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Thanks, dc38!
Peak aficionados, show and tell!
- Thread starter gurdygurds
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It's still one of my favorite lights based solely on the design logic...My other favorite is a Frazlabs, lol...I have no doubt that my overcranking is what is causing the QTC failure, it's why I suggested a physically limited compression double qtc sandwiching a conductive layer might alleviate the respective compression of QTC...I don't know how the modes would function and if even at all, but it would preserve the lifespan of each piece by disallowing full compression, and instead hitting "max" with direct contact of the compressive stoppers
lemme doodle something right quick...
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that could very well be how it's already designed, I have no idea...
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yeah, that’s how I pictured it from your verbal description above. You might even double the metal washers between the two QTC discs so that all of the rotational friction was at the metal-to-metal interface, and none at the metal-to-composite interfaces.
Hmmm… gotta say I’m not feeling the love for Peak lights yet.
I like the idea of a simple 1-AA twisty, I like high efficiency, I like firefly options, and I like a battery vampire that starts up on a drained cell.
But for a variable-mode 1-AA in this day and age, a top end of 70 lumens is not impressive. The QTC sounds like a pain — honestly, like an idea that never should have made it out of prototype— and the actual cost of these things is far from cheap!
Yes the Peak terminology is a little bit confusing. I'll link an old photo I found on here below which shows the "pocket" and "lug" types (and you've obviously seen the "keychain" type)
As @dc38 said, if the QTC is bypassed, the output is full power (or whatever the max is for that particular driver, such as in the early vintage "numbered output" models)
The Peak driver is "semi-regulated" and output changes significantly with voltage; it is not flat. A search of CPF may be able to find an example of this, but many of the photos from when they were active on the forum here are missing or broken.
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You all have identified one of the major limitations of QTC ... as it is suceptible to rotational shearing, which can result in shedding small pieces that then interfere with proper functioning.
Designs which limit this material to pure compression are preferred. Even so, over time and with repeated use, it will eventually collapse thus (at least partially) losing its effect.
Designs which limit this material to pure compression are preferred. Even so, over time and with repeated use, it will eventually collapse thus (at least partially) losing its effect.
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Many thanks, Archimedes! So, the "pocket" body is completely flat on the end. Good! I like that both for tail-standing and also for keeping the complete unit as short as possible.
So, now I am on the fence about whether to take the plunge and get an El Cap or not. Two months ago I would have pulled the trigger, but with gas going through the roof and food costs soon to follow, I need to be more restrained in my spending.
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Growing pains, lol...if more companies adopted the tech for flashlight specific purposes, we might have newer and more advanced materials by now, same as battery tech, etc...
Paypal pay in 4 is possible, or if you're in the USA, I could lend you my Capitan so you can see how it feels in hand (bar QTC functionality) before buying one.
The brightness scales with the input voltage, which is why I tried the xtar liIon 1.5V. They sustain 1.5V for about 75% of the capacity, then taper down in the last 25%. Assuming nominal values for the xpg3 per below, then assuming that roughly 180mA @3V will yield around 60-70 lumens. That yields roughly [email protected], conservation of power and all, so the 1.5V Lion (2700mAh)÷360mA draw gives about 7 hours on "max". but because of the operational curve, about 5.5 hours of that will be at max, and the other remaining 25% will be a long taper down until the cell circuit cuts off.
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@lampeDépêche Also, through some tinkering, I have observed that the base of the internal battery tube is actually sloped towards the lug hole. That would cause some level of flexure of the plastic pill before the pill's baseplate makes contact with the battery tube, thus precompressing the pill during that flexure.
To remedy this, I took a small strip of brass to counter the sloping and provide a relatively flat platform for the pill, and the QTC seems to be at relatively normal function again....gimme a sec to doodle again
**Following the same color scheme as before,
Green insulator,
Red conductor,
blue QTC,
Cyan brass strip,
added yellow as descriptors, and the slope is exaggerated for illustrative purposes. The plastic edges of the pill make contact with the in er diameter of the body tube first, then as the head tightens, the battery transfers the compression to the pill. However, at this point, the baseplate of the pill has not yet made continuity yet, but the QTC may already be under local compression due to the flexure. As further compression continues, the QTC may already be in that compressed state, thus suddenly jumping to "high".
So, I added a conductive brass strip to form a platform of sorts, indicated in Cyan, to help make contact while there is no compression or flexure yet. *please let me know if I should change some colors for better clarity.
**The design USED to incorporate a secondary lug as seen on the inner set of threads, but I presume that was removed to reduce costs and improve reliability. However, I assume that the sloping feature (for drainage, perhaps?) was not redesigned to accomodate the lack of a lug..
**To be honest, the brass strip is stil just a tad too thick, it's already 0.016" thin...I might just use some aluminum foil down there and call it a day, but the structural integrity would be terrible...
