# CR2 Ion



## Billson (Feb 20, 2006)

Update: 9-6-06

I finally got around to taking some pictures of light after being attached to my keys for months. As you can see there are some scuff marks around the bezel and tail due to contact with the keys but other than that, it still looks pretty nice. It actually looks a bit more polished now after being rubbed around in my pocket.


















Warning: This is a rather long post so read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: This is my own opinion so for other owners/users, your mileage may vary.

I have a titanium and an aluminum bronze cr2 Ion and I’d like to share my thoughts on this light after playing around with them for the past few days. I saw no reason to post any more pictures as they can be found in powernoodle's thread. I also thought of posting this in that thread but I didn't want to risk being accused of hi-jacking his thread so here goes:

IMHO, the design is simple yet classic and elegant. I can’t see it going out of style anytime in the near future. Most people know that the design was inspired by the legendary Larry light but that’s where the similarity ends. The Ion has a personality all on its own when it comes to the led, electronics, and performance.

Some have commented that the knurling is too aggressive. The appearance may be aggressive but the feel is not aggressive at all. It’s quite smooth without any rough or sharp edges. Even the edges on the front and rear of the light have been ground down to avoid catching or getting tangled on anything.

The split ring does not hinder the functions of the light whether it is deployed or not and it does not fall out when you don’t need it. I find no problems with the snug fit because it can be taken out easily with a key or something pointed. You either use it or you don’t. It’s not like it has to be taken out everytime when one has to use the light.

The light has some weight but it’s not heavy at all, at least not for me. The aluminum should be lighter but I don’t have one to compare.

As shown by Newbie’s runtime test on the light, we know what kind of performance to expect from the light instead of wondering if the claims are true or not. Since Newbie already did some tests on it using primary cr2 cells, I thought of doing a runtime test using AW’s 350ma protected cells bought specifically for this light. One important thing to note is that these cells are too short to use in the cr2 without modification as it won’t engage high even when fully screwed down. I fixed this by using a folded up piece of aluminum foil and dropped it into the bottom of the tube. It’s up to the user to determine how far the light can be screwed down by varying the thickness of the foil. I also noticed some rattling laterally with both primaries and rcr2 so I just wrapped the cell in tape until it slipped snugly into the tube.

Using fully charged cells right off my DSD charger, I got 40 minutes on high. I forgot to use a light meter since I was more interested in how long light would run but there didn’t seem to be any noticeable dimming until the cell cut out.

Using a second fully charged cell, I did a second runtime on low. It’s a known fact that the low using rcr2 is much brighter than when using primaries but the brightness gradually dimmed until it stabilized for the last hour or so at the same brightness at low when using primary cells. The cells cut out at around 4 hours. I missed the actual cut off but it couldn’t have been more than 5 or 10 minutes because I was continually comparing the brightness with my aluminum bronze ion using primaries. It may not be as long as the 120 hour runtime (80 hours flat) on primaries but I don’t mind since it’s free lumens and all throughout the test, I could still engage high which may not be possible with the primaries when they are close to dying.

I like the flood beam of the Ion because even on high, the light is still soft enough without being blinding. It’s perfect for all practical uses since I expect to be using this light mostly for close up work. If I wanted a light that throws, I’d definitely be using something with a much bigger reflector and longer runtime. It should be remembered that this is meant to be a keychain light which is not really suitable for outdoor use.

The tint of the led on both my lights falls somewhere between WO and XO. It’s a cool white that’s a little warm and I like it a lot. I’m very impressed with the Cree led because I can’t notice any tint in the beam and no tint shift between low and high. Makes me wonder if just won the led lottery or if this is typical with Cree’s binning. I hope it’s the latter because Lumileds can’t do this even within the same bins and tint shifts very noticeably when running different current levels.

It’s difficult to estimate the lumens value of the light because this is my first flood light but side by side with my HDS EDC, low seems to be around 1 lumen but like I said it is still white whereas my HDS shows an obvious yellow tint at this low level. I haven’t tried to measure high yet because I don’t expect to be using high very much. I’ll update this post if/when I get to it.

One thing that got me thinking is that the reflector does not seem to be highly polished as Endeavor stated. Mine seems to be a matte finish. Since it is a known fact that there are always losses due to heat, reflector, and lens, I wonder if any lumens are lost due to the reflector not being coated as heat seems to have been managed as best as could be and we all know what benefits the UCL gives.

I did the runtime test with light submerged in a bowl of water so the light is waterproof. I’d be curious to know the actual depth rating if anyone is willing to do the test since the body (titanium) is virtually indestructible so the o-rings and the lens seem to be the only weak links. This would seem to be a futile exercise though as I doubt a flood beam would be of much use underwater.

