Princeton Surge?

[jagfish]

He Illumigeek
Thanks for all that great information. My retailer was a big one in Florida (Divers Direct) and they do mail ordre all over the world. Kinda dissappointing they don't seem to have been on top of this one.

From your post...."The battery holder, for example, can be a PITA to remove and load"

Heck yeah! I thought that was only me...

I live in Japan now, I'll have to see if there is a way I can get this one replced somehow.

JAG

 

[Damselfish]

Anyone know if the dealers or Princeton tech directly will replace old lights that haven't actually failed yet? I have 2 of the same vintage, had the bulb fall out on one so far. (Other one isn't much good as a backup if I'm waiting for the bulb to fall out!)

 

[illumiGeek]

If you bought your lights from your LDS I'd check with them first. If you got it mail order, I'd just check with PT (if you have to mail it anyway...).

 

[Bubble Blower 479]

Anyone know if the dealers or Princeton tech directly will replace old lights that haven't actually failed yet? I have 2 of the same vintage, had the bulb fall out on one so far. (Other one isn't much good as a backup if I'm waiting for the bulb to fall out!)

I had a Princeton light I got in the mid 80's. I used it for everything above and below the water. In the mid 90's it quite working and I set it aside. a couple of years ago I sent an email to Princeton from their website about it and they had me send it in. A couple of weeks later a new light arrived in the mail. They were totally true to their lifetime warranty 15+ years later.

 

[illumiGeek]

If you interested I can post schematics and PCB layout. It takes just a few elements easily found online.

I'm interested. Please post info on regulation circuit for Surge.

Thanks.

Aloha, iG

 

[lairdb]

Oh, and if you are wondering how to identify the new models, they are rated at 7.5W (not 8W) and have a date sticker on the battery holder - which doesn't help much if you're mail ordering it, but if you're buying it at your LDS just ask them to let you have a look inside first (and if they have old stock, tell them to contact PT). Note that the date on the battery holder sticker is not important. The older models don't have the date sticker at all.

The newest ones have an improved battery holder as well. Supposed to be easier to load, and has reverse polarity protection.

illumiGeek, great info throughout the thread -- representative of why user-communities are so useful.

I just received my Surge, and from illumiGeek's feedback knew to look for the date sticker (present.) I have not taken it out yet, but it seems to fulfill the need I started the thread with: it will eat up my AAs, it's much brighter than the Tec40 (that I returned to my local retailer), and it's a good length and size to go in the under-arm position on the harness.

I did not find the battery holder too fidgety -- it's more than just drop-in, but not too bad. The switch action is very positive; moreso than the UK C4s (old old model or new model) that I'm used to; this is pleasing because I had some concern about brushing the Surge on inadvertently. No worries; it requires a very positive push, and doesn't protrude too far either.

Another pleasant surprise: to prevent inadvertent activation during storage or shipment, the battery holder can be turned 180 degrees inside the housing, and the light fully reassembled; this position positively deactivates the switch. (Speaking as a product designer: very nice design.) I find this more reassuring than the unscrew-until-nearly-falls-off method needed with most other lights.

While my "ideal light" would be something with the same profile, same AA batteries, same brightness, and the regulation found in LED lights (to yield uniform brightness throughout the battery life), for $30 delivered I can live without that last.

--Laird

P.S. I purchased my Surge on Ebay, NIB from "mrlumen" to save a few bucks over conventional webstores. Wasn't worth it. Though the light did arrive, it was shipped USPS rather than the clearly specified Fedex. (USPS package shipping is unreliable in my area, which led me to pick mrlumen's offer over others. So much for that.) In hindsight, I would have gone with BrightGuy or another of the reputable online dealers. This is not meant as a condemnation of Ebay shopping, but a reminder from experience that saving 3% may be penny-wise and pound-foolish. --L

 

[ENikS]

I'm interested. Please post info on regulation circuit for Surge.

Thanks.

Aloha, iG

I've posted description of this regulator to DIY section. Here is the link:


Schematics

 

[ilgenju]

hi i m new to this . i read this and i m asking you too much if you can send me the circuit please so i can my ikelite pca too.