Armytek Wizard Pro Prototype Long-Term Testing

[beamon]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

I support the rheostatic ring idea for varying the level of light. It's what I like best about my Surefire Minimus. For those concerned about gauging runtimes at specific lumen levels, I think it would be VERY EASY for a manufacturer to include little notches in the movement of the ring, to let the user gauge specific lumen levels along the way. The user could start with the light off, and count the notches felt while turning the ring up, to know the specific level, and so be able to gauge the runtime. Clicking buttons should just be for switching modes (eg from beam to strobes to metering voltage, whatever).

 

[ArcticHighlander]

I posted this earlier, as a link:

Here is the photo of my coating defect that I sent to Armytek:

 

[Trevtrain]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

I don’t think your theory is accurate as I am unable to reproduce it. But after sifting through all the posts, what I suspect is the problem is something that hasn’t been mentioned yet. 1st​ of all I think it is a software problem and not a hardware problem. I also think it is related with the lockout feature (when you press the button and then hold it down to let it cycle through all of the modes and then turns off). I think somehow the light is getting stuck in an infinite loop and then the only way to unlock it is to drain the circuit as others have mentioned.

My theory just a theory - I'm just throwing ideas out there. :grin2: Draining the circuit is certainly what is "fixing" or "unlocking" it. I speculated that the indicator light serves the purpose of draining the circuit but who really knows for sure.

Your comment that it is likely to be software related seems to be on track. Armytek has responded in the Marketplace that new firmware is coming so I guess we need to wait on further info about exactly what issues this firmware will address.

You say you can't reproduce the lockup problem. Is this just on the pre-production lights you reviewed or have you recieved your production samples yet?

 

[bokeh]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

I recently got the "wide limited" version.

It locks up, but it seems to happen only if the state indicator is switched off, and if I use the voltage indicator flash. I couldn't get it to lock up otherwise.

 

[Lampyridae]

After O ring imperfection I wrote about, after thermal protection and state indicator colours issue, now I'm dealing with lockup issue too. It happens only with state indicator off. So count me in...
Btw., did anyone manage to get one hour of constant turbo under any circumstances? I tried in air conditioned room (20 degree Celsius), but never got more then 6 minutes. So much about "Constant Brightness" mark under optics...
According to posts in this thread, I feel like we all got some kind of prototypes, and only Knight_Light got final product with no issues at all and meeting all specs as advertised...

EDIT: my lockup issue happens from fast strobo mode

 

[petr9999]

I got max constant brightness for around 45mins yesterday on a bicycle ;) but still quite unhappy with the light in general

 

[Lampyridae]

Petr, good for you! 45 minutes looks like a lot to me. It's probably max one can get out of it, since nobody is going to use it on rollercoaster...

 

[ArcticHighlander]

After O ring imperfection I wrote about, after thermal protection and state indicator colours issue, now I'm dealing with lockup issue too. It happens only with state indicator off. So count me in...
Btw., did anyone manage to get one hour of constant turbo under any circumstances? I tried in air conditioned room (20 degree Celsius), but never got more then 6 minutes. So much about "Constant Brightness" mark under optics...
According to posts in this thread, I feel like we all got some kind of prototypes, and only Knight_Light got final product with no issues at all and meeting all specs as advertised...
EDIT: my lockup issue happens from fast strobo mode

Someone put theirs under water and managed to get a little over 1 hour.

 

[ArcticHighlander]

Here is the photo of my coating defect that I sent to Armytek:

Armytek has emailed me to mail the light back to them in China, the cheapest way possible, stating that by the time it arrives they should have a fix to the lock up problem.

 

[ArcticHighlander]

Knight Light: could you test the 10 meter waterproof spec when you get the production light? I'm curious if it could be used for snorkeling or diving. The H600 is only guaranteed at 2 meters for 30 minutes. The Wizard Pro could give full time in Turbo underwater assuming it can handle that depth.

 

[jonathanluu2]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

Hey folks, did a bit of playing around with my light and have some shots for ya. I dont have a Zebralight H600, but I have the H51Fw, which I compared for low settings. Note: My Wizard is the 5500K, 70deg. spot one. Note-note: Pictures are as close to how I "see" the light as I could render. Ex. the illuminated book below looks EXACTLY as bright as when I look at it with my own eyes.


^ Wizard and H51Fw off. It looked like the head was press fit onto the battery tube so I wanted to make sure it was on real good. I grabbed the head and gave it the best torque I could and it didnt budge. Spot on. My ring (Stainless Steel alloy) was up against the bezel (the SS part, not the Anodized Aluminum) and the ring won. Still hard, but not impervious. Not real important in my book, as its all superficial, but thought some might want to know.


