Reviews > Lighting > Headlamps - LED > Princeton Tec Quad > James E. Triplett > Initial Report

Initial Test Report:
PRINCETON TEC QUAD
Four-LED headlamp


Report by James E. Triplett
October 30, 2006

Additional Product Information
Paraphrased from the Princeton Tec website, and the product literature:

• [Regulated LED/Constant Brightness] - The Quad uses regulated LEDs which have a sophisticated regulating circuit that maintains initial brightness as long as the batteries have sufficient voltage
• [Focused Wide Beam] - Simulates normal daylight conditions and allows you to take advantage of your peripheral vision
• [Waterproof Rating Level 2] - Providing waterproof integrity down to 1 meter (39 inches) for up to 30 minutes
  
• [Ultrabright LED] - Smooth, white, wide-beam light emitted by Ultrabright LEDs is ideal for close- to mid-range tasks
  
• [Battery Power Meter] - Continuous feedback on the condition of the batteries, indicating high, medium or low battery life
• [Multiple Modes] - Flexibility to adjust your light’s brightness and/or beam width to illuminate greater distances or to conserve battery power

Upon Arrival
The Princeton Tec Quad headlamp arrived in typical retail packaging.  The clear plastic package contained the Quad headlamp with the headband installed, a set of three AAA batteries, and cardboard sleeves listing the weight of the headlamp, the burn time / beam range for the various intensity modes, and warranty information.  There are also callouts surrounding a picture of the Quad, highlighting the information listed in the Additional Product Information above, as well as the power switch and the hinged mounting bracket locations.  Also in the package was a folded up sheet of paper with more detailed information, battery replacement instructions, and operational directions.  The headlamp is made in China.

Features
Princeton Tec uses four regulated Ultrabright Nichia LEDs.  The LEDs have a circuit which is supposed to allow the LEDs to maintain full brightness until there simply isn't enough battery life left to light them at all.  Based on this circuitry, the headlamp should not get dimmer over time, but then will ultimately go out when fresh batteries are needed. The instruction sheet shows a chart where the illumination is constant for most of the battery life, and then quickly fades out once the batteries are about to expire.   There is also a table in the instruction sheet which differentiates between "overall burn time" and "regulated / constant burn time".  In the high mode, for example, using alkaline batteries, the "overall burn time" is 50 hours, while the "regulated / constant burn time" is only one hour.  I don't believe there is a way to switch between regulated (constant brightness) and non-regulated, so this has me perplexed.  The information sheet also explains that as the batteries drain there will be less distinction between the different power modes, and that this is to be expected with this type of circuitry.  The headlamp can operate in one of four modes.  The modes consist of low, medium, and high brightness, as well as a flashing mode which also uses the high brightness setting.  The table below shows the advertised battery life and beam projection distance for each mode.

The Princeton Tec Quad headlamp is waterproof to 1 meter (39 inches) for up to 30 minutes.  The warranty is "Lifetime" in the USA and 10-years Internationally.



Initial Inspection
I did not specify a color choice and received a blue headlamp.  The website shows the blue and the black lamps having the same color and pattern on the headband, that being black flames on a grey background.  The lamp I received has the same color scheme, but is more of a camouflage pattern.  Otherwise the Quad meets exactly what I expected from the website.  The website does have extensive information on the Quad headlamp in particular, and all Princeton Tec headlamps in general.  Buried in the small print of the Operating and Maintenance Instructions sheet are directions for switching between the brightness modes of the headlamp.  Pressing the power button more than once with out pausing steps the lamp through the assorted brightness settings, and then off.  After leaving the headlamp in one mode for a couple of seconds, pressing the power button again turns the lamp off.  The battery power "meter" is a single indicator below the LEDs inside the clear front of the headlamp.  Information on the website says "The battery power meter provides you with continuous feedback on the condition of the batteries, indicating high, medium or low battery life."  The instructions with the headlamp state that the power meter LED will flash when the headlamp is off and the batteries are low.  There is no apparent method for the meter to indicate any battery levels besides low.   With the fresh batteries installed in the headlamp the indicator is off. 



Observations
The Princeton Tec Quad has a pivoting head which is designed to allow the headlamp to be aimed at different angles.  The on/off switch is a large yellow rubber button on the top of the lamp head, which looks to be waterproof as it is integrated into the blue plastic housing.  There is no way to lock the button so that it can't be actuated, but it appears to be stiff enough, and low profile enough, to avoid being accidentally turned on.  There is a slot in the yellow rubber switch cover, but I am not sure what it is for.  Possibly just to allow more movement of the cover material, but it looks like a dirt trap.  The three AAA batteries are installed in the lamp head behind the LEDs.  This compartment is opened by turning a slotted knurled screw which can be started with a screwdriver, a coin, or the adjustment buckle on the headband.  Since the batteries and LEDs are all in the same area there are no exposed wires outside the lamp head.  The sturdy elasticized headband is just under an inch (2.5 cm) wide.  The band is adjustable and seems to hold the lamp in place quite securely in my initial observations.  The lamp head is approximately 2.5 x 2.0 x 1.4 inches thick (6.3 x 5.1 x 3.6 cm) at the widest points on the lamp.  For reference, an AAA battery is about 1.7 inches long by 0.4 inches in diameter (4.3 x 1 cm).



Test Plan
I will use the Princeton Tec Quad Headlamp daily as I go out for 2-mile (3 km) hikes in the woods before daylight each morning.  At this time of year it is especially dark due to the late sunrise, and the foliage still clinging to the trees preventing ambient light from the sky from reaching the ground, in most areas of the forest.  I also plan on taking several overnight backpacking trips, during which I will use the Quad Headlamp for setting up camp, cooking meals, and seeing my way around camp as well as getting organized inside my tent.  I will explore the amount of light the Quad puts out, the color of the light, and hopefully will exhaust the batteries to the point where I can observe how the "battery meter" functions.

This test series will be conducted primarily in Eastern Iowa at elevations of approximately 860 feet (262 meters).   Average monthly temperatures and precipitation data for the test period are contained in the table below.

Reviews > Lighting > Headlamps - LED > Princeton Tec Quad > James E. Triplett > Initial Report