Hi, there,
Just started reading this forum for a day or two and it has lots of helpful info!
I've noticed the 'BLF DeLight' review and the output seems to fit my needs for a lost-cost flashlight around the house. But I don't see that LED flashlight from the ebay seller anymore.
I wonder if there's 1xAA low-cost LED flashlight out there that has similar output (25-30 lumens)/runtime that folks can recommend?
Thanks much.
Welcome to BLF
Welcome to BLF!
IMHO the BLF delight is WAY over-rated .your chances of getting a good one is about 1 out of 20 from a ebay dealer ..maybe if you pay triple from DX http://www.dealextreme.com/p/powerlight-hx-g011-1w-1xaa-led-flashlight-grey-2089 and get the power light version like Mr. admin. you might get a good one . I paid 1.23 cents off ebay and have only one that's close to being a decent tint out of 15 but the beam pattern is messed up. the mxdl 7119's off ebay are better but tint on those are questionable too ..I like the coast 3.50$ light or a cheap $5 q3 flood to throw c78 off ebay. almost all sub 3$ lights are garbage ..more powerlights http://www.manafont.com/index.php/led-c-29?page=7&sort=2a
Thanks a lot for the tips.
I had a couple of CJ-1's from goldengadgets/ebay and a pair of Husky 1AA LED's from HomeDepot two years back and they worked pretty well for a good amount of time (one Husky's switch cap eventually wore out, and one CJ-1 from eBay broke when dropped on the concrete floor the other day).
I'm looking for a flashlight that's a bit brighter now, that gives about 25 lumens at least. I was reading earlier posts and the Powerlight only gives about 11 lumens. So it's not bright enough for my use:
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/484?page=1#comment-6956
Am I reading right? Or is there another choice that gives 25+ lumens?
I got an NF-05 from DX a few months back. The brightness was good enough for me (somewhat brighter than CJ-1), but the cap switch was really bad and constantly flickered/not working. DX sent me a replacement and that one's cap switch went bad a few weeks later also--so that's pretty frustrating. I was able to get up to 5 hrs runtime with usable brightness using an Eneloop AA so if it didn't have the bad switch I'd have ordered a few...
Right now, I'm not eager in getting a high power LED as I need a good amount of runtime (>=3 hours) and my budget is < $7. I don't need a perfect beam--as long as it lights up the area and works properly that'd work good for me.
Is that feasible?
Aloha and welcome to BLF gu9o7z!
because it falls right in the middle of a cheap bad tint chinese emitter and a low end old cree . the nf o5 is ugly tint sharp edged 4to5$ light..I think the powerlight IS a blf delight but don't take my word on it.5 to 10$ is a tuff range .usually cheap bodys bad threads not great clips at 10$ you starting to get into p4 q2 q3 emitters Like I said there is a hole in that price range anything good there would be a nice light to sell it would fill the hole .sadly there isn't much it's filled buy old AAA junky lights , multiple led lights which would be ok if they weren't junk 9 leds or 12 leds and lexeon emitter lights but you lose any hope of runtime with those .Jump up to a newer emitter and run on low or med and get the efficiency and the runtimes come up but the pices of the lights go up too . 30 lumens is a medium not a low, so you're asking for a 5 mode light to get a 30 lumen long runtime .I have a D-10 nitecore AA that runs 35 lumens 6 hours . you can aassume nitecore is doing it right and yet maybe that claim is high so lets say 5 hrs ....So an xpe R2 emitter ought to give you 4 hours at 35 lumens pretty easy good luck finding an xpe r2 for 7$.. you can't buy the emitter for that kind of money .. sounds to me like it's either a multiple 5 mm led light or another chinese emitter . or
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/small-sun-zy-a29-cree-q3-wc-3-mode-150-lumen-white-zoom-convex-lens-led-flashlight-1-x-aa-90635 this ligh looks nice .. it's zoomer (who doesn't love that and a AA 3 mode .. low will probably get you 3 hours on an eneloop ...I might just buy 3 of them myself
The easiest answer is spend 5 bucks more and make your search much,much easier and you get a better light .
I know you are looking for an AA light but how about this AAA light from Coast for $3.50, you really can't go wrong for that price.
And welcome to BLF.
I already suggested it .but it's a AAA and it's only 10 lumens.. but i like how you're thinking ...and i love the light .
Sorry I missed that, he could buy two of them tape them together and have 2 modes 10 or 20 lumens and 21 hours of run time for 7 bucks.
Welcome to BLF gu9o7z!
Thank you for all the suggestions.
I actually have a couple of the Coast Mini Tac 1AAA lights and I really love them also. But they're just a bit too dim for my use. On Coast's website there's a newer model G10 using 1AAA:
http://www.coastportland.com/g10-led-flashlight.htm
It claims to give 20 lumens and 4 hr runtime. Perhaps in real use it's like 15 lumens/3hr. But I'm not able to locate any place that carries it.
I think CJ-1 probably gives about 12-14 lumens roughly--somewhat brighter than the Mini Tac. It gives about 3 good hours of usable brightness and that's what I really like.
So a light that gives about 15-17 lumens is perhaps good enough for me (instead of 25-30 lumens).
Still, I'm not sure if anyone has spotted a useable light w/ about 17 lumens w/ some good runtime (3+hrs) with my price range (< $7). I guess I still have the 5-6 bucks mentality (CJ-1 used to cost like 4-5 bucks 2 years back).
Despite the rough edges and threads, beam, etc. on the NF-05 (I think it actually gives about 15-17 lumens), I am quite impressed by the runtime it gives--roughly 4.5-5 hours. I can leave a couple around the house/garage/car compartment box and I don't need to think about recharging often. But the bad switch just makes it unusable... . If I can figure out how to remove the switch (it's a plain plastic and no leverage to remove it) and fix it that'd be really nice.
Try spraying WD 40 into the switch and then clicking it on and off a bunch of times, sometimes that will fix a sticking or binding switch.
Still have a good old bottle of WD40--and sure enough it helps!
It still works only 50% of the time now (before it was 90% not working). I'll keep clicking it on/off a bunch of times more and see if it eventually heals completely.
Now it's completely working. Thx E1320 -- that spray does the trick!
Now I have two NF-05's w/ working switches. :)
One of the NF-05 is dimmer than the other (one gives probably same output as CJ-1 -- perhaps 12-14 lumens, the other is brighter--perhaps 17-18 lumens). I'm going to keep them around now.
I am glad I could be of assistance.
Yeah Wd 40 is the shizzle for switch cleaning ..it works wonders on pots. sadly it has gone way up in price .. the days of the dollar can of WD and a 1$ roll of duct tape fixing all that ails ya is over ..
I remember when i was young we.......(wanders off towards the garage muttering... ##*^++^**##darnkidsthesedays..)
Unfortunately you get that wd-40 smell that kind of lingers, though.
But I like that smell. Used to spray it on the exhaust headers to smell it burn...
That would explain some things.... :D
I have the same problem. Too much time at the whiteboards.