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AR15.COM
1/26/2011 5:52:51 PM EDT
Do flashlights like streamlight and surefire that use cr123 batteries go dim with use until the battery no longer has juice, or do they work at max output until it can't anymore - and then go dead?

I hope I articulated it in a way that makes it understandable.
1/26/2011 5:55:35 PM EDT
[#1]
My Surefire E2E gets dim.

My Surefire E1B stays the same till it can't stay that bright. Then it switches to the lower output.

My Surefire 6PX Pro I am still on the original set of batteries.
1/26/2011 5:58:03 PM EDT
[#2]
From what I understand, if their output is regulated (and your examples should be), they will remain at X brightness to a point, then will begin to dim until batteries are dead.

It is also possible that when they turn on they are X brightness, then shortly after being run they drop to Y brightness (you likely won't even be able to see the change), then hold that to a point, then dim when the batteries go dead.

Clear as mud?

Regulated output means they will burn at the rated brightness for the rated time before going dim.

If it is rated at 200 lumens for 2 hours, it won't be dead at the 2 hour mark, it will start to fade. Shoulda wrote that part first haha.

1/26/2011 6:00:52 PM EDT
[#3]
It depends on whether the lights has regulated output or not.  Regulated output will run at a constant level until there isn't enought juice in the battery and it will just go dead.  If the light isn't regulated, it will continue to get dimmer.
1/26/2011 6:05:04 PM EDT
[#4]
Ok thanks everyone. That actually makes sense. The examples that I am wondering about are surefire E2D LED and streamlight PT1L.

Last night my surefire would come on but both modes were very dim, so I thought it was broken. I changed the batteries then it worked fine. So I guess I know for sure that the SF is regulated.