If you want a nice AA light , AA-S1 is very good on AA's ...
If you want to run 14500 with AA for back up . Akoray AK-16 ...
I tested the Uniquefire AA-S1 , and got up to 120 Lumen on Alkalines , and 130L on Nimh , and I thought the 14500 was maybe overdoing it [ 200+ ] , I sent it of as a gift , as it was very nice ..
I need to pick up a few more as I was impressed by it ... For under $10 shipped
No problem Sashix... links are why we are here. I don't own any 14500... so my view is very heavily focused on max output on AA's and I really despise strobe modes, especially on lights with memory. This is why I would favour the programmable K106, if I had 14500's, but it lacks in the AA department.(review1,review2,review3) But the TrustFire R5-A3 seems to be good on both battery types.
Also it seems I'm the only one with second thoughts about the Uniquefire AA-S1. I liked it at first, when I thought it was a warm tint with the Osram emitter, but later I found out it was actually yellow, like with a yellow lens in front, but everybody else seems to love it here, so my model might have been faulty, or a bad exception. Also don't forget that the S1 is single-mode and you wanted multi-mode.
The K-106 in Don's table might be the non-programmable... at least that is, what it is linked to, but here the top of the pops:
On AA'S
EastwardYJ J09 High
AA NiMH
916
750
706
164
135
127
Ultrafire C3 SS Q5
AA NiMH
718
620
574
129
111
103
Ultrafire C3 Grey Q5
AA NiMH
664
629
596
119
113
107
Hugsby P32 High
AA NiMH
650
597
554
117
107
99
Trustfire R5-A3 High
AA NiMH
650
117
0
0
Aurora SH-035
AA NiMH
644
116
0
0
Trustfire F22
AA NiMH
586
105
0
0
Uniquefire S10
AA NiMH
575
103
0
0
Uniquefire AA-S1
AA NiMH
565
557
531
101
100
95
Akoray K-106
AA NiMH
189
198
198
34
36
36
On 14500's
Trustfire R5-A3
14500
1630
1482
1416
292
266
254
Ultrafire C3 SS Q5
14500
1391
1259
1122
250
226
201
Ultrafire C3 Grey Q5
14500
1359
1205
1149
244
216
206
Ultrafire C3 (P4) No. 2
14500
1347
1118
1089
242
201
195
Uniquefire AA-S1
14500
1255
1183
1162
225
212
208
Trustfire F22
14500
1254
1128
1030
225
202
185
Ultrafire C3 (P4) No. 3
14500
1176
1099
977
211
197
175
Hugsby P31 with P32 Gold driver
14500
1176
1084
1064
211
194
191
Uniquefire S10
14500
1112
1017
962
199
182
173
Akoray K-106
14500
1055
1019
1004
189
183
180
I ordered the grey C3 Q5, as I want to see if it is really brighter on 1xAA than the Hugsby and brighter on 2XAA than the Solarforce L2R, but that one is only single-mode.
Hi there SashiX. In terms of brightness, the Akoray K-106 3-mode programmable is not the brightest. The cheaper K-106/F20 are somewhat brighter than the K-106 3-mode programmable version. But the AA-S1 is far brighter and has an incredibly beautiful beam. But I personally prefer the flexibility of the K-106 3-mode. Another decent option is the Ultrafire M2, which is very bright on high, and it still has a decent runtime on low mode.
It is a programmable one. I was fiddling with it recently to see how low it would go.
The link is what I actually bought, most of those links come from my DX account history. But at the time they were shipping the 3 mode programmable though they claimed it was the less useful 6 mode.
Makes sense. Pity I didn't notice the link was to YouTube till I'd stuck it on the spreadsheet. Ah well, off to KD to play hunt-the-link. It will be sorted shortly.
- "If you want to run 14500 with AA for back up . Akoray AK-16 ..."
Akoray AK-16? Do you mean K-106?
As for SS-A1... good light for less than 10 bucks indeed.
@Vectrex
Yeah, don't know why almost all lights have SOS, strobe modes. I think momentary-on switch is much useful.
- "but later I found out it was actually yellow, like with a yellow lens in front, but everybody else seems to love it here, so my model might have been faulty, or a bad exception"
Yes, could be a batch issue. I've seen many lights (C3 for example) that had different tints, depending on when they were purchased/batch.
- "Also don't forget that the S1 is single-mode and you wanted multi-mode."- Well, If the light is only AA, could be an option, but if it's AA/14500... multimode is a must I think, because on 14500 it will be twise as bright.
Interesting results I see... Hm K-106 really sucks on AA... Can't believe it, so loooow lumen Well, on 14500 also. R5-A3 an C3 SS have great output.
@XRAYboy
Yes, C3 SS is a good choice apparently. Will wait review from Don. Looks like he bought U20. Or not?
No, sorry, I actually don't own any 14500 cells. But I'm almost positive that it will work well with 14500, because it appears to be a rebadged Akoray K-106 6-mode, which according to the reviews is bright and reliable on 14500.
Ok, guys, thx to all your posts on this forum, now I know much more things about lights, etc So, now I have a bunch good lights to choose from. Also want to buy a relatively good multi charger (should be multi because I plan to buy 18600 in the future). Matt, I think you have tested most chargers available today in the market, hehe , which would you recommend? Xtar 2 bay that you suggested me before? Or Shekor? Or Ultrafire? In my opinion Xtar will be better choice.
Another thing. The friend of mine want to buy a good 1xAA light with the best/brigtest spill posible. He really need a good spill, less than brightest hotspot. What do you recommend? Of course we are talking about budget lights, about $20. Thanks in advance ;)
I've been using the Trustfire TR-001 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12594 for about a month now. I've been very pleased with it. I use it on 10440's, 14500's, and 18650's with no problems. It's a double charger with independent circuits that will cut off at 4.205v ( on all three battery types). It won't charge the 18650's as fast as some of the others, but it also won't ruin the smaller cells with too much current either. I'm going to order another one in the near future just to have a spare.
Just a heads up on the AA-S1. I just received one a few weeks ago and was less than impressed with it. After such rave reviews I can only assume I just got a crappy one (it happens...). On the other hand, the ultrafire C3 (DX sku 04452) has absolutely blown me away....on either 1xAA, 2xAA, or 14500(brightest). It has more throw than my Zebralight H51 and is almost as bright!