Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Caver John » Feb 19, 2012 4:34 pm

I thought I'd also share my idea for a Velcro mount. Here it is.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w226 ... adb24e.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w226 ... 54e613.jpg

Comments?
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Chads93GT » Feb 19, 2012 5:38 pm

My only thig is. God forbid. It gets ripped off in muddy crawls. Muddy Velcro doesn't Velcro. Hence why I use bungees. Hey work just like the original headband straps. Just my opinion. I don't thing that would work for some of what I do but for 90-% it would. Just how dirty does you helmet get on any given trip?
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Cody JW » Feb 19, 2012 7:34 pm

Alot of it depends on the Velcro. I think the stuff Sten uses is called 3M dual lock. I have never heard of anybody with a Sten complain their battery pack came off when they did not want it to. That is stuff is hard core. I think they may also use it in body shops. Chad , next time you are caving with someone with a Sten check that Velcro out. I suspect it would take something very much out of the ordinary for the light to come off using that stuff.
It only takes one person to surrender a dog to a kill shelter ,but it takes many to rescue it.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Caver John » Feb 19, 2012 8:34 pm

It's actually pretty solid. The Velcro is industrial strength and the factory silicone holders provide shock abrsorbtion. This isnt cave tested yet but I generally am pretty cautious about where my head is and not smashing it. I also can't see the Velcro getting too muddy except maybe from my gloves....
But I'm no mud rat
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Caver John » Feb 19, 2012 8:38 pm

Also regarding reinforcement, Ive have concidered using a small bungy between the front vents and center forehead to also hold everything down.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby struebe » Feb 19, 2012 11:36 pm

I actually really like all-weather velcro for mounting lights on helmets:

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-All-Weathe ... 146&sr=8-1

The adhesive is a little weak if it gets wet (like when I leave it in my pack for a few days before cleaning everything...whoops), so I've used stronger glue to supplement the adhesive it comes with. I used this stuff with my Princeton Tec Apex for a while, then I upgraded (to a Lupine!), which actually sticks better because it weighs less and has a lower profile. And just to be safe, I do have a normal headband headlight which I run over the top of both the battery and the bracket of the lamp. Anyways, I think this is the best velcro out there - I haven't actually tried to mash mud into it, but it does have pretty aggressive teeth which might be good even when really muddy.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby polrbear » Feb 20, 2012 9:46 am

Cody JW wrote:Alot of it depends on the Velcro. I think the stuff Sten uses is called 3M dual lock. I have never heard of anybody with a Sten complain their battery pack came off when they did not want it to. That is stuff is hard core. I think they may also use it in body shops. Chad , next time you are caving with someone with a Sten check that Velcro out. I suspect it would take something very much out of the ordinary for the light to come off using that stuff.


Then allow me to be the first. While Dual Lock is a lot better than standard Velcro, it wore out quickly. Because the battery pack was fairly flat and the trying to keep it attached to a round portion of a helmet, it never held on to a significant surface area, so it ripped off easily with mother contact. I do far too much belly crwawling to avoid helmet bumps like that.

I first remedied it by affixing a cell phone case; nice in concept, but more hassle that it was worth with the only right-sized model I could find for under $10. I now used a self-made pouch that wraps around my secondary headlamp's strap. Still not perfect, but I've had no issues. However, since it does include Velcro, I will have to be careful with it for something really muddy if I need to change the battery. Thankfully, I've not had a 5.0 Ah battery run out on me yet in a cave.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Cody JW » Feb 20, 2012 11:09 am

I guess I just got spoiled by the screw holes already in place on The Duo and the curvature of the lamp and battery pack made to fit the curvature of the Petzl Ecrin and Ecrin Roc. That is what happens when you have a set up designed for caving from the drawing board up. Screw that bad boy in and it is not coming off, at least mine has not in 18 years. Bring a small screw driver in the cave or on a muti tool in the very rare case you have to remove it. It just seems to me that everything else has to be "bastardized" . Hate elastic straps that come with headlamps, they may be fine for a back up light.Also with they way the head screws in directly to the Ecrin with no bracket the head does not stick out from the Ecrin any further than it has to. Just has a cleaner look.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby jeffkruse » Feb 22, 2012 2:29 pm

After many months I was able to use my new SD nw underground. I love it. I use the SD and the Zebralight SC600w (hand held). Great combo.

After about 4 hours of use my SD went off. No warning. I wish there was. Changed the battery and I was good to go. I used it on high and supper mode (sparingly) with 3100mah redilast.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby PeterFJohnson » Feb 22, 2012 3:22 pm

I too am unsure whether there is a low battery warning feature. Mine shut off as well around the time the battery was supposed to be getting low. It turned right back on, but I immediately changed the battery. Does anyone know if this is some sort of built in mechanism? Perhaps it shuts off at some pre-determined point to let you know you are running low but still has enough left for you to continue to use it for a little while longer?

-Pete
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby Chads93GT » Feb 22, 2012 3:40 pm

The little while longer is only a few minutes. SD6 shuts off the same. As far as I know there is no built in circuitry like the zebras, to protect the batteries from being over depleted. Anyway, the zebra steps down intensity till its dead, so it does give you fair warning.
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Re: Spark sd6 + st6 ultimate combo

Postby jeffkruse » Feb 22, 2012 6:33 pm

I think because it can take two 123's or one 18650 that it doesn’t have any voltage protection. Therefore my 18650 shut its self off and would not come back on until it was recharged. This is ok as long as the battery protection circuit works properly.

So if I had to come up with something negative to say about the SD it would be what we said above and that my 3100 maH Redilast just barley fits. Honestly I don't know if I am damaging the battery trying to close the light.
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