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Description
The
AE Light - Powerlight is one of the
first commercially available portable HID flashlights
that sports the same form-factor as the classic police
flashlight. It looks and handles very much like the
type of product most consumers would recognize. This
familiarity gives it immediate points since heuristically,
it 'behaves' in the same manner for the user as product
that they may already be familiar with. Beneath the
familiar exterior lies a significant technological
departure from the traditional Halogen 'power train'.
The bulb is a special short arc Xenon that gets it's
energy from a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery via
a ballast. Ballasts actually convert direct current
from the battery into a series of bursts that are
so closely spaced within a period of one second, that
they are perceived as a continuous stream of light.
This technology is similar to that used in the manufacture
of ballast driven fluorescent light fixtures. The
advantage of such an arrangement is that the energy
of a battery is very efficiently utilized. two other
advantages are that the bulb emits less heat than
comparably rated halogens and the color temperature
emanating from the bulb is in the order of 5,000ēK
- 6,500ēK- the same range as daylight. Finally, because
they do not depend on a tungsten filament heating
up in order to create light- HID bulbs last much longer
than comparable halogens; thereby reducing the mean
time to failure (bulb changes) significantly.
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Sales Source:http://www.aelight.com
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Specifications:
- Dimensions:Ø 2.25 in. (at
base) x 15.25 in. length
- Weight:2.50 lb (with battery)
- Colors: Black Annnodized TypeII
- Composition: Body=100% duralumin
w/Hard Rubber accents
- Bulb type:Proprietary 24W Metal
Halide
- Output; 1,300 Lumens±
- Ballast:Proprietary Electronic
- Photon Management: fixed spot Focus
reflector
- Battery Type: 12.0V / Lithium ion
(1 included)
- Battery charger: 100/240VAC, w/automatic
over charge protection, 2 hr., charge
- A/C, Input requirements:Input 110V/220V
- DC, Input Requirements:12V
- Run-time (duration) 110 Minutes
- Accessories Included: Strap Rings,
Nylon carry bag & strap , Battery charger stand,
Amber Lens (as tested)
- Option:12/24VDC fast charger
- Battery status and charging Indicator:Red=
Charging
- Operating temperatures:
Operating: 0° - 40°C
Storage: -20° - 35°C, RH 45-85%
Charging: 10° - 30°C
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ABOVE: Oblique Exploded View
ABOVE: Left. Direct charging connector |
Right, Table-top ceiling bounce posture
 
ABOVE: Left, Battery contact (ballast end)
| Right,Battery contact (tail-switch end)
ABOVE: Left, Ballast contact| Right,Tail-switch
contact
ABOVE: Left,Bulb assembly contact| Center,Ballast>Bulb
assembly contact | Right: Bulb/Reflector assembly
ABOVE: Close up view of bulb NOTE:
contact wire
ABOVE: Left, Head NOTE: Rubber Rings | Right,
Rotary On/Off switch
ABOVE: Left,Direct A/C Charge connection|
Right,External charging cradle for multi-voltage charging
ABOVE: Left & Center,Attaching optional
Yellow Fog Filter| Right,removable rubber bezel protection
ring
 
ABOVE: Left & Right,L>R - Wratten#85
Filter & Yellow Fog Filter (In holder and out
of holder)
KEY: A,B,C,D = Direct illumination from 1 meter |
A2,B2,C2,D2 = Indirect illumination (ceiling bounce)
All beamshots using camera set for daylight and exposures
normalized to 50% Gray Card density. All bounce surfaces
are a white ceiling and walls
RBS= Reflection Beam Shot (projection onto white wall)
AE Powerlight 24W HID- Being tested by an F.O.Day
Crew Member
Evaluation Results & Summaries
Ease of Use
Excellent. Even without the benefit of instructions-
it's obvious to English reading users that according
to a clearly printed label on the tail-piece -with
the head pointed forwards turning the tailswitch clockwise
causes the PowerLight to fire up and turn on. Conversely,
turning the switch collar anti-clockwise, turns the
light Off. Unfortunately, there is a temptation to
turn the tailpiece bump guard ring to affect the same
result. This will not occur as this extremity is used
for removing the entire tailpiece from the light's
body. Since there is no way to change focus, there
are no other features or controls to fiddle with-
just On and Off. Charging simply entails plugging
the supplied A/ C charger adapter plug directly into
the tail-piece connector. A light on the wall unit
signals that charging is taking place. The color of
the charger LED changes to signal when charging is
complete. Almost everything else about the use of
this product is very familiar to anyone who's handled
a typical Police type flashlight.The entire light
is disassembleable without special tools or skills
and internal components may be replaced or upgraded
at will
5 points
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Task performance optimization
Excellent. The PowerLight truly delivers
a beam that reaches farther than the brightest Police
type light and for special applications that call
for a daylight balance light source- it delivers that
as well. For cutting through dense fog, or smoke,
the Yellow dichroic Fog Filter minimizes scatter,
allowing for effective use in search and rescue scenarios.
