Xtar D26 1600
- Thread starter wKkaY
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That is actually believable. The first D26-1600 I got would turn off after 3 minutes. So I was initially just trying to get it to stay on for more than 3 minutes. I wasn't even at a point to check whether the brightness dropped over time.
@stuartv I tried two different combinations of leaving the battery in my new D26-1600 then checking the voltage drop. The first test was locking the light so it wouldn't accidentally come on and leaving it for 24 hours. There was almost no drop in battery voltage. The next test was leaving the light unlocked and putting a fully charged battery in it. Again, there was almost no drop in battery voltage.
I'm guessing that the last time I left the battery in the light for 2 days without using it, maybe I had the light unlocked and it accidentally turned on but later turned off. So I just didn't realize the light had been on? Seems like the only explanation. I switched the batteries around and looked for one with a slow drain issue but they all seem to work fine.
Bottom line, the D26-1600 will now stay on for over 2 hours. Additionally, if I leave the battery in the light for an extended period of time, the light will not drain the battery.
I'll have to test the light to see if/when there is a drop in brightness if I have it running for an extended period of time (by the way, when I test the lights I do it submersed in water to ensure I'm not overheating the circuitry). I'm not set up to run those tests right now. So I'll have to do that when I'm home for a period of time.
Tried watching the light for a drop in brightness but it is like watching grass grow. I only have a Gopro camera and it does brightness balancing. So when I review the video, I cannot really see when the light drops in brightness. It is only in a bowl of water 3" from the surface. I'm sure the light drop would be more significant when at depth.
Work and life is keeping me too busy to figure out how I can automate testing the brightness of the dive light. I'm curious how I would do it (for testing future lights as well) but I just don't have the time to think about it right now.
Work and life is keeping me too busy to figure out how I can automate testing the brightness of the dive light. I'm curious how I would do it (for testing future lights as well) but I just don't have the time to think about it right now.
ams511
Contributor
When @stuartv posted he received a replacement which fixed some issues, I thought if I ordered the light I would get the 'new' version which worked. But it turned out that the distribution center, which ships the light, was still shipping the old light. So this is the first issue I'd have. If I ordered an XTAR dive light today, I still don't know if I'm going to get one of the older dive lights and have to go through all this trouble again. Essentially, the fact that XTAR did not recall the old dive lights and distribution centers are still selling the old light, I am very hesitant to buy an XTAR dive light again.
Initially, I complained directly to XTAR and got a tremendous amount of runarounds and delays. I always had to follow up with the person at XTAR. They would make me promises then not follow through. Only after repeated emails to them would I get any sort of response. It wasn't until I posted to a thread between a potential customer and the XTAR rep on here that the rep intervened and got me a functional dive light. I'd hate to see anyone go through months of complaint like I did. Essentially their customer support is almost none existent.
Assuming I'd get a new model D26-1600, then I would be okay with it. I actually miss the old switch on the D26 Whale. You had to give it a quarter turn and the button would lock. It was a physical mechanism that stopped the button from being depressed. I could push the button and feel it was locked.
The new D26-1600 uses an electronic lock. I've heard that different models behave differently. You'd have to remember how your model locks. On mine, if I was using the dive light and wanted to lock it off then I would have to hold the power button for a few seconds to turn off the dive light, press the power button and hold it down (the light will come on at this time) and wait for the power indicator to start flashing. Once the power indicator starts flashing and the dive light turned off I can let go of the power button and it is locked.
To turn a locked D26-1600 back on, you have to hold down the power button for 3 to 5 seconds and then it unlocks and turns on. Remembering how to do this isn't difficult but it is one more thing I have to remember. It just feels like an unnecessarily complication. I never had problems with the old D26 Whale power switch. In other words, if it isn't broken why fix it?
I just use my light for looking under rocks, light penetration shipwrecks and cavern diving. I would not trust it for a video or photography light. I'd definitely look for something more powerful and reliable for full cave diving or deep penetration into a shipwreck.
One issue I do have with the D26-1600 that I never mentioned was the threads on the light. With all other dive lights I have, I'd put the battery in, put the two halves together and twist them together. It seemed effortless. With the D26-1600 I found twisting the two halves together very difficult. Getting the threading to start often required me to unscrew the two halves while pushing them together until I felt a click and knew the threads where in a good position. Even then, as I attempted to screw things together, the o-rings would deform and I'd have to unscrew everything and try again. In other words, it requires a lot more effort and concentration to screw the D26-1600 closed.
Finally, when I got the D26 Whale, it was well priced for what I got and met all my expectations. With the time spent, cost of shipping and initial cost of the D26-1600, I'd re-think buying the D26-1600. I was so happy with the D26 Whale that i didn't even shop around but at this point I deeply regret that. With what I know today, I'd look at other 1600 lumen dive lights and might not necessarily go for the D26-1600.
@scubadiver888
I like your post very much, comprehensive and objective.
If you have any query or problem on the replacement with the xtar product, you are more than welcome to contact me at vivabuddy@hotmail.com
I like your post very much, comprehensive and objective.
If you have any query or problem on the replacement with the xtar product, you are more than welcome to contact me at vivabuddy@hotmail.com
Does anybody know how the beam angle of the D06 1600 compares to the D26 1600?
I can't find the beam angle of the D06 1600 anywhere.
My D06 1600 has flooded and i'm thinking about replacing it with the D26 1600.
I can't find the beam angle of the D06 1600 anywhere.
My D06 1600 has flooded and i'm thinking about replacing it with the D26 1600.
Jiminy
Contributor
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