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Pelican-
Big Ed Rating
-5 Stars = Highly Recommended - Best In class
ABOVE,
Left, Front View | Right, Rear View (showing steel
clip, attachment ring and battery release button)
Note:Three electrical charging contacts.
ABOVE,
Left-Dual charging mode | Right-In unit Fast Charge
mode | Battery only trickle mode also optional
ABOVE,
Left-easy and secure lock/unlock feature allows
for wall mounting of charging station| Right- Bird's-Eye-View
of battery charging station A Wall-mounted charger
would look like this
ABOVE,Process
for removing a battery pack
Left-protected battery release | Center-push Battery
in while
depressing the battery release | Right-Battery will
gently spring out for easy removal
ABOVE, Left-
Detail of Big Ed - Rechargeable Nickle Cadmium battey
pack (4XC in a caddy)
ABOVE, Left-connecting
110V A/C to charging station | Right- covering trickle
charge compartment with dust cover
ABOVE, Clock
wise from Top Left to Bottom Left
PR base lamp replacement ( Note: spare bulb in foam)
| Removeable reflector | Bezel replacement (Note 'O'ring
seal) Tightening bezel for a good seal
ABOVE,
Left-Class certification
label | Right, Battery release instructions on base
of battery
ABOVE-An
aftermarket modification involves the embedding of
a 2mmX12mm Traser (Tritium) vial into
the top surface of the Big Ed's Head
Left, Center & Right-Bird's
Eye view shows Traser's visible effect in normal ambient,
dim ambient and almost no ambient levels respectively.
See Also >
Traser Glow-Rings
Description.
The Pelican
- Big Ed is
a specialized personal illumination device that is
specifically designed for emergency rescue personnel
such as firefighters, paramedics in addition to search
and rescue operators. Beyond this narrow market segment,
it also finds favor with any user that specifically
demands an incandescent flashlight with a head axis
that is at 90º to the body axis. This form-factor
makes the Big Ed a minimally protrusive source of
illumination. Another feature that is directly related
to fire fighters is the over-sized clip that allows
the Big Ed to be attached to a turnout coat - with
minimal forward protrusion. The typically long runtime
afforded by the rechargeable 4C cell or 'primary'
4C cell versions, are important to professionals that
may need a light for hours at a time. The Big Ed has
another distinction that's important to emergency
first responders- HAZMAT compliance. This means that
the design of the light makes it safe to use in circumstances
when flammable agents are present. The form-factor
is also one that lends itself to a sure grip in the
heavily gloved hands of firefighters and other first
responders. One added bonus is that the flat bottom
allows the Big Ed to stand erect while projecting
a beam forward and slightly above surface level. This
makes it a preferred choice for practical hands-free
illumination.
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Sales Source:
www.Pelican.com
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Specifications for Big Ed Rechargeable
3750)
- Case Color:Fluorescent Yellow W/
Black Trim
- Emitted Colors: 3200ºK Amber/Straw/White
Incandescent
- Bulb:8.2 Watt Xenon
- Beam Brightness:72 Lumens
- Power Source: NiCad Battery Pack
(4C)
- Runtime with 8.2 W Bulb and NiCad
pack: 2.5 hrs (3.5 hrs for 4C version)
- Can be submersed underwater up
to a depth of 1 meter for 20 minutes (tested)
- Fabrication:ABS Body, Polycarbonate
lens, 'O'Ring seal around battery cartridge
- Dimensions:Total H=7", W=3",
D=3"/Reflector Diameter=2.25"
- Net weight:580gms /20.6oz (with
batteries)
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Evaluation Results & Conclusions...
