Was in Walmart the other day looking around---AA Mini Mag Lite for $25 with an advertised 272 lumens listed on the package---didn't buy one as I'm pretty well set on flashlights but did take note for the future as my 1-2 year old Mini Mag was listed at 234 lumens if I recall correctly.
Alternate flashlight to a mini maglite needed
- Thread starter Pkrankow
- Start date
This might meet your needs. I haven't made it yet but it looks like an interesting project.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-%24200-%22tactical%22-flashlight-for-about-%2415/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-%24200-%22tactical%22-flashlight-for-about-%2415/
I picked up a Xeno E03 about 2 years ago for about 30 bucks & cant find a fault with the thing. It takes 1 aa alkaline or a 14500 3.7 volt li-mn if you feel you need to illuminate an airport runway. Sturdy, waterproof & compact.
- Thread starter
- #24
I am planning a different mod to the 2AA version of this flashlight. Often brighter is not better.
http://www.amazon.com/Rayovac-Indus...sr=8-5&keywords=rayovac+industrial+flashlight
If the light is a bulb with two prongs similar to the mini-mag light I will simply swap out for a regular intensity colored LED from Radio Shack. If it uses a socketed bulb more work is required as I will have to unsolder the bulb from itself, clean the glue out, solder in the LED to the tin plated base, and pot with epoxy. With 2AA the need for a current limiting resister is moot as the supply and the LED are matched. A 1 ohm resister is technically required.
I have modded flashlights in this manner as children's toys with amazing results. 90+ hours of run time on a set of alkaline batteries makes the light perfect for keeping "monsters" away. Almost no risk of injury from looking at the light. Blue makes a fun light, and is what I have used mostly. Abrading the LED with some sandpaper, specifically to flatten the end slightly and make for a diffuse light is definitely a must for a nice spread out beam.
Use red or green for low light reading lights, depending on your eye. Yellow is pretty usable too.
Phil
In Canada, Canadian Tire has Garison ones that are excellent. (and are 120 -200 lumens if not more, I d have to check, but they are quite bright)
I have a larger Ray-o-Vac (230 lumen if I remember) that's been also very good.
I was curious to get a couple of 1,000 lumen ones, I simply got a couple from online stores, which were about 15-20$, takes 3xAAA (or a 4.5V lithium battery) and provides enough light that they are spotlights when you zoom the lens for thight beam and I can see clearly for half a block (40-50 feet at least), thight beam reaches a block away (100-120 feet away). On wide, I can illuminate most of my backyard.
I have a larger Ray-o-Vac (230 lumen if I remember) that's been also very good.
I was curious to get a couple of 1,000 lumen ones, I simply got a couple from online stores, which were about 15-20$, takes 3xAAA (or a 4.5V lithium battery) and provides enough light that they are spotlights when you zoom the lens for thight beam and I can see clearly for half a block (40-50 feet at least), thight beam reaches a block away (100-120 feet away). On wide, I can illuminate most of my backyard.
I have one of these on my keys. It is a great little emergency light. Very bright, and small enough to edc without even noticing it.
http://www.ledlenser.com/uk/flashlights/k2/
http://www.ledlenser.com/uk/flashlights/k2/
- Thread starter
- #27
Cool little light Legion.
Summing up so far I am looking for something more powerful than my EDC of a Streamlight Nano. This is a car or nightstand flashlight. Maybe even a toolbox flashlight. Many people will call these EDC lights, although slightly larger lights were looked at than would fit neatly in the pocket.
This thread has caused an acquisition disorder. I have ordered way too many items recently. When they all arrive I will give an opinion on them.
So far I have learned there are 3 ways to get the lower intensity light values of multiple mode flashlights.
1 - light fewer LED's
2 - throttle the power to the LED *
3 - pulse the power to the LED to have it off part of the time resulting in the appearance of a dimmer light.
Design 3 is most prevalent. So far (and I am waiting on some items to arrive so confirm) comparing a low price flashlight with multiple modes to a high price flashlight with multiple modes shows huge differences on the lower setting.
The Rayovac Indestructible in 2D that I picked up for my tool box on the low power setting is almost a strobe light. The high power setting is fine with no pulsing.
http://www.rayovac.com/Products/Lights/Outdoor/Virtually-Indestructible-LED-2D-Flashlight.aspx
I can sense the flickering without moving objects, and with moving the flashlight or an object in the light provides trails of afterimages like waving a hand in front of an old tube TV. The pulse is so evident that it is mildly disorienting.