In conclusion, this light is not for everybody. For someone looking for a WOW light, you should look elsewhere. The Ion was designed with practicality in mind and it seems to satisfy every criteria I can think of in a task light. It works plain and simple with no frills, bells, and whistles.

PS Moderators, if you think this thread is better to be merged with powernoodle's thread, please fell free to do so.


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## LowWorm (Feb 20, 2006)

The design, to my eyes, is practically a copy of the famous "Larry Light." With the exception of the Larry Light having a tighter, sleeker build.

Good thing for Endeavor that Larry's not MagLite... . 

Thanks for the review, Billson. It's been interesting to see the various opinions on the functionality of this light.


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## Billson (Feb 20, 2006)

Unless I'm mistaken, during the initial planning stage of the Ion, Endeavor stated that he asked Larry for his permission to design a light based on his prior work and Larry had no objections because he had no plans of mass producing his light for public consumption.

As I said above, despite the fact that it's based on Larry's design, the similarities end there as everything else had to be re-designed from the ground up for all the new and improved parts from the optics to the electronics.

Then again, for users like me, does it really matter whose design it is? The bottom line is it's a very nice light with very good functionality.

Endeavor can correct me if I'm wrong about this. I'm real glad he took up the challenge of bringing this light to reality for CPF.:goodjob:


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## Planterz (Feb 20, 2006)

Billson said:


> One thing that got me thinking is that the reflector does not seem to be highly polished as Endeavor stated. Mine seems to be a matte finish. Since it is a known fact that there are always losses due to heat, reflector, and lens, I wonder if any lumens are lost due to the reflector not being coated as heat seems to have been managed as best as could be and we all know what benefits the UCL gives.


It's my understanding that the reflector is purposely matte/unpolished. This makes the flood effect rather than the typical hotspot with sidespill most lights have.

Nice review. Makes me get antsy about receiving my Al-bronze (damn Presidents day...).


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## Rudi (Feb 26, 2006)

Lowworm said: The design, to my eyes, is practically a copy of the famous "Larry Light." With the exception of the Larry Light having a tighter, sleeker build.

My brass Larry CR2-II is not only a _tighter sleeker build._ It is, even at first glance, like a fine hand-made jewel as compared to the fine machine tool feeling of the CR2-Ion. Narrower by 1/16" diameter, more compact (about 15% less volume), much finer knurling and threads, noticeably lighter, and M U C H more expensive.

Having said that, I love my aluminum-bronze CR2-Ion and consider it a fair value for the price. It looks good and feels good and performs marvelously *for its intended purpose. *If you need to illuminate distant tree tops don't get this light, but if you need to read in bed without disturbing the adjacent one, you'll love the CR2-Ion's exquisitely smooth flood beam and extra-long runtime on low --- I get 21 hours from a primary CR2 battery in perfect regulation before it even *begins* to drop in intensity. On high it will adequately illuminate a large room, but only for about 40 minutes. Now for me 40 minutes is inadequate runtime in a single intensity light, but with a low setting available, overall runtime is greatly extended, making 40 minutes on high quite acceptable. Your priorities may vary.

Well done, Enrique.


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## Zman (Mar 15, 2006)

I've only had the light a very short time (hours), but wanted to chime in as well. I love the low level. Its great for reading, I know my wife always wants to read in the car next to me and it will be perfect for that. I usually carry something too powerful and not so nice to batteries. I'm happy with the fit and finish as well. Forty minutes on high, not sure what I think yet, but I believe most of my use will be taking advantage of the low. Possibly more thoughts later when its dark.


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## CroMAGnet (Mar 15, 2006)

I cant wait to get mine! I have plans for it. Big plans! Anyway, I was wondering about the comments on the reflector. I was able to play with the light for half an hour or so and really love it. I wonder if polishing the reflector like the McFlood would affect the beam or just add more lumens and LUX without changing the beam pattern. Any ideas or facts on this?


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## Haz (Mar 15, 2006)

CroMAGnet said:


> I cant wait to get mine! I have plans for it. Big plans! Anyway, I was wondering about the comments on the reflector. I was able to play with the light for half an hour or so and really love it. I wonder if polishing the reflector like the McFlood would affect the beam or just add more lumens and LUX without changing the beam pattern. Any ideas or facts on this?


 
I remember someone polished the arc aaa aluminium reflector, so more lumens are reflected forward, but i'm not sure how it will affect the beam in the CR2 ION.

