LED Flashlight

[ClassicCrazy]

just ran across this battery charger Neil 
75 cents
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5V-1A-Micro-USB-18650-Li-Ion-Battery-Charging-Board-Charger-Module-Protection/262686630844?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40778%26meid%3D66e895fd111c4d1da6b3ec61c74f47f6%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D302179335784

[mike90045]

just because they say 5000 or 6000 lumens, does not mean it actually delivers that.  I'm sure most of these LED's are factory culls and they all have a PCB driver board, which is why they can run AA or 14500 cell.  And that driver board is what gives the multi-lighting modes, bright - dim - blink    I mostly use the dim, and even AA cells last me a week or so. 
No fade, no warning, it reaches the limit of what the driver board can extract from the cell, and it dies.

But the cheap ones are so cheap, even going through a couple of a batch of 5, they are a bargin when you get a working one. Most of the trouble I have is the switch in the end cap, goes bad, falls apart....

[niel]

i appreciate all of the input guys. i would rather buy a known good one than a cheap bunch of bad ones. but then again the battery may be worth the price alone.

[ClassicCrazy]

so which one are you going to get ? That one on amazon you linked or the nitecore or fenix or streamlight ?

[niel]

good question. i'm just as undecided i guess as i was to start and maybe more so as mike brought into the equation the cheaper element as a worthy option. i guess i have to look further and kick this around in my head as well as here.

[niel]

of course they're replaceable items, but i don't want to have to do it at the time or not long after i buy. you go for quantity due to failures? i do hear you about the failing eyesight. that reminds me that i have an eye doctors appointment coming up next month. it'll be more bad news i'm sure.

i do have a headlamp, but i don't use that quite that often and it can take a li-ion, but i have the aaa batteries in it now. i bought that some time ago at one of the local brick and mortar stores. works well.

maglight could've become a good product, but they went down the wrong path and streamlight stayed good and is way too expensive. nitecore seems pretty good from what i've read, but it's semi up there in price too. who'd have ever thunk it that flashlights could be so expensive and difficult to make a decent one.

btw, i was thinking the 18650 types and using lower power settings to extend use time, but on models that start at the highest setting every time, it could be a pain to need to run through the settings. also, note that the usb type i mentioned i won't get due to the battery being permanently in there, as in not meant to last long. in models where the battery is accessible then no problem. having a charger and extra batteries for other items i can use the 18650 in is extra and makes a usb chargeable light somewhat moot as i'll need the charger anyway.

i still haven't checked out the battery list on candlepower forum yet, but too early yet until i decide on the path for the flashlight.

[ClassicCrazy]

Neil,
You might be worse than me for making a decision on what to get !
I thought that Amazon one you posted was worth a try.
But you would be happy with one of the quality pocket lights by Streamlight, Fenix, Nitecore  too.
I have one of these - cheap lots of light runs on AA
http://www.dx.com/p/sipik-sk68-cree-q3-wc-120-lumen-convex-lens-led-flashlight-black-1-aa-1-14500-39585#.WITmFVzSkXg

Larry

[grgdgreek]

Figure I'd jump in,
I have mag lights-4 of  them -old ones are o.,k
The new led ones suck... forget about putting rechargeable batts in them- can't get them back out.
I also tried a Gerber lx 3.0 - mutch better.
I'm also looking...

G

[ClassicCrazy]

Figure I'd jump in,
I have mag lights-4 of  them -old ones are o.,k
The new led ones suck... forget about putting rechargeable batts in them- can't get them back out.
I also tried a Gerber lx 3.0 - mutch better.
I'm also looking...

G

Hmm - I never have any problem sliding the NiMh in my flashlights. At least with AA and AAA .  I suppose some cells may have been too fat in the past  or maybe they have made the tubes on flashlights a bit larger. 

I use rechargables in my LED lights all the time. Some older LED  lights may not work with them because the 1.2v NiMh wasn't enough but most of the new LED lights have step up voltage boosters in them - for instance that cheapy LED light for $3.50 runs on just one AA battery and a superbright LED like that takes a lot more than 1.5v to run .

Anyway I have run one set of NiMh batteries for years in my LED flashlight no problems. They seem to run for just as long or longer than alkaline batteries do - don't keep track because I just toss the NiMH in the charger every once in awhile and they never run out on me.