^Wizard and H51Fw on lowest settings. Note: Armytek specs the Wizard at 0.5lm (LED lumens) and Zebralight specs the H51 at 0.16lm (OTF). (Platypus makes an awesome hydration pack btw. Fantastic.)


^ You can discern a more meaningful difference in brightness when looking at the beam. Wizard (Left) is not too much brighter but definitely lights up more surface area, even though my H51Fw (Right) is quite floody. Note: Headlamps are ~1ft from the wall, camera is ~1ft behind the headlamps.


^ Reading on the lowest setting on the Wizard. Kinda green, when you compare the two. I dont notice the tint as much when I dont have them side by side. It does a good job of flooding the whole book without a hotspot in the middle. Note: book is ~1ft from my face.


^"Sighhhhh..." I sigh a sigh of satisfaction every time I use my NW zebra :) This is the tint that is perfect for reading a book. Makes me feel all cozy and old fashioned :grin2: Unfortunately, I have to move my head around a bit when reading with this light. Note: book is ~1ft from my face.

>>>Now for some Night Rides on Turbo!<<<


^Main beam lights up a good area about 15 ft in diameter. Spill assists in illuminating my front tire, the brush around me, and down the trail. AH (quoted below) is right, I would say this is more of a hiking light, but does a FANTASTIC job, even with biking. I would PREFER more throw, but the Wizard wasnt hindering my speed at all.

Outdoors, on the highest setting the WP still casts a nice warm even flood without any hot spot. It is the only flashlight I've had that does not. It seems like the perfect light for a walk at night along a forest trail. The H600 on the other hand is a bit harsher in color and has a noticeable intense spot beam at the center of its flood beam. Because of its spot beam however it throws much further than the WP and seems more useful for biking or other activities where having that extra reach is important.

^ What It looks like when I am riding. Head slightly tilted. Just enough peripheral light to see my tire. Just enough light for out front. An interesting thing to note: I didnt feel like I was "night riding" as there was no tunnel of light. It was all bright, wherever I looked. Can a light be too floody and bright?


^ Looking down at the immediate foreground. (If I need to traverse something technical, like a rock garden.) Very bright and clear when looking down.

>>>Overall<<

• Very good color rendering, except in low setting. Gets kinda greenish for whatever reason when on lower settings.
• Gets a check in my book for night-ride-ability.
• Temperature: Not sure why, but my light seems to allow itself to get quite hot on Turbo. It never stepped down during my entire night ride (dont be fooled by the time of day, it was still a muggy 85F (something around 30C for the rest of you guys, no?)).
  I checked the light with a meat thermometer (quite accurate when plunged in something, but couldnt get it literally IN the light, so temperatures were understated im sure) but I still got 70C on the thermometer. Odd indeed. It finally stepped down (green indicator flashes) at 70C at the head.
• Lockout: Never tried to intentionally lock out my light, but since you guys mentioned it I tried it. I could manage a lockout if I hand the state indicator off, AND recently used the strobe/voltage indicator mode. Otherwise functional. Another oddity.

Thanks for all of you guys contributing to this forum,

J.

 

[Trevtrain]

Btw., did anyone manage to get one hour of constant turbo under any circumstances? I tried in air conditioned room (20 degree Celsius), but never got more then 6 minutes.

Have you read this entire thread? http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...Term-Testing&p=4246010&viewfull=1#post4246010

I tested it at 18C ambient temperature in an outdoor tailstanding test with a fair breeze and ran it for 30 mins with no problems at all. The only reason I cut the test short was I was getting tired of sitting out there in the middle of the night.
I have no IR thermometer but periodic brief "gripping" of the light gave no indication of further temperature increase after the 15 min mark.

Running it in a glass of water is NOT required.

So much about "Constant Brightness" mark under optics...

Like someone else in here, it appears you do not properly understand the specs. The "constant brightness" refers to the fact that output is regulated and does not drop as the battery voltage decreases. This is completely independent of the thermal stepdown feature. This discussion has been done to death and can be found in previous posts.

According to posts in this thread, I feel like we all got some kind of prototypes, and only Knight_Light got final product with no issues at all and meeting all specs as advertised...

I think you need to grab a coffee, sit down and read the entire thread. Changes between the pre-production models Knight_Light reviewed and production versions shipped to customers like you and I have been clearly documented. I'm sorry but your statement makes no sense.

 

[tony613]

If you want to try the lubrication method before making permanent modifications, whatever your lubricant of choice, here are 1,000+ words of applying it in a tidy fashion.

{Picture Removed}

Put the lubricant on the tip of something blunt (a flat ended toothpick will work fine)
Raise the supporting strap of the silicon loop
Place the lubricant on the silicon or the flashlight
Rotate the flashlight to evenly spread the lubricant
Repeat the procedure for the other silicon loop
Wipe off excess[/I]

Thanks for the tips. I used some Super Lube synthetic grease on the back end of a match stick. It was a bit messy even using just a small amount as the fit is so tight that it squeezes out any excess around the sides. But it wasn't difficult to clean up. And it made a huge difference. It was unusable as a headlamp before and this made it possible to adjust with just one hand. It's still stiffer than I'd like but now it's functional.

