I recall once Illumination Supply wanted information on the AA format. I made a doc for it and posted it here. Unfortunately, the project never came through…
Here are the results of it. Is there anyone who can make a BLF AA custom driver budget flashlight? At over 190 responses, it should prove a good starting point!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hIJ858gydWw4IpzQwT1cvOA7UuMozTQQUBhBwkh...
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Never ever forget and forgive. Niwal**er new kid on the block trying to act tough.
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/24847
Do not support this brand.
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http://budgetlightforum.com/node/11324?page=2#comment-254983
Bump
What a huge mega fail thread!
AA gets no love!
Never ever forget and forgive. Niwal**er new kid on the block trying to act tough.
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/24847
Do not support this brand.
DINODIRECT – SCAM COMPANY. DO NOT BUY
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/11324?page=2#comment-254983
I like AA
But I guess not many likes it 
Words can be broken,
so can bones.
I do not alkaline or nimh, but I’d be interested in a 14500 light.
I personally like drivers that support both 14500 and nimh
The joy of pocket rocket without worry over hard to find batteries
“Have you forgotten about all those who called you a Bringer of Woe and hunted you like an animal?”
“Normal humans don’t go around killing people and burning towns!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll go with you! So you just follow me and no arguing, okay?”
Hard to find. Search here for 3xAA and you’ll find some previous mentions along those lines.
I like AA lights and carry one as my EDC I also have the Archer 2 x AA light which is a beast of a torch considering it uses standard AA’s. When people play with or customize lights though they really do seem to stick to 18650 powered devices which is understandable as that is where the power is but it is a shame for us fans of day to day users.
Their slim proportions and minimal weight make it ideal for a variety of flashlight sizes and dimensions.so i like “AA Flashlights**” very much.
shopwit kumar
After the zombie apocalypse starts, you can take the AA and AAA cells from remote controls inside a house you are looting for supplies. :bigsmile:
Which gets really boring. – Tuomas Holopainen, 2015
Imagine how many remote’s you would have to search before you found a well charged battery, as I’m sure they come with partially discharged cells from new. You’ll be eaten first
homer
Recently i received some single AA lights from GB.
When you want/need a small AA based light, i.e. for travelling, then a single AA is the Bees Knees.
I am off to visit China in a couple of weeks, and will take a trusty Convoy C8 and a few of these small AA driven lights
GB has them at about $3.00 each at present. Helleva deal.
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_172290.html
Beam shots, I hear you ask! Well they are not great throwers, but better than an old incandescent.
Monty
To many flashlights, too many batteries. Wife is going to kill me
Q8 (Still coming), S2+: 10, SRK style: 6, C8: 10, L2: 3, L6: 2, Couri XM-L2: 1 LuckySun BLF SE: 3, EagleEye X6: 2 and lots more....
Monty
No love for AA light
I would be really interested in a BLF AA flashlight.
I have various flashlight builds, but they are all 16340, 18650 or 26650…
But when going abroad, I usually take my Thorfire TG05, modded with an XP-E2 R4 3C, and the pretty rare LD-30 driver.. I don’t really like taking Lithium into the skies, even inside a flashlight..
The TG05 has great performance on max with the LD-30 driver… but I think something must have happened to the driver when I sanded it down to 16mm to fit it. Instead of the expected MOON->MEDIUM->HIGH, I get MOON->HIGH->BRIEFFLASHTHENMOONAGAIN… :/
I still use it a lot, but just as a 2-mode light, as the moon is really low, and the high is really high.. But I wanted my medium 30-ish lumen mode too..
A BLF Flashlight+BLF driver would be great for my trips abroad, and also as others mention, a great zombie apocalypse emergency light. Keeping it in the car glove box would be the perfect place for it..
Ah nice to see that thread catching some interest. An AA/2AA (or with extension) BLF flashlight with custom driver would rock really.
Not sure how hard is it to pull it off for the driver part. Maybe TK would know?
That would really really be awesome! Getting a host, choosing an emitter, getting an awesome driver like the BLF-A6 and a budget price!
Never ever forget and forgive. Niwal**er new kid on the