Larry

[niel]

cc, i couldn't access the site you posted as it's down right now. i got one of those errors, i think 502. anyway, yes the lights i have don't have the up conversion circuitry in them to make rechargeables viable in them. if they did, i might not have been looking for something new. the lumens i'd like to be in the 200-300+ range as a first choice option that i'll use and lower settings available. seeing as how i want the 18650 type battery to extend run times, many lights will have enormous lumens as a high setting, but i'm not in need of that high setting, just the extended run times lower settings offer. the ones with 4 and 5 settings not counting the dumb stuff like sos and strobe offer the most versatility in the settings, but i don't like the idea of starting at 1000 lumens or so. take the nitecore p12 for instance as it has the 1000 lumen high setting that i can use as a replacement headlamp that i'll most likely not need, but nice to know i can.it can remember starting at lower settings. next is the 240 lumen setting which falls into the lower range of my primary requirement area. it also has a 70 lumen setting good for general lighting not requiring huge amounts of light or for reading at close proximity. the last setting intrigued me at 1 lumen. i'm not sure just how much light that will actually be, but may be like a candle in my guessing and suffice as a night light or general low level light to illuminate say during an outage and not need to worry about it giving out being it has a whopping 520 hours run time. yes, the p12 was one i was leaning to, but there's so much out there and $60 is a tad steep and it did not focus. btw, the run times they based on a 2600ma 18650 and i can extend it going with the better capacity batteries.

as to maglite having batteries get stuck, this is a problem area for them and the ones that got stuck in mine were the supplied duracells. rather than give me a new flashlight free of this problem they only offered to get the batteries out and send back the same problematic flashlight to have it happen all over again. after spending the $25 on it that i paid i feel i got ripped off by them and got poor customer service. that's just my opinion. i did otherwise like the flashlight.

[ClassicCrazy]

The focus stuff isn't that important - the light levels are.
Having a light that will remember what mode you want it to go to first would be great. I had a light that had 5 modes and you needed to go through them every time and that was kind of annoying.
That nitecore sounds like a good investment.
I was just looking up the p12
Saw this other nitecore model has almost the same specs but costs less - not sure what is different
http://www.brightguy.com/Nitecore/Nitecore+EC20+High+Lumen+Compact+Light
Larry

[niel]

cc, having had a focusable light i did find it useful. a lower powered light with say 400 lumens could focus more power into the beam to go the distance many higher powered lights do. in a power outage i was able to widen the focus and stand it on end to illuminate a room. i do know what you mean about the nitecore lights as they are impressive. take a look at some of the others they have too and that is only for the explorer series.
http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product-category/e-series
to check other categories go to products from the bottom link and scrolling down on the left hand side will show all of the other series flashlights. the output on the ec20 is a tad lower than the p12.
http://flashlight.nitecore.com/

edit to add the ec25 is a handsome light.

[ClassicCrazy]

I have one of these - cheap lots of light runs on AA
http://www.dx.com/p/sipik-sk68-cree-q3-wc-120-lumen-convex-lens-led-flashlight-black-1-aa-1-14500-39585#.WITmFVzSkXg

Larry

Those are the 14500 cell lamps I use .
http://www.dx.com/p/3-7v-800mah-rechargeable-lithium-ion-14500-battery-blue-315312#.WIUCuo6dRqA

Cells type I use^^^.. in the AA cell is low beam only .
Mine are 3 mode , bright ,dim ,flash  and I do have one that is just on also .
Under 20 bucks you could start with lamp,cels & charge if you look for deals on DX
VT

I like that they are honest in their ad that they say it is measured 800mah  despite being labeled as 1300mah.
That way they keep their reputation.
Larry

[russ_drinkwater]

Hi, I know you have had maglite before as most people have.
But I came across cheap 3 cell, led full size maglites posted for $20 each on a site here in aus.
I bought over 200 and resold many for $60.
Point is they are great with the led head. To make them lighter I use 3 eneloop AA to D cell adaptors in the torch and eneloop recharable
batteries. The torches are great and the battery setup last many many hours and spare batteries do not weigh much to carry.
You can shoot out to 100 meters at night if you have older eyes and a scope and probably 150 meters if you are younger with good eyes.
If you want cheapies you can buy single battery adjustable led torches from tomtop.com for $5 us or less each. I have several of these and they are over 5 years old and still going strong.
My two bobs worth!
Good luck.

[niel]

russ,
well, that's one way of getting around the stuck battery problem. they have inserts that you can put 2 aa batteries into the shell giving even more power and thus prolonging battery life. saves on carrying spares.

https://www.amazon.com/Size-Battery-Adapter-Case-White/dp/B0094DH1E2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485206543&sr=8-3&keywords=d+spacer

they must have the regulator board in it or you'd be complaining just like i've been of them dying off quickly. am i to assume it's focusable like most maglites? you had more than $4k to invest in flashlights? hi buddy.