Texas_Ace BLF Calibrated Lumen tube / Sphere No math skills needed - Several spheres still available

BLF Special Edition Products
801

I agree it’s an extremely useful tool for modding and it’s a big part of the reason I wanted a tube, however for strictly checking gains I probably could have thrown something together myself. Equally important to me is being able to verify outputs of new lights and also comparing outputs with what others post. This is why I was willing to pay for a decently calibrated tube and I’m happy TA went the extra mile to ensure these are calibrated.

Also I’d like to request to everyone that has one of these: When posting your output readings anywhere on the forum to please always identify the “TA Tube” was used .

802

I have the TA tube and the two disc fix. I have a few lights that won’t register in moonlight mode. I was just wondering what is the lowest output reading you guys have been getting?
Most of my lights read a bit lower than manufacturers estimated lumens. The one exception is my Olight S-1. Sucker comes on at 520 and rests around 495.

803

Another question:
If the light meter were to go bad do we have to go back with the exact same model or can we upgrade to a better quality one and it still work with the TA tube within a small percentage?

804

Hi all.

Does anyone say that Ta tube should not be “correct” in the measurements we make.With a thought of how many actually have different measuring instruments and people leave lumen numbers in their tests.I find it strange that a discussion that we have about 30% lower values than others have not created an open discussion about how to measure the lumen.

I got less then 1% off off my readings after instaling the discs in the lumentube its’ consistent.

805

I have my lowest reading at 5 lumen./Micael

806

This is sadly the price you pay for the better integration of the diffusing discs. The low lumen readings will not be nearly as sensitive. Personally I feel that the FAR FAR better readings you get everywhere else far outweighs the lack of being able to measure moon modes.

I generally don’t put a lot of weight on readings below ~10 lumens, the resolution down there is just so low it is hard to get good numbers.

It is fine for comparing to other lights you own though.

807

The exact calibration was setup around the meter you have but I have had real good luck with swapping meters. These HS1010A seem to be fairly good internally and match up well with meters like the Dr meter. I have interchanged meters many times with only minor effects on the readings.

The HS1010A that I use is FAR easier to mount in the PVC though. So best to use the same meter if possible.

This is also why I recommend everyone pick a “standard” light (a cheap S2+ works find for this), get some readings on the sphere and then put it aside so that later if something ever did happen you would have a way of re-calibrating the setup.

808

Yep, that is just what it should be, consistency I have found to be very good over time with dust being the biggest issue with changing readings over time.

809

I would stick with the same model. The way the sensor fits in the tube and it’s mounting depth is part of the design and calibration.

If you want to use a different meter, I would suggest getting it now and then do several back to back comparisons to get it reading just like the current one.

810

I don’t think we have numbers 30% lower than most other people. Maybe 10% or 15% is more accurate.

It was TA’s old sphere calibration that was about 30% too high. He calibrated his tube based on raw led specs, but leds are not labeled so the seller might have sold him some cheap, weaker ones thinking the he will never know the difference.

Proper integrating spheres start at around $10,000, so very few people have them. A couple people, like PFlexPRO, has one, but his is not calibrated with a proper reference source. He sort of guessed to get it calibrated based on many factory lights specs. That’s not good. He may not be too far off, though.

Most people on the forums have homemade spheres. These are not calibrated “properly” either. Certain members like DB Custom, Tom E, Robo819 and RMM (Richard from MTN Electronics) all use spheres built by Manxbuggy1 (which seems to read a bit high, maybe 10–15?). They are also calibrated based on many stock lights factory specs instead of from a certified test light like Maukka uses.

Some members also have a JoshK sphere. These came out a couple years ago. I’m not sure what they where calibrated with (I need to look that up). I have one and it reads abut 3% to 4% lower than the TA Tube. These spheres are pretty complex and seem to be limited to about a thousand lumen. There’s also a lot of math involved in using it.

The TLF forum in Germany has a member with a proper integrating sphere. I can’t remember who off hand. Maybe Kof3?

Then we have Maukka in Finland who has a proper setup.

I guess my point is we need to find out how every reviewer is measuring their lumens so we know whether to believe it or not.

Back to your point, I wish we could all get together and establish some type of calibration standard so we are all on the same page.

So many lights have been measured that it’s hard for people to go back and say “Oops, these numbers are all too high”. It might even create a “Lumen War” which nobody wants.

811

This is why I have not made a big deal out of it, I see little good and a whole bunch of bad coming from a concerted effort to get “real lumen readings” on every DIY measurement device.

I think this is a case where a slow and steady educating of people will work out better.

812

I have zero complain about the TA lumen tube…

813

Very happy with my tube also, it is now doing exactly what I wanted it for with the .68 disk arrangement in place. :slight_smile:

Thanks again TA and everyone else that helped make this work out.

814

Yes… this TA lumen tube is perfect without spending $10000. i was too lazy to wait 30 seconds… fenix tk15ue 1000 rating light. 1059/1054/1045/ etc……

As you can see very carefully, turn on lumen is 1059, and eventually it will drop to 1020 range in 30 seconds…

815

What is best and cheapest light for most better precise calibrating lumen tube in your opinions :smiley: ?

816

I tend to use stock fenix light and protected 10 amp to calibrate. Temporary!

Jason, can you shine in?

817

For calibrating your own sphere or to use as a standard calibration light for one of mine?

For a standard calibration light anything that is consistent will work (it puts out the same lumens every time you turn it on and it does not drop much over time). Simply take a measurement when you get the sphere and write it down and then forevermore you will be able to tell if the sphere is off.

For calibrating your own sphere, I don’t recommend any of them, too much variation. I tried that, it didn’t work. At the very best you have the 14% variation that all Cree emitters have to deal with.

818

Send a light with stable output such as S2+ on lower modes to TA to give you a reading.

I have lights currently being modded by TA so I’ll ask TA to give me a reading on the lower stable modes so I can use as a calibration light.

819

Check Selbuilt’s Flashlight Reviews and measurements out. I checked 3 brand new barely used stock big lights against his review measurements 100lm discrepancy @ Turbo level was the most I have seen, just on one of the lights. Pretty much spot on my T/A Tube is to Selfbuilt’s, good enough for me!

Extremely Happy with my T/A Light Tube! :smiley:

http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/index.html

820

+1