Hi im looking for some suggestions on a very floody AA . I need it to be rear clicky and low lumens 30-80. I don’t mind doing modifications or even just taking the reflector right of running bare emitter. Under $20 Thanks.
I would suggest a sipik SK68 clone, but that will be way more than 30 to 80 lumens (I think) and runtime will suck. Are you looking for single mode? Or do you want a low (or perhaps medium) mode that is in your 30 to 80 lumen range?
Oh, and welcome to BLF!
-Garry
Im not concerned with how many modes it has. Just looking for really good battery life out of a single aa.
Whatever light it will be, order a SK68 as well if you don´t have many lights. You will like it.
Sk68 for the cheap option. Good lights, 1 and 3 mode versions available and will run on a 14500.
I’ve also got one of these: http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10000890/1075603-pop-lite-t22-cree-xr-e-q5-100lm-3-mode-zoom-white-
Much nicer build quality than an sk68 and much slimmer in the pocket. Not really any brighter on an AA though although slightly more output and I don’t think it supports 14500’s. The beam is a bit uglier when white wall hunting, but the TIR optic illuminates a wider area than the sk68 and when zoomed in is much much nicer.
Overall many pitfalls but I really like mine and it gets used most nights because it floods so well.
Try a Sipik SK-68 clone. Unfocused it is very floody. You can always take off the bezel (easily) to get bare emitter flood.
SK68 driver is pretty inefficient though. I think the OP wants good battery life and the SK68 will not give him that.
It’s gonna be tough finding what you want for less than $20. There are a few 1xAA clicky lights that have constant current medium modes in the 30-50 lumen range that have decent battery life, but they cost closer to $30.
Im going to try the romisen RC-29 with a quality AA, hopefully on the low setting it will have good battery life.
That should be a good choice. Where are you buying from?
-Garry
I’m buying from DX, I did look at shiningbeam.com first but assumed those modded rc29’s would draw more current.
There’s also the L3 Illuminations L10. It’s pretty floody. And, at least with the XP-G2, I get about 1:15-1:20 on high (an honest 120 lumens) with 2000mAH. With four Eneloops/Duraloops (which are light and easy to carry in your pocket), that’s actually a good long time at full brightness. Many people prefer this light with the Nichia rather than the Cree because of the tint. But brightness (and possibly runtime) will suffer with that emitter.
Twist switch. OP requires rear clicky.
I bought a SingFire SF-117B (SKU: 191024) at DX. It is a Sipik SK68 clone with a Cree XM-L led. It is floody and has three modes (high/medium/blinky). I cannot measure it exactly, but i believe that medium mode with an alkaline AA gives the low lumens you want. There are cons : on my flashlight, led is not very well centered, and finish could be better. But, as every SK 68, it’s small, simple and useful.
Any led light that uses one AA needs a boost driver and for under $20 it would be hard to find a more efficient boost driver, I would suppose. I can’ think of anything better than a 3 mode SK68. Just don’t replace the battery until it gets dimmer than what you need. That should give at least a couple of hours on low mode.
Is it possible to elliminate that rear clicky requirement?
I’ll listen to any suggestion.
This http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Silvery-Adjustable-Focus-Zoom-In-Out-CREE-Q5-LED-300lm-Bright-Mini-Flashlight-Torch/596272788.html is a place I found nice 3 mode SK68s with a choice of color. You might find black ones cheaper.
I have an SK58 Cree three mode that I like, but the place I got it is out of stock.
> sk68
— see the many threads about those.
you never know what you’re getting,
even if you order three at a time you’ll likely get three slightly different sk68s.
Thrunite T-10
Wk50
Balder Se-1