# Olight SR90 Intimidator (Phlatlight SST-90) Review: BEAMSHOTS, RUNTIMES and more!



## selfbuilt

_*Reviewer's Note: *The Olight SR90 Intimidator was provided for review by MattK of BatteryJunction.com. Please see their website for more info._

*Warning: This review is a LOT more pic heavy than usual. oo:*







*Manufacturer's specifications, condensed from the SR90 manual and batteryjunction.com:*

Utilizes Luminus Phlatlight SST-90 LED, 30W, lifetime 60,000 hours.
Output & Runtime: Two brightness levels and strobe mode
 (1). High Mode: 2200 Lumens / 80 Minutes
 (2). Low Mode: 700 Lumens / 9 Hours
 (3). Strobe: 2200 Lumens / 10 Hz / 160 Minutes
Max throw: 1000 meters.
Anti-shattering ultra clear lens, anti-scratching, anti-reflective coated lens with 99% effective transmission
Excellent tridimensional heat dissipation ability
Advanced digital power management system
Weatherproof: IPX-68 Water/Dust rating
Battery pack: 6 x18650 (7.2v, 6.6A)
Dimensions: Length:336mm (13.23”)
Bezel Diameter: 100mm(3.94”);
Weight: 1580g (With battery pack)
Accessories: Includes one strap, one charger, one operator’s manual, one O-ring. Comes in a 
Color: Black, Hard Anodized finish.
Mil-spec: MIL-STD-810F
Integrated power input socket on the tailcap, with four indicators on the tail for indicating the batteries condition
Battery Junction price: $450
The Olight SR90 Intimidator is the first light I’ve tested with the long-awaited Luminus “Phlatlight” SST-90 LED.  What makes this LED so interesting is that it currently has the greatest output (lumens/watt) and the lowest thermal resistance of any LED on the market. Of course, this kind of power comes at a price – the SR90 has a built-in rechargeable battery base that is the equivalent of six 18650 batteries, and a hefty thermal mass to handle the current. oo: 

Is this the first LED to give HIDs a run for their money? Scroll on, gentle reader …














The SR90 comes in a presentation carrying case with metal hinges and closing flaps. Inside, in cut-out foam, you will find the light disassembled into its main components (head and battery case/handle) along with a charging power cord and transformer, shoulder carrying strap, spare o-rings and manual.





















From left to right: ThruNite Catapult, Lumapower MVP P7 TurboForce, Olight SR90, Mag 3-D cell incan, Titanium Innovations L35 HID

*SR90*: Length 335mm x Width 97mm (bezel)

Ok, this is not a pocket light!  The massive head and 6x18650 power pack bring a certain amount of heft. Although I don’t have a scale that can measure at this sensitivity, a little over 1.5 kg feels about right. Of course, that massive reflector should also translate into pretty decent throw … 

Fit and finish are excellent on my sample – there are no chips or marks in the anodizing. The gold-colored rings used to anchor the shoulder straps have some wobble along their length (i.e. not perfectly flat), but seem to be held in place fairly securely (you can rotate them to adjust the exact positioning). The SR90 manual says they are stainless steel, but they look more like brass to me.

Lettering is sharp and clear, in bright white against the dark black gloss background. Labels have thoughtfully been kept to a minimum (I think we all know we shouldn’t look into this light when it is on).

Ridge detail is fairly high on the handle, so grip is good. This is important, given the weight of the light – you wouldn’t want to be dropping it. :whoopin:










The battery compartment/handle comes with a contact cover (for use when not screwed into the head). This is a good idea, as you wouldn’t want to short a six-pack of 18650s. Presumably, you could also purchase additional battery packs, as they can be charged independently (not sure if Olight is planning on making these available). 






The charger attaches at the tail-end of the light (just under that rubber protective strip – similar to what you will find on a lot of camera ports). 

Also on the tail is a battery read-out gauge. Press the bottom button, and up to 4 green LEDs light up to let you know the relative charge status of the battery. Along with the no light condition, that means five possible states - each of which is linearly distributed along charge capacity (i.e. 4 lights means 80%+ power remaining, 3 lights is 60-80%, 2 lights is 40-60%, 1 light is 20-40%, and no light means less than 20%).

Unlike some other lights that use a built-in battery charge indicator, the SR90 seems fairly accurate – as long as you only test when not running or charging the battery. If the light has been in use recently, you will need to wait at least a few seconds after turning off/disconnecting in order to get an accurate reading.






The tailcap is removable, which adds hope to me that separate battery packs may eventually be offered for sale. It would be great to be able to pick up a "spare" cell/handle to carry off with you ... 

The light can tailstand with the tailcap installed.










The head is where the action is, of course. The bright blue button is used to activate the light and change modes. The switch is a reverse clicky, and doesn’t require much force to activate.

_UPDATE: As HKJ points out, it is not really a reverse clicky - it is a momentary switch that is programmed to turn the light on/off when you release it. As such, there will a small standby current drain, but it is probably insignificant._

You can see extensive heatsink fins all along the head, which should help with heat exchange. You can also see the contact point for the battery compartment at the base of the head.










Hard to get a good pic without reflections, but the massive smooth reflector is gorgeous. :kiss: Perfectly smooth, this should provide extensive throw with a wide spillbeam. :thumbsup:

And of course, at the heart of this beast is the new Luminus SST-90 “Phlatlight” LED. I’m looking forward to running this emitter through its paces. :devil: 

To begin, time for the requisite white wall hunting. *Obviously, the SR90 was not meant to be used up-close on a wall. But I’ve taken a few different kinds of shots to show some general principles (e.g. beam dispersion, overall output comparison, tint differences, etc.).*

*UP-CLOSE BEAMSHOTS:* 

Since the closest comparator for the SR90 is a HID, below is close-up show showing a comparison between the SR90 on Hi and my Titanium Innovations L35. Distance is about 0.5 meters from a white wall. 














Again, this is only to show the differing beam profiles – note for example that the L35 HID has a much wider field of illumination than the SR90 (or any other LED), and has an off-white warm color temperature (4200K).

To compare to the 2x18650 multi-emitter class, I have taken some shots of the SR90 *on Lo*. Distance is about 0.5 meters from a white wall. Note that these were taken at different times for different reviews, so are not necessarily exactly comparable (i.e. distance to wall varies, etc). They are only to help provide a general overview.








































































As you can tell, the SR90 does not reach a focus at 0.5m.  But I think you can tell that the spillbeam width is wider than just about any other high output LED light in my collection. Beam tint is also a pleasing premium cool white on my sample. And as remarkable as it seems, the SR90 on Low (i.e. ~30% output) is a pretty good comparable to many of my (previously) high power LED lights. oo:

*OUTDOOR BEAMSHOTS:*

To better compare the throw and spill of the lights, here are some outdoor shots focused on a point ~ 10 meters from the lights. Again, these were taken at different times for different reviews, so they may look a little different (e.g. I planted a tree at the end of last summer :laughing. 

First, the SR90 on Hi, followed by the L35 HID and my cheapo SunForce “1M candplepower” incan (the latter or equivalent you can typically pick up at any automotive store for <$20):



























Both the SR90 and L35 do an admirable job of lighting up my backyard.  Again, the L35 HID has a noticeable warm tint (~4200K), and is a brighter overall. The cheapo “1M candlepower spotlight” has a warm and highly distorted beam (i.e. more tighly focused with less spill, but with a lot of artefacts and distortions).

And now to compare the SR90 on both Hi and Lo to the 2x18650 multi-emitter LED class:














































































Again, the SR90 on Lo is pretty comparable to many of the 2x18650 multi-emitter lights on Hi. oo:

*LONG-DISTANCE BEAMSHOTS:*

FYI, HKJ has included beamshots of the SR90 along with his other high-output LED and HID lights. I urge you to check out his excellent round-up comparison of these big guns.

_*UPDATE*: Finally got around to doing some additional long-distance beamshots, to show you how the light compares to others in its class. 

Please see my recent 100-yard Outdoor Beamshot review for more details (and additional lights)._
















*User Interface*

The SR90 has a very simple interface: press and release the blue button, the light turns on (and you get blinded if you are not careful). Press and release again to turn off (assuming you can still see what you are doing). :kiss:

While on, press and hold the button for 1 sec to switch between the Lo and Hi output states. To activate the “hidden” full-power strobe mode, do a quick double-press while on. Repeat these steps to switch back to other modes. 

The light has mode memory, and retains the last output setting for you turn it back on.






Full-power strobe was measured at a highly distracting 9.5 Hz. :sweat:

I was unable to detect any sign of PWM with my setup. This means that either current-control is used for the Lo mode, or it uses PWM and the frequency is above my detection range. Either way, you won’t need to worry about it. 

*Testing Method:* All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for the extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 5 meters from the lens, using a light meter, and then extrapolated back to estimate values for 1 meter. This is my standard way to present throw on these types of high-output lights, as the beams don't really have a chance to fully converge until typically several meters out

Since some of the other lights take a couple of minutes to settle into their regulated output state, output and throw numbers are taken after 2 mins of continuous runtime.

I can’t provide direct lightbox values for SR90, as it won’t fit in my milk carton lightbox (same goes for the 1M CP spotlight and L35 HID). Instead, I have estimated lightbox output based on a comparison of ceiling bounce numbers to other lights where I can measure both. For runtimes, the larger lights are positioned an inch from the opening of my lightbox, and I adjust the recorded values to the estimated levels based ceiling bounce relative results. This is NOT meant to provide hyper-accurate estimates of output, but it does give you a reasonable good idea of relative performance over the runs.

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*






First off, there is no denying that this is BY FAR the brightest LED light that I have ever seen. oo: In fact, the SR90 Lo mode, which is rated at ~30% max power, is pretty close to many “high output” MC-E/P7 2x18650 lights I have tested. Indeed, throw of the SR90 on Lo pretty much beats all of the other MCE-E/P7 competition on Hi. 

Of course, on Hi is where the SR90 really shines (pun intended!). Olight claims it can throw as far 1000m (i.e. 1 km!), and I believe it could at least approach close to this (note I haven't tested it myself). While it doesn’t seem to match the L35 HID in term of overall output or throw, it certainly is closer to an HID than the previous generation LEDs.

In terms of throw, the estimated 112,500 lux at 1m on Hi is very impressive (note that I measured at 5m to allow the beam to converge, and then worked back for the 1m estimate). But I do not believe the L35 HID really throws twice as far - there are isolated "hot spots" within the irregular center of the HID's beam which the lux meter picks up at 5m. Over longer distances, I suspect you will find the throw difference is not as great as that, but I haven't tested that directly. 

Although my ceiling bounce method is not a perfect measure by any means, I think the relative lumen estimates for the SR90 are petty good as emitter/“bulb” lumens (as opposed to actually measured out-the-front lumens). The 700 lumen estimate for the SR90 on Lo is fairly consistent with earlier generation lights that claimed comparable 700+ “bulb lumen” outputs. And the 2200 lumen estimate for the SR90 on Hi seems proportionately about right, compared to the 3500 bulb lumen estimate for the L35 HID.

Bottom line, I think Olight’s lumen estimates are consistent with other makers who quote “bulb” lumens.

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*










I am always pleasantly surprised with when my runtimes meet or exceed manufacturer’s specs (at comparable output levels). In this case, runtime on Hi exceeded their estimate (i.e. my 93 mins vs 80 mins spec). Lo mode runtime was pretty much bang on (i.e. my 8 hours 51 mins vs their 9 hours spec). :thumbsup:

*Potential Issues*

The SR90 is a large and heavy light – you may find it rather unwieldy to carry and use, depending on your hand size and arm strength (note the specs – it’s over 1.5 kg). I’d recommend use of the included should strap, which attaches to both ends of the light.

There is no DC car adapter included with the light, so you will need to have a source of AC power to recharge.

Recharge time for a depleted battery was about 4.5 hours in my testing (i.e. from the point when the protection circuit has been tripped, to when the green light comes on the charging transformer). This is not unreasonable, given the storage capacity of the cell.

*Preliminary Observations*

What can I say – the beamshots and runtime graphs speak for themselves. The SR90 fully lives up the specifications from the manufacturer. :bow:

The SST-90 is the first LED that can truly give HIDs a run for their money. Yes, the SR90 is not as bright as even an entry-level HID, and doesn’t have as wide a beam dispersion pattern. But it still has plenty of output and throw, and brings with it all the benefits of LED light. 

