4xAA Mod Host @ Home Depot <$10

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

I was at Home Depot last Friday and being the good flashaholic that I am I checked out the flashlight isle (I really need to stop doing this). I found a shelf full of these 4AA aluminum "Defiant" branded 50 LED flashlights with a side switch rated ANSI FL-1 at 150 lumens for 4 hours. It also comes with 4 AA alkalines. I was most interested in this as a mod host so I picked one up. It was on the shelf for $9.88, but rang up at $7.28.

Here are some photos on the shelf:

Here's a shot next to my Fake L2:

Battery carrier has nice indents for the positive button of the cells and feels "decent" quality. The light body feels good and fairly heavy. Tailcap threads are typical cheap chinese threads (with some lube they'll be ok). The side switch is a nice solid reverse clicky. The only downside I see is that the lens seems to be glued on as I can't find it threaded anywhere to unscrew it. The head of the light does unscrew from the body.

Head diameter is 53.39mm:


Seems that if it can be mounted in the head, this DX 52mm heatsink/reflector module is a nice mod:

In stock form this light is really impressive to me! I wasn't expecting much from a multi-LED light, but this thing puts out a serious wall of light! Total flood! Tint is a bit blue, but not that bad. Here is a horrible beamshot taken with my iPhone:

I think it's a good deal at $9.88 and a steal at $7.28.

More photos (including measurements) can be found here.

EDIT: The 4AA carrier almost fits inside a D size Maglite (if I push it in it will scrape the wrapper off the batteries):

-Garry

P.S. Would love to see what Old Lumens could do with this host.

2

Interesting host, and I would love to see one with a XM-L in it. :)

3

Pretty cool, Garry! I know where I’ll be stopping today during lunch or on the way home. :wink:

4

I would love to see what Garry would do with it. Here's a reflector, here's another, with the pill. Here's a smaller OD, but you could make a plastic ring to hold it in, with a cover off a cool whip bowl or any thin plastic lid that is stiff. WF500 reflectors should fit close enough.

Make your own heat sink, stick a T6 in it with a 7135 driver and you got a great mod.

Go for it Garry! I'm not modding lights right now. I've taken vacation from the heat, so I'm just buying Maglites and components, for fall/winter and doing small jobs here and there. OH, I do have one of those 109 LED lights from TS and I ordered a 75mm aspheric for it from ebay. I will mod it onto a Maglite, for an SST-90 aspheric. That ought to have a big enough die size to make a spot the size of a volkswagon, Ha!

I would really like to see you mod this light and see what you come up with. There's plenty of support around here if you have questions.

5

Great info, thanks for sharing !!!

6

Thanks O-L! Perhaps in the future. I might pick up another 1 or 2 in the meantime. I am getting backed up on my mod projects and am finding that I just don't have the time for flashlight mods during the summer! (Too much work to do on the house, the yardwork, etc, etc. . . ). The lawnmower headlight mod comes next!

If I'd use an 8x7135 driver, would the 4th cell be wasted? Is there a better suited driver for 4.8 to 6.0v use? I could see this being a good setup for a non-flashaholic's use.

-Garry

7

Imagine the sales spike, after something gets posted here.

Guess where I’m going this afternoon.

8

Nice find and thanks for the info Gary.

Another light to buy and mod…

I really like the 1D formats…

That battery carrier has to go. Hey Old Lumens, got any 4AA carriers made :D?

9

No dice at the HD near work. Will try at the one near home tonight. Would be great with U2 XML and a 32650 cell. Saves me the trouble of cutting and boring a Mag to have a 1D sized shorty.

10

There is a comparable one (same one, branded differently?) on the Home Depot website for $9.88 and free shipping. It seems pretty new to me in my store, but then again I can't tell you the last time I checked out the flashlight isle.

They also had a nice Maglite combo pack with a 2AA Mag LED and a 2D (or maybe 3D) LED for something like $27. That was the first 2AA Mag LED I've seen. I also saw my first 2AAA (or possible 3AAA long) Mag LED light there.

-Garry

11

Have you tried heat ?
Might have some threadloc stuff on it.

12

No I didn't try heat. I haven't played with it very much at all. It does have an "anti-roll" head which means I could put the head a vise and try turning the bezel.

-Garry

13

Could also have a press fit lens with no unscrewable bezel. A lot of el cheapo’s have ’em like this. :frowning:

14

Yeah, that sounds more like it. Like I've said, I don't see a noticeable joint where it would unscrew nor do I see any glue residue around the perimeter of the lens. Guess I could try pushing forward from the backside and see if the lens pops loose.

-Garry

15

None in our HD. Checked before work. They say they don’t expect anything new coming soon. Lucky you found them.

16

Nothing at Home Depot or Lowes, in Canada.

Also checked Canadian Tire, Princess Auto, and Lansing/Rona.

17

No love at the HD in central MA either.

18

Geez! I'm glad I got a photo showing it on the shelf to prove that it really does exist! Can't believe no one else can find it. It's unusual that Johnstown, PA ever has something not available elsewhere (at least things worth buying)!

-Garry

19

Did you manage to get the lens out? If this light is press fit in and hard to work with then I’m glad they didn’t have it available at my HD.

20

I haven't done any more with the light and I probably won't have time any time soon (getting ready to leave on vacation for a week this Friday).

-Garry