The LUX 600 flashlight I picked up at Lowes is quite different. A nice well made light too.
http://luxproflashlights.com/products/lp600c-luxpro-extreme-tac-600/
The light still provides an obvious pulse, but it is more like waving a hand in front of a laptop display with many many more afterimages. Slower movement does not create these images because the frequency is high enough. The frequency seems the same on medium and low power, so I would suppose this indicates a square wave is being used to drive the LED with a different percentage of the wave allowed to pass.
More to come I have a list of lights (not all are in front of me so I might have to correct this later)
Nebo Larry (I ordered some extras for Christmas gifts)
Lux pro 460 with focus
Lux Pro 600
Radio Shack Enercell (a singe mode light)
Streamlight Nano
some $6 "cree" light from Amazon that hopefully will arrive before Christmas.
Ultrafire Cree 2000 lumen (from ebay)
and some pocket bling
Prometheus Beta QR in copper.
Gerber recon, 22-80016 (not the military 22-80017)
Rayovac industrial 2AA that I plan to mod into a long running colored low light lamp.
(I think that is all of them)
I have noticed on all the focusable lights except the Lux that the LED device is HUGE and can be focused as a LARGE square onto a wall. The Lux uses a smaller LED that is not obviously square.
I hope to compare modes, brightness, color, and operation. The comparison will be side by side and subjective.
Phil
*Note this is used more frequently to overdrive and increase the voltage to provide a brighter power than to provide a dimmer value. It has problems with dimming as LEDs are technically a digital device, on or off, they do not dim in an analog manner very well
Summing up so far I am looking for something more powerful than my EDC of a Streamlight Nano. This is a car or nightstand flashlight. Maybe even a toolbox flashlight. Many people will call these EDC lights, although slightly larger lights were looked at than would fit neatly in the pocket.
This thread has caused an acquisition disorder. I have ordered way too many items recently. When they all arrive I will give an opinion on them.
So far I have learned there are 3 ways to get the lower intensity light values of multiple mode flashlights.
1 - light fewer LED's
2 - throttle the power to the LED *
3 - pulse the power to the LED to have it off part of the time resulting in the appearance of a dimmer light.
Design 3 is most prevalent. So far (and I am waiting on some items to arrive so confirm) comparing a low price flashlight with multiple modes to a high price flashlight with multiple modes shows huge differences on the lower setting.
The Rayovac Indestructible in 2D that I picked up for my tool box on the low power setting is almost a strobe light. The high power setting is fine with no pulsing.
http://www.rayovac.com/Products/Lights/Outdoor/Virtually-Indestructible-LED-2D-Flashlight.aspx
I can sense the flickering without moving objects, and with moving the flashlight or an object in the light provides trails of afterimages like waving a hand in front of an old tube TV. The pulse is so evident that it is mildly disorienting.
The LUX 600 flashlight I picked up at Lowes is quite different. A nice well made light too.
http://luxproflashlights.com/products/lp600c-luxpro-extreme-tac-600/
The light still provides an obvious pulse, but it is more like waving a hand in front of a laptop display with many many more afterimages. Slower movement does not create these images because the frequency is high enough. The frequency seems the same on medium and low power, so I would suppose this indicates a square wave is being used to drive the LED with a different percentage of the wave allowed to pass.
More to come I have a list of lights (not all are in front of me so I might have to correct this later)
Nebo Larry (I ordered some extras for Christmas gifts)
Lux pro 460 with focus
Lux Pro 600
Radio Shack Enercell (a singe mode light)
Streamlight Nano
some $6 "cree" light from Amazon that hopefully will arrive before Christmas.
Ultrafire Cree 2000 lumen (from ebay)
and some pocket bling
Prometheus Beta QR in copper.
Gerber recon, 22-80016 (not the military 22-80017)
Rayovac industrial 2AA that I plan to mod into a long running colored low light lamp.
(I think that is all of them)
I have noticed on all the focusable lights except the Lux that the LED device is HUGE and can be focused as a LARGE square onto a wall. The Lux uses a smaller LED that is not obviously square.
I hope to compare modes, brightness, color, and operation. The comparison will be side by side and subjective.