Ease of Use
Excellent . Requires very little learning
if any. Intuitive functional model. No cognitive overhead
. Included instructions are crystal clear and strategically
placed stickers reinforce key points to safely operate
their Big Ed lights. An obvious and ergonomically
positioned activation button is within easy reach
of either the thumb (left-hand dominant users) or
alternatively, the index finger (Right-hand dominant
user). Partially depressing the textured and rubberized
click switch, invokes a momentary on behavior. Pressing
the switch button in all the way until it clicks-
invokes a full-time On behavior. Repressing the switch
turns the light fully Off again. There is no safety
'Lock-out' mode. The light is grasped
around the body section and simply pointed where illumination
is needed. A clever battery removal procedure demands
that two nearly simultaneous events occur- mitigating
against accidental or unintentional battery ejection.
A deliberately shrouded battery release button must
be pressed in while the base of the battery pack is
pushed firmly into the chamber. This two-step action
results in the back being released- allowing it to
slide freely out of the battery compartment. No tools,
special training or twisting effort are required to
do this. A small sticker at the base of the battery
pack- reminds users how to do this .Removing the front
bezel for bulb replacement is also straight forward.
Unscrewing the bezel requires no more strength or
effort than opening a vacuum sealed food jar. Once
unscrewed, the reflector is removed and the PR based
lamp is easily pulled out of its socket. A lower wattage
spare resides in a foam protected spot just off center
to the live bulb socket. This way
if a battery starts to run low, a bulb swap can mean
a longer runtime- even if at a lower output brightness.
Stowing and carrying the Big Ed is more practical
than the same operation with traditional flashlights
that employ batteries in a long line to each other.
The flattened Big Ed profile, coupled with a handy
spring steel clip and 1" split ring mean that
forward pointing carry is always an option. In addition,
the Big Ed slips easily into cargo pockets of all
stripe- making it quite inconspicuous
5 points
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Task performance optimization
Excellent . The Big Ed effectively accomplishes
the task of illuminating subjects for the purpose
of identification or for illuminating a passageway
. It essentially performs the same function as a typical
4C cell Police type flashlight - but with a lighter
and flatter profile device. More than this, the right
angle orientation of the head, makes it ideal for
peeking around tight corners or for illumination in
cramped quarters. Though not a match for the brightest
of the Police flashlights, the Big Ed nonetheless
holds its own for 90% of the tasks that in-line 4C
lights could accomplish in terms of brightness. Given
that first responders do not necessarily need to throw
a beam of such a light more than 200' but rather they
need a reliable light for hours at a time- the Big
Ed exceeds typical requirements. Another noteworthy
feature is the superbly designed charging station
that meets the demands of the professional user. The
battery pack may be trickle charged in the rearmost
charging bay, or the flashlight mounted battery can
be fast charged in the front bay. In addition, a light
may be fast charged while a second battery pack is
being simultaneously trickle charged. Charging
can occur from a 110V AC source or a 12V DC source
such as may be found in a motor vehicle.This type
of user-centered flexibility ensures that a charged
light is always at the ready and that a second extra
battery can be immediately available- to extend illumination
capability to nearly 5 hours with the 8.2 Watt bulb.
A final item of note is the color of the
Big Ed. The fluorescent 'day-glow' yellow makes this
light extremely easy to find- even in dim ambient
illumination. Outdoors at dawn, day or dusk - the
yellow casing positively glows in UV rich lighting-
making it easy to spot for the users as well as onlookers
monitoring a scene. We especially like the Big Ed
as a main automotive light, having found it to be
practical for making roadside repairs, inspecting
or changing tires. It's stocky upright stance allows
it to perch and point unlike any baton shaped Police
flashlight.
5 Points
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Durability
Long term and stress tests have not been
performed. First impressions are that in normal use
the Big Ed is durable. It's rugged enough to take
the punishment of being banged about , dropped and
scraped against concrete . It's polymer casing absorbs
most shock and its relative lightness- both eases
the burden of carry as well as reduces the chance
that the Big Ed itself will break anything. Our experience
with polymer Pelican lights stretches back into the
1980's and most of the Pelicans we acquired then are
still in use and show no sign of cosmetic wear.
5 points
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Rating -5 Stars = Highly
Recommended - Best In class
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