Serv-Light First Look

[jharman2]

I came home today to a package containing a Serv light! This is supposedly the first Serv-light shipped to the US. If you have not heard of the Serv-light yet have a look here:

http://www.serv-light.com/

I am not posting pictures of the lamp itself because it looks exactly like what is shown on the website. I am attaching a composite picture of the Sten on Turbo, the Serv on each setting and my own custom PH light on BD (high). All pictures were taken without moving the camera with the following settings: ISO 100, f3.5 18mm, 1/5 second exposure, Rebel XTi. Here are my first thoughts:

Pros:
Injection molded housing looks bombproof
Cable seems to be user replaceable
Cable is bombproof no lamp cable like the Sten
Rotary switch is large and easy to turn with gloved hand
Switch rotates in both directions - no need to cycle through all settings
Beam transition from spot to flood on 2 P7 is very nice with few artifacts
Two blade mounts - fixed and movable
Very bright

Cons:
Blade mount is incompatible with Sten / Carbide
Blade is plastic and may break easily
Rotational distance between settings seems to be very small

Up in the air:
Light turns off between settings Sequence (Low - off - medium - off - high - off - xbrite - off - low)

I won't be throwing away my Sten or custom lamp any time soon.

[Evan G]

Wow, that's bright. Thank's for posting. I'm looking at picking one up, but...since you bought I was going to PM later....sucker Just kinding of course. Again thank you!

[YuccaPatrol]

Wow. I've been waiting for an independent review of this lamp and think it will be my next major caving purchase.

The last I heard, they were selling it as a lamp only and the buyer had to come up with their own battery to run it. Do you know if they are offering it as a complete kit yet? As soon as they offer it as a complete kit, I'll buy it.

[potholer]

Thanks for the information, and the comparison shots.

Is the Stenlight an original (older) one, or one with recent LEDs in?

It's probably worth reminding people that lighting pictures can be misleading, at least on some monitors.
For example, on my screen, in the 'P7 350mA' picture, much of the scene seems effectively black, yet looked at in a photo editor, I can see the scene is being lit, just at a lower level.

It's not hard for a 4:1 difference in brightness to look like the difference between sunlight and blackness in a photograph displayed on a screen, whereas to the eye at the time, a 4;1 difference might look more like 2:1, or even less.

[YuccaPatrol]

Even though the beam-shots may not be a perfect substitute for seeing it for real, I am still very impressed by the gorgeous combination of spot and flood.

I emailed the manufacturer today and will be ordering one very soon. . . .

So how exactly are you powering this? I'll need to build a battery pack and was told that it needed 3.6-4.5 volts to run.

[jharman2]

Thanks for the information, and the comparison shots.

Is the Stenlight an original (older) one, or one with recent LEDs in?

Good question - I should have pointed out that it is an OLD Sten. It does NOT have the updated LEDs. A friend just received his upgraded Sten and I plan to post a similar composite picture with it soon.

Even though the beam-shots may not be a perfect substitute for seeing it for real, I am still very impressed by the gorgeous combination of spot and flood.

So how exactly are you powering this? I'll need to build a battery pack and was told that it needed 3.6-4.5 volts to run.

I am currently powering it with 2 18650 Li-ion cells in parallel (same SIZE not output as the 2.4Ah Sten pack). My battery pack is not finished so I am not posting pictures of it yet. However, I plan on posting pictures and build instructions when it is complete.

I am going to try to take the Serv-Light underground this weekend and see how it performs. I will of course have a more in depth review in the near future.

[YuccaPatrol]

Then we are thinking along the same lines. I found this battery pack which is 3x18650 already packaged. I figured I would dip it in the liquid rubber for coating tool handles to give it some additional water resistance and bump protection. This battery pack can be had for $20 which I thought is a very good price.

[adleedy]

Then we are thinking along the same lines. I found this battery pack which is 3x18650 already packaged. I figured I would dip it in the liquid rubber for coating tool handles to give it some additional water resistance and bump protection. This battery pack can be had for $20 which I thought is a very good price.

I have two of these battery packs on the way, but instead of dipping them in rubber, im going to build a water proof case for them. I ditched my 11ah project because this was much more economical for me.

[adleedy]

just got an email from serv-light this morning,

Looks like my light should ship this week, I'm also the second person in the us to get one, and the first to get one with the double cable protection.

[driggs]

I'm also the second person in the us to get one, and the first to get one with the double cable protection.

What is "the double cable protection"?

[cavercrew]

Looks pretty sweet. How much $$$ How heavy compared to Sten?

Later, Mike

[cavercrew]

A little research... Sten just under 125 grams. Serv-light 165 grams.
I guess depending on the exchange rate and how you have it configured between 220 and 320 US + shipping.
Nice light.
Mike

[adleedy]

I'm also the second person in the us to get one, and the first to get one with the double cable protection.

What is "the double cable protection"?

a cable inside a cable, to protect it from abrasion. also, the cable glands appear to be much more bombproof than the standard ones.

[Evan G]

I'm also the second person in the us to get one, and the first to get one with the double cable protection.

What is "the double cable protection"?

a cable inside a cable, to protect it from abrasion. also, the cable glands appear to be much more bombproof than the standard ones.

Oh good, did it. I email him several times because I wanted to be able to switch out cables easy. Such as a long survey trip or Lech you can carry a belt pack or for shorter trips a helmet pack. I have also noticed that on any lamp that a failure point is near where the cable goes into the housing (where it be battery or lamp).

[adleedy]

the cables are still not interchageable, the cable will be permenantly affixed to the battery box and the headlamp.