Phil
*Note this is used more frequently to overdrive and increase the voltage to provide a brighter power than to provide a dimmer value. It has problems with dimming as LEDs are technically a digital device, on or off, they do not dim in an analog manner very well
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My nightstand, around the house light is an Ultrafire Cree Q5. Brilliant, for the price. I doubt I paid more than $10 posted from China. One AA battery, and more light output than I could ever see myself needing around the house. A little bigger than I would want to EDC in my pocket, however, and a little smaller than you maybe want.
If I ever decide I need the light of 1000 exploding stars I will go and fetch the Cree light off my bicycle.
I really believe that flashlights are one of those things where you don't necessarily "get what you pay for", and there are plenty of good, cheap options available these days.
If I ever decide I need the light of 1000 exploding stars I will go and fetch the Cree light off my bicycle.
I really believe that flashlights are one of those things where you don't necessarily "get what you pay for", and there are plenty of good, cheap options available these days.
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Sorry to bring back and old thread...
But I have a Fenix LD01 I have had on my person every day for the past 3, maybe 4 years (I honestly forget!). I only use Energizer advanced lithium AAA batteries (it needs one), and the batteries last 3-6 months depends. Its used at least once a day, at work, and I use it all the time outside of work when I need a flashlight. I rarely use more than Medium or 26 lumens. A LOT of light in a tiny package! Its roughly the size of a chapstick tube! The guys at work have gotten to know I have it and ask to borrow it when setting up machines. Of course, I let them, they are like family.
I'm considering buying the new version with a tailswitch. I don't mind the twist to operate, but I would like the tailswitch more...
I like this Fenix even better than the LD01 : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I14HLLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Thread starter
- #31
I have too damn many flashlights now! LOL
The Rayovac industrial mod is dead simple. Use a standard 3mm LED, clip the leads to the same as the stock bulb, adjust both leads to the correct spacing, and insert the LED. Instant color low power, extra long life child entertainer that may have real world value.
Green for reading
blue for tracking fluids
yellow for low intensity lighting
red for night vision
Many other colors to be had
A standard intensity LED lasts about 40 to 100 hours, near as I can figure, on 2 AA batteries.
I am carrying the Prometheus Beta QR in copper as an EDC I LOVE that it has 3 intensities, with the lowest being a mere single lumen. It is plenty of light to figure out things without loosing night vision. The brighter intensities are useful for all other tasks like emergency plumbing, or whatever.
Phil
The Rayovac industrial mod is dead simple. Use a standard 3mm LED, clip the leads to the same as the stock bulb, adjust both leads to the correct spacing, and insert the LED. Instant color low power, extra long life child entertainer that may have real world value.
Green for reading
blue for tracking fluids
yellow for low intensity lighting
red for night vision
Many other colors to be had
A standard intensity LED lasts about 40 to 100 hours, near as I can figure, on 2 AA batteries.
I am carrying the Prometheus Beta QR in copper as an EDC I LOVE that it has 3 intensities, with the lowest being a mere single lumen. It is plenty of light to figure out things without loosing night vision. The brighter intensities are useful for all other tasks like emergency plumbing, or whatever.
Phil
I know this is an old thread but I had to tell you about my new SLYDE. I have only had it a few weeks so I cannot vouch for durability or longevity but I have a SLYDE worklight that I adore. 250 lumens, slides open and functions as a mini-work light. It also has a strong magnetic base option that rocks when used with the mini-worklight.
I bought 5 or 6 of these a while ago -- they're under $4. I carry one every day. Superbright and doesn't eat batteries. 7W, focusable beam and advertised as 300 lumens -- I don't know if that's true but at night I can light up the woods behind my house from 50 yards away.. It uses a single AAA. I've only had one break and for the price it's not a problem.
http://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Modes-Torch-Adjustable-Focus/dp/B006E0QAFY
http://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Modes-Torch-Adjustable-Focus/dp/B006E0QAFY
- Thread starter
- #34
I got the 3 mode version of that light, in green. It is bright, less bright, and strobe. It is a heck of a light for the price.
Phil
Phil
Another fan of the Fenix lights here. Cheaper lights work, just as Bic disposable razors work, but I like the quality of construction and materials of the Fenix. They also make well-received gifts.
I have 4 streamlight penlights. Cheap super durable and I have one on me if I have my pants on. The one I carry most is a stylus something but it has low high and strobe, with the glass breaker. Throws more than enough light than I've ever needed and it's flood is great too especially fo the size. It can also double as an impact weapon as a last resort.
recommend a Hugsby XP1. Cheap runs on AAA great clip and small. Available for around $5-6.
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