I am a knife afficionado and happened apon this website because of all the excellent reviews you have on sanrenmu/boker/navy/bee/enlan/ganzo knives etc. I will be posting my own experiences too.
But i need some advice from you guys on flashlights on which i dont know a lot. I read little bit so I might sound like a complete incopetent.
So what I need is a flashlight that runs on AA or AAA batteries for comfort and practically. Me and the people i will give them too wont know how to mod or put special battery packs in them and wont keep special chargers around either.
I need them for security since we live on a mountain side and we need to keep an eye on our property. Streetdogs, burglars, wildboars etc. They need to iluminate up until 250 meters (500 meters if can be) to spot said interlopers. I think a focus/zoom is necesary for that. Up close it can be a broad beem so we see clearly up close. Size is not issue but we need to be able walk around with it comfy. So flashlight type. Not the cop/prison warden sationary type of lamps.
Budget would be around twenty to twenyfive bucks shipped. (if its impossible on this budget please do tell also)
That gets near your specs is the Ultrafire MCU-C88 http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/ultrafire-c88-cree-q5-3mode-memory-led-flashlight-aa-p-4633
At $28.50 it's a bit over your price range, but it's still very good value at that price (You may get it for less elsewhere).
There's a discussion on this light here https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/1907
If the Fenix E21 group buy works out Ok, I'd say the E21 is one of the best AA lights you would be able to get at that price range. Outstanding build quality, simple two-mode interface. 2xaa gives you a nice size and great run time. If you want to go smaller where its pocketable, there are a bunch of 1xaa possibilities.
The Ultrafire MCU-C88 is great for throwing light very far (my best thrower). Great finish, well worth the money. Fenix E21 is a very durable and solid light, and with the possibility of the group buy a real bargain. I gave one to my dad, he loves it. I would also suggest the Solarforce L2r, with a 3 mode drop in for $24 shipped:
Have bought them for several people, good allround flashlight. Not quite as versatile as the Solarfoce L2i trooplewis mentioned, as the L2r only takes low voltage drop ins, but it takes AA batteries which last longer.
However, I'm not sure if any of these lights can put some usable illumination on anything 250 or 500 meters away. Sounds to me like you need something bigger (and more expensive I'm affraid). The C88 would be your best bet for that task.
So what would be a usable flashlight at 250m (Keeping the lowest price in mind)? Size is not so important. I remember these old steel maglite i think they were called. It took three of this big thick batteries. As long as it is not bigger than that its ok.
I am eyeying your picks and getting excited. But a 250 range would be verry nice!
EDIT: I read in the muc-c88 review that it can illuminate white houses up until 400m. That is very good. No adjustable focus on this light though right?
The MCU-C88 gets you about 17k lux @ 1m converted. Actually for throw, that is not very bright. Even a stock Sky Ray SR3800 is in that ballpark (18k thereabouts, and people said it does not throw well?). But I guess with only 3 x AA that is the best you can do.
One of the positives of the mcu c-88 is the size of the pill.It's heatsink and it's ability to be modded easily. i'm surpised the sipik 68 hasn't entered the conversation as a 10$ alternative
Actually if you ask me at 300m (and you mentioned up to 500m if need be), there is no way a MCU-C88 would let you be able to ID any said prepertrator even aided with binoculars, unless he is clad in absolutely white clothings against trees or you are aided by gen 1 night vision. You will need something like a HID light.
Is the Small Sun - ZY-A602 more powerfull (farther throw) than the 88 with a more focused beam?
@2100: A decent budget HID light goes for 100 too 150 dollars. That is not the kind of money I want to spend right now. But i do apreciate the comment. It made me think and learn more about lights.
heh heh...that's why I did not give any recommendations. Another better thrower would be the Uniquefire HS-801, that'd not be AA cells but at least there's hope! I think this one does about 30k, 300m with a person wearing normal clothings like a jacket and jeans is just at the fringe of being able to be IDed with binos. It is about 30k lux @ 1m.
A pair of Trustfire Flames 18650 2400mAh (good budget protected batteries that are pretty reliable, widely tested in this forum) + charger would cost you $16.
Something more would be a Fandyfire STL-V6, this is $46.50. It does nearly 50k and coz its a XM-L you do appreciate a bigger hotspot as well, so it does light up stuff at 100m a lot more esp in the house.
You do notice that they are big reflectors. Reflector diameter + emitter has very big significance in throw. You can use liquid nitrogen to cool a XM-L and drive the hell out of it at 5A on a regular 26.5mm P60 light, and it still would not do throw as much as the STL-V6 at 1.5 amps in medium! (I got 23k lux @ 1m converted at 1.5 amps)
BTW the reason why AA Alkaline lights won't make it, is because each Alkaline AA is only able to put out approx 1W "comfortably". Do more and it'd leak. So 3 would only do 3W, not a lot. They are good for providing a bit of juice over long periods, but not good for high currents. Those XM-L lights on AA needs like 8 AA Alkalines, like the Fenix TK41 which does approx 50k lux @ 1m with its 50mm plus reflector. It is a 10-watt light doing about 800 lumens. Unfortunately the TK41 costs ~ $105 shipped.
To give you an idea, 4pcs of big ass D sized Alkaline batteries gets pretty hot when driving a triple XM-L light called the Fenix TK70. It auto drops down to HIGH (980 Out The Front lumens) after 10 seconds as the voltage sags too much due to the high current in turbo (2200 Out-The-Front lumens), the driver senses the immense drop in voltage and cuts it down a gear. Continue to do this by forcing it back to Turbo every 10 seconds and it'd probably leak juice or burst.
I think only a two light solution makes sense. Only a Recoil design can achieve 250m throw without needing high output to do it.
There is now an Ultrafire Recoil Design light that takes 3*AAA. That's the throw to 250m side sorted as a recoil design will have no problem with that but you'll need something else for closer in work. I think that side is best sorted with a Trustfire R5-A3, which will also be a nice light for around the home.
That's just under $32 for the pair delivered.
There is no alternative to the Ultrafire Recoil light, its the only Recoil light in either AA or AAA. But there is an alternative to the Trustfire R5-A3 which is the Akoray K106 if you want to save a couple of bucks. IMHO for the extra $2 the Trustire R5-A3 is worth it.