Festool Syslite overview

I have one on the way and kinda feel bad about it...because it is only one!  First test will be seeing how long it will run on a portable rechargeable jumpstart battery with a 12v outlet. 
 
Had a chance to use my Syslite today installing Brusso shelf pin sockets in a mahogany cabinet side.  I set up my drill press for depth of cut, marked the panels and then realized that my "old eyes" couldn't center the brad point bit with the drill press and shop lighting.  The two pictures are with the shop lights and drill press light (top picture) and another with the Syslite at the side shallow angle, what a difference for me [smile]
 
Dave and Kreg did a great job with the videos. Check out this video and see the SysLite get run over by a truck. Do that with your halogen or fluorescent lamps!  [wink]

Remember, the SysLite is considered a tool and comes with a 3 year warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee.

Festool SysLite LED Worklamp KAL 100 (498568)
 
That's quite an impressive demo.

I have been looking to improve my shop lighting - it is spotty, which makes it hard to work accurately, so the Syslite is very interesting.

I wish Festool would publish the lumen rating of this light.

Since they don't I did some back of the envelope estimates and came up with somewhere between 25-55 lumens per LED watt. Giving Festool credit for using very good LEDs means about 55x18 or just about 1000 lumens.

That's super for a battery powered worklight.

But a 100w incandescent puts out about 3000-3200 lumens, a 40w T12 fluorescent 2000-3000. Halogen bulbs are about the same (crummy) efficiency as incandescent lights which is why they are so hot, and really not great for portable lighting.

HID Xenon lamps are about as efficient as fluorescent lights. There are some portable lamps of the HID Xenon design like the Streamlight 45620. That's 3x more money than the Syslight, but also more than 3x brighter, and more directional which may or may not be what you want.

One of these high tech lights would be the greatest though If I was climbing into attics or crawlspaces, which is the scenario the demo shows. I hope the guys in my local fire squad have some of those Streamlights. I could see them being a life saver.

Now here is the competition for shop lighting - Philips is selling 12w 805 lumen LED bulbs for about $22ea.

So I'm thinking now that these advanced portables aren't really going to be optimal it for my shop lighting needs. Better to get some standard light fixtures and LED bulbs. I'm thinking maybe I can attach something to my boom arm.

[ edited for language - Shane ]
 
andvari said:
That's quite an impressive demo.

I have been looking to improve my shop lighting - it is spotty, which makes it hard to work accurately, so the Syslite is very interesting.

I wish Festool would publish the lumen rating of this light.

Since they don't I did some back of the envelope estimates and came up with somewhere between 25-55 lumens per LED watt. Giving Festool credit for using very good LEDs means about 55x18 or just about 1000 lumens.

That's super for a battery powered worklight.

All the comparasons you have used are based on total guess work. Given that there are 3LED flashlights that DO give a lumen rating at 3000 lumens. I fail to see where your numbers come from.  ???
http://s.dx.com/search/1000-lumens
 
I've seen multiple places that cool white LEDs can easily exceed 100 lumens/watt.

Tom
 
We agree again, JMB!

I'm suggesting that the SysLite could easily shine in excess of 2000 lumens.

Tom
 
Guy Ashley said:

LOL, I know the feeling. If it's supposed to be indestructible I can find a way to bust it.
SOB, now I gotta buy 2. I was hope'n to put it off...
Tim
 
This is a different sort of tool. It is something you grab on sunday night when the power has gone out.
 
We already know that these are 6 3 watt LEDs. So if the luminous efficacy is 100 lumens/watt the max output is 1800 lumens.

Of course we don't know what the 3 watt rating refers to - the LED max power or what they are running at.

The 55 lumen/watt number is based on the ratings of a lot of flashlights I found on Amazon - typically 160 lumens plus the Wikipedia article on luminous efficacy.

 
Since we're sharing how we use these Syslite's,,,,,
This closet was pitch dark. It has been raining out lately and there isnt toomuch light at 7am anyway. It really looks like daylight in the bottom shot.
photo-1.jpg

photo.jpg
 
Another good reason I like it is because we don't have to worry about explosions in proximity to our heads, and we can see what we are doing. That was two reasons.

[attachimg=#]
 
andvari said:
We already know that these are 6 3 watt LEDs. So if the luminous efficacy is 100 lumens/watt the max output is 1800 lumens.

Of course we don't know what the 3 watt rating refers to - the LED max power or what they are running at.

The 55 lumen/watt number is based on the ratings of a lot of flashlights I found on Amazon - typically 160 lumens plus the Wikipedia article on luminous efficacy.
Given that there are LEDs avalable that give 254 lumen/watt that are used in torches that would put the possible light output in the region of 5,000 lumens

http://www.cree.com/news-and-events/cree-news/press-releases/2012/april/120412-254-lumen-per-watt
http://dx.com/p/fandyfire-stl-v2-cree-xm-lt6-5-mode-1000-lumen-white-3-led-flashlight-black-2-x-18650-91136?item=1
 
That performance was accomplished in an R&D lab a couple of months ago. Who knows when that will be commercial reality.

I found this on the Philips web site under LED myths. I think it is applicable to the R&D result you linked to.

Myth #3: White-light LED sources produce over 160 lumens per watt

Many manufacturers test their LED chips on lab benches at room temperature with short pulses that produce a high efficacy that cannot be achieved in practical use. While these results are not incorrect, they do not reflect the typical expected output of LED sources integrated into lighting fixtures. Although percentages vary, it is not uncommon to see efficacy losses of up to 40%.

Reputable LED fixture manufacturers do not base lumen measurements on the test results of their LED source suppliers. Instead, they use independent, third-party testing labs to measure and validate the output of their lighting fixtures according to test conditions spelled out in the LM-79 standard, published in 2008 by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES).

Some highly efficient white-light LED lighting fixtures can achieve efficacy of over 40 lumens per watt (lm / W), sufficient to earn ENERGY STAR and other energy-efficiency ratings. For example, linear LED cove lights from a leading manufacturer achieve efficacies of 43.9 to 53.1 lm / W in normal operating conditions.

Also -

Here are reviews of the flashlight you linked to.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f66/review-fandyfire-stl-v2-triple-xm-l-pic-heavy-71256.html
http://club.dx.com/reviews/text/91136/228160

As you can see the 3000 lumen rating is unrealistic.

 
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