Isn't Don always right on the point - or was it focus? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif


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## Kiessling (Oct 5, 2003)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif Don, the man, knows everything /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

so K-T, I take it you are a MD, too? I feel the pain, I am sorry for you, too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

btw ... back on topic ... a huge drawback of those HIDs is brightness. They are too darn bright to play with in my room, after a few minutes my eyes start to ache, and outside my neighbours are starting to be slightly annoyed when they wake up in the middle of the night because of an idiot shining a 35W HID light in their rooms ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I am really addicted now, and this is all your fault Don, you dragged me here! thanx /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bernhard


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## K-T (Oct 5, 2003)

[OT]
Don't feel sorry, Bernard. It can only get better !
[/OT]

Until now none of my friendly neighbours have complained about me shining my lights against their house walls, but then they don't have any windows at that side of the house. I guess if I would get the 50W HID, it might shine/melt a neat hole into their wall. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

edit:
Do you think a reflector with a smaller angle could be fitted inside that light?


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## McGizmo (Oct 5, 2003)

Bernhard,

I think *I* got sucked in deeper than you did! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

- Don


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## Kiessling (Oct 6, 2003)

... and that is very good this way Don, enables me to buy cool things from you when my two w's permit (wallet and wife)..
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

K-T, my UDL-35 uses a 4° reflector which seems a reasonably small angle to me. I think the problem here is the absolute size of the thing, but this is really not my field of expertise, I'll let Don answer this one.

Don, you still here? We need your brain.

bernhard 

EDIT: as Don pointed out below, the beam and throw of the UDL-35 is very good, at least for what I want. I easily reaches out a few hundred meters with good illumination and a great side spill with a good beam quality. Talking about the 4° reflector. The flood reflector barely outthrows a SF M6 but produces the incarnatiion of the mother of all walls of light. Beam is perfect here.


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## McGizmo (Oct 6, 2003)

Given the diameter of the reflector and relative size of the lamp element, I don't think you could do much more in concentrating the beam. As is, I think the beam penetration is pretty darn good! A larger diameter reflector would be required for more concentration and less divergence, IMHO.


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## K-T (Oct 6, 2003)

Thanks. Somehow I thought it had a 8° reflector. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif Now we need to delete this whole topic, otherwise I might want one of these even more. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## McGizmo (Oct 6, 2003)

K-T,

Why should *you* get off easy??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif


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## Kiessling (Oct 6, 2003)

Right. Be a man and go for it !
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif
bernhard


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## Kiessling (Oct 7, 2003)

update:

when you receive your light you get this:





in the case are: the charger, lanyard, box for the bulb if you should be forced to remove it during transport (airport security might force you to do so I was told), various charger adaptors for international use, optional reflector (has to be purchased), cleaning cloth and instructions manual.

a note on charging:
this may be tricky! never charge the light while it is still a little bit warm, the charging process will stop short and you are far away from a full charge. only charge when the light is dead cold. in addition to that, even when charged when the light was cold, the charge will not be at peak performance when the charger shows green most of the times. you can always restart the charging process and squeeze additional energy in. I think this gets better after a few cycles, but cannot confirm it for sure yet. but after all, you CAN get a full charge, rest assured /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bernhard


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## K-T (Oct 8, 2003)

[ QUOTE ]
*McGizmo said:*
K-T,

Why should *you* get off easy??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif 

[/ QUOTE ]


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif ...because...ummm....*42*! Ha, that'S the answer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif


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## Kiessling (Oct 11, 2003)

update:

Battery Status Indicator:
This is a reliable and almost linear feature although the first of the five indicator LEDs lasts not as long as the rest and the 3rd and 4th last a bit longer. But you can roughly calculate about 10min runtime per LED lit and you are on the safe side.

Prolonged use on dry land:
The longest constant burn in a warm room without holding or moving the light was about 30min for mine until now. By that time it got hot at the front end, the rear was only slightly warm. By "hot" I mean it was beginning to be too hot to touch for more than a few seconds, but not nearly as hot as the KL4 would become. 
I do not know if going any further would damage my beauty, so I stopped here. Maybe someone with more experience in HIDs could chime in here ...

bernhard


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## Kiessling (Nov 26, 2003)

A note on beam color:

As this light uses a Metal Halide bulb that has some special alchemistic ingredients in it ("halide salts of various metals whose purpose is to produce light of the desired colour", by phyhsuts) and has a longer arc than the xenon short arc HIDs, the follownig is happening:
The vapours of those salts have different densities and are not located at the same place in the bulb, and you get a slightly red beam in the upper half and a more yellowish color in the lower half of the beam (see above).
Now ... when you turn the light upside down, the vapours will flow to reflect the change in gravity and restore the previous steady state, meaning you get some kind of "color shift" that lasts about 10-15 seconds and reproduces the initial state.

These are color-enhanced beamshots of this phenomenon, use the black piece of cake in the beam for orientation ... the second pic is the light upside down, and the red and yellow tint have re-adjusted themselves again and you find them at the oppostite side of the piece of cake but at the previous vertical orientation, meaning red up and yellow down.











of course this is a really academic question since you will not notice this in the real world. Note also that the photos are color-enhanced and do not reflect the true beam color which can be seen in the beamshots in the first post of this thread.

bernhard 


P.S.: thanx to all the wise persons who provided the anwers to this question, namely rox and phyhsuts /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## TheBeam (Nov 27, 2003)

[ QUOTE ]
*Kiessling said:* piece of cake in the beam 

[/ QUOTE ]

I tried putting a piece of cake on the end of my flashlight, it wasn't as bright as yours. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif


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## makar (Nov 30, 2003)

here's a 50w treble on ebay. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif


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## Kiessling (Nov 30, 2003)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I have put a thread in the auction notice forum just in case anyone would be brave enough to give it a try ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
bernhard


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