DORCY LS FLASHLIGHT


Dorcy LS Flashlight, retail $24.50 (www.brightguy.com...)
Manufactured by Dorcy (www.dorcy.com)
Last updated 05-04-05




The Dorcy LS flashlight is the newest entry into the Luxeon Star LED flashlight wars.

This flashlight uses two AA cells housed in the barrel, and a 1.2 watt Luxeon Star LED at the bottom of an almost-smooth reflector to produce its beam. The flashlight is mainly aluminum, with a plastic (acrylic?) lens to help protect the LED and reflector, and the pushbutton switch on the tailcap has a rubber or rubber-like covering over it.


SIZE



The flashlight came to me almost ready to use. I had to cut it out of a thermally welded plastic retail package, and install the included Energizer alkaline batteries.

Press the button on the tailcap and hold it in to get light; release it to not get light. This is momentary or signalling mode.

Twist the tailcap clockwise (as if tightening it) to turn the light on in hands-free or continuous mode. Twist the tailcap counterclockwise (as if loosening it) to turn the flashlight back off.



To change the batteries in this flashlight, unscrew and remove the tailcap, dash it to the ground, and stomp on it with old or used bowling shoes...O WAIT, YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.
Tip the open end of the barrel and let the two used AA cells fall into your hand, and dispose of or recycle the two AA cells as you see fit.

Insert two new AA cells into the barrel, button-end (+) positive first. Screw the tailcap back on, and you're finished.
Aren't you glad you didn't stomp on that tailcap now?

There is a DC-DC inverter in the flashlight's bezel (head). I know this because the battery voltage of 3 volts is less than what the LED requires (approximately 3.6 to 3.8 volts).

Current usage measures 349.3mA on my DMM's 400mA scale.



The flashlight appears to be reasonably sturdy. Ordinary flashlight accidents should not be enough to do it in. I administered that terrible smack test on it (ten whacks against the corner of a concrete stair; five whacks against the side of the tailcap and five whacks against the side of the bezel), and found the expected damage. There is some minor gouging on the sides of the tailcap and bezel where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

The flashlight is splash-resistant; it is not 100% water-resistant though. When I relieved the flashlight of its batteries and suctioned the tail end, the flashlight admitted air through the bezel. So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of Norway rat pee, slush piles, mud puddles, tubs, toilet bowls, cisterns, sinks, fishtanks, dog water dishes, or other places where water or water-like liquids might be found. A little rain or snow probably wouldn't hurt it though, so you need not be too concerned about using it in moderately bad weather.

If it fell in water and you suspect it got flooded, disassemble it as you would for a battery change, dump out the water if necessary, and set the parts in a warm dry place for a day or so just to be sure it's completely dry inside before you reassemble and use it again.

If it fell into seawater or if somebody or something peed on it, douche all the parts out with fresh water before setting them out to dry. You don't want your flashlight to smell like seaweed or wee-wee when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or piss) can't be very good for the battery contacts, the tailcap, or the inverter circuitry.

The flashlight has texturised rubber areas on its barrel and its bezel. So I don't think retention (the ability to hold onto the flashlight) will be much of an issue.

A small metal loop is affixed to the tailcap; you can use this to affix the flashlight to the lanyard of your choosing. A lanyard is not included with this flashlight, so you'll have to procure one elsewhere if you wish to use one.

This flashlight uses a high-dome (lambertian) Luxeon Star LED. There is no unusual tint to its light; it's a pure white in color.



Beam photo at ~12".
Measures 289,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photo at ~15'.



TEST NOTES:
Unit was purchased from BrightGuy on 05-02-05, and was received on the afternoon of 05-04-05.

Flashlight was made in Taiwan. A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I mentioned it on this web page.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Nice, sturdy metal case feels good in the hand
Uses batteries that are common and relatively inexpensive


CONS:
Not waterproof or submersible
Plastic window (lens) could become scratched


    MANUFACTURER: Dorcy
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 1.2 watt Luxeon Star LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Wide spot w/dimmer center, surrounded by ringy corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Pushbutton momentary, twist-tailcap continuous on/off
    BEZEL: Aluminum; LED and reflector protected by plastic window
    BATTERY: 2 AA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 349.3mA
    WATER RESISTANT: Light splash resistance only
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: 2 AA cells
    WARRANTY: 1 year

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Dorcy Luxeon Flashlight * www.brightguy.com...






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