I accidently added too much silicone grease on the threads and created a vacuum seal on the ION whilst i was tightening the head. 
So when i tried to turn the head off again, the head itself was untightening, the part where the lens is, instead of the normal part since the vacuum seal made it stuck. I was able to remove the lens, and have access to the reflector. Since there was some slight marks on the reflector, i was able to clean up the reflector. The gasket originally was not aligned that well on my unit as i could see a slither of gasket from the front end of the light, and this was corrected too!. I then put the head back together again. Lastly, with some tight squeezing of the head, I released the vacuum seal, and was able to remove the entire head again, wiping away excess silicon grease.


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## xochi (Mar 16, 2006)

I've polished a few Arc AAA reflectors and I'm pleased with the results . I've also had great results with the infinity which is a bit more dramatic since it entails removing the anodize as well.

While trying to find a way of nondestructively opening up the head of a fenix L1P I tried a DCM based paint stripper which did dissolve the epoxy but it also dissolved the reflector metalization. I'd planned on swapping in a McGizmo flector anyhow so that was no big deal but I was curious about what the matte bare aluminum reflector beam would look like. The effect of the matte reflector on the beam was aparently a loss of lumens and a fuzziness in the beam. 

The Ion Reflector is sort of odd in that it isn't a parabola and calling it a cone doesn't seem right either. IMHO any difusion effect of the less reflective surface is redundant as the xlamp already produces a very even spread consistent with its large die size. I wouldn't expect a dramatic change in the beam but I do think that polishing might sharpen the beam a bit and reduce the "soft white" effect. The "soft white" effect was exactly what I got with the matte fenix reflector. The overall flood character of the beam will remain.


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## CroMAGnet (Mar 16, 2006)

xochi said:


> I've polished a few Arc AAA reflectors and I'm pleased with the results . I've also had great results with the infinity which is a bit more dramatic since it entails removing the anodize as well.
> 
> While trying to find a way of nondestructively opening up the head of a fenix L1P I tried a DCM based paint stripper which did dissolve the epoxy but it also dissolved the reflector metalization. I'd planned on swapping in a McGizmo flector anyhow so that was no big deal but I was curious about what the matte bare aluminum reflector beam would look like. The effect of the matte reflector on the beam was aparently a loss of lumens and a fuzziness in the beam.
> 
> The Ion Reflector is sort of odd in that it isn't a parabola and calling it a cone doesn't seem right either. IMHO any difusion effect of the less reflective surface is redundant as the xlamp already produces a very even spread consistent with its large die size. I wouldn't expect a dramatic change in the beam but I do think that polishing might sharpen the beam a bit and reduce the "soft white" effect. The "soft white" effect was exactly what I got with the matte fenix reflector. The overall flood character of the beam will remain.


Excellent info guys. SO how do you go about polishing the Ion reflector. Maybe I can get Enrique to send me one with my order.


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## CLHC (Mar 16, 2006)

Interesting review and comments. I was looking at this particular light with interest because of its size. But I want something that's bright as my McLux.PD on high and not the high being as low or lower than the low setting on the McLux.PD.

Enjoy! :wave:


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## CroMAGnet (Mar 16, 2006)

I just got off the phone with Enrique and he is mailing my Blue Ion!! Yea!! 

Anyway we had a short talk over a Starbuck's double lowfat Latte regarding the reflector. 

He said it did tests with the polishing and preferred the current design. Seems like the CREE shows blueish rings when this reflector is polished. Also the reflector is attached to the assembly so I couldn't just get one, polish it and swap it in. (Enique, please correct me if I missed something) Thanks for going over these details with me.

Best wishes with your recent family events.


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## CroMAGnet (Mar 27, 2006)

Just got back into town this weekend and went to the office to pick up my Blue CR2 Ion. It's pretty nice. 

The reflector is a bit smoother that I remember from the prototype I saw and used. 

When I turn the light to high it shines nice and bright and then drops down about 20% lower after about 3 or 4 seconds to where it stays. Anyone else experience this?

I also remember getting 1-LUX on low but this version gets 7 LUX which is a lot more light than the LionCub on low or a few other lights I have. 

The beam color is a nice white.

I'll measure the mA draw tomorrow.

BTW What type of LiON battery can be used with this? A 3.0v or 3.7v or ?

Any runtime graphs on low and high with both battery types?


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## fore (Mar 27, 2006)

What kind of primary are you using? I was also surprised by the brightness of the low setting when I used it the first time. I prefer a lower setting than most and the description of the prototype low beam was one of the reasons I purchased it. I thought the same setting was used on the production models as the prototype? Would lightly sanding the reflector smooth out the beam even more? 