Chief among those advantages are the potential ability to run at wider range of output levels (just two so far on the SR90, but they are well chosen – I don’t need a moon-mode here ). Other benefits include instant-on (without the slow ramp of HIDs over a couple of mins), excellent consistent cool white tint (without the considerable color tint-shift of HIDs during ramp-up), and a smooth and even beam (without the noticeable artifacts and distortions in output and color across a HID’s beam). 

You also get to keep the more traditional flashlight shape here - HIDs require a ballast to act as step-up transformer, adding to bulk and dimensional thickness. Note also that a ballast typically adds a noticeable hum during the operation of a HID light. How noticeable this is can vary with the manufacturer’s choice of material (and the hearing sensitivity of the flashaholic), but it is pretty hard to completely eliminate. In contrast, my SR90 is whisper silent on all modes. 

While the SR90 might look like it is easier to carry, note that the weight remains solidly in HID territory (i.e. just over 1.5 kg in this case). This is due to the heavy-duty power pack (6x18650) and massive heatsink/reflector. This is clearly not a pocket or belt pouch light - unless you enjoy having your pants fall down. :laughing:

Aside from the weight and bulk of the light, I can’t think of anything that would be a negative – build quality is extremely high on my sample. The light does get warm in usage on Hi, but not uncomfortably so. And the ergonomic placement and feel of the button switch is good, as well as the hand grippiness (if that’s a word). Price is obviously more than a traditional LED, but relatively cheap by quality HID standards. 

And I really like the fact that the Lo mode of the SR90 is comparable in output and throw to the Hi modes of earlier MC-E/P7/SST-50 lights. Thanks to efficiency gains of running the SST-90 at lower drive levels, along with triple the battery source (i.e. 6-cell 18650 instead of 2x18650), this translates into about 6-7 times the runtime of a traditional 2x18650 light on Hi! oo:

As for the Hi output, I look forward to the comments of those with more experience of HIDs. I suspect the SR90, and other SST-90 based lights, will drastically eat into the market of lower wattage HIDs. Please feel free to discuss … 

At the end of day, a very impressive first outing by Olight for a SST-90 Phlatlight-equipped light.


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## orbital

+

*The fact that the SR90 has flat regulation, with that level of output,
is simply stunning!
*
Selfbuilt, many thanks for your valuable reviews...:twothumbs


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## orbital

double post


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## MattK

Epic!


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## easilyled

Thanks for your very comprehensive review, selfbuilt. :thumbsup:

Its always a bit of a gamble when buying a light upfront before feedback and reviews have arrived, but having done so in the case of the Olight SR90, 
I feel that I hit the jackpot and your review reinforces that feeling. 

My only surprise is that your measurements have the L35 throwing nearly twice as far. 
From looking at the long-distance beamshots in HKJ's comparison pictures, this didn't appear to me to be the case.


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## selfbuilt

easilyled said:


> My only surprise is that your measurements have the L35 throwing nearly twice as far.
> From looking at the long-distance beamshots in HKJ's comparison pictures, this didn't appear to me to be the case.


I don't think the L35 really throws twice as far - there are isolated "hot spots" within the irregular center of the HID's beam which the lux meter picks up, even at 5m. Basically, I suspect you are looking at an artifact of only measuring at 5m. Over longer distances, you will likely find the throw difference is not as great as that. I'll update the review text to make that point.

Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to take them both out to an unpopulated area to test (don't think my neighbors would appreciate shots up against their houses ). HKJ does an excellent job on long-distance beamshots, so I would tend to trust his views.


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## AardvarkSagus

Excellent review there Selfbuilt. I've got one in the works as well, but I always love reading your impressions as well. I completely agree that this light is extremely comparable to many of the previous "high" output lights. Great work documenting everything!


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## HKJ

Nice review, and thanks for the link to my comparison.

I have a few comments:
You write that the SR90 has a reverse switch, that is not really correct, it has a momentary switch and it is programmed to turn the light on/off when you release it. The momentary switch is required due to the way the UI works. This type of switch will have a small standby drain (It is the same for the battery meter), but the drain is probably insignificant.

You guess about the weight is very good, my scale says 1585 gram.

I concur with you about pwm, it is current regulated.

The ceiling bounce test of L35 and SR90 does match my ceiling bounce test very closely.


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## mpkav

Great review selfbuilt!!! I love my SR90, I'm a police officer so I take her to work with me. It's safe to say everyone is amazed by this light. This light is described as a "search and rescue" light so I decided to stop on a bridge the other night over the White River to see the results. This is a pretty dark area, the river is probably 75 yards wide with a steady current. We have a good amount of people that end up in the river for one reason or another. I took the Sr90 out and started to sweep the banks from the bridge and I was amazed!!!! You can see objects along the banks for a very long distance and the spill gives plenty of light in the water. I think it will be very easy to spot someone in the water with this light!!! I am very happy with it, I just need a pelican case to protect her!!!!!!!


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## Litbobber

Wonderful review and pics!! god i love reading stuff like this.
Thank you!


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## selfbuilt

AardvarkSagus said:


> Excellent review there Selfbuilt. I've got one in the works as well, but I always love reading your impressions as well. I completely agree that this light is extremely comparable to many of the previous "high" output lights. Great work documenting everything!


Thanks - looking forward to seeing your review as well. 



HKJ said:


> You write that the SR90 has a reverse switch, that is not really correct, it has a momentary switch and it is programmed to turn the light on/off when you release it. The momentary switch is required due to the way the UI works. This type of switch will have a small standby drain (It is the same for the battery meter), but the drain is probably insignificant. ...
> The ceiling bounce test of L35 and SR90 does match my ceiling bounce test very closely.


Good info about the switch - I've added an update to that section with your comments. It doesn't feel like a traditional reverse clicky - nice feel, easy to operate. 

And glad to see your ceiling bounce numbers match.  



mpkav said:


> Great review selfbuilt!!! I love my SR90, I'm a police officer so I take her to work with me. It's safe to say everyone is amazed by this light. This light is described as a "search and rescue" light so I decided to stop on a bridge the other night over the White River to see the results. This is a pretty dark area, the river is probably 75 yards wide with a steady current. We have a good amount of people that end up in the river for one reason or another. I took the Sr90 out and started to sweep the banks from the bridge and I was amazed!!!! You can see objects along the banks for a very long distance and the spill gives plenty of light in the water. I think it will be very easy to spot someone in the water with this light!!! I am very happy with it, I just need a pelican case to protect her!!!!!!!


Thanks for sharing - always appreciate the real-life perspective. :thumbsup:

And good point about the pelican case - although the included case looks fairly showy, it isn't really that solid. I doubt it would hold up to much real world use/abuse.


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## Dioni

Thanks for the awaited review of this revolutionary flashlight! :twothumbs
Nice as always!


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## DM51

Great review! This is a high-quality and very impressive item from Olight, with plenty of thoughtful features - for example, the battery SOC indicator, the battery safety/dust cover, and the lugs for attaching the shoulder-strap (at >3 lbs, the shoulder strap will be useful.)

I would love to see comparison beamshots at a longer distance vs. some HIDs. As you say, it's the first production LED light to pose some competition to them, and I'm sure there will be keen interest in how it performs at long distances.

1 question: can the battery pack be user-disassembled for replacing cells, or is it a sealed unit?


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## jirik_cz

Nice to see a full review of this light. :thumbsup:


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## selfbuilt

DM51 said:


> I would love to see comparison beamshots at a longer distance vs. some HIDs. As you say, it's the first production LED light to pose some competition to them, and I'm sure there will be keen interest in how it performs at long distances.


From your lips to HKJ's ears  ... He has some great shots compared to a number of HIDs here:
http://www.lygte-info.dk/review/Beamshot 17 big lights 2010-04 UK.html



DM51 said:


> 1 question: can the battery pack be user-disassembled for replacing cells, or is it a sealed unit?


As near as I can tell, it is a sealed unit. So, you would need an entirely new handle if you wanted a "spare" battery cell. I'll ask Matt if he knows anything more ...

_UPDATE: Actually, the tailcap is removable from the battery pack:_


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## don.gwapo

This thread sure is put many into silence, rejoice, excitement that this much awaited, want, debated light is finally reviewed in full details. Thanks selfbuilt. :twothumbs.


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## HIDblue

Great review selfbuilt. :twothumbs The photos of the SR90 in your hand are almost comical...that thing is HUGE!!!  

2200 lumens with a runtime of 80+ minutes on high...WOW! That is just crazy.


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## DM51

It's big, but then so are HIDs. The SST-90 is a hungry beast, and needs a lot of power. It's also a big LED, so it needs a large reflector.

The great advantage LED has over HID is the instant-on, compared to the sometimes pretty slow warm-up of HID (Polarion excepted).


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## GlobalPlayer

Hello,

another great review,:thanks:
thanks selfbuilt for doing this great stuff (for us):twothumbs

GP


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## jhc37013

This light is incredible I can't imagine another word to describe it. It has lived up to everything Olight said it would and IMO because of the incredible regulation exceeds my exceptions. Great review should put many minds at ease and many more minds in chaos trying to figure out just how to afford one.


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## headophile

excellent review as always! :thanks:

i, too, was surprised by the near-perfect flat regulation. olight did a damn great job on this light 

i want one now more than ever


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## amraspalantir

thanks for a most informative review
hope our dealer has a unit here.


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## UberLumens

Can you use the SR90 while charging?

and

Great review Thanks SB


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## selfbuilt

HIDblue said:


> Great review selfbuilt. :twothumbs The photos of the SR90 in your hand are almost comical...that thing is HUGE!!!


Yeah, this is where hand shots are a necessity - from the overall shape, you would never know how large it was!

Incidentally, while I have tried to emphasize the weight here, it may not be as bad as some expect. My daughter picked it up last night, and her first comments were that it wasn't as heavy as she thought it would be.



DM51 said:


> It's big, but then so are HIDs. The SST-90 is a hungry beast, and needs a lot of power. It's also a big LED, so it needs a large reflector.


Good points - although I suspect they went with such a large reflector because they needed a large thermal mass in the head to act as a heatsink, given the current flow. Probably a bit of a chicken-vs-the-egg issue, I suppose - I'm just glad they went with both in the end (i.e. big heatsink and big reflector).

Oh, and I just double-checked my light - the tailcap does indeed unscrew, leaving you with just the handle portion with the battery inside. Also note the retaining ring holding the battery inside the handle (a similar ring was present at the other end of the battery pile). It is thus possible that you can get it out from the handle (but I don't plan to try this unless Olight give me the go-ahead). It would be great if Olight made "spares" available for purchase, one way or the other. 








headophile said:


> i, too, was surprised by the near-perfect flat regulation. olight did a damn great job on this light


I agree - great job on both regulation and runtime, at both output levels.

I also like the Lo mode output level, given how comparable it is to the previous generation lights. And I'm particularly impressed that they could get more than 6 times the runtime on low, with only 3 times the battery capacity.

Now I'm just waiting for someone to complain about the lack of a moonlight mode ... :laughing:



UberLumens said:


> Can you use the SR90 while charging?


I don't know if you are _supposed to_, but you certainly can. I accidentally left it plugged in for half an hour during a Hi mode runtime , and it added about 14 mins to the total length of the run. A bit surprising that it added so much, given that it takes ~4.5 hours to fully charge the light.

In any case, I don't recommend you do this without confirmation and more info from the manufacturer - I will check with Matt to see what Olight thinks.


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## Gryffin

Ho hum, another day, another amazing SelfBuilt review… :thumbsup:

If these dang lights get any brighter, you're gonna have to invest in some welding goggles to do your testing. I bet you spent much of last week with spots burned into your retinas! oo:

While the M90's performance is stunning, what impresses me most is the power system: by using a laptop-like "smart" battery pack instead of loose cells, we get all the advantages of lithium ion cells, in a manner that's safe enough for the wider consumer market. 

I wonder how long until some enterprising electronics manufacturers start putting their laptop power controller chipsets on round PCBs? The downside, I suppose, is that such smart battery packs wold be model specific, or at least manufacturer specific. Loose cells are certainly cheaper and more flexible, even if they require a bit more care to use.


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## Geode

Holy bat, cowman! What a review. What a light.

I can't think of a use for this light cannon yet, but I am working on some kind of rationale for buying it.


