Syslite Duo with Tripod

[Tom_LC]

Hi Guys,

My first post. I never really say much as most of it has been said before.

I found a lot of the reviews on here useful before buying tools, especially when they go into the finer detail not available on retailers websites.

Since there isn't a review here of the new Syslite Duo I thought I might add a few pictures of it on site. I'm not much of a writer so I'll keep it to the point.

Every photo here has been taken in near complete darkness with no lighting except that of the Syslite.

A few action shots.

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Unfortunately I had to cut off the lovely Festool-green europlug!

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The first thing I noticed was the excellent build quality of the tripod. I was expecting it to be a cheap re-branded one. It's incredibly sturdy even when only spread out a small amount.

The clamps used to secure the height and base adjustment are not like I have seen on other tools where the threaded bar screws straight into the tube. This tends to damage the tube and will over time or under a heavy load start to slip. Instead Festool have fitted a proper clamping system, well done Festool.

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I guess this is supposed to be a cable tidy? Shame there's not a green flap on the velcro.

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The Syslite slides onto the top of the pole where a small metal push toggle clips it in place. It does a good job at stopping the light from moving around, however I wouldn't like to speculate if it would survive being knocked over whilst attached to the tripod.

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The rear has a molding for hanging off a screw or nail in the wall. The base also has three holes for screwing into, this might be useful for mounting in difficult situations where you might want to make a "custom" stand out of wood. The base also doubles up as a cable tidy with a clip in the back of the hanging hook for the plug.

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There's a huge void going through the middle of the Syslite where the heat sink for the LED's lives.

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And the Systainer complete with mystery bar on the hinge!

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As I said above every photo here was taken using light from the Syslite.

The main benefit of this light is not its brightness (although very good) but the colour temperature, it's really like working in daylight!

At about £350 it's not cheap, you can purchase 15x dual halogen site lights of Amazon for the same price. I'm not here to tell you if it's value for money or not, that's a decision you are going to have to make... but I'm defiantly buying another.

I'll try to answer any questions if you have any,

Tom.

 

[KolinP]

Thank you Tom. A very helpful review.

It looks like that power cable would survive some pounding too!

I wouldn't expect to see a 'flimsy' design from Festool of course, but it's clear that this thing has been substantially 'engineered'. Much more than just a bunch of LEDs in a box!

I can't justify buying one of these just yet, but given its evident 'daylight colour fidelity' I could see me using it also for my photography  [big grin] 

(Putting aside for the moment any actual white-balance / 'degrees Kelvin' measurements of its emitted light, which I'd want to check before depending on it for photography.)

(Edit ...) Oh, and welcome to the Forum  [smile]

Colin P.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I'm getting my Syslite Duo tomorrow, I bought just the light no systainer or stand as I have an extra Sys 3, and a couple of tripods, and planning on buying one more in the near future, so I'll just rig up a Quick Clamp mounting plate to attach directly to the light and then can clip it into a ballhead.. So I've saved about 30% by just getting the bare unit.. I'll spend the money saved on the third photo tripod instead.. Actually the Syslite Duo will work well for photography situation as well...

 

[andreasg]

Thanks for your review This might be my next purchase, but I´m a little conserned it will be too much in small rooms (10-20 square meters) for paintwork.

Has anyone the same concern? And what about putting a dimmer in the socklet, before the Syslite Duo is plugged? Would that damage it in any way?

 

[neeleman]

Since I have the Duo I use it everyday and I like it very much. You cannot have enough light.
It gives a lot of light, but in small rooms you can point it to the ceiling or to opposite wall and manage the amount of light.

I to was thinking of adding a switch or dimmer to the Duo. Because that's the only thing I'm missing on it.
But the problem is that the Duo uses 800 Watt and these dimmers are expensive (±€125) and mostly for wall installation.
I have not found any small, floor or remote dimmers of this wattage.

Another question I have: are the leds in the Duo dimmable?