I've never used an RCR2 in the Ion, but from what I've read 3.7V cells are compatible, but there's not much of a difference between low and high when those cells are used. Perhaps a 3.0V Li-ion would be better? Has anyone tried this? I think I remember a runtime of around 4 or 5 hours on low with a 3.7V RCR2.


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## jar3ds (Mar 27, 2006)

hum... thats a bummer... i was expecting the low to be 'pretty dim' compared to other lights that still hurt my eyes on low in pitch black situations... hummmm....


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## coyote (Mar 27, 2006)

hey jar3ds,
of all my lights, i like the Ion best for low-light use. 
the beam is smooth and seems about the perfect brightness for both close work and walking in pitch black areas.
i live off the grid and when there's no moon, this is the light i use for reading and hiking to the outhouse.
hope that helped,
coyote


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## bwm (Mar 27, 2006)

CroMAGnet said:


> When I turn the light to high it shines nice and bright and then drops down about 20% lower after about 3 or 4 seconds to where it stays. Anyone else experience this?


No, with a fresh primary and a fresh rcr2 I see no drop in light output up to one minute later from initially turning the light onto high.



> I also remember getting 1-LUX on low but this version gets 7 LUX which is a lot more light than the LionCub on low or a few other lights I have.


I don't have a light meter but I do have an HDS Ultimate 60GT with an SF04 heavy diffuser. I find that the light output of my CR2 Ion on low with a primary cell is roughly equivalent to level 9 on the HDS (about 4 lumens) and using an rcr2 is equivalent to level 7 (about 8 lumens). Using an rcr2 after about an hours use I compared it to the HDS again and found that level 8 (about 6 lumens) was then closest.



> BTW What type of LiON battery can be used with this? A 3.0v or 3.7v or ?


I bought rcr2's from AW and have been using them in my CR2 with no problem (protected 3.7 volt 350mAh).


> Any runtime graphs on low and high with both battery types?


Planterz stated in another thread that he was getting 3.75 to 4 hours on low with an RCR2. I have not done any runtime test myself.




jar3ds said:


> hum... thats a bummer... i was expecting the low to be 'pretty dim' compared to other lights that still hurt my eyes on low in pitch black situations... hummmm....


Comparing the output of the CR2 Ion to my other lights I find that on low with a primary cell the output is a little brighter than my Gerber Infinity Ultra and significantly dimmer than my Arc-AAA Premium. Remember that the Gerber and Arc have most of their light contained in the hotspot whereas much more of the light from the CR2 Ion is spread across the width of the beam. That said, I do find that I prefer to use the Gerber for middle of the night, avoid kicking the cat, bathroom runs. 

For reading with a flashlight I find the low of the CR2 Ion with its flood beam is best. The HDS with an SF04 filter is second best. The CR2 Ion illuminates all of both pages of a paperback while the HDS I find I need to move slightly side to side to get the same illumination of the page.

Lastly, in comparing the light from my HDS U60GT to that of the CR2 Ion I find the HDS puts out what I would call a warm white (very slight yellow cast) while the CR2 Ion in comparison to the HDS is what I would call a cool white (very slight blue cast). Using either light on its own each appears pure white it is only shining both at a white wall side by side that I notice a difference.

Brian


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## jar3ds (Mar 28, 2006)

thanks for the great post brian... VERY helpful! Its nice when we have two of the same lights 

I prefer white or blue-ish white tints to my LED's... good to know about the CR2 ion...

I'll have to give this some thought... man i love small bright lights ... i got'a get going on my quad LuxV maglight mod though so I can have a real screamer ...


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## CroMAGnet (Mar 28, 2006)

*I Spoke with Enrique yesterday and he cleared up a bunch of items. See the blue text below.*


CroMAGnet said:


> Just got back into town this weekend and went to the office to pick up my Blue CR2 Ion. It's pretty nice.
> 
> The reflector is a bit smoother that I remember from the prototype I saw and used. *The prototype had a rough reflector and basically no hotspot which I really liked. The final version has a polished reflector which does give a hint of a hotspot as well as neutralize the tint. The prototype was much warmer in color. The 'hotspot' is wide and even but has a faint circle of dimness around it. Only noticable on a white wall if you look carefully. *
> 
> ...


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## bwm (Mar 28, 2006)

Regarding the lack of a high with RCR2's the first post of this thread addresses this:



Billson said:


> ... AW’s 350ma protected cells bought specifically for this light. One important thing to note is that these cells are too short to use in the cr2 without modification as it won’t engage high even when fully screwed down. I fixed this by using a folded up piece of aluminum foil and dropped it into the bottom of the tube. It’s up to the user to determine how far the light can be screwed down by varying the thickness of the foil.