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## gswitter

Gryffin said:


> While the M90's performance is stunning, what impresses me most is the power system: by using a laptop-like "smart" battery pack instead of loose cells, we get all the advantages of lithium ion cells, in a manner that's safe enough for the wider consumer market.


We hope. Laptop packs have hardly been free of failures.

Ideally, I'd rather see lithium cells bundled in packs with proper electronics to monitor them, and the light manufacturer's label (and reputation) attached to it. So in that sense, this is a positive development. But, the pack is only going to be as good as its worst cell, and the failure of a single cell will mean a very expensive replacement.

I got to see an SR90 in the wild last night. It was impressive.


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## Daylight

Astonished, amazed, almost surprised, but most grateful for this detailed and *long-awaited* review.

Today there is a before and an after in my flashaholic life, now i know that a SR90 certainly will be mine, it's time to order one.

If Olight decide someday make an aspherical head for this flashlight in 100mm diameter (better than THIS) my happiness will reach the climax. Please, please, please Olight read this 

Thank you so much for this great work Selfbuilt!!!

:bow::bow::bow::bow:


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## Patriot

Staggeringly comprehensive Selfbuilt. Once again and to no surprise, you've outdone yourself.  :thumbsup: :goodjob:

Thanks so much for enlightening guys like me who have neither the time, resources nor skills to assemble such a monument of excellent information. 





> *Selfbuilt*
> As for the Hi output, I look forward to the comments of those with more experience of HIDs. I suspect the SR90, and other SST-90 based lights, will drastically eat into the market of lower wattage HIDs. Please feel free to discuss …



The SST-90 in collaboration with Olight have pretty much rendered the 24-26W HID light class obsolete. The only slight advantage that this range of HID's can maintain is in their smaller size since it's not feasible for the SST-90 to run at 10A in a light the size of the Boxer24W. It could be done with IMR cells but the run-time on high would have to be actively regulated to prevent damage. I'm sure the next large format single die LEDs will run cooler and more efficiently allowing LED to overcome this final HID size advantage. 35W HID lights may very well be next on the obsolete list in a couple of years if diode surface brightness keeps increasing.


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## MattK

selfbuilt said:


> The tailcap is removable, which adds hope to me that separate battery packs may eventually be offered for sale. It would be great to be able to pick up a "spare" cell/handle to carry off with you ...



The spare batteries will be available next week. We actually HAVE them but our webmaster's wife had a baby last week so we're a little behind on these things. They should be available this week.


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## selfbuilt

:grouphug: Thanks for the support everyone!



Geode said:


> Holy bat, cowman! What a review. What a light.


:laughing:



Daylight said:


> Today there is a before and an after in my flashaholic life, now i know that a SR90 certainly will be mine, it's time to order one.


It certainly does seem like a game changer, doesn't it? We finally have a single LED that has ventured into HID territory. Pardon the pun,  but the future does look bright ...



Patriot said:


> The SST-90 in collaboration with Olight have pretty much rendered the 24-26W HID light class obsolete. The only slight advantage that this range of HID's can maintain is in their smaller size since it's not feasible for the SST-90 to run at 10A in a light the size of the Boxer24W. It could be done with IMR cells but the run-time on high would have to be actively regulated to prevent damage. I'm sure the next large format single die LEDs will run cooler and more efficiently allowing LED to overcome this final HID size advantage. 35W HID lights may very well be next on the obsolete list in a couple of years if diode surface brightness keeps increasing.


Yes, a good analysis methinks. It some ways it is more the proof of concept here ... I think it will be the subsequent LED advances that really make their mark.



MattK said:


> The spare batteries will be available next week. We actually HAVE them but our webmaster's wife had a baby last week so we're a little behind on these things. They should be available this week.


----------



## NaturalMystic

Thanks once again for a detailed review. That thing is a beast! Looks like it vaporized the tree in your backyard! It's there in the first posted pics then gone in the subsequent ones! (I know, I know, the ones without the tree are older shots!)

Cheers,


----------



## Juggernaut

Saw this beast of a light at PF14, have to say this is one of the most intense LED lights I have ever seen, only comparable to such lights at the DEFT, and WiseLED Tactical. “From first hand experience”, however I have to say while it throws many times better then my aspheric Tiablo A9, it will not throw 1,000 yards, The furthest tree line at Milky’s house is 860 yards away and this light could not make it out that far however it easily made out the trees at 600 yards. Not trying to put it down, but just stating what I perceived. It made my 35 watt Oracle look like a flood light “the SR90 easily beat it in throw too:thumbsup:!”


----------



## selfbuilt

Juggernaut said:


> while it throws many times better then my aspheric Tiablo A9, it will not throw 1,000 yards, The furthest tree line at Milky’s house is 860 yards away and this light could not make it out that far however it easily made out the trees at 600 yards. Not trying to put it down, but just stating what I perceived. It made my 35 watt Oracle look like a flood light “the SR90 easily beat it in throw too:thumbsup:!”


Thanks for the first-hand experience. Good to know the throw was significant, even if it doesn't seem to live up to the 1000m claim. Realistically, I don't see why you would need that far (unless the light also came with a built-in set of binoculars - now that would be an innovative design! :laughing.


----------



## Juggernaut

selfbuilt said:


> Thanks for the first-hand experience. Good to know the throw was significant, even if it doesn't seem to live up to the 1000m claim. Realistically, I don't see why you would need that far (unless the light also came with a built-in set of binoculars - now that would be an innovative design! :laughing.



Trust me, it throws further then almost anyone could ever need!


----------



## selfbuilt

So anyone else with first-hand experience of this light?


----------



## AardvarkSagus

selfbuilt said:


> So any else with first-hand experience of this light?


Getting there. Working on a couple of other things while I gather impressions.


----------



## Grubrunner

What a great review.... what an amazing light!

Kudos!


----------



## HKJ

selfbuilt said:


> _UPDATE: As HKJ points out, it is not really a reverse clicky - it is a momentary switch that is programmed to turn the light on/off when you release it. As such, there will a small standby current drain, but it is probably insignificant._



I got around to measure (and reviewing in Danish) the SR90 and checked the standby current, it is completely insignificant: Head 3uA, backend 3.8 uA, the battery could supply that current for more than 100 years, if it lasted that long.


----------



## easilyled

HKJ said:


> I got around to measure (and reviewing in Danish) the SR90 and checked the standby current, it is completely insignificant: Head 3uA, backend 3.8 uA, the battery could supply that current for more than 100 years, it it lasted that long.



Thanks HKJ, using "Google Translate" set on Danish to English, I was able to understand a very large part of your review.


----------



## selfbuilt

HKJ said:


> I got around to measure (and reviewing in Danish) the SR90 and checked the standby current, it is completely insignificant: Head 3uA, backend 3.8 uA, the battery could supply that current for more than 100 years, if it lasted that long.


Good to know - thanks for checking and reporting back here. :thumbsup:

And nice job on the review (all the pics look great, as always). I know everyone especially appreciates all your detailed technical evaluations (and your outdoor shots ).

And interesting observation on the case (Danish post must be especially rough!). It definitely is not as high-end as one might hope of a light of this quality, but I suppose it's an understandable compromise to keep the cost down. Glad to see your light was ok!



easilyled said:


> Thanks HKJ, using "Google Translate" set on Danish to English, I was able to understand a very large part of your review.


Yes, I definitely recommend everyone give it a shot. :thumbsup:


----------



## AardvarkSagus

Since most people seem to congregate here at your excellent reviews, Selfbuilt, do you mind if I also link to MY REVIEW?


----------



## selfbuilt

AardvarkSagus said:


> Since most people seem to congregate here at your excellent reviews, Selfbuilt, do you mind if I also link to MY REVIEW?


By all means - the more the merrier! 

Nice write-up of your impressions (I also like the grassy background pics).

A bit of trivia - I see your shoulder strap has the same blue-thread stitched Olight insignia as mine, but HKJs has the more traditional red and white Olight colors. Personally, I prefer the more subdued blue color - not that the light doesn't garner more than enough attention on its own!


----------



## easilyled

Just to add a little insignificant info regarding the shoulder-strap attachment rings .....

They are definitely not brass. Mine were very slightly scuffed when I received the light so I smoothed down the flat edges that were accessible and the coating soon rubbed off to reveal silver underneath. Looks quite nice actually 

So they probably are made of stainless steel.


----------



## toby_pra

Thats a heavy baby, with lots of power!


----------



## AusKipper

The only problem with it, from my point of view, is the "propitiatory" battery pack. I tend to avoid any product with such a battery pack like the plague.

A few years down the track Olight may go bust, or the may stop making it, and then once the pack "wears out" (as they all do) i'm stuck with a very expensive paper weight 

If they could make a pack in the future that enables me to put "regular" batteries in it (AA/CR123/18650, i dont care what) i would probably consider getting one, but for now my TK40 shall have to do.

Maybe 4Sevens will release a Maelstrom one day though.. lol


----------



## easilyled

AusKipper said:


> A few years down the track Olight may go bust, or the may stop making it, and then once the pack "wears out" (as they all do) i'm stuck with a very expensive paper weight



There are always ways round these situations. A battery pack of 6 18650s would not be difficult for one of CPF's battery experts to make up.


----------



## MattK

AusKipper said:


> The only problem with it, from my point of view, is the "propitiatory" battery pack. I tend to avoid any product with such a battery pack like the plague.
> 
> If they could make a pack in the future that enables me to put "regular" batteries in it (AA/CR123/18650, i dont care what) i would probably consider getting one, but for now my TK40 shall have to do.



The SR90 has a specially made pack for a number of very good reasons. As this has has already been discussed ad nauseum in other threads I'll not repeat myself and others here but the information is easily found.

I wonder though - do you have a laptop? A cell phone? 

Since 'regular' batteries cannot, for the most part, support the current requirements this level of output requires your point is irrelevant. The light would either need to run at a lower power or use a TON of batteries.


----------



## AusKipper

MattK said:


> The SR90 has a specially made pack for a number of very good reasons. As this has has already been discussed ad nauseum in other threads I'll not repeat myself and others here but the information is easily found.
> 
> I wonder though - do you have a laptop? A cell phone?
> 
> Since 'regular' batteries cannot, for the most part, support the current requirements this level of output requires your point is irrelevant. The light would either need to run at a lower power or use a TON of batteries.



I have a $30 cell phone and a laptop.

If the cell phone battery dies, $30 is not a major loss, if the laptop battery dies, its a non-issue because 99% of the time I have it plugged into the power.

The reason I have such a cheap phone actually is because I tend to break my phones a lot, and my last $200 "trade phone" didnt last as long as what 5 "cheap" phones will last.

Anyway, back on topic, I did buy a rechargeable spotlight once with a propitiatory battery pack, that was a useless paper weight after 12 months (runtime went from about 20 mins to about 5) and ever since then I have avoided such things.

I think my concern is legitimate, and i'm sure others share it.


----------



## MattK

You don't have a $30 cell phone - you have a $300 cell phone that was subvented by your CONTRACT with your service provider.

-There's no reason to think Olight would disappear. 
-There's any number of elctronics 'experts' who could repair an Olight SR90 pack and or replace it's batteries.

Lastly, and please go read the other SR90 threads there's a number of very good reasons the SR90 uses a pack instead of loose cells.


----------



## HKJ

MattK said:


> Lastly, and please go read the other SR90 threads there's a number of very good reasons the SR90 uses a pack instead of loose cells.



This thread describes one reason to use a pack with build in protection, instead of lots of 18650 cells.


----------



## selfbuilt

HKJ said:


> This thread describes one reason to use a pack with build in protection, instead of lots of 18650 cells.


Yes - good point. :duck:

Personally, I'm not comfortable actually running anything that requires more than 2x3.7V Li-ion cells (and vastly prefer running lights in 1x3.7V mode whenever possible). The problem of mismatched individual cells (even protected ones) is not something I like to deal with. No matter how carefully you try to balance things, there's always a risk (and yes, even in 2x). But that risk just rises with every extra cell.

For something with the power draw of the SR90, a dedicated power pack with a built-in protection circuit is the only thing that makes sense to me. Just not worth the risk of carrying a potential hand-grenade of 6x18650 individual cells otherwise. 

This is an important discussion to have, since people may not appreciate the risk of multi-cell setups where each cell is charged independently. A dedicated battery pack with one protection circuit (much like your laptop battery pack, or the SR90 here) is the only safe way to go.