To remedy this, I took a small strip of brass to counter the sloping and provide a relatively flat platform for the pill, and the QTC seems to be at relatively normal function again....gimme a sec to doodle again
**Following the same color scheme as before,
Green insulator,
Red conductor,
blue QTC,
Cyan brass strip,
added yellow as descriptors, and the slope is exaggerated for illustrative purposes. The plastic edges of the pill make contact with the in er diameter of the body tube first, then as the head tightens, the battery transfers the compression to the pill. However, at this point, the baseplate of the pill has not yet made continuity yet, but the QTC may already be under local compression due to the flexure. As further compression continues, the QTC may already be in that compressed state, thus suddenly jumping to "high".
So, I added a conductive brass strip to form a platform of sorts, indicated in Cyan, to help make contact while there is no compression or flexure yet. *please let me know if I should change some colors for better clarity.
**The design USED to incorporate a secondary lug as seen on the inner set of threads, but I presume that was removed to reduce costs and improve reliability. However, I assume that the sloping feature (for drainage, perhaps?) was not redesigned to accomodate the lack of a lug..
**To be honest, the brass strip is stil just a tad too thick, it's already 0.016" thin...I might just use some aluminum foil down there and call it a day, but the structural integrity would be terrible...
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Was just about to pull the trigger on an aluminum EL Capitan. But after reading the last few posts, QTC is definitely not right for me. Thankfully I do have a brass Eiger Ultra with Stainless Steel pressure switch and an aftermarket S.S. clip. Switch bypasses the QTC and goes to the highest mode. No issues with "Brass Head." (Yes, I gave my brass Peak Eiger a nick-name). Bought that one awhile back. Recently got my hands on a Brass N-cell Peak from the Good Ole' days. Three 5mm LEDs, with one output. So, no QTC in that one.
Instead of the El Capitan, I'll get an S.S. Logan with the S.S. Peak pressure switch for it. again avoiding the QTC function. Reliability is far more important to me.
Instead of the El Capitan, I'll get an S.S. Logan with the S.S. Peak pressure switch for it. again avoiding the QTC function. Reliability is far more important to me.
MightyQ
Newly Enlightened
If single output max is what your after you can just tell them and they can do any model like that without the QTC! The switch still pushes the qtc if it’s in there, just easier to smash it to high mode.
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You can get the QTC pill out by smacking the body tube face down against your palm, then pluck it out with your fingers or smooth pliers. I'm still waiting on the Chicago screws, the order is delayed for some reason.
As for the QTC, I believe that if I had just made the platform earlier (before repeatedly cranking the QTC to hell), The QTC would have remained quite functional for years.
**In addition to the Chicago screw rivets, I'm still shopping for actual filler screws. Will likely stop by some hardware stores today or tomorrow
MightyQ
Newly Enlightened
AMD64Brunette
Enlightened
Just now received my brass high CRI Peak Eiger Ultra.
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hows the centering of the positive contact?
Just received my SS Logan 17500 with momentary switch and medium optic a couple of days ago.
I had originally ordered an El Capitan but Robyn was apparently out of the heads and in the process of making more. As such, I was offered a Logan 17500 upgrade with the delrin adapter kit at no additional charge as it had been over a month of waiting for an El Capitan. I thought why not as I can run AA, AAA, CR123 and their Li-ion counterparts as well. A unique offering not really offered anymore.
I'm glad I went for it. It’s a chunk of a light that feels like a roll of quarters in the hand which I love. The 219b sw35k that I had Robyn install isn’t bad either (it's gorgeous lol). Clip is Prometheus Beta Ti clip that I bent to form (apparently, Ti is really difficult to bend by hand..),
Last pic is Eiger with 519a 3500k and narrow optic for comparison. Very rosy!
I had originally ordered an El Capitan but Robyn was apparently out of the heads and in the process of making more. As such, I was offered a Logan 17500 upgrade with the delrin adapter kit at no additional charge as it had been over a month of waiting for an El Capitan. I thought why not as I can run AA, AAA, CR123 and their Li-ion counterparts as well. A unique offering not really offered anymore.
I'm glad I went for it. It’s a chunk of a light that feels like a roll of quarters in the hand which I love. The 219b sw35k that I had Robyn install isn’t bad either (it's gorgeous lol). Clip is Prometheus Beta Ti clip that I bent to form (apparently, Ti is really difficult to bend by hand..),
Last pic is Eiger with 519a 3500k and narrow optic for comparison. Very rosy!
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Thanks for the pics, JP!
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is that eiger with a dedomed 3500k?
Negative on the dedome. It's a 519a 3500k emitter I had purchased from JLHawaii and sent to Robyn to install. I'm honestly surprised at the temp in comparison to the 219b sw35k. I will say that the Eiger has a narrow optic versus the medium optic in the Logan.
To make things more confusing.. Here is a comparison with the addition of a Convoy S2+ outfitted with a 20° beaded TIR ordered with 519a in 3500k.
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That Convoy has the wrong emitter. Not even close to 3500k and green too.
