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Early test on CreeXLamp MR 16 1.3 watt bulb

2K views 9 replies 2 participants last post by  Roger Palmer 
#1 ·
Early test on CreeXLamp MR 16 1x3 watt bulb

I am testing some of the new MR 16 Cree XLamp 1x3 bulbs, on most sites rated at 240 to 180 lumens, with quote, "Most of the light in the center spot, 10 to 15 degrees". Many of you and I have been curious about these lights, and having used two 3 watt luxeon 30 degree floods ganged with the beams crossed as a flood, I was wondering if they were really brighter and had a better center spot....or were a spot, or what did MOST of the light in the center mean?

I have run a pretty extensive test, and can answer the question....Are they really a spot bulb?

I find them to be a big, bright, friendly dog named Spud. They are a spud, not a spot.

Its the turbo looking bulb on the web, the one with the three ten degree optics in the center, in one array. Its a metal bulb, nice build quality, have to be sealed around the front face with some plumbers putty if used in a HF pot like on the Pond Scum thread. I have built some of those lights with the Harbor Frieght underwater pots.

What is it? Its more of a 30 plus degree flood with a center that is about 20 degrees, like and maybe 30% of the light is in that center spot. Not MOST of the light, its an odd puppy. It IS at least 160 lumens, one bulb is a lot brighter than my two 3 watt luxeons ganged as a flood. The center 'spud' is about ten ft wide at 60 ft, fairly bright, but its not a tight spot. Plenty of flood potential as a replacement for a halogen flood for run time.

Two of them ganged, are exceptional as a flood, the center spud then is bright out to 30 yards, but there is a lot of light wasted in the trees, around the edges.

What can it do? Flood, single bright do all light for a helmet or bar, if speeds are moderate, two make a wall of light, about 40 watts, for a flood, but its not all where you want it.

I see it as a flood light, run at 3.6 watts, or if you run two it is a massive amount of light, for a commutter, or road, or dense trail, but for fast downhill, its not got the reach, a good helmet spot is required. Think of it as a flood with a spud.

Pictures soon.
 
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#2 ·
Thanks for the info...

I've seen some similar bulbs out on eBay, MR16 sockets using Cree leds in place of where a halogen would normally be; is this the same light you're reviewing? If so, can it be plugged into a halogen housing, say an old Nightrider etc?

I'm new to the DIY lighting world, but would love to find a flood to go on the bars that's 1) A Seoul or Cree LED, 2)Has at least 2 hours burn time, 3)at least 160 lumens, and 4) powered by rechargeable AA's. I don't like the thought of being locked into proprietary cells.

Looking forward to your pics!
 
#3 ·
Its an MR16, not an MR11. Nightrider older systems were the MR11, were they not? An MR 16 bulb is 2 inches in width, and inserted in the socket, about that in depth. One can DIY from elegant to keep it simple basic, Harbor Freight has some light weight plastic underwater pots that fit them with some dremel work on the edges, as in the Pond Scum Lights thread on this site. This bulb might be 160 plus, but one has to deal with how much light is wasted in relationship to the use. I felt it is a good flood with a useful center spot to 70 ft plus in a one bulb rig.You get more with more, with two it reached out to 90 ft plus with what I would say is useful light but it all depends on the speed you are running, its not focused in a long range spot. That is the trade off, this is a wide flood with a narrow flood center spot. Parity with a 20-25 watt halogen, at 12 volts. I just swapped one of the new bulbs for two three watt luxeon floods, and it was a better light. I am not a racer, but downhill speeds I hit on the pavement to test the older rig on my Cyclocross bike, the dim light you get beyond 90 that will light up a sign, will not light up a hole in time when you are moving fast. Speed is all, in how much throw you want. Downhill on dirt roads where pigs dig holes, makes me want to slow up a bit on a cyclocross rig unless I have good light from tire to 100 ft out.

I use a ten cell 12 volt pack from say, BatterySpace.com, in NMIH, the 2200 MAH capacity, with a smart charger that uses pulse technology for fast charges, the Cree 1x3bulbs use 3.6 watts, will run solo for 4-5 plus hours in one bulb in that general range of pack. I ganged two and got a lot of time for night rides on dirt roads.