----------



## AusKipper

MattK said:


> You don't have a $30 cell phone - you have a $300 cell phone that was subvented by your CONTRACT with your service provider.
> 
> -There's no reason to think Olight would disappear.
> -There's any number of elctronics 'experts' who could repair an Olight SR90 pack and or replace it's batteries.
> 
> Lastly, and please go read the other SR90 threads there's a number of very good reasons the SR90 uses a pack instead of loose cells.



No, I do have a $30 pre-paid cell phone (I purchased it unlocked, without a sim card) (Motorolla W156)

Olight doesnt have to dissapear, let me give you another example.

10 years ago (or so) I purchased a Panasonic MP3 player that runs on AA batteries. It still works.

SINCE i purchased that, Apple released their first I-Pod, which 3 years later users would realize that it has an non-replaceable battery, and as a result they had all spent $300 on a paperweight.

As a result of the uproar, Apple now makes it ipods with a replacable battery BUT its still not user changable and has to be sent to an apple service centre. This has satisfied many people (but of course not me).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod



> iPod batteries are not designed to be removed or replaced by the user, although some users have been able to open the case themselves, usually following instructions from third-party vendors of iPod replacement batteries. Compounding the problem, Apple initially would not replace worn-out batteries. The official policy was that the customer should buy a refurbished replacement iPod, at a cost almost equivalent to a brand new one. All lithium-ion batteries eventually lose capacity during their lifetime[80] (guidelines are available for prolonging life-span) and this situation led to a market for third-party battery replacement kits.
> Apple announced a battery replacement program on 14 November 2003, a week before[81] a high publicity stunt and website by the Neistat Brothers.[82] The initial cost was US$99,[83] and it was lowered to US$59 in 2005. One week later, Apple offered an extended iPod warranty for US$59.[84] For the iPod Nano, soldering tools are needed because the battery is soldered onto the main board. Fifth generation iPods have their battery attached to the backplate with adhesive.[85][86]


$60 to change a battery on my MP3 player? get f'd, i'll put up with my 10 year old AA walkman

It is now almost impossible to buy MP3 players that run on common batteries, so clearly their is a reason for companies to make products with non-replaceable batteries (or batteries that are not standard), but I just refuse to buy them.

Obviously i'm different  (and yes, of course I realise an MP3 player is not a torch, but the basis of my argument is still the same, if I want a working Olight SR90 10 years from now, i'm going to have to spend more than the cost of 6 18650 batteries.)


----------



## AusKipper

selfbuilt said:


> This is an important discussion to have, since people may not appreciate the risk of multi-cell setups where each cell is charged independently. A dedicated battery pack with one protection circuit (much like your laptop battery pack, or the SR90 here) is the only safe way to go.



What about a pack that is held together by secure torx bits and has a tamper indicator on it? (they could still advertise it as a "battery pack" that you cant get into, but so long as I know its possible, thats good enough)

You break into the battery pack you loose your warranty, but people like me that want the security of knowing I can get working batteries for it in the future at an affordable price can still have that?

Also, if user-replaceable batteries where used, what about NiMH, they are safe? we could have big writing all over it "NiMH only".

There has to be some alternative that keeps both parties happy.


----------



## jirik_cz

Basically every light in this category has a built in battery pack. All for a good reasons.


----------



## MattK

The SR90's battery pack can be disassembled by a knowledgable technician - of course I would never recommend it for a hobbyist who is not familiar with working with lithium ion batteries and does not have the proper equipment.

It would take like 9 NiMh D cells (real 9-10Ah ones - not the ones using AA's and sub C's inside) to power the SR90 - not feasible.

Olight has some future products coming for primary/user replaceable batteries but they won't be as powerful as the SR90. 

Look at other lights with similar power consumption they ALL use integrated pack solutions except the Maxabeam which can also use a $300 primary, non-rechargable military lithium battery pack.


----------



## was.lost.but.now.found

AusKipper said:


> 10 years ago (or so) I purchased a Panasonic MP3 player that runs on AA batteries. It still works.
> 
> SINCE i purchased that, Apple released their first I-Pod, which 3 years later users would realize that it has an non-replaceable battery, and as a result they had all spent $300 on a paperweight.


 
You can't expect to get the latest, most compact and efficient technology without sacrificing something, which is usually ease and cost of repair. You sound no different than the motor heads who complain about the engine compartment of modern cars being so crammed and cluttered with modern electronics and other do-dads. You are more than welcome to continue driving your 1982 F-150 with crank windows, manual tilt mirrors, 5 speed manaul tranny, no back seat with no air conditioning. What you say? When the clutch cable goes out you can fix it in 5 minutes with your eyes closed? Good for you (seriously). Meanwhile I will happily pay extra for all the automated do-dads knowing full well they are more expensive to repair or replace when they break.


----------



## easilyled

AusKipper, if its any consolation to you, I'd imagine that by the time the battery pack does conk out, assuming that you're correct, you'll be able to buy an led light half the size of this Olight SR90 with twice the power since leds continue to evolve. (that is no disrespect to this light which is fantastic)

You could decide to sell your Olight SR90 on the marketplace well before then if you are so worried about it. I'm sure you'd have many bites.


----------



## AusKipper

was.lost.but.now.found said:


> You can't expect to get the latest, most compact and efficient technology without sacrificing something, which is usually ease and cost of repair. You sound no different than the motor heads who complain about the engine compartment of modern cars being so crammed and cluttered with modern electronics and other do-dads. You are more than welcome to continue driving your 1982 F-150 with crank windows, manual tilt mirrors, 5 speed manaul tranny, no back seat with no air conditioning. What you say? When the clutch cable goes out you can fix it in 5 minutes with your eyes closed? Good for you (seriously). Meanwhile I will happily pay extra for all the automated do-dads knowing full well they are more expensive to repair or replace when they break.



In a hypothetical car related scenario I would say its more akin to me complaining about cars in the future, when they are all battery powered (and only battery powered) and every manufacturer having a different battery, and if the battery in my car dies i am forced to buy a battery from the manufacturer at whatever cost they charge instead of being able to purchase my own generic brand of battery.

If the manufacturer has gone out of business or stopped producing that battery I now have either a useless car, or an expensive custom job to make it work again.

Also in this hypothetical scenaro i may have a massive tank full of natural gas stored at my house, but NOONE is making gas powered cars anymore, so I have to find cars that are 10 years old and use them (ie, you try and find a AA powered MP3 player these days, they pretty much dont exist, and it really annoys me, because they know how to make them, they just dont for whatever reason)

The last thing I want to see is all manufactures having battery packs in all their torches.

Anyway, this is a big torch, apparently they need to have a massive battery pack, there are no large large "regular" batteries of the type they need, so they would have to use many small batteries, which is dangerous, so be it. 

They still could have a way to run it directly off the AC though (then if the battery dies, i cant afford a new one, I can just take an inverter along with my in my car, and I can still use it for spotlighting 



easilyled said:


> AusKipper, if its any consolation to you, I'd imagine that by the time the battery pack does conk out, assuming that you're correct, you'll be able to buy an led light half the size of this Olight SR90 with twice the power since leds continue to evolve. (that is no disrespect to this light which is fantastic)
> 
> You could decide to sell your Olight SR90 on the marketplace well before then if you are so worried about it. I'm sure you'd have many bites.



Oh, all battery packs conk out eventually so I am correct  , and yes it is some consolidation, but it would be more consolidation if i knew 10 years from now there was a way to make the one I had work 

Anyway, I dont want to turn this thread into a battery pack vs batteries argument, so no more "contesting" from me 

I am sure its a terrific light, and I am still considering one, I would really like 4sevens to release their Maelstroms so I have something close to compare to (i wonder if they will have batteries, or battery packs).

The SR90 is still the "cutting edge" of technology, so probably a bit expensive at the moment, once the cost of the components has come down it'll probably be higher up on my "to buy" list


----------



## dwminer

"Anyway, I dont want to turn this thread into a battery pack vs batteries argument, so no more "contesting" from me "

To late for that.


----------



## petersmith6

they could alway sell a seperat handle wich takes lose 18650 or an adapter jobby wich would let you run it of a 12volt cigeret lighter socket. that would alow for external replaceable power pack or indefinet runtimes


----------



## Daylight

After spend half the morning to pay customs taxes, my new SR90 from 4sevens is here and is AWESOME, what a massive piece of aluminium, Olight has done a very nice beast :twothumbs

I'm speechless and waiting for the night.

It is as if it had no lens, it reflects nothing, i'm very impressed :huh:


----------



## AusKipper

petersmith6 said:


> or an adapter jobby wich would let you run it of a 12volt cigeret lighter socket. that would alow for external replaceable power pack or indefinet runtimes



That would also be a perfectly acceptable solution in my books  (yes it would limit its use a bit, but it would still be good for spotlighting, and fixed camps (if you had a long enough lead, or ran it off a separate smaller 12v battery))


----------



## wolfy

I have purchased one recently, in a fit of torch addicted madness, and took it to my parents property. The light from the SR90 managed to touch some trees out around 600-700m away (winter dry clear air). I dont see it lighting anything further than that. I also recently got a Legion II SST-50, but it barely throws half that distance (nice light though).

An adapter to run it from a car 12v socket would be kinda cool.


----------



## AardvarkSagus

The SR90 does have a charging adapter for a 12V socket. I didn't try running it directly though. I suspect it wouldn't quite have enough juice to power the light without also depleting the battery a bit at the same time.


----------



## Splunk_Au

people keep saying how amazing the runtime is with the super high output. but are you forgeting its running on 6 18650 batteries?


----------



## easilyled

Splunk_Au said:


> people keep saying how amazing the runtime is with the super high output. but are you forgeting its running on 6 18650 batteries?



I don't suppose anyone is forgetting. (Especially considering how big it is)
LEDs still haven't reached their full potential yet.
In a couple of years, there will be an led-flashlight with the same output and runtime on 3 18650s. Perhaps sooner.

The Olight SR90 should be regarded as a glimpse of things to come. It shows the potential of leds to be used not only for EDCs or general purpose lighting but even to encroach into HID territory.

They are not competing with high-power HIDs yet, but the SR90 shows that it is no longer the impossible feat that people used to think until very recently.


----------



## Daylight

AardvarkSagus said:


> The SR90 does have a charging adapter for a 12V socket. I didn't try running it directly though. I suspect it wouldn't quite have enough juice to power the light without also depleting the battery a bit at the same time.



Came your SR90 with car charger???


----------



## AardvarkSagus

Daylight said:


> Came your SR90 with car charger???


Yes, the SR90 that I reviewed also had an Olight branded DC 12V automotive plug.


----------



## selfbuilt

AardvarkSagus said:


> Yes, the SR90 that I reviewed also had an Olight branded DC 12V automotive plug.


Interesting ... mine didn't come with a car adapter. Don't recall seeing one in HKJ's review either, but I may have missed it.

Maybe they've started shipping with them? :shrug:


----------



## HKJ

selfbuilt said:


> Interesting ... mine didn't come with a car adapter. Don't recall seeing one in HKJ's review either, but I may have missed it.



You are correct, I did not get a car adapter either:


----------



## AardvarkSagus

Well, that's all that was in the dedicated case with mine, but tucked away in the shipping box from 4Sevens was a small box just barely large enough for the car adapter.


----------



## Daylight

I bought the SR90 in 4sevens too, but mine not came with car charger, what a mysterious:candle::candle:


Here you can see the car adapter in a separate plastic bag.


----------



## JimH

selfbuilt said:


> So anyone else with first-hand experience of this light?



I have long complained that LED lights can't throw because they can't turn off a street light? I always assumed it was because LED lights just put out light that was not in a spectrum capable of affecting the sensor for a street light.

I was wrong. They just don't throw enough lumen at a distance (i.e. a true thrower) to get the job done. My latest toy is the SR90, and it will easily turn off a street light. Finally, my quest for an LED thrower is over. I guess LED's have finally grown up.


----------



## Ra

selfbuilt said:


> But I do not believe the L35 HID really throws twice as far - there are isolated "hot spots" within the irregular center of the HID's beam which the lux meter picks up at 5m. Over longer distances, I suspect you will find the throw difference is not as great as that, but I haven't tested that directly.



No, I don't think so eighter: When you want to throw twice as far, you need four times the candlepower ! According to your measurements, the L35 only has twice the candlepower output of the SR90.. So, in theory, the L35 has about 40% better throw..

