Can anyone step up for an AA/2AA only BLF budget flashlight?

This CAVE MAN is as close as I have found to the perfect 2 X AA light IMHO. I have one and gave one to my Dad. My only gripe is that it is a little expensive.

sb56637 wrote:
I very much like the 1xAA format, in fact it’s what got me hooked on flashlights.

I would be the first to buy a custom BLF 1xAA light if it happened.

+1

Wow, that is nice! It looks a little like a EE X6 style pulled out to a 2xAA size.

Bryan at Shiningbeam made some great lights in the past. Apparently he is coming back with a new online store.

Please tell me what this ‘custom’ light would give me that my current lights dont .

The way I see it we are all looking for something different in a light. It sounds like it would be very hard to please everyone. The S15r gives me more than I need, and is an extremely well designed light. What you are asking for sounds almost impossible. AA, parallel AA, 2XAA, NIMH, 18650 size NIMH. Sounds like it could be fun to see that made.

Let me tell you what it will give me that I’ve not seen in any lights so far. I don’t know what it would give you, since you believe you have already found it. :stuck_out_tongue:

I’m looking for an awesome driver. The host could be negotiated later. If you know where I can get a high current, programmable boost driver that takes input voltage from (at least) 0.8v to 3.0v so that it is a suitable driver for use with any combination of cells, small or large that fits within that voltage range, let me know where it is so that I can get it.

As I see it, we have lots of high current programmable linear driver options. We even have a couple of great buck options. But, if there’s a great boost driver out there, I don’t know it. Sure, there are decent ones, but not great ones. I know it’s possible, because there are lights that are 2xAA that are capable of high output. But, they are expensive lights, and the driver isn’t programmable that I know of. I want something that we can put TK’s BLF-A6 firmware on it, or guppydrv or some other firmware. And, I want it to push the limits until the cell is the limiting factor, not the driver.

I as yet have never seen a driver that supports high current boost from 1.2 - 1.5 volts input. Most 1.5v drivers are made with either AAA or AA in mind, but there are larger, more powerful cells available than AAA and AA. Even so, most single AA lights don’t even take full advantage of that cell they were made for. They’re too conservative. To get one that isn’t, you’re into premium pricing.

In the past couple years, we at BLF have seen some wonderful developments with DD and FET drivers. The DD/FET driver doesn’t limit the cell from delivering the most possible current to the emitter. Those drivers can be used even with multi-cell and/or multi-emitter configurations and still not get in the way. In other words, the driver is not the bottle neck. Boost drivers are obviously made differently, and will never be as efficient as linear, because they have to convert amps into volts somehow. But, I’d like to see the boost driver be less of a bottle-neck than it is today. There is a lot of room for improvement as it currently stands.

:star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

Thats what I am after too - start with the driver… Once we have a great programmable boost driver 15mm/17mm, then we can use lots of hosts for great flash-lights - flooders or throwers as needed etc.

+1000

Which is the reason I was suggesting a 14500 only light for a possibility. I think the current boost (pun not intended, happy accident) drivers are not worth it for a custom light right now. My Thorfire TG06 with a FET driver from RMM pulls over 5A on a windyfire 14500. Too hot to hold in less than a minute, but rides like a chapstick in the pocket….

On lower modes it is still a useful light with decent runtime, and guppydrv is a welcome UI for the different levels available.

No AA use, but I have chargers at work, home and in the car. Spares are small to carry…

@ Davidef.

I understand what you seem to be asking for, 1000lm from a AA I guess. But my point is we all want something different and that does not appeal to me at all. What I don’t understand is you also seem to be suggesting larger NiMH cells, maybe C or D cells, or 2AA but why? If you are afraid of lithium then I understand. If not then 18650 would seem the most compact design.

To me a 2x AA or single AA light is about decent lumens and decent run time. Correct me if I am wrong but you seem to be trying to win a drag race without nitrous oxoide.

Back on topic.

Looking at Eneloop Pro AA cells. I have some of these, so I’d be interested in a light that can use them to the max. The Manker Quinlan T01 claims 500 lumens from a single AA, so even 1000lm from 2xAA should be reasonable. According to HKJ’s tests, it wouldn’t keep it there very long, but it could do it. Then, add a MCU that we can program to get whatever firmware we like. And put it into a nice looking host. :heart_eyes:

I’m not afraid of lithiums for myself. But, I know people who would love to have a bright light, and I wouldn’t trust them with lithium cells!

+1000

I’d forgotten about the SAIK SA-305

(it’s a 3xAA ‘beer can format’ light, maybe no longer available)
Old Lumens’ mod of that is worthy of consideration as a first draft toward what could be a BLF design.
A bit off topic, I’m more interested in 1xAA for my own use — but the 3xAA could be really nice as a gift for non-lithium-ion family and friends.
(being as I live in earthquake country, I try to keep handy a stockpile of lights and AA lithium primaries …)

+1 :slight_smile:

I love clay... but to do this in clay would be a total waste of time...other than the enjoyment. When folks decide what they want, we can do the light in CAD and render it out. That way, when the design is complete, we can CNC the prototype and go from there. If a clay model were produced, it would need to be reverse engineered or laser scanned to get that shape into a digital format so we can work with it in the shop. You are exactly correct about the manual lathe being a limitation. That is why we currently run CNC machines and are upgrading the entire shop to even higher production volumes & capabilities.

The design possibilities are endless. The capability / ability to produce those designs is almost as endless. I think each of us has "Something" we like in the design of each light we own. That curve, this offset, those fins...etc. .

We can't put everything everyone wants into one light. It takes multiple lights. That is what we have based the shop upgrades on. We needed the capability to be faster and more agile in the design & production of lights.

I think watching what folks like, want, don't want, and crave is highly interesting. TL



+1 = people with children, and/or people who I can’t trust will, in an emergency, remember “if it vents DO NOT INHALE”

Something like this, now: 2-AA Sipik SK68 Mod
That’s by Dbsar, who wrote there:

Just a little re-threading involved. Again just suggesting maybe as a rough draft that could be worth improving.
As usual with these, the driver is probably the big question — live with it or improve it, it’s hard to find 2xAA drivers.

When youre done making awesome driver, I would also like to see it released with 123-18350 tube, 2xAA extension tube as well as 18650 tube, just like that :D!

Wow, I didn't know there was still interest on this.

SURPRISE!!