Xtar D26 1600

[stuartv]

I have actually gotten to use my D26 1600 now and I am also seeing a serious problem with self-discharge even when the light is off. At first, I thought maybe I had put in a battery that I had forgotten to charge. But, now I've tried it over 4 or 5 days of diving and it seems like it is burning through the battery at the same rate (or nearly so), whether the light is on or off. I put a freshly charged battery in at the beginning of the day on Saturday, did 2 not-long dives, used the light for something like 25 minutes on the 2nd dive and not at all on the 1st. The red LED was flashing at me by the end of the 2nd dive.

So far, it's somewhat anecdotal evidence. But, now that I'm pretty convinced I'm going to do some actual testing.

I also sent an email to Xtar to inquire if they are aware of this issue. Hopefully, they will acknowledge and provide a fix (i.e. update the design and send me a new light). The brightness of it is truly awesome. But, it seems to be running down so fast, I am just about ready to call it unusable.

 

[tursiops]

Their website is pretty clear:

Should be interesting to see their response to you.

 

[stuartv]

Their website is pretty clear:
View attachment 487484

Should be interesting to see their response to you.

Yeah.... I had not seen that, but I think that is completely wrong. As in, maybe 1 or 2 days of standby.

I have started my testing. Which means, I started by running my batteries through my Opus tester to verify they are good before doing anything else. That is taking HOURS (and hours). We'll see how it goes...

 

[tursiops]

Oops, I was kinda interested in the light, but I see the beam-width is 53 deg....so I'll keep looking. I'm wanting a cheapish (shallow water) light using 26650.

 

[stuartv]

Oops, I was kinda interested in the light, but I see the beam-width is 53 deg....so I'll keep looking. I'm wanting a cheapish (shallow water) light using 26650.

53 degrees is the spill. The spot is tight. 8'ish, I think.

I used it last weekend and it was really awesome. Super bright on high. Nice, tight beam.

It just needs sorting on standby battery drain. And I say that pending my real testing of it. So, it SEEMS to need sorting.

 

[stuartv]

ps. The D26 non-1600 is great, too. I have 2 of them and they have been my primary and backup for a year and a half or so. They are the same basic brightness as the DGX600 and other lights that have the Cree XM-L2 emitter. With a single 26650 battery.

The D26 1600 has the newer Cree XHP35, which is a lot brighter and it's a smaller LED, so more potential for a really tight beam (with good optics).

 

[Akimbo]

Question: Is the magnetic switch on the D26 strong enough to interfere with analog and digital compasses?

 

[stuartv]

Question: Is the magnetic switch on the D26 strong enough to interfere with analog and digital compasses?

I am SO glad you asked that. I had not even thought about that.

I just fired up my Teric and Perdix AI and set them both to show their compasses. Oriented them both to mag north (which they agreed on). Then I moved my D26 1600 near them. I held it with the power button pointed towards the computers. When it got to about 6" from the computers, it started to affect them. Closer and it affected them more, as you'd expect. 3" away and both compasses were clearly oriented solely to the light's button.

I did not check a regular D26. I can if you want me to. I was just too lazy to go downstairs and get one. I had the 1600 here in my office as I just put a fresh battery with a measured 5200 mAh capacity in it, to see what the charge level is in the morning.

I will definitely have to remember to follow whichever compass is on the arm opposite where I have the D26!

 

[Akimbo]

I did not check a regular D26. I can if you want me to.

Please do, but at your convenience. I discovered this issue on night dives decades ago on the old Darrell-Allen lights, which probably had much stronger magnets. I could live with "knowing" that 6"/150mm plus is far enough. Twice that becomes problematic.

You might find this video informative, especially the changing battery part starting at about 4:40.

​

 

[stuartv]

Please do, but at your convenience.

The D26 non-1600 has the same effect, but at a reduced distance. It seems like it's more like 4 - 5" before it starts affecting the compass reading.

I wonder if the magnet is different, or if it's just a case of cheap magnets and my D26 lights being 1.5 years or more older than the 1600.