And: Most people agree that the usable throwdistance is the distance at which 1 lux is measured.. Applying that to your measurements, the SR90 would reach 335 meters, the L35 would reach 475meters.
So, the 1000m throw claim is a bit exaggerated...

But it still is a great light!!


Regards,

Ra.


----------



## JimH

Ra said:


> So, in theory, the L35 has about 40% better throw..



Maybe, and maybe not. Throw also depends a lot on the size, shape, and quality of the reflector.


----------



## king2penn

i would be getting an olight sr90

























in a few years time !
by that time it will be worth the same as a fenix LD20


----------



## shado

I got mine last month and was very impressed. I was surprised it doesn't run hot. The heat sinks do a good job keeping it cool. Thanks for a great review
lovecpf


----------



## z17813

It's too big, it's too heavy, it's too expensive, I don't need it....






:mecry::mecry::mecry: that's just what I keep telling myself cause I want it sooo bad!!!!!

Seriously if I do end up getting one (which is likely as I have limited willpower) this will be the review that convinced me, great write up & awesome light


----------



## JimH

I see the SR91 is coming out - reduced output, reduced size and weight, and longer run time, but still in the same size and weight ball park as the SR90, i.e big and heavy.

In my opinion, if you're going to play in that ball park, you may as well go for the big gun - I did. I'm glad the SR90 came out first so that I didn't have to upgrade to it (very expensive proposition).


----------



## easilyled

JimH said:


> I see the SR91 is coming out - reduced output, reduced size and weight, and longer run time, but still in the same size and weight ball park as the SR90, i.e big and heavy.
> 
> In my opinion, if you're going to play in that ball park, you may as well go for the big gun - I did. I'm glad the SR90 came out first so that I didn't have to upgrade to it (very expensive proposition).



I couldn't agree with you more there. :thumbsup:


----------



## MattK

Lot's of people have commented that they wished the SR90 was smaller. The SR90 cannot really be smaller so they came out with a different version....

IMO 1500L for 3 hours is pretty damned compelling in it's own right.


----------



## easilyled

MattK said:


> Lot's of people have commented that they wished the SR90 was smaller. The SR90 cannot really be smaller so they came out with a different version....
> 
> IMO 1500L for 3 hours is pretty damned compelling in it's own right.



It is and I'm certainly not knocking the SR91. 

However I would personally have felt quite pissed if I'd bought the SR91 and then the SR90 came out, just like JimH said.

This way round, I don't feel so compelled to buy the SR91 because as far as I'm concerned, I have the king of led-lights, output-wise. (which is why I bought the SR90 in the first place)

I'm sure someone that doesn't have either light though could make a case for purchasing either model.


----------



## selfbuilt

MattK said:


> IMO 1500L for 3 hours is pretty damned compelling in it's own right.


Hmmm, I'd be happy to compare them for Olight ...


----------



## MattK

selfbuilt said:


> Hmmm, I'd be happy to compare them for Olight ...



I expect you shall have that opportunity soon.


----------



## AardvarkSagus

selfbuilt said:


> Hmmm, I'd be happy to compare them for Olight ...


That's what I was thinking... from a less technical point of view of course.


----------



## chanjyj

Ra said:


> No, I don't think so eighter: When you want to throw twice as far, you need four times the candlepower ! According to your measurements, the L35 only has twice the candlepower output of the SR90.. So, in theory, the L35 has about 40% better throw..
> 
> And: Most people agree that the usable throwdistance is the distance at which 1 lux is measured.. Applying that to your measurements, the SR90 would reach 335 meters, the L35 would reach 475meters.
> So, the 1000m throw claim is a bit exaggerated...
> 
> But it still is a great light!!
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Ra.



Ra

My SR90 HAS hit near-400m https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/280727.
However, my estimation could also be a tad inaccurate (I was shooting from an 18 story building on a mountain w/ rather steep slopes).


----------



## Ra

chanjyj said:


> Ra
> 
> My SR90 HAS hit near-400m https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/280727.
> However, my estimation could also be a tad inaccurate (I was shooting from an 18 story building on a mountain w/ rather steep slopes).



That's possible, the different SR90's can have different CP outputs due to slight differences in quality.. And 400m is close enough to the theoretics to be possible..


Regards,

Ra.


----------



## selfbuilt

_*UPDATE*: Some additional long-distance beamshots, to show you how the light compares to others in its class. 

Please see my recent 100-yard Outdoor Beamshot review for more details (and additional lights)._


----------



## Pandorum

selfbuilt said:


> Hmmm, I'd be happy to compare them for Olight ...


 
 I can't wait to read it!



MattK said:


> The SR90's battery pack can be disassembled by a knowledgable technician - of course I would never recommend it for a hobbyist who is not familiar with working with lithium ion batteries and does not have the proper equipment.


 
Does that mean it is completely beyond a layperson to accomplish, or just that some info and tools are needed beforehand?


----------



## MattK

Beyond a layperson? No. 
Recommended? No.

A small amount of time doing research on internet forums does not, IMO, qualify a person to work on lithium ion battery pack disassembly, repair, replacement, etc.


----------



## AardvarkSagus

Having handled this one a bit myself, I'd have to agree. Not worth touching it unless you are an actual professional. One of the downfalls of proprietary battery designs. Of course there are plenty of upsides too, like just plugging the light in to charge it and having everything be well balanced and fully charged.


----------



## samgab

Excellent review, thanks! I am enjoying going back and reading all of your reviews, good job! Much appreciated. :twothumbs


----------



## jhc37013

My buddy came over tonight with his SR90 and was a bit upset, here is why.





He said he just picked it up turned it on and nothing, guess it happened when he had it on previously but he said he seen no warning, he just found the LED loose inside the the head. It also got some of the paste on the reflector so that is going to have to be changed out. 

I will get in touch with 4sevens to see what we can do, he is going to look for the receipt tonight but he bought it like 4-6 months ago.

Edit- got it from 47's not BJ


----------



## MikeAusC

Maybe the switch got bumped while it was packed away and it overheated - seriously !


----------



## jhc37013

I asked him that he said no he keeps it in his room on a bookshelf uses it almost everyday and his battery pack still shows 50%.


----------



## AardvarkSagus

Ugh. That is amazingly terrible. I hope you get it sorted out soon.


----------



## srfreddy

hm............. Is that black holder aluminum or copper? It seems unlikely that a drop would cause a small piece of metal to dislodge and break the emitter off. Was that thermal epoxy on the heatsink or just thermal paste? 
Oh, and how does anyone need to use such a  light everyday


----------



## jhc37013

Its paste and he owns a large area of land and people like to use it as their own personal dump and to park like it's a holiday inn, if you know what I mean. He drives past nightly and does a bit of recon.


----------



## Watts Up!

I'm still debating if I should get one of these or get a WiseLED Tactical instead:thinking:


----------



## Mathiashogevold

GI for the WiseLED Tactical 2600 lumen! 

2600 real lumens againdt 1400 real lumens from SR90. The Wiseled is aLso much shorter.


----------



## jirik_cz

Go for SR90 if you want the best throw. SR90 has 110k lux and wiseled only around 40k lux.


----------



## easilyled

I think there is a range of outputs of the Olight SR90 based on the lottery of the SST-90 used.

I was told by the dealer I bought mine from in Europe, that since I am a good customer, she gave me one that was one of the three best performers that she had in stock. (She had a large stock of them at the time)

The output on mine seems quite a lot brighter than my Led_Zeppelin Tri-P7-M6 light and bigchelis measured that particular light at 1700 OTF lumens.

So, I'm not convinced that all SR90s are the same. Mine is absolutely spectacular in its output.

As jirik_cz also mentioned, the throw will trump any Maglite-sized light too.


----------



## billcushman

The following is a response from Olight to questions I had regarding the SR90.

"Thanks for your inquiry.
The Luminus Part Number of the SST-90 emitter used in the SR90 is SST-90-W65S-F11-WN.

Operating Current:
High mode: 8.4A+/- 5% 
Low mode: 1.7A +/- 5%

Thanks & Best Regards

Olight Technology Co., Ltd"

At a current of 8.4A, the emitter output is about 2.5X the output at the standard test current, according to the Luminus data sheet for the SST-90. The WN output bin is specified to have an output of 1000 lumens minimum and 1200 lumens maximum at the standard test current. The WN flux bin is the highest SST-90 output bin.

This results in a emitter output of 2500 lumens minimum and 3000 lumens maximum.


----------



## billcushman

I took some quick measurements on the Olight SR90 set to High using my Spectroradiometer.

At 5 meters:
x=.3051
y=.3285
CCT=6931K
illuminance=5600.86 lux
illuminance=520.53 foot-candles
illuminance=8.20 W/sq. meter
irradiance=1809.22 microwatts/sq cm.

At 1 meter:
x=.3135
y=.3461
CCT=6348K
illuminance=77257.14 lux
illuminance=7180.03 foot-candles
illuminance=113.11 W/sq. meter
irradiance=23807.08 microwatts/sq. cm.


----------



## jirik_cz

billcushman said:


> At 5 meters:
> illuminance=5600.86 lux



So your SR90 has actually 140 000 candela. Cool :thumbsup:


----------



## billcushman

I just returned from a visit to a well known supplier in Pearland (Houston TX area). I showed them the Olight SR90 and we compared it to the ArcMania X6 and the ThruNite Catapult V2. With the SR90 set to Low, it was about the same brightness as the Catapult V2 on high or the ArcMania X6 with the smallest possible spot. The size of the spot on the ArcMania X6 was about twice the diameter of the central spot of the SR90. All three lights were projecting on the opposite white wall of the store, about 40 to 50 feet away. When the SR90 was set to high it was much brighter than either of the others.


----------



## cujet

I recently picked up the SR-90. I have no way to measure or compare it to others. However, It's exactly what I needed. A spotlight with instant on capablity for finding gators, as they will submerge within a few seconds. The instant on really sealed the deal for me

I'm beyond impressed with this thing. It outlasts my 100W "night blaster" by a factor of 20. It seems to be every bit as bright. I drove all around the airport on the golf cart late at night. The light lasted all night with a good mix of low and high. High really is too much for long term night use. 

I don't find the size to be an issue at all. It's really not that much bigger than a 3 cell mag. The light will easily illuminate the dark pine trees on the other side of the runway/taxiway/airport grounds (1800 feet). 

The bottom line is that this light works perfectly and is more than bright enough for serious spotlight use.


----------



## selfbuilt

> Written by *Scottcenfla* on 11-05-2010 09:59 AM GMT
> 
> Selfbuilt, thank you for taking the time for a very informative review. Very generous of you. Got one on order from BJ. :thumbsup:





> Written by *goldenbrown* on 11-10-2010 09:34 AM GMT
> 
> What a great review
> 
> golden





> Written by *stallion2* on 11-12-2010 04:39 PM GMT
> 
> to whom it may concern, i've been using this light all summer and it has been perfect. my primary reason for getting this light was to use when spearing. we've been able to run this light 30+ minutes at a time countless times and the light has suffered no ill effects. the head gets pretty warm but by no means hot. it takes roughly 10-15 minutes to reach a stable operating temperature...it certainly seems to make the most of its mass. the efficiency loss w/ heat is inconsequential. it really is a pretty kick-*** light which becomes even more apparent if you can find a regular use for it beyond just saying, "hey guys, watch this"





> Written by *MattK* on 11-12-2010 10:09 PM GMT
> 
> Yah, very few new lights that come home for me to test/play with stay - the SR90 has earned a permanent spot in my home.
> 
> It's awesome for night golf BTW.





> Written by *Richwouldnt* on 12-04-2010 05:17 PM GMT
> 
> A great review, thanks. The time involved looks like it took many hours of work.
> 
> One item not listed in the specifications is the diameter of the battery pack or handle. Scaling from the photo that includes the Maglite D cell flashlight it looks like the grip area diameter on the SR90 is about 2" or 50mm in diameter. Can anyone verify that and/give an accurate measurement please.


----------



## selfbuilt

> Written by *HKJ* on 12-05-2010 04:17 AM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> Richwouldnt said:
> 
> 
> 
> Scaling from the photo that includes the Maglite D cell flashlight it looks like the grip area diameter on the SR90 is about 2" or 50mm in diameter. Can anyone verify that and/give an accurate measurement please.
> 
> 
> 
> Very good guess, I measure it at 48.5 mm on top of the knobs. Very good guess, I measure it at 48.5 mm on top of the knobs.
Click to expand...