 

[PreferrablyWood]

Since I have the Duo I use it everyday and I like it very much. You cannot have enough light.
It gives a lot of light, but in small rooms you can point it to the ceiling or to opposite wall and manage the amount of light.

I to was thinking of adding a switch or dimmer to the Duo. Because that's the only thing I'm missing on it.
But the problem is that the Duo uses 800 Watt and these dimmers are expensive (±€125) and mostly for wall installation.
I have not found any small, floor or remote dimmers of this wattage.

Another question I have: are the leds in the Duo dimmable?

I was just reading in the manual and it says 112  W, I was perplexed when you said 800 W as LED's are known to be energi efficient..

So you don't need the expensive dimmer ..

 

[johninthecamper]

It's not hard to be more efficient ,when a incandescent bulb uses about 97% of the juice to create heat,led uses about 25% for light.about 8-10 times more efficient,
Good luck trying to dim them at the wall plug,needs to be built in,they are taking a.c. and converting it to d.c. for the work.

 

[neeleman]

[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member]
Yes I think you're right.
Power consumption is indeed 112 W and the light capacity of the leds is 8000 lm which is around 533 W compared to ordinary light bulbs. The question remains: are the leds in the Duo dimmable?
If so I could use a kind of dimmer in the picture.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Newer led lamps come more and more with the dimmable option, but they need to be designed for it. I really doubt the Syslite DUO was designed for it.

 

[andreasg]

I was also surprised about the 800w. Thought I remembered much lower. At this price, let's hope it can be dimmed then I'll order straight away!

 

[VW mick]

[member=40914]Tom_LC[/member]

This may seem like a silly question but does the tripod fit in the systainer with the light

 

[KolinP]

Newer led lamps come more and more with the dimmable option, but they need to be designed for it. I really doubt the Syslite DUO was designed for it.

I agree Alex. (Basing my opinion on a career in electronics I'll admit, rather than in the noble electrician's trade.)

But I base my opinion also on the near-certain probability that if the Syslite Duo was indeed dimmable - using any of the commonly available dimming devices that we know exist - then surely Festool would have made this a big 'plus' point in their marketing of this device!?

In the absence of such a boast by Festool, I would not risk experimenting with any dimming option.

The Duo's MSP (Main Selling Point) is that it's a big, broad, bright light.

I'd also reckon that - in terms of electronic complexity - by omitting any dimmer functionality and offering this 'simpler' on/off design, Festool have enhanced the Duo's basic reliability ... however that last point is just my gut feeling.

Colin P.

 

[neeleman]

[member=40914]Tom_LC[/member]

This may seem like a silly question but does the tripod fit in the systainer with the light

No therefore the tripod is far to big.
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[Tom_LC]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay. I didn't get any replies for a couple of days and I thought this thread had died.

[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member], I don't know your situation but I would recommend to most people that they get the full kit. I was, like you, going to buy just the base unit but changed my mind last minute. I'm glad I did! The light works a lot better when mounted on the tripod, I've found that placing the unit on the floor throws a lot of shadows and a third of the LEDs are wasted lighting up the floor.

[member=37952]andreasg[/member], I used the Syslite today in a tiny landing at the top of a staircase. I didn't find it to bright. You could always point the light towards a wall and use reflected light, this is what I do if it's shining in my eyes.

[member=32795]VW MICK[/member], No question asked with genuine intention is a stupid question. Unfortunately no, the stand is way to big to fit.

To answer the general questions about power usage and dimming.

-I measured actual power usage, 90w at the socket. Power factor for those that are interested is about .91

-Quite simply the Syslite doesn't have a dimmer because it doesn't need one! The Syslite is a tool and like all tools it was designed to perform a set function. This is a floodlight and nothing else.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay. I didn't get any replies for a couple of days and I thought this thread had died.

[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member], I don't know your situation but I would recommend to most people that they get the full kit. I was, like you, going to buy just the base unit but changed my mind last minute. I'm glad I did! The light works a lot better when mounted on the tripod, I've found that placing the unit on the floor throws a lot of shadows and a third of the LEDs are wasted lighting up the floor.