I cut a piece of aluminum foil and folded it small and placed it in the bottom of my CR2 Ion and have both a low and high available.

Brian


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## CroMAGnet (Mar 28, 2006)

bwm said:


> Regarding the lack of a high with RCR2's the first post of this thread addresses this:
> 
> 
> I cut a piece of aluminum foil and folded it small and placed it in the bottom of my CR2 Ion and have both a low and high available.
> ...


Thanks for the reminder. I forgot about that.


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## Mrd 74 (Mar 28, 2006)

You will get a better spring effect if you wrap the aluminum foil around a small square of flat elastic band.


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## fore (Mar 29, 2006)

Glad to hear Endeavour is still trying to work on the Ion Cromagnet, especially with regarding the output of the low level.

The variations in the beam are not horrible, but I was thinking of roughing up the reflector to smooth things out further. I don't stare at walls all the time, but they show up when you use the Ion as a reading light which is my primary use for it.

A runtime of 140+ hrs I'm quite sure is not possible with the batteries supplied...not even close. Runtime to 50% would be useful. Does anyone remember how long it takes for it to drop out of regulation? Any news on the mA draw on low?

One thing that stood out though, Enrique is saying BS ripped him and the Ion customers off? This is the first I've heard of this. I've seen the flickering and I've heard about problems others have had as well, but wow. That's a new one.


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## NewBie (Mar 31, 2006)

fore said:


> A runtime of 140+ hrs I'm quite sure is not possible with the batteries supplied...not even close. Runtime to 50% would be useful. Does anyone remember how long it takes for it to drop out of regulation? Any news on the mA draw on low?




As I understand it, there are not changes to the CR2 Ion electronics from proto to production model that I had. Utilizing a Duracell CR2, this is what I got for low:







High resolution version:
http://www.molalla.net/~leeper/endcr212.png


As far as on high, this is what I got:


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## TrueBlue (Mar 31, 2006)

NewBie said:


> As I understand it, there are not changes to the CR2 Ion electronics from proto to production model that I had. Utilizing a Duracell CR2, this is what I got for low:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



More then one light sampling would show what to expect out of the light. Don’t you agree?

According to the graph, constant puffing on the light gives the longest run time.


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## JJohn (Apr 1, 2006)

fore said:


> A runtime of 140+ hrs I'm quite sure is not possible with the batteries supplied...not even close.




I got about 34 hours on low with a brand new duracell before it went completely off. Output did stay fairly flat most of that period. I was a little surprised by my test results but, it is still a long-running light. 140 hours seems completely impossible with the CR2 Ion I have. If this is consistant with what others are finding please let me know.

John


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## NewBie (Apr 1, 2006)

I just got my production model, I'll have to test it to see how it does.


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## dat2zip (Apr 1, 2006)

The IC used in the CR2 ION can vary from unit to unit for the low level output. Because of this one light might have a longer/shorter runtime than the next.

Plotting or graphing these is pointless with the tolerance of the LED current in low.

You probably won't know or see the the difference if the low is 10mA or 20mA, but, that's a 2:1 difference which is not unlikely given the IC and design.

Assuming the circuit is the same design I prototyped for the light I should know.

It would be easier and simplier to assume a simple range of ~10mA to ~30mA and divide this by the Amp/HR capacity of a standard CR123 battery. Your runtime should fall somewhere between the min/max runtime estimates from above.

If a CR123 battery has 1500 mA/HR capacity that would result in 50-150 hour runtime range for this light for the low level. (1500/30, 1500/10).

Wayne


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## CroMAGnet (Apr 1, 2006)

Thanks Newbie! I'm having the hardest time with flickering on low. I get/got it with batteries from Panasonic, BS, AW lithium and LiON 3.0v protected batteries. Looking for a solution as I really like the beam and output of this light.


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## CroMAGnet (Apr 1, 2006)

dat2zip said:


> The IC used in the CR2 ION can vary from unit to unit for the low level output. Because of this one light might have a longer/shorter runtime than the next.
> 
> Plotting or graphing these is pointless with the tolerance of the LED current in low.
> 
> ...


Thanks Wayne!! That explains a LOT. These are CR2 lights though, so I'm guessing you have a typo? But the principal is the same.


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## CroMAGnet (Apr 1, 2006)

Just tried some ProGold with a fresh Panasonic CR2. No flicker so far.