> Written by *Richwouldnt* on 12-06-2010 05:06 PM GMT
> 
> Mine arrived in todays mail. Ordered through Amazon from Outfitter Country in Toledo, OH. They and another Amazon vendor have the best price I have seen by about $50. They also had very fast shipping on it, I ordered it on the 2nd, it shipped by Priority Mail on the 3rd and was delivered in Nevada today, 12/6. Quite well packed too and shipping was less than $6.00.
> 
> The SR90 has immediately given every other flashlight in the house a inferiority complex. It shouts "size does matter"!  The size is deceptive in the photos as everything is oversized. Proportionally it looks about like a 2D Maglite if there is nothing in the picture to compare it to. My 4D Maglite could only mutter "well at least I am taller". oo:
> 
> Some items not yet covered in the review or other posts in this thread so far as I know.
> 
> Mine arrived with the battery indicating full charge.
> 
> The striking bezel is not glued on. Mine unscrewed with moderate pressure and then the reflector lifts right out. Olight could make a orange peel finish reflector available it appears.
> 
> The shipping case is 14 5/8" by 8 3/8" by 4 5/8" external dimensions excluding hinges. latches and handle. The separator foam with the cutouts is very dense and stiff foam. Overall it looks like a lightweight version of some aluminum shell camera equipment or tool cases I have seen.
> 
> All threads are well lubed but I have ordered some silicone grease for maintenance of all of my flashlight threads and O rings. The manual says one spare O ring is included but I received two.
> 
> The lanyard or carrying strap holes in the yellow colored rings on the flashlight are 6mm in diameter. Another example of everything about this light being oversized.





> Written by *Richwouldnt* on 12-08-2010 11:44 AM GMT
> 
> Does anyone know whether or not the Titanium Innovations filter kit from Battery Junction would fit the SR90? It looks like the filters are about the correct size so the question is concerning the filter holder really and whether it would fit or could be adapted.





> Written by *Luciaro* on 12-08-2010 02:24 PM GMT
> 
> I think is awesome light





> Written by *luceat lux vestra* on 02-19-2011 03:42 PM GMT
> 
> Thank you selfbuilt for the truly amazing review, I have to have one now :naughty:





> Written by *EONEB* on 02-21-2011 09:56 PM GMT
> 
> Thanks for posting, great review!


----------



## selfbuilt

The thread discussions for the last few months have been *fully restored* from the search engine cache data (thank you tandem!).

Please carry on!


----------



## Proflash

Does anyone know if it's alright to use the SR-90 while it is charging? I read the manual, but could not find the answer.

I once had an HID which cautioned against using the light as it was charging. I'd like to use the SR-90 while plugged in, but don't want to mess up the battery...


----------



## Richard in Idaho

Wow, would love to have one of these. Have to see what i can do about it.


----------



## Raydon

*My first a SR90 Intimidator*

Well I have read everything you all had to say (I hope) and ordered a SR90 why because I have a need for a bright long throw. I'll know tomorrow if I made the right decision 

Cheers
Ray


----------



## chipdouglas

*Re: My first a SR90 Intimidator*



Raydon said:


> Well I have read everything you all had to say (I hope) and ordered a SR90 why because I have a need for a bright long throw. I'll know tomorrow if I made the right decision
> 
> Cheers
> Ray


 
Keep us posted, as this is also something I'm looking at. What's your current brightest light, just so I know what's your point of reference.

Cheers.


----------



## warmurf

*Re: My first a SR90 Intimidator*

You will not be disappointed- it's a monster thrower! Stays cool, long runtime, great built quailty. Just weighs a ton.


----------



## chipdouglas

*Re: My first a SR90 Intimidator*



warmurf said:


> You will not be disappointed- it's a monster thrower! Stays cool, long runtime, great built quailty. Just weighs a ton.


 
The SR91 might be a better option weight wise, but probably not for throw, as the reflector is smaller than that of the SR90.


----------



## Moka

*Re: My first a SR90 Intimidator*

That's a hell of a monster for your first... From what I've heard you won't regret it... Keep us posted when it arrives!


----------



## Raydon

*Re: My first a SR90 Intimidator*

Well it finally arrived and OMG! it's the best thing since sliced bread I gave it a quick try out last night and it's unbelievable my son's house is 95 meters away from me and it lit it up like it was daylight the forest edge 250 meters and again you could see every thing clearly so no regrets and glad I bought it just need to wait for the winter dark nights to use it in anger!


----------



## uknewbie

*Re: My first a SR90 Intimidator*



Raydon said:


> Well it finally arrived and OMG! it's the best thing since sliced bread I gave it a quick try out last night and it's unbelievable my son's house is 95 meters away from me and it lit it up like it was daylight the forest edge 250 meters and again you could see every thing clearly so no regrets and glad I bought it just need to wait for the winter dark nights to use it in anger!


 
Glas to hear this, mine will be here any day!

Get some beam shots up for us then...


----------



## acrobatu

Hello! I bought a flashlight Olight SR-90 measured and true values ​​are:
Hi position 7.22A
Low position 1.62A
We modified the current growing flashlight:
Hi position 8.38A
Low position 1.88A
modification consists of attaching parallel the "R sens", other 4 resistant 0.10ohmi.After the change feels a clear difference
0.10ohm resistances can be seen in one picture


----------



## acrobatu




----------



## easilyled

Good skills and brave work. I wonder if the regulation is still so flat after the mod?
Your pictures illustrate the great heatsinking in the SR90.
This is sometimes overlooked in the demand to make lights of this power smaller.


----------



## easilyled

duplicate post deleted.


----------



## Ozgeardo

So that's what my SR90 looks like inside. I am not brave enough to take mine apart, at least not until I have too. I am still concerned that one day I will break the glass lens, until then it shall stay in one piece but I am grateful for the "inside" pic's
Thanks


----------



## acrobatu

Ozgeardo said:


> So that's what my SR90 looks like inside. I am not brave enough to take mine apart, at least not until I have too. I am still concerned that one day I will break the glass lens, until then it shall stay in one piece but I am grateful for the "inside" pic's
> Thanks



with pleasure, if you anymore And nothing on hand technique, you can ask me


----------



## Mr.Dude

Hello fellow forum members and SR-90 owners; I've been very impressed from the reviews and posts I've read about the SR-90 and am really considering getting one myself. Couple of questions I could not find the answers to here are:
1)Does anyone know if the charger allows for 220V as well or just 110V-in case I might travel with my light overseas?

2)What is the charging time once the battery pack is completelly drained? How many charge cycles can these batteries take before you need to replace them, say compared to the 1000 cycles on Eneloops?

3) Has anyone traveled w/ this by plane internationally or at all? Would I encounter any problems at airport security taking the light and case as a carry-on or is this something that I'd be better off with in checked baggage because of its size and raw power? 

I'd appreciate any sort of imput from anyone with some ideas before making the final buy decision.

Thanks


----------



## easilyled

It charges fine in the UK (240V mains)

I don't know the answers to 2) and 3) but I'd love to see the expressions of the guys checking the hand luggage if you try to take one of those through.


----------



## Mr.Dude

I would love to see that look too, but hope it wouldn't be one of impending confiscation


----------



## selfbuilt

Mr.Dude said:


> 1)Does anyone know if the charger allows for 220V as well or just 110V-in case I might travel with my light overseas? 2)What is the charging time once the battery pack is completelly drained? How many charge cycles can these batteries take before you need to replace them, say compared to the 1000 cycles on Eneloops?


The charger is rate for 100-240V on all the Olight SR-series lights that use the common handle/battery pack, so you should be fine with simply a plug connector adapter (thanks for the direct confirmation easilyled).

Charging current is rated at ~0.5A on the charger, but I have not directly measured it. My SR90 took about 4.5 hours to fully charge from a depleted state.

Not sure how many recharge cycles you can expect, but it's probably comparable to other Li-ion devices. Check out the battery/electronics subforum here at CPF for more info.

No idea about taking it on a plane, but I could imagine you might have some issues ...


----------



## LuxLuthor

Selfbuilt, nice review. As others have said, that took many many hours to get all the shots, format, organize, and present all aspects. It would be nice if there was a 2000+ L output LED that had minimal spill. The problem with any of the big lights is that most of them ignore the spill issue (with dust, ground, foliage reflection, etc.) wiping out your eye's ability to see the farther thrown objects.

The real question on the battery pack comes down to which specific cells they used. If the 6 cell pack is putting out 7.2V @8A, the 2s3p can use "less expensive" cells to cover the output needs. For the price (including the separate $150 list price of separate battery pack), I think consumers deserve to know exactly which cells (brand and chemistry) are being used in a hand held device, including full details on the PCB circuit (balancing, discharge/overcharge protection, current limit, dead short protection, etc.). This is important (chemistry) so consumers can take proper care of the pack, and know what they are paying for.

If I ever get a "serious" light, if not disclosed, I would take the pack apart and publicly disclose what cells are being used. For example, I give XeRay credit for using Samsung 18650 cells in their Barnburner HID.


----------



## uknewbie

acrobatu said:


> with pleasure, if you anymore And nothing on hand technique, you can ask me


 
Have you ever dismantled the battery pack to see what kind of cells are used?

Great work on the head, thanks for sharing this. Looks like some good quality construction in there.


----------



## selfbuilt

LuxLuthor said:


> Selfbuilt, nice review. As others have said, that took many many hours to get all the shots, format, organize, and present all aspects. It would be nice if there was a 2000+ L output LED that had minimal spill. The problem with any of the big lights is that most of them ignore the spill issue (with dust, ground, foliage reflection, etc.) wiping out your eye's ability to see the farther thrown objects.


Thanks, these reviews are indeed a lot of work to pull together. :sweat:

Incidentally, I am currently working on a review of the SR92 (3x XM-L U2) and Surefire UB3T, and will compare both to the SR90. As you might expect, the SR92 has a somewhat floodier beam (but still excellent throw), so it may be more suitable for those wanting extra spill. 

I'm not sure how many need a more focused light, but you are right that there are few options. The UB3T may be your best bet, as it uses a TIR for a very focused beam with minimal sidespill. Of course, it is a single XM-L, so it is only rated for 800 lumen max. Still, it has impressive throw for that output, with a narrow beam (given the optic). 

Both lights are in testing now, so I hope to to have reviews up within the next two weeks.

:wave:


----------



## LuxLuthor

Yeah, one of the ? mods ? Bernie (bad memory, but it was a long time CPF member) told me to try the E2D Defender a while back with that TIR, and I was quite surprised at the result. I'll check that UB3T since you mentioned it.


----------



## Baddog

Hi people, can someone in the know tell me if the battery pack has balance charging?


----------



## uknewbie

Not sure if they balance charge. I have emailed Olight looking for some info on the pack.

One other thing that I always think about the SR90, which can often get overlooked when I read people talking about it, is the _neatness _of the beam.

That huge reflector not only gives throw, but really well defined hot spot and spill area, with pretty sharp edges. No messy fussy overlapping beam here.


----------



## Baddog

yes, appears that everyone concerned have no idea as to what i am talking about or they just choose to live in hope that the average user will either loose the flashlight or loose interest in it so that down the track battery pack condition is not an issue. However, as i am the driver of my fate or destiny, and not the passenger, i have opened the pack and things are under my control again. Gotta like that


----------



## uknewbie

Baddog said:


> yes, appears that everyone concerned have no idea as to what i am talking about or they just choose to live in hope that the average user will either loose the flashlight or loose interest in it so that down the track battery pack condition is not an issue. However, as i am the driver of my fate or destiny, and not the passenger, i have opened the pack and things are under my control again. Gotta like that


 
Do share...


----------



## 901-Memphis

Nice review, wish i could afford one but quite a large purchase for the average man.


----------



## djdavis75

I recently bought this light for seeing animals and people on my property. It's very impressive. It's 250 yards, measured by GPS, from my front yard to the woods at the back corner of my property. This light has no problem putting serious illumination on objects at that distance. I just ran it for 15+ mins straight on high, heat sink barely got warm, and no noticeable change in output.