[member=37952]andreasg[/member], I used the Syslite today in a tiny landing at the top of a staircase. I didn't find it to bright. You could always point the light towards a wall and use reflected light, this is what I do if it's shining in my eyes.

[member=32795]VW MICK[/member], No question asked with genuine intention is a stupid question. Unfortunately no, the stand is way to big to fit.

To answer the general questions about power usage and dimming.

-I measured actual power usage, 90w at the socket. Power factor for those that are interested is about .91

-Quite simply the Syslite doesn't have a dimmer because it doesn't need one! The Syslite is a tool and like all tools it was designed to perform a set function. This is a floodlight and nothing else.

Thanks Tom for the review! I agree I don't think the Syslite Duo would be as useful without a tripod, I have two or three already, and plan on getting a third. My space is limited so I'd like my things to do double duty, I'll end up using almost the same on making a mounting plate with a QC plate and perhaps a beefier quick clamp  as I would for the Festool tripod, its made by another German company https://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=370&sprache=english  I can use the QC plate and Clamp on other things than the Syslite Duo when the need arises...

 

[andreasg]

[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member] You are probably right. Too much light is seldom a problem, and can be directed away. Recently bought the Syslite Kal 2 and love it. But it just not enough for painting a ceiling here in dark Scandinavia at this time of the year. Even when moved all the time. Have been thinking about one more Syslite Kal. But I´ll think the Duo will be a better choice. Haven´t gotten into the cordless tools yet either, and don´t have any batteries yet. so far too pleased with the drill I got. But understand that the time will come when that battery-system will be replaced to

 

[PreferrablyWood]

[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member] You are probably right. Too much light is seldom a problem, and can be directed away. Recently bought the Syslite Kal 2 and love it. But it just not enough for painting a ceiling here in dark Scandinavia at this time of the year. Even when moved all the time. Have been thinking about one more Syslite Kal. But I´ll think the Duo will be a better choice. Haven´t gotten into the cordless tools yet either, and don´t have any batteries yet. so far too pleased with the drill I got. But understand that the time will come when that battery-system will be replaced to

The Halogen work lights are also extremely bright, and I don't think they are being used with dimmers. low tech effective solution. The Syslite Duo is in a way extremely high tech with eighty led's in a splash proofYdust proof enclosure, highly economic in cost per lumin . I just put it to the test in my garden, it is not overly bright for the area that I need to work in at all.. 12 meter long bed.. Then main thing though is to directt the light so it doesn't cause any problems with the neighbours.. I'm going to make some baffle to avoid just this problem.. I love the daylight quality of the light...

I was also thinking of getting Two Syslite Duo but for a larger working area light they would still be difficult to balance, plus you would have to tie up two batteries.. I'll eventually get a Syslite Kal II though when I want a more discreet light on just a small working area like a table or in a corner of a kitchen... I get by quite well with a Led headlight, but I feel after using headlights for years that I get a little disoriented by always working in a small light cone surrounded by blackness..

 

[andreasg]

About that.. 80 LED´s.. does anyone know what happens if one or a few stops working? When will it be a case for warranty?

 

[PreferrablyWood]

About that.. 80 LED´s.. does anyone know what happens if one or a few stops working? When will it be a case for warranty?

Well it's got the usual 3 year all inclusive warranty that the tools have, so I shouldn't think it would be an issue to get it fixed. I'm doubtful that the Led's will malfunction anytime soon. I've never had even cheap ones fail on me. It's always the framework that they sit in that fails.. The Syslite Duo is built like a tank!

 

[richy3333]

I think the AC to DC driver for the LEDs would need to be capable of dimming to allow it. I doubt it is as they are always more expensive. Even if you have a driver that's capable of dimming it's still a new black art when used in buildings etc. Not all dimmers work with all manufacturers lights. There are other factors to consider too, so I doubt all in all it can't be done.