I have several budget AA lights and still curious which is the
1. brightest in single AA (highest lumens).
2. throws best in 1xAA (lux).
my guess is
1. XENO E03(if it is considered a budget light)
2. Romisen RC G2 or RC29
Input is really appreciated as I don't own a lux meter/testers and use only my eyes
finding reasons to get a new light
but from reading here I gunna guess for AA's it would be the Hugsby P31
Spend a little more and get the E03. Aside from the great build quality, you can pick a warm, neutral, or cool tint. Plus you can run AA's or 14500's. I'm getting ready to order my 2nd E03!
yes, got the E03 on transit and really excited to test how good it is.
the wait is killing me...
I like the P31/P32 best in the sub 20$ category... but lately I have a hard time recommending them since they are often mixed up 1/3-mode , 14500only/dual/AAonly driver. Didn't happen to me (10+ lights), but several other people.
Trustfire R5-A3
It may not be "the brightest" AA, and I see you already ordered, but there's also the iTP C7t and C7r. It's a Q5, so nothing amazing going on there.
190 lumens, supposedly. I think that's off 10440s, which it can take, but I haven't seen that explicitly stated anywhere. Nice cigar shape.
I have a Tenergy-branded model (T70), which was slightly cheaper, but is the same light.
There's a BIN for one on ebay right now, from all-battery that would ring in at $27.22 USD with S/H.
I got mine on Amazon with free super saver shipping about 6 months ago, but it looks like they are out of them now.
You should be able to find iTP versions if you google around, but they're probably going to cost a bit more than the rebranded tenergy.
These have a lot of features at the sub-$30 price point, which is what drew me to them:
1. half-op, half-smooth reflector to negate rings and give good throw
2. adjustable brightness from 6 lumens up to max via pretty cool UI
3. can lego the head with the other iTP c-series light bodies - if you can find them (1x cr123 = iTP C9, 2x cr123 = iTP C10, 2x aa = iTP C8)
There's a good review over at CPF, too.
On a single AA nothing out-throws a Sipik SK68 and no non-zoomie even comes close.
But non-zoomie I think that it has to be the Trustfire R5-A3 as E1320 says.
i have a lot of them and E1320 is tellin it true.
EVERY time i fire up the trustfire R5-A3 (especially when you move up to 14500s, and you will)
it gets a "wow"
under 16 bucks (order 3 its 14usd shipped!!)
if they would dump the strobe, it would be as close to a perfect light ( for me) as
one could get for under 30 dollars. you wont be sorry.
The brightest AND best throw might be the Romisen RC-29 (best throw because it's zoom). It's the only I have out of a dozen aa ones that draws 3A. How much does the R5-A3 draw?
draw weights, lumen outputs and the like are still a bit esoteric for me. i only know what i see and the R5-A3 is impressive by this (poor) standard.
i really liked my rc-29 and it probably got the most response of any light i showed to non-enthusiasts. everybody likes to play with this light, but it only took one drop onto a linoleum floor to kill it.
yes, yes , i will open it up and break out the soldering iron and attempt repair when work isnt crushing me but i think the OP is around the same level of interest as myself and i maintain that the rc-29 does not care for rough handling.
actually my tank007 566 has taken and enormous amount of abuse and works, and works (also has a 2AA extention available). i like the trustfire F20 as a light but it is the last 5-mode flashlight i will buy. huge pain in the ass for my needs. its likely i have 10 uniquefire AA-S1s around my house and car (for 9usd its hard to go wrong) but most folks around here give it an "eh, whatever".
i would like a neutral E-03 but shipped this light is nearly 40usd and im hoping to pick up the new BLF LTD. models when they surface. (soon??)
Just did a few tests on my R5-A3 today.
HOST, BATTERY SIZE, CHEMISTRY, RESTING VOLTAGE, LOAD CURRENT
| R5-A3 | |
Also, this is what I got from the Spik ebay Clone
| SPIK | |
Thanks. Where did you get yours? People have reported a few different versions around (KD/DX/LM, etc).
My rc-29 seem pretty well built, as much as any Romisen, which are the best of the cheapo lights along with maybe tank007. I've done drop tests onto carpet from a few M like all my lights, and it seemed ok.
I just got mine in from DX today.
Could someone post lux numbers for the throwiest light and lumen numbers for the brightest. tnx
If you're talking budget light a definition of a budget light as far as you're concerned might be helpful .. for most people a budget AA light is sub -20$.
A 40$ AA light is steep and imho... not a budget light ...and brightness at that point is a bad way to be judging a light
for 40$ i'd buy a nitecore from me
Just look at Dons numbers << if you are looking for lights and lists of lumens
Just what Nitecores do you have ? 4 Sale
R5A3
Trustfire flame 14500 at 4.135V I got:
1.813amps on high
.533amps on medium
.194 amps on low
I believe it pulled 2.2 amps on a Duraloop but I have to check again.
Medium? It's a 3mode light?
Hold out for the E03, international buyers will be very happy next week. USA guys still can get from tacticalhid, but they are selling quite expensively. I got the WW from them at 35.90 + 5.99. It would be like 12 bucks cheaper. (!!!)
Put on a single IMR 14500, for hobbyists' short usage use you will not want to play with other lights mentioned above....maybe for variety you can have the TF R5-A3 (actually for throw I would not use AA kind of form factor, you can't go against physics and ts like trying to drag race with nitromethanes on a Honda Civic)
Excellent IMRs on the cheap can be purchased from bestinone, 14500 I think is just 7 bucks a pair shipped with registered mail. Mitro tested them.