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## LouRoy (Apr 1, 2006)

I am also having some flickering problems. Where can I find this ProGold?


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## Bob_G (Apr 1, 2006)

You can get ProGold and DeoxIT (a cleaner) at any Radio Shack.

One of mine hasn't ever flickered. The other one flickered on low for a week or so, on three brands of batteries, then stopped and has never started again. I thought it might be reduced battery voltage so tried a new battery and it still doesn't flicker anymore :shrug:


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## coyote (Apr 1, 2006)

re: how to figure runtime using a two-stage hi/low-

wayne said: "It would be easier and simplier to assume a simple range of ~10mA to ~30mA and divide this by the Amp/HR capacity of a standard CR123 battery. Your runtime should fall somewhere between the min/max runtime estimates from above.....If a CR123 battery has 1500 mA/HR capacity that would result in 50-150 hour runtime range for this light for the low level. (1500/30, 1500/10)."

sorry, i'm confused.

for example, using a real situtation, i have three different hi/lows for my Firefly: 32 ohm, 16 ohm and 10 ohm.

i know from testing that the 32 ohm produces the dullest beam and the 10 ohm delivers the brighest beam.

using this formula, if i divide 32 into 1500 (mA of 123 battery) i get approximately 47 hours of run time.

or if i use my 10 ohm 2-stage (10 into 1500) i get 150 hours runtime, yet this is the BRIGHTER BEAM. 

how can i get more runtime AND more light output, at the same time?


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## Bob_G (Apr 1, 2006)

Wayne used the mA the LED actually uses, you're using the ohm rating of the resistor - lower resistor=higher mA.

I'd love to see a chart of what mA you get for various resistored lows, but I don't even know if it's possible, so may variables an all.


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## dat2zip (Apr 1, 2006)

I'm not aware of any external series resistor. The circuit regulates Constant Current in both High and low which is different than the Aleph or FF models where a series resistor is used to create the low level.

The IC used in the CR2 Ion with 1% precision resistors will still have a large variation in the threshold that determines the output LED current for low.

It's this IC variation that actually determines low, not a series resistor nor battery voltage.

Your actually runtime will be affected by temperature, battery type, Manufactuer, IC threshold and VF of the LED.

My previous assumptions is just a rough estimate guess to simplify all the variables that are involved.

Wayne


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## CroMAGnet (Apr 2, 2006)

I just got back from walking the dog. It's nice and dark this evening and my CR2 Ion worked really well. Nice walking light on high using a primary. Lights up an area with nice white flood. No more flicker on low.

Other than the kewl reflector and very nice flood beam, the regulation really makes this light. As does the whiteness and the really decent output on high. Really really nice. :twothumbs

Next, I need to compare it to my Aleph A19 old standby because it is a nicer flood than my A2 but doesn't throw anywhere close the distance.


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## CroMAGnet (Apr 3, 2006)

Was BBQ'ing some steaks last night and the tint and output on high was as perfect as I'd want it. The steaks looked natural under this light and exposed all the details you need to see the action.

Still going strong on the one primary.


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## PEU (Apr 13, 2006)

After a long wait I received mine, my first flood light, I like it 

Here is side to side with my EDC Neoca BL






I felt creative, and added that background 


Pablo


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## NewBie (Apr 15, 2006)

Nice background!


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## nrk (Apr 22, 2006)

Just decided to do a runtime test. With a freshly charged AW RCR2 I got 4.5 hours on low. I really love this light. ;-nrk


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## NewBie (May 4, 2006)

nrk said:


> Just decided to do a runtime test. With a freshly charged AW RCR2 I got 4.5 hours on low. I really love this light. ;-nrk



Thats nice.

Have you tried to do the runtime on high with that cell?


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## Billson (May 4, 2006)

Newbie,

I got around 40 minutes on high. I believe most of us that are using it have gotten more or less the same runtime.


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## bwm (May 8, 2006)

This evening I was cleaning out the outside covered porch (no light nor outlets on the porch) and was using my lights. Initially I was using my HDS U60GT with the heavy diffuser since I had tested the HDS with the Heavy diffuser against the CR2 Ion by shining the lights at the ceiling it seemed the two lights had equivalent coverage. Well, I used up the battery in the HDS and couldn't readily find my other MP rechargeable so I grabbed the CR2 Ion. 

What a difference! "White wall hunting" they seemed to have the same area of coverage and brightness. But out on that porch where the HDS was bright in a central area and then had a dim corona almost equal to the coverage area but of the CR2 Ion but the CR2 Ion was much brighter over the whole area of illumination.

The more I use this light the more I like it and think it was a purchase well worth making.