Thanks to flexible charging options, the PowerLight
is Global in that it may be charged from multiple
Voltage sources and using one of three options: Direct,
External and 12/24V Automobile D/C. Thanks to a familiar
form-factor, there is no new muscle training required-
simply pick it up and use it as you would any similar
flashlight. The only idiosyncrasy that takes a little
adjustment is that a 15 second latency exists from
when the On cycle is activated and the light reaches
maximum intensity. For the typical applications of
such a product, this is hardly worth mentioning. For
those that expect 'tactical' applications Instant
On with momentary feature, this is not the product
to satisfy such requirements.
4.75 points
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Documentation Quality
Superlative. The instruction booklet is regionalized
(English- as evaluated) . It's written and illustrated
in precise, concise and professionally laid out step-by-step
sections that enhance optimal information absorption
and that minimize mistakes. Typographic font size
is ideal and diagramming is clear.The manual is mercifully
brief, condensing the anatomy and key operational
procedures for the PowerLight into simple, comprehensible
and easy to review pages.
5 points
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Battery Charging (Ease, Frequency, Maintenance)
Excellent. While charging the PowerLight
directly from a wall is the intuitively preferred
method, for certain applications, using the external
charging cradle is required. In addition to affording
full protection to the battery, such external charging
also allows for one battery to be in use in the light,
even while another one is being charged. This allows
for nearly uninterrupted use of a PowerLight. Lithium
Ion batteries are renowned for keeping a charge for
months in storage, making them a preferred chemistry
over NiCads or NiMH types. In addition, the LiIon
battery is lighter in weight than batteries of comparable
capacity- making them an excellent choice for a large
flashlight- since they minimize gross weight.
5 points
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Balance, Grip-ability, Stow-ability, Tabletop Stand-ability
Very Good. While not a 'welterweight' the PowerLight's
heft is minimized by having a superb mid-point balance
as well as a girth that is quite manageable by average
to large sized hands. The light simply 'points' as
one would expect it to. It's carryable in a number
of hand held positions and made much easier to handle
if used with the accessory carry strap. This strap,
snapped onto the light's carry rings and slung across
a shoulder - provides for hands free carry as well
as transferring some of the weight from the operator's
hand to a shoulder instead. This allows for the PowerLight
to be pointed forwards, even when the operator's hands
are in Aggressively textured rubber accent rings and
a body grip- afford a secure grip even with wet or
oily hands. This feature is important as the otherwise
smooth surface of a large flashlight such as the PowerLight,
could be hard to manipulate and could also lead to
inadvertent losses, especially during high stress
situations.
5 points
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Items of Note:
Excellent retail packaging | Relatively low
priced | Adapts well to a variety of circumstances|
Rugged | Highly practical combination type beam |
Beam is effectively modulated with filtration , diffusion
or bounce| Intelligent modular design | High performance
bulb, battery and ballast
5 points
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