----------



## MDJAK

Another great review of an excellent light. I happen to like the battery pack, not to revive that ridiculous tet-a-tet. :lol:
Here's mine in good company:


----------



## dwminer

I hope your Olight SR90 lasts longer than mine did. Turn it on and it goes dim in about 10 seconds, with a big hole in the center of the beam. Both batteries checked our OK on another light. This light was one of the early ones. Called Battery Junction and they gave me an RMA. BJ said that after they check it out, it will have to go back to China. Could take 3 to 4 months or longer. Lucky I have a TK 70 to hold me over.
Dave


----------



## MDJAK

Well I only got mine less than two months ago and used it a few times. So far so good. Can't say the same for my TM11 which has died. But since getting the polarion abyss, I don't use the plight much


----------



## 901-Memphis

I could afford one if someone sold me a used one at a discounted price, but at retail i would just be wasting money.


----------



## coffeenuts

Must admit I just received mine 2 days ago and its great all i have to do is keep my sons hands of it..


----------



## Oztorchfreak

dwminer said:


> I hope your Olight SR90 lasts longer than mine did. Turn it on and it goes dim in about 10 seconds, with a big hole in the center of the beam. Both batteries checked our OK on another light. This light was one of the early ones. Called Battery Junction and they gave me an RMA. BJ said that after they check it out, it will have to go back to China. Could take 3 to 4 months or longer. Lucky I have a TK 70 to hold me over.
> Dave



How can I you tell whether the model I have is "old" or a "new" version of the SR90?

I have the Fenix TK70 as well to keep me going and now use it more than the SR90 anyhow (more versatile and powerful).

I also love my "stubbie" Thrunite TN31 thrower at 1147 lumens single LED, 3 x 18650 Li-Ions, 6 light levels plus strobe including moonlight mode and fits in my back pocket but you know it is there!!

I am just interested in how much difference there would be in using the earlier SR90 and a newer manufactured one, mine is less than 12 months old.

Cheers


----------



## selfbuilt

Oztorchfreak said:


> How can I you tell whether the model I have is "old" or a "new" version of the SR90?


Short answer is that you can't - the lights look the same (externally)

There has been a lot of discussion here on CPF of how variable the SR90 can be in overall output. I've tried to address this in my newer SR95 review, but it bears repeating in this thread as well.

First off, here is a table showing how my estimate lumens stack up against manufacturer specs. You will note my SR90 (which was an early review sample) is something of an outlier:






_I believe this can be easily explained by the wide output range used for SST-90 emitter binning by Luminus._ We are all used to Cree bins that typically only differ by a consistent ~7% over each bin range. In constrast, Luminus uses a variable bin range, sometimes exceeding a 20% difference within a given bin. That's a lot more variability, and means two lights with emitters from the same bin could be as much as 20% different in output. Moreover, the availability of a specific bin is never guaranteed by the light manufacturer - it is quite possible that they have had to use more than one defined output bin over the production run of the SR90. If so, that would translate into potentially up ~40% difference between samples.

You will note that my SR95 is at least 40% brighter overall than my early model SR90. Given that runtime on a common battery is not all that different, that would suggest the output gain has come from use of a higher output bin and not by driving the emitter harder. Given the variability reported for SR90 output, I strongly suspect that two different output bins were used over time. You could thus expect anywhere between ~1-40% difference between any two SR90 samples. My SR90 is likely just a lower performing member of the lower (inital) output bin used.

See the discussion thread from my SR95 review for more info. :wave:


----------



## Oztorchfreak

Thanks Selfbuilt for the information.

Not an easy thing to find out it seems.

It is not like looking somewhere on the SR90 for a number or batch no or otherwise.

Another one of "Lifes Mysteries".

Keep up the good work as one of our main lighting teachers out there.



Cheers


----------



## cujet

It's been 2 years since my SR-90 purchase. It's still as bright as ever. 

I give it quite a workout at the local uncontrolled airport. As we drive around on the golf cart and look for animals once or twice a week. The light seems to last a full hour on bright without any problems. I've never run it out. 

I have noticed that the charge indicator only shows 3 LED's when fully charged. So, I suspect my battery is getting weak. However, performance remains perfect. Since the batteries are relatively inexpensive now ($75 is the cheapest I've seen) , I'll probably replace the battery soon. 

I'm still very satisfied, and I expect many more years of excellent performance.


----------



## TEEJ

MY SR90 keeps takin a lickin and keeps on tickin too.

We just finished a search and rescue last night, and it was about the only light that still had a charge on it when we got back after ~ 2 hours of searching. I bought it used, dedeomed it, and use it regularly....and it still charges to 4 lights pretty quickly...and lasts a long time on a charge.

The VPT2 Turbo on the same search petered out after maybe an hr. The Fenix TK70 cells were down to a trickle, but it still lit at least. The HIDs die off in minutes not hours typically, and so forth. The SR90 has been a very useful search and rescue light.


----------



## Oztorchfreak

TEEJ said:


> MY SR90 keeps takin a lickin and keeps on tickin too.
> 
> We just finished a search and rescue last night, and it was about the only light that still had a charge on it when we got back after ~ 2 hours of searching. I bought it used, dedeomed it, and use it regularly....and it still charges to 4 lights pretty quickly...and lasts a long time on a charge.
> 
> The VPT2 Turbo on the same search petered out after maybe an hr. The Fenix TK70 cells were down to a trickle, but it still lit at least. The HIDs die off in minutes not hours typically, and so forth. The SR90 has been a very useful search and rescue light.



I have all three lights.

The Varapower is a bit fragile I think to be used in rough conditions and does only run for about 1hr and it gets hot very quickly as well.

The TK70 is the one I would grab at home to go looking around outside.

The TK70 runs on Turbo with my good Imedion 9500mah LSD batteries for 1hr 20mins and then it steps down to high for another 1/2 hr and so on until it runs on LOW.

The TK70 runs in *total* on good batteries for about 3 1/2 hrs and has a good combination of flood and throw.

At least on the TK70 I can drop down to high and still have a fair amount of light when Turbo is not needed as the TK70 has 4 brightness levels against the Olight SR90s two levels.

The Varapower can be turned down occasionally to save on battery usage as well.

The SR90 is a good thrower and does not heat up like the Varapower but on long searches a spare battery pack is a neccesity as runtime on High is only about 1hr 10mins.

If you have the spare SR90 battery pack with you it will last you 2hrs 20mins and is quick to changeover battery packs.

As for sturdiness, I would not like to drop any of these lights onto hard rocks or let it roll down a rugged pathway as they are not built for that kind of abuse.

Another good light is the Thrunite TN31 as it keeps up with my Olight SR90 quite nicely.


*
Cheers*


----------



## TEEJ

The TN31 looks really nice, and I was considering giving one a try. I HAVE dropped the SR90 though, and it can take it. All the large heavy lights, like the TK70, SSR90, etc, which also survived some abuse of its own, of course are more easily damaged in a fall due to the simple physics of a heavier and longer form factor flashlight...so I'm OK with that given the performance gains. I have not dropped the VPT Turbo yet...I do worry about the rotary switch in that context though. I have dropped/whacked its little brother, the Lambda Light 3C many times w/o damage though. (I am not holding all of the lights...I might have one and a spare, and distribute one and a spare to several others in the party, so a dozen of my lights might be out in the search/field, etc...but I might only be personally holding 1-2 of them. Damage reports are therefore sometimes second hand)

For searches, depending upon the context, you tend to either be on high the entire time, like searching river banks during a flood, etc, or, throttling up/down to conserve power like a foot search of woods and fields. The last night was a wood and field type search, so all the lights were going up/down depending upon the range needed (Looking for an 87 yr old guy who wandered off from a senior housing facility, long enough to be called in as a missing person...and the call came in from the dispatcher a bit after midnight...).

A chopper with search light had just exhausted itself sweeping the area w/o finding the guy...and the less exposed/harder to resolve potentially supine, etc, figures down in areas, such as the wooded/canopied areas, had to be searched by foot. There were trails, but with drop offs and gulleys, etc, an old guy could trip and roll down into for example.

The VPT Turbo2 is great for this type of search with the rotary power option, as it can be dialed up/down as needed, seriously useful for this varied range search procedure...but it does get seriously hot and have limited run time in this context. The SR90 runs longer/cooler in practice, but only has high/low...but the low is very economical. The SR90's beam pattern, overall, is better for longer range, given how focused the beam is. The TK70 is also super useful in this context, also due to the floody nature of the beam combined with its long run time/variable outputs, etc....but its less useful when the range gets too far to see well with it. The range it has though is perfect for this type of search though.

The SR90 is dedomed to increase the range for longer range searches that the TK70 is short on. I only just added the VPT to the rotation recently, so the past few weeks are its only field use, but performance wise, its promising.


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## easilyled

@TEEJ, Thanks, its great to have that kind of insight for the purposes that an S&R light are intended.

My SR90 sadly sits on a shelf gaining dust as I purchased it out of curiosity at the time and have never found a need for it other than to show off.

I'm very curious to know, however, if you have ever used HID lights for S&R and how you compare them for usefulness to the SR90 in this regard.


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## Oztorchfreak

TEEJ said:


> The TN31 looks really nice, and I was considering giving one a try. I HAVE dropped the SR90 though, and it can take it. All the large heavy lights, like the TK70, SSR90, etc, which also survived some abuse of its own, of course are more easily damaged in a fall due to the simple physics of a heavier and longer form factor flashlight...so I'm OK with that given the performance gains. I have not dropped the VPT Turbo yet...I do worry about the rotary switch in that context though. I have dropped/whacked its little brother, the Lambda Light 3C many times w/o damage though. (I am not holding all of the lights...I might have one and a spare, and distribute one and a spare to several others in the party, so a dozen of my lights might be out in the search/field, etc...but I might only be personally holding 1-2 of them. Damage reports are therefore sometimes second hand)
> 
> For searches, depending upon the context, you tend to either be on high the entire time, like searching river banks during a flood, etc, or, throttling up/down to conserve power like a foot search of woods and fields. The last night was a wood and field type search, so all the lights were going up/down depending upon the range needed (Looking for an 87 yr old guy who wandered off from a senior housing facility, long enough to be called in as a missing person...and the call came in from the dispatcher a bit after midnight...).
> 
> A chopper with search light had just exhausted itself sweeping the area w/o finding the guy...and the less exposed/harder to resolve potentially supine, etc, figures down in areas, such as the wooded/canopied areas, had to be searched by foot. There were trails, but with drop offs and gulleys, etc, an old guy could trip and roll down into for example.
> 
> The VPT Turbo2 is great for this type of search with the rotary power option, as it can be dialed up/down as needed, seriously useful for this varied range search procedure...but it does get seriously hot and have limited run time in this context. The SR90 runs longer/cooler in practice, but only has high/low...but the low is very economical. The SR90's beam pattern, overall, is better for longer range, given how focused the beam is. The TK70 is also super useful in this context, also due to the floody nature of the beam combined with its long run time/variable outputs, etc....but its less useful when the range gets too far to see well with it. The range it has though is perfect for this type of search though.
> 
> The SR90 is dedomed to increase the range for longer range searches that the TK70 is short on. I only just added the VPT to the rotation recently, so the past few weeks are its only field use, but performance wise, its promising.




*I love that explanation of how an actual S & R person uses his big lights first hand.

*A lot of us just collect *these big monsters* for a hobby.

In reality I have an *ITP A3 EOS* hanging on a lanyard from my neck except at bedtime.

*My main light I carry* with me is either the *Zebralight SC600* in a holster or the *Klarus XT11 running two **RCR123s* in my bag and the *two RCR123s really gives the XT11 a boost in output over an 18650 for those that don't know yet.*

*In my pocket* I carry an *Olight I1* running an *RCR123* battery that really *boosts the brightness, again for those that don't know about that fact.*

*If I hear a noise in the street* I race out with my *Fenix TK70 *which is stationed at the *front door*.

*Most* of the other lights are *just for fun really.*

*We need more true life stories like yours to give us feedback on these lights.*




*
CHEERS*


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## TEEJ

easilyled said:


> @TEEJ, Thanks, its great to have that kind of insight for the purposes that an S&R light are intended.
> 
> My SR90 sadly sits on a shelf gaining dust as I purchased it out of curiosity at the time and have never found a need for it other than to show off.
> 
> I'm very curious to know, however, if you have ever used HID lights for S&R and how you compare them for usefulness to the SR90 in this regard.



The HID's are great for some types of searches, albeit the run times are pretty limited for most of the handhelds.

I use HH HIDs as well, but really just for long range/small spot scenarios where I need a short burst of long range light. For a sweep of a wooded area, the beams typically don't have a good pattern when you need to look close and far in the same location.

Where the HIDs work best in searches are when they are used from a rig with a power supply. This solves the run time issue, and when searching from a rig of some type, typically, you are looking at greater distances anyway.