Brian


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## 83Venture (May 10, 2006)

This has become my favorite inside light. One fringe benefit is that it has such a flood pattern the cat does not chase the beam at night, a problem sometimes with more concentrated lights.


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## NewBie (May 14, 2006)

Yes, the full flood, without the significant losses from adding a diffuser is nice and unique.

It is very useful.

When I am out in the woods, away from cities, it is amazing, the amount of light it makes, and how well it lights up the area without the harshness of a spot, which obscures things. I find I can judge the path much better, walking at a more natural pace.

Without the bright hotspot, I've noticed my vision is much better, when I turn off the light, as compared to a light with a bright hotspot. I also find my "night vision" returns much faster.


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## coyote (May 14, 2006)

well said newbie!

as someone who lives off-the-grid, far from any town or neighbors, i find the ION perfect for my EDC light. indoors or out, close or far, it provides me with a useful beam that doesn't ruin my night vision.


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## fore (May 14, 2006)

Newbie, any news yet about the second runtime test on low with your production unit?


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## lrp (May 14, 2006)

I carry my CR ION on keychain and it is fast becoming my very favorite light, it is amazing to me the beams that it puts out and it being so small and built like a tank.


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## NewBie (May 16, 2006)

fore said:


> Newbie, any news yet about the second runtime test on low with your production unit?




Oh, I purchased the new cells, they should be around here somewhere, I'll have to look for them tomorrow.


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## Billson (Sep 6, 2006)

Pictures added.


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## xdanx (Sep 9, 2006)

Ti Ion, how much heavier is the titanium version than the Aluminum?


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## Billson (Sep 12, 2006)

I have no idea. I only bought 1 in titanium and 1 in aluminum bronze. You might be able to find that info on Endeavor's CR2 Ion information thread.


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## NewBie (Sep 17, 2006)

Okay, finally finished up with another review, so I figured I'd get the runtime on the production CR2 Ion finally done.

There are 10,000 datapoints, taken once per second.

Moon mode goes on forever, so I decided to stop it, so I could get the low mode runtime done.

This is completely uncooled, with no fan (line would be flatter if it was held in a hand for heatsinking purposes):








Compare this with the prototype, the yellow line most closely duplicates the conditions:


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## McGizmo (Sep 17, 2006)

Interesting data!
Want high flux, go cool. Want extended runtime, go hot! 

Want both? Partition heat and give the battery what it likes by taking from the LED what it doesn't; dump the excess! 

OK, Newbie, when you have cleared your plate it is time for a thermo-optimal package! :nana: ( I still want to get some heat pipes!  )


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## Xygen (Sep 17, 2006)

:goodjob:
Thanks NewBie!


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## europium (Sep 18, 2006)

bwm said:


> ...
> 
> What a difference! "White wall hunting" they seemed to have the same area of coverage and brightness. But out on that porch where the HDS was bright in a central area and then had a dim corona almost equal to the coverage area but of the CR2 Ion but the CR2 Ion was much brighter over the whole area of illumination.
> 
> ...


I, too, really like the beam on the CR2-Ion. When I compare the beam to that of an Inova X1, the flood of the Ion makes the X1 beam look like it's burning a hole in the (white) wall. The Ion really is better than most other lights for close distances, especially for reading in low light conditions, a very common task.

I really like my X1 and the Inova Microlights too, but I think they could be improved with floodier LEDs. Yes, even the unreflectored 5mm LED in the Microlight seems like a spot compared to the CR2-Ion beam. It will be interesting to see LEDs from Cree turn up in other flashlights in time, perhaps some in different colors. And I might get another CR2-Ion if it had a nice floody red LED.

*Newbie*, I am interested in your runtime of the production unit on low. Other informal runtime tests that I've seen mentioned here on CPF seem to indicate about 40 hours, give or take few hours. My informal runtime test resulted in 34 hours constant output on low, and then I wasn't able to check the light again until the 44 hour mark, at which point no noticeable light was coming out the front (but the LED inside was still glowing).


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## NewBie (Sep 19, 2006)

europium said:


> I, too, really like the beam on the CR2-Ion. When I compare the beam to that of an Inova X1, the flood of the Ion makes the X1 beam look like it's burning a hole in the (white) wall. The Ion really is better than most other lights for close distances, especially for reading in low light conditions, a very common task.
> 
> I really like my X1 and the Inova Microlights too, but I think they could be improved with floodier LEDs. Yes, even the unreflectored 5mm LED in the Microlight seems like a spot compared to the CR2-Ion beam. It will be interesting to see LEDs from Cree turn up in other flashlights in time, perhaps some in different colors. And I might get another CR2-Ion if it had a nice floody red LED.
> 
> *Newbie*, I am interested in your runtime of the production unit on low. Other informal runtime tests that I've seen mentioned here on CPF seem to indicate about 40 hours, give or take few hours. My informal runtime test resulted in 34 hours constant output on low, and then I wasn't able to check the light again until the 44 hour mark, at which point no noticeable light was coming out the front (but the LED inside was still glowing).