Bike lighting has gotten a lot bleeding edge, so I like to keep perspective, one can build a really decent light that a few years ago would have been impossible. Not ideal, but decent. I am going to try one of these new bulbs in a Pond Scum pot, on the bike, one of these in a helmet light, that can be put on the bar as well, so I can swap from the Monster Cross to the MTB, with the helmet light being the second light. Use light volume, to make up for the sloppy optics. That is what I want to take shots of for the site. I can use it, within the limits.


I got three from EliteLed.com at 34 each.
 
#5 ·
Build update. Cree XLamp MR 16 Lights fit Harbor freight pots exactly like halogen MR16, front slots open, plumbers putty seals the slots on the front, ISSUE, front lens is loose on some of these lights, its inset and glued into the front of the optics. It takes a needle dragged through 5 minute epoxy just at the joint to seal the lens, don't use it without sealing the lens in...Two popped out with mild handling. Yeah, I know, 35 bucks...Must have been designed by a well meaning possum who after inventing the electric toothbrush, forgot which body part it was used before he sold it to other possums...then went on to design lighting.
 
#6 ·
Cree 1x3 Pond Scum MR16test

Put two of these Cree MR16 bulbs on the Cyclocross bike with my silly photo rig, rode it over bad single track fast in daylight to see if I could snap it off the bar or the other light off the tiny Nashbar front rack. Street night ride, one test shot. Camera mount comes off and stows in the bag, its not what I want to fall on, but it makes a nice tripod, leaning against the leg, for low light shots, or video clips.

The big soft spot doubled is good enough for road or a fast section of single track, or one for a flood and a different light for a tighter spot. This one is more of a SPUD than a spot. One light IS good enough to ride alone. I took a half hour ride in the dark street, tonight, and it was a bright ride. I used a small helmet light that is a bright spot, but did not need it. I have 36 red leds on the back. Its a do it all rig, it has to be commuter capable, single track solid, and bad road bright, run time over 5 hours for one, two bulbs on and add in the 36 led tail cone, it is still well over two hours with two 2000 mah packs ganged. With a blinkie, and just the two, it gets near 3 before it dims a bit, then runs for a good while longer.

Bad issues, build quality on the lens, popped off with handling, 5 minute epoxy and a needle run round the inset acrylic lens fixed it. Oh, yeah, slots on the front of the bulb, the turbo looking bulb are open, takes epoxy putty to fill them. Not a problem, just do it, and put it on a bit of wax paper and rub it on a flat surface and peel the paper off when it hardens, touch up with 5 minute epoxy, and due to the slots on the side of the bulb, it has to be totally sealed into the pots, with clear silicone. The o ring is not enough. Do not trust the glue they used to put the lens in, other than that its a good bulb. Its HEAVY. I felt it was an issue on my helmet. That was not expected, I did not like the weight, I would rather keep my small bright 1.2 watt luxeon helmet rig for now, hated the weight on my head. I do have some neck pain, maybe its me. As heavy as a 5 watt luxeon MR16, big hunk of metal.

The picture is my neighbors wall, at 80 ft. The Cree light on the bar is set level to use the big soft spot out to about 90 ft. The spots did cross, but the bar light is putting out more spot in this picture. The area around the door is about ten ft wide. You can see the light lights up the wall pretty well. The light on the rack is set a bit two low, it needs to be adjusted. It puts out a lot of light as a flood right at the bike front.

I used Planet Bike Quick Cams, single bolted to the pot, and then used three industrial rubber bands for tension around the pivoting section of light, to keep some tension, and take out the play, any play and the Surly front Fork and cross tires snap stuff of the bar. It adjusts side to side and up and down on the side pipe on the pvc junction box.

Positives, enough light, cool running, nice bulb body, easy pond scum build, on an MTB, On a Monster Cross rig, with a taillight it gets into all the wiring and commutter issues, I think its a great one light build for a beater, with a small Princeton Tec headlight or even cheapo Brinkman 1.2 luxeon. Good for that bike that you just want to grab and ride with an old helmet and no fear of losing valuable stuff. One on the street was sweet, two got some wows out of the local kids and cars slowed down. On trail I has to be better for me than my older 16 eq watts of luxeon lamps. Its hard to figure lumens, but I think 170, but wasted light is an issue due to the sloppy do it all optics.

