Cavechat.org

I have finished evaluating the passaround mod. I went with 4 other folks to Camps Gulf this past weekend. I figured if this was supposed to be the best commercially available LED cavelight platform (the stenlight) paired with the best available LEDs, then it needed to tested where the big rooms gobble up the biggest of lights.
I got a well travelled box in the mail from Scott Thursday afternoon containing the modified head and a battery. The headpiece looks like it was crushed somehow (as if run over by something really heavy, like a truck, for instance), but I've learned that it's probably been like that for a while. No big deal, despite being a bit mashed at the pivot point, it worked fine. Infact it made me realize that this really is a tough light, and worthy of upgrading as LED technology advances. If a plastic headlight were subjected to whatever this light was, I suspect it would be a worthless pile of plastic now.
I mounted the passaround sten to my helmet and put my own personal stenlight, with the Custom aluminum reflectors from Jon in my SWAYGO Pit Pack along with its fully charged battery. I, like Scott, noticed the obvious fact that on the same setting, for example "high", the modified sten seemed almost twice as bright as my original. I also noticed the color is whiter. The artifacts are more greenish than blue like mine, which seems a bit warmer. While we were resting in one of the big dome rooms, I got out my sten for comparison. I'm guessing the room was at least 200 feet tall and several hundred across (which looks alot like the picture on the back cover of the NSS News this month [May 07], the one that Nathan took in Rumbling Falls, a nearby cave). Everyone in the party agreed that the modified version was alot brighter. Another thing I noticed is that the hotspot is hardly visible on the modified unit, and I definitely liked that.
Hope that helps...
NEXT.........

Thanks for the reviews.

Did anyone get missed on the passaround.

Joey,

Can you hold on to it until I figure out if I missed someones name?

If anyone else want to see it or if you were missed please post.

i would love to see how this modified stenlight fares.

Adleedy,

Can you shoot Joey your mailing address.

Thanks
Jon

allright, i pm'd joey my mailing address

When I received the light from Evan the box and light itself were in excellent condition....and was passed to Dwight that way!

As for the sten and it's performance....it's WAAAYYY better than the original! Whoever builds the sten should be paying attention to what
JonSidney got goin' on....the light is brighter and the field of view is much
better. It seemed to me that the throw of the light was greater while the spot in the middle was much larger. I tested this light in Scott Hollow cave in some 50' by 60' borehole. The people with me were impressed as I would turn the light up and the reflection off the walls would light up passage BEHIND me!

I really like the improvement but would like to see an even greater spread
of the main beam if possible. I'd sacrifice some throw for more spread of light myself. If you haven't seen this light in action, SIGN UP!!!

A great big THANK YOU to JonSidney for the pass around! You're doing a good thing....more people should do this!!!

I think Mark was supposed to be next, if I'm following the thread correctly.. I've spoken with Alan (adleedy) and got his address, but it just dawned on me that one or more people might be skipped.

While ya'll are sorting this out, I will test the light again tomorrow night during our Nashville Grotto trip to Swirl Canyon. I was all prepared to send this light off yesterday and it's a real shame I'll be forced to cave with it again tomorrow night.




I will charge the battery too before I send it on.

Jon, I'm really interested in seeing you offer the mod service on the sten. I've already added the reflectors, (and by the way, thanks for all your help on that!), and wouldn't mind upgrading it more. I used a L2D-CE in conjunction with my sten last trip and noticed it had a whiter output with the CREE LED's.

you are right....I think it is Mark that was skipped. Ok, Mark is next then adleedy.

And have fun in swirl canyon:)

Sorry for getting confused on this. I am in the process of moving and have a lot of irons in the fire. I hope one day to have 3 different reflectors that will fit this light as I think it has the potential for alot of unrelated uses. I bike light, a dog sleed light, a mining light, backpacking on and on.

If I am able to get 3 different ones made I am sure it will create alot of confusion however as sometimes to know what you like has to be tried rather than just get a discription.

If you want the conversion done there is someone that can do it. I will not be able to do any myself until I get fully moved and is easier for me in batches.

This person can do the everything but does not have reflectors. I am the only one with those. If you alread have reflectors then you are good to go with him.

I will ask him if it is ok to post his email addy here and if he is ok with it I will do it.

I eventually would like to be attending events and doing the full mod while you wait but it might be awhile before I can do that.

sounds good

Jon, if your mod is what I think it is have you thought of also doing it with Apexes? there are a fair few of these running around and from what I've seen it doesn't seem to be too complicated to mod them.

JonSidneyB wrote:you are right....I think it is Mark that was skipped. Ok, Mark is next then adleedy.

I was wanting to take the light to SARA, thats at the end of the month.

Maybe if not too late the two of you can switch places.

For now if you need reflectors I am the guy.

If you want the led upgrade and tweeks contact this guy.

scott@quarryrun.com

whatever works

Sorry I have been missing. I have been in the process of moving and been busy taking care of my forum.

Who do I send the address to for the next person.


I have my own forum but it does not have anything to do with caving.

If you get curious,

Here is my forum


http://edcforums.com/index.php