Test is in progress now.


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## Trashman (Sep 19, 2006)

CroMAGnet said:


> Just tried some ProGold with a fresh Panasonic CR2. No flicker so far.



You just applied the ProGold to the top and bottom of the battery?


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## Concept (Sep 19, 2006)

I have enjoyed reading this thread. It helped me to decide that the CR2 Ion was neede in my collection (small as it may be).

Thanks to 4sevens I have a greenie on the way!

Is the pro gold good for conductivity and heat transfer?


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## TinderBox (UK) (Sep 19, 2006)

can the CR2 Ion Titanium still be bought, if so where from.

thanks.

John.


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## LumensUK (Sep 19, 2006)

There is a discussion underway in the CR2 Ion Flashlight Information Thread about Titanium CR2 Ions:

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=121720&page=2


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## NewBie (Sep 20, 2006)

Here is my runtime plot for the production model, it has changed after all:


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## jar3ds (Sep 20, 2006)

awesome! thanks for doing all of that work newbie! 

My only issue (it might not be an issue at all) is with the cree LED... I just don't know how long it will last compared to a luxeon... seems like the luxeons are more try'd/trued... 

from your guy's knowledge... is the cree led something I can put faith in for a lifetime of use?

Thanks!


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## X Racer (Sep 21, 2006)

I LOVE my CR2 Ion... Its a fantastic "useful" light...


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## Trashman (Sep 21, 2006)

For those of you that have one, does it drop down in brightness when you tighten it all the way down? Mine appears to stay bright if I don't turn it too far past where it goes into high. If I turn it until it stops, the brightness drops after a few seconds. It's like I'm getting three levels of brightness, but I don't really want them all (just high and low). I've also experienced some major flickering in the dropped down high mode. Hopefully, Progold will fix that.


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## NewBie (Oct 29, 2006)

Endeavor,

You had the first CREE flashlight I know of, on the market.

Do you think you will offer these with the XR-E any time soon?

How about a replacement upgrade module for existing customers?


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## Concept (Oct 30, 2006)

I think that would be great for existing customers and of course a Ti CR2 w Cree XR-E for the next Ti run...hint hint. I just gotta keep trying.


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## jar3ds (Oct 30, 2006)

heck yes... a XR-E CR2 Ion in Ti... buy it in a heart beat


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## Concept (Nov 4, 2006)

Oh yeh its coming!


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## Haz (Nov 4, 2006)

I would love to see Endeavour make a replacement head for existing CR2 ION owners :naughty:


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## Concept (Nov 4, 2006)

Haz 

Go check out Fenix-store he is offering a mod for compatible CR2 Ions which will change the LED to the new XR-E!


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## Haz (Nov 4, 2006)

Thanks Concept, i did see the thread by Fenix-store, however i'm looking for a second head, that has a longer throw to complement the flood pattern already on the CR2-ION, i want to be able to interchange head when i need to.

I wonder whether the new CR2-ION will have the exact dimensions and thread as the old.


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## xdanx (Nov 4, 2006)

Haz said:


> Thanks Concept, i did see the thread by Fenix-store, however i'm looking for a second head, that has a longer throw to complement the flood pattern already on the CR2-ION, i want to be able to interchange head when i need to.
> 
> I wonder whether the new CR2-ION will have the exact dimensions and thread as the old.


 
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1670549&postcount=121

Yes, they will be the same size.


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## arty (Nov 5, 2006)

Does anyone have an idea of the output on High and on Low settings?
How does high compare with, say, an X-5 or a Surefire L1 with a beamshaper? How does the low setting compare with the low on the L1 or the output of an ARC-AAAp, or the Fenix "equivalent?"


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## europium (Nov 12, 2006)

arty said:


> Does anyone have an idea of the output on High and on Low settings?
> How does high compare with, say, an X-5 or a Surefire L1 with a beamshaper? How does the low setting compare with the low on the L1 or the output of an ARC-AAAp, or the Fenix "equivalent?"


Most flashaholics know about this site (master light index): http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_by_mfgrs.htm

Review of CR2 Ion here: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/photonsintl_cr2ion.htm


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