Its heavy, its funky. It takes epoxy to seal, its not so cheap, it is not as advertised, a tight spot.

I rode ok with my two 3 watt luxeons, this is triple that amount of light, even if most of it is flood, the center sections by two gets 40 feet more throw and yeah, I still use a small headlight for a spot, but I am not using any more halogen. I can swap the lights between bikes, and if I break them, I know how to make another.

Again, thanks to the Pond Scum Bums, if this bulb goes south, it will go south on a Cross bike fast, I have broken and smashed all sorts of things on the bar.

Green Grass Property Leaf Real estate

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#8 ·
A flat array of 36 red leds, just fit a trailer clearance cone, 12 volt, very bright, with a flat 100 degree array, an inch and a half in diameter covered with 36 bright leds. The corners of the square array are expoxied to the plastic cone, its sealed with silicone, Its an odd light, its bright orange, from the side its a solid light, from the rear you see the leds like a super bright self powered reflector.

However, it uses a good bit of power. I still use a blinkie over it for the flashing aspect and economy mode on dirt. Street needs more light than trail in the rear. I found the blinkie to be nearly invisable in rain.
 
#9 ·
Trail shots Cree XLamp MR16

Last shots I am going to do, rode at night, this is about what I saw. I think you can see its a very bright flood, one is about 20 watts, two are better. Taken at 1.6 seconds with a Panasonic Lumix FZ 10. Older camera, a lot of noise, but a good idea of light flow.

Not a spot, but its an odd puppy, that center spud had more range than I would have thought, but think of it as a flood replacement if you need one. The center spots crossed, were really decent to 90ft on dirt, but its so irritating to see how bright the bulb could be with decent optics when you get on a long straight and are lighting up the high possums.

end of trail out about 120 ft, very dark area.

Nature Green Water resources Liquid Nature reserve


sign and big oak is 90 ft out, both MR16 lights on. Not quite
dark fully...

Nature Vegetation Natural environment Cross Natural landscape


Very dark at this point, better able to see how much area it would light up.

Glowing signs 200 ft out, end of road, 350 ft out was visable, near trees 60 plus, for night riding on country roads, it gets both sides of the road enough to see problems a couple of hundred ft out, parked cars, issues. One thing I did like on dirt was the vine avoidance factor, my worst falls in Florida after the canes have been when the bike was a trapeze artist. with a small helmet light I was happy to have that broad bright panoramic view.

Led is wierd stuff. I just want to ride now, and forget lights for a while.

Night Atmosphere Light Midnight Pipe
 
#10 ·
Update on Cree bulb, rode again, lots of sweet flood, with range. After getting irritated with my old non K2 version Emitter, clunky on the hat. I found a K2 headlight at Target on sale for 24 bucks. Feels like about 55 lumens of good spot. The early Emitter seemed like it was about 7-8 watts of spot. It said ten, the K2 says 85 lumens, NOT, but its at least 55 and nice light. An inset area center of the lens, is designed to focus a small tight spot off of the front of the chip, with a normal front spot reflector around the edge, like 15 degree reflector, with a 8-10 degree optic in the center, so most all of the light is in or near the spot. Not your normal optic, like on the early one watt commercial store headlights.

Three levels of brightness, It works well. 3 AA pack, led on it, etc. O ring sealed pack. Expected little was very happy with the results. A little velcro and some velcro straps, its on the helmet and its beaten my old rigs, and is lighter and is more useful than my old Emitter. Which cost 120 bucks. The new K2 Emitter I am sure is not the same puppy.

I am sold on having a lot of flood for low brushy swamp conditions, this spot with one Cree 1x3 bulb on, is a lot like my older halogen rig, but its very stingy on power. With two on, and the spot, its got the range in flood mode to let the spot lay over the fill so there is less black to white shift. My eyes react better within the riding area when using the spot. Less night blindness, stress on the eyes. I may be easily pleased, but looking at this Pond Scum thread while hefting my dead lead acid battery, and feeling glum, got me into it.

I never had enough light, but did not want the all on brightness of HID.

no more air time with the bar on a vine so far, too old for Circus work.
 
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