There are of course some amazing HID torches that might have some incredible range, over a mile in cases, etc...I just don't happen to have any. A natural issue when searching is that you need to be able to resolve your target. At over ~ 500 yards or so, your EYES become a limiting factor as well. Think of it this way...if there's a guy laying in the grass a quarter to half mile mile away, in broad daylight...with your eyes, would you notice him, and, if you could, could you tell if he was hurt, or armed?

How about in moonlight? Most of the listed ranges assume that you have 0.25 lux on your target as the definition of "in range"...that's about like moonlight.

The other eye related issue is that if your eyes are night adjusted, you are MOSTLY using black and white vision....you see almost no color. Add to that that you can't see straight ahead as well...the central ~ 2º of your cone of vision can hardly see in the dark at all compared to the other 98% to the periphery. So, normally, in bright day light, looking at a guy a half mile away provides a target that you can focus on with your sharpest 2º vision (Fovea), and with color information. With night adjusted vision, a half mile away in essentially moonlight scenarios...you are limited to peripheral vision and very little color info to resolve that target.

IE: When searching in the dark...you look to the SIDE of a suspected target to see it better, where your eye essentially gathers light better. (Rods working better than cones in the dark....).


In search and rescue for example, one issue that really catches newbs is the POSITION a person might be in when you shine on them. Most people expect to see a man standing, sitting or laying down....and our eyes are looking for patterns that are associated with that. In reality, the body might be wrapped around a tree limb, half under a rock, and/or twisted into a more pretzel-like shape. When you sweep a light across them, the brain doesn't register what its looking at...the arms, legs, head are not where they "Should be" to register as "a man". The smaller the spot of light, the harder it is to get the CONTEXT of what you are looking at....and the harder it is to realize "HEY, that's a man!"

Of course, for HH lights...the lumens can only travel out there so far w/o dissipating...so, you are compromising between range and context. If you have amazing range (Aspherical lensed lights for example), you typically have a teeny spot of light. If you take the same lumens and spread them out to give more context...you don't have much range left. So, the compromise tends towards proportionally larger heavier HH lights with large reflectors...to get as much context downrange as feasible.

This is a long suit for the SR90. Its hot spot is pretty large considering the range, and the form factor can be carried for hrs on a long search. The TK70 and the VPT I mentioned have similar characteristics, but with a context bias over range, while still having great range. This is WHY I dedomed the SR90, to concentrate its smaller amount of total lumens to work with, stealing from its generous spill into a tighter, longer range pattern...into its hot spot....putting more lux on target at range.



Add it all up, and a night search is not easy....having to look near you can glare on nearby objects, reducing your night vision, so that when your light sweeps out to further distances, you see less, and the reduced amount you CAN see is further compromised by not being able to focus as well on distant dim targets.

This is one reason we tend to divide searchers into near/far roles...so one group is primarily beating the bushes so to speak, and the other group is sweeping distant targets....and together they overlap a search area.


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## Oztorchfreak

TEEJ said:


> The HID's are great for some types of searches, albeit the run times are pretty limited for most of the handhelds.
> 
> I use HH HIDs as well, but really just for long range/small spot scenarios where I need a short burst of long range light. For a sweep of a wooded area, the beams typically don't have a good pattern when you need to look close and far in the same location.
> 
> Where the HIDs work best in searches are when they are used from a rig with a power supply. This solves the run time issue, and when searching from a rig of some type, typically, you are looking at greater distances anyway.
> 
> There are of course some amazing HID torches that might have some incredible range, over a mile in cases, etc...I just don't happen to have any. A natural issue when searching is that you need to be able to resolve your target. At over ~ 500 yards or so, your EYES become a limiting factor as well. Think of it this way...if there's a guy laying in the grass a quarter to half mile mile away, in broad daylight...with your eyes, would you notice him, and, if you could, could you tell if he was hurt, or armed?
> 
> How about in moonlight? Most of the listed ranges assume that you have 0.25 lux on your target as the definition of "in range"...that's about like moonlight.
> 
> The other eye related issue is that if your eyes are night adjusted, you are MOSTLY using black and white vision....you see almost no color. Add to that that you can't see straight ahead as well...the central ~ 2º of your cone of vision can hardly see in the dark at all compared to the other 98% to the periphery. So, normally, in bright day light, looking at a guy a half mile away provides a target that you can focus on with your sharpest 2º vision (Fovea), and with color information. With night adjusted vision, a half mile away in essentially moonlight scenarios...you are limited to peripheral vision and very little color info to resolve that target.
> 
> IE: When searching in the dark...you look to the SIDE of a suspected target to see it better, where your eye essentially gathers light better. (Rods working better than cones in the dark....).
> 
> 
> In search and rescue for example, one issue that really catches newbs is the POSITION a person might be in when you shine on them. Most people expect to see a man standing, sitting or laying down....and our eyes are looking for patterns that are associated with that. In reality, the body might be wrapped around a tree limb, half under a rock, and/or twisted into a more pretzel-like shape. When you sweep a light across them, the brain doesn't register what its looking at...the arms, legs, head are not where they "Should be" to register as "a man". The smaller the spot of light, the harder it is to get the CONTEXT of what you are looking at....and the harder it is to realize "HEY, that's a man!"
> 
> Of course, for HH lights...the lumens can only travel out there so far w/o dissipating...so, you are compromising between range and context. If you have amazing range (Aspherical lensed lights for example), you typically have a teeny spot of light. If you take the same lumens and spread them out to give more context...you don't have much range left. So, the compromise tends towards proportionally larger heavier HH lights with large reflectors...to get as much context downrange as feasible.
> 
> This is a long suit for the SR90. Its hot spot is pretty large considering the range, and the form factor can be carried for hrs on a long search. The TK70 and the VPT I mentioned have similar characteristics, but with a context bias over range, while still having great range. This is WHY I dedomed the SR90, to concentrate its smaller amount of total lumens to work with, stealing from its generous spill into a tighter, longer range pattern...into its hot spot....putting more lux on target at range.
> 
> 
> 
> Add it all up, and a night search is not easy....having to look near you can glare on nearby objects, reducing your night vision, so that when your light sweeps out to further distances, you see less, and the reduced amount you CAN see is further compromised by not being able to focus as well on distant dim targets.
> 
> This is one reason we tend to divide searchers into near/far roles...so one group is primarily beating the bushes so to speak, and the other group is sweeping distant targets....and together they overlap a search area.





That is really interesting information.

The Varapower Turbo 2 I have has a de-domed SST90 and the LED sits on a Nustar copper bedding to dissipate the heat away from the LED.

I guess from that post of yours that you take your S&R work very seriously.

There was some serious detailed information in that post, where did you acquire it?

I often wonder about using binoculars at night when using long range lights.

Do you ever use extra optical help?


*CHEERS*


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## TEEJ

"Optical Help" can be useful when its able to work in low light scenarios. The compromise, again, is range vs context. Most scopes/binoculars that magnify your image do so by reducing your field of view (fov). This is analogous to using a spot light vs a flood light....you gain range by concentrating your sight upon a smaller area.

Binoculars that are good in low light can be brought to bear upon a suspected target, to help narrow down what it might be for example. Some twisted boughs in a muddy river can look like twisted human limbs for example, and so forth, and once spotted, optical help can be useful to help resolve more detail. Its a lot harder to FIND things looking through optics though...but once found, then optics can be a large help. For foot sweeps, optics typically don't help until you are trying to see across a valley/to the opposite side of a cliff, etc....as the ranges involved are more typically close enough for your eyes to have a chance.

I have pretty good night vision, albeit as I age, it is declining. I have comparatively poor color vision during the day, another compromise. 

Most of what I use for search and rescue I learned on the job, trial and error and the vicarious experiences of colleagues. I tend to approach things from a scientific standpoint. I listen to what others say, and then test to see if it works. Sometimes, things work, but for a different reason than stated, or even don't work at all...or turn out to be reliable and useful. I like KNOWING which scenario I am dealing with though. I like to experiment, and will try things out just to see if anything pans out from it. Add it all up, and over the years, I seem to learn something pretty regularly. Sometimes its unrelated to to topic, but, there's always SOMETHING to be learned.

My VPT 2 is also dedomed, and equipped with massive Cu heat sinking, large cooling fins, etc. I forget the LED's kº but it was what was recommended if dedoming to compensate for tint shifts, etc. I love it, and its only downside to me in rough terrain is worry about that rotary switch. On the other hand, I love the way that switch works, so its a trade off. I used the VPT myself, and gave known sturdier lights to colleagues.


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## Oztorchfreak

Hi Teej.


You have a wealth of information up in your head.

Have you ever thought about writing safety manuals or S&R training manuals etc?

I was a Professional Photographer with my own Photolab for many years whilst being a Licensed Electrician and IT specialist, so I know where you are coming from with your technical explanations of optics and so forth.

Are you a volunteer S&R or Full Time S&R guy?

What other background trades, work or hobbies have you dabbled in?

And also you must be near my age to gain such a vast amount of knowledge as I am pushing 59 now.


*
CHEERS*


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## TEEJ

Oztorchfreak said:


> Hi Teej.
> 
> 
> You have a wealth of information up in your head.
> 
> Have you ever thought about writing safety manuals or S&R training manuals etc?
> 
> I was a Professional Photographer with my own Photolab for many years whilst being a Licensed Electrician and IT specialist, so I know where you are coming from with your technical explanations of optics and so forth.
> 
> Are you a volunteer S&R or Full Time S&R guy?
> 
> What other background trades, work or hobbies have you dabbled in?
> 
> And also you must be near my age to gain such a vast amount of knowledge as I am pushing 59 now.
> 
> 
> *
> CHEERS*




I am a jack of many trades...I do primarily consulting in forensic investigations now, but am still involved in Red Cross and other capacities. (Yeah, we're both children of the '50's...)

So, for example, the other night the police dispatcher called me at home a little after midnight, told me about the missing person, that the search helicopter had just spent a long time covering the area w/o finding him....and I scrambled a team to look for the poor guy from the ground....15 minutes later, we were onsite and 20 minutes later we had a search pattern running with team members fanned out to cover where the guy might have gone, rendezvous points, etc.

After roughly 2 hrs of searching, about when we'd started wondering what hwys the old guy might have crossed to get further off....the same dispatcher called me to say the guy showed up in Maryland....and the search was called off 

Apparently he said he was going to walk around the block (Senior housing community, he's ~ 87), and never came back...and eventually, the staff started to wonder WTF he was....and so forth.

Seems he like to take impromptu bus rides.


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## jhovan

I have an SR90 and I'm curious if I should be taking the battery pack off the light when not in use? I've left the battery pack connected for nearly 2 years now. I haven't any issues, but have read that this maybe dangerous. I like to have the light ready to go when I need it. Putting everything together is too McGiver like for me.


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## selfbuilt

The stand-by drain is pretty minimal on the SR-series lights, so you should be ok. Unfortunately, you need to unscrew the handle quite a few turns to lock out the light. But this is a good idea for long term storage (and to prevent the risk of accidental activation).


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## TEEJ

jhovan said:


> I have an SR90 and I'm curious if I should be taking the battery pack off the light when not in use? I've left the battery pack connected for nearly 2 years now. I haven't any issues, but have read that this maybe dangerous. I like to have the light ready to go when I need it. Putting everything together is too McGiver like for me.



Well, if you are leaving it for 2 years at a time...it sounds like off would be OK, and, storing it at ~ 2/3 charge is better for it than at 100% charge btw.

If you need it to be fully charged at a moment's notice, then, sure, you store it at 100%, and eat the hit on longevity of the pack....as you make the sacrifice for instant readiness.


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## jhovan

Thanks guys. Is it possible to service the battery pack yourself on the SR90? Are there 18650's hidden inside? I've never disassembled the pack. Or, do you need to buy a new pack if this one dies?


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## TEEJ

jhovan said:


> Thanks guys. Is it possible to service the battery pack yourself on the SR90? Are there 18650's hidden inside? I've never disassembled the pack. Or, do you need to buy a new pack if this one dies?



There are 18650's in there, and, while I have not opened one, it can probably be done. IF I were to do it, I'd take out the (6?) (2,200 mah?) 18650's and replace them with 3,400 mah 198650's.


I have no idea as to how the indicator at the back of the pack will INTERPRET the amount of charge, etc...but, either way...it WOULD run longer.


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