You're welcome, I'm glad it made a notable, positive difference. I found that when turing the light in the holder you need to use the head and not the tail cap. Turning from the tail cap can cause it to unscrew, and if doing so repeatedly with one hand you may not notice - until you're in the dark. :candle:


And thank you for turning me on to Super Lube. I see they have a whole host of products, with many positive reviews.

 

[cronus]

Armytek has emailed me to mail the light back to them in China, the cheapest way possible, stating that by the time it arrives they should have a fix to the lock up problem.

I will have to contact them about that. I live 30 minutes from the Canada headquarters. I know they do not do manufacturing and such there, but sending it all the way to China just seems wrong when I could drop it off or mail it 30 miles. Probably a procedure thing though...

jonathanluu2, check the mark your ring made on the light. From my experience, the anodizing doesn't actually scratch, it scrapes off part of the SS. I use the clip regularly and you can see where the clip material has become embedded in the ano texture.

 

[psychbeat]

Thanks for the review Jonathan ^^^

Maybe all of these firmware issues will be sorted by the time the NW is released.

 

[Knight_Light]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

Your Armytek Wizard Pro was the first and only review I have seen of yours, but I will take your advise for reviews you may do in the future. haha

You are correct this is my 1st​ review on CPF. It was more of a joke since I plan on doing other reviews. :)

Just for giggles, why would you need memorization on a light with a control dial? Are we getting that lazy in this day and age where turning a knob is too much work? Maybe it would be a gimmick to add memory to a light with variable control, so you can do both, but I can't even see a memory function even improving anything like efficiency or quickness, as it would take maybe a millisecond more time to turn the dial than to click a button... Now we are splitting hairs, and to be honest, a control dial is much more precise with whatever level of light you need, not being at the mercy of pre-set lumen levels that a company or some internet guru claimed would be best for "x" light levels.

Memorization on a light is no different then presets on a car radio, you don’t really need it but it is convenient and a preference for most. Just like you have a preference for lower lumens.

 

[Knight_Light]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

I support the rheostatic ring idea for varying the level of light. It's what I like best about my Surefire Minimus. For those concerned about gauging runtimes at specific lumen levels, I think it would be VERY EASY for a manufacturer to include little notches in the movement of the ring, to let the user gauge specific lumen levels along the way. The user could start with the light off, and count the notches felt while turning the ring up, to know the specific level, and so be able to gauge the runtime. Clicking buttons should just be for switching modes (eg from beam to strobes to metering voltage, whatever).

Your idea is a good one and has been implemented by other manufacturers to solve the unknown runtime dilemma. Magnetic or rheostatic switchers are a lot more prone to failure especially in dirty and muddy environments. Since most headlamps see outdoor use of one kind or another it is probably a bad idea for reliability of the headlamp.

 

[Knight_Light]

Re: Proposed New Armytek Wizard Pro UI:

Is this just on the pre-production lights you reviewed or have you recieved your production samples yet?

I have not yet received the production samples so I cannot comment.

 

[Knight_Light]

Knight Light: could you test the 10 meter waterproof spec when you get the production light? I'm curious if it could be used for snorkeling or diving. The H600 is only guaranteed at 2 meters for 30 minutes. The Wizard Pro could give full time in Turbo underwater assuming it can handle that depth.

1st​ of all when a headlamp or any other light receives a waterproof rating it is usually a static one. I do plan on doing a waterproof test down to 15 feet which will be a dynamic waterproof test and will surpass the rigors of a static 10 m test. I’m waiting to get the production model before I do those tests. I have however left it in a gallon jug without any problems.

Having said that I wouldn’t rely on this headlamp as a diving light especially since they have dedicated diving lights with much higher ratings for not much more money.

 

[jonathanluu2]

jonathanluu2, check the mark your ring made on the light. From my experience, the anodizing doesn't actually scratch, it scrapes off part of the SS. I use the clip regularly and you can see where the clip material has become embedded in the ano texture.

Sorry if I was unclear. The Ano. is just fine as far as I can tell. The mark is in the SS bezel around the lense. I thought I remembered seeing something about "Titanium coated bezel" but maybe I was getting it mixed up with the Predator? Its not on the spec sheet for the Wizard.

Thanks for the review Jonathan ^^^

Maybe all of these firmware issues will be sorted by the time the NW is released.

Thanks psychbeat. I hope so too.


As a side note. Looks like all the headlamps are out of stock on their website. Perhaps pulling them off the shelf until they get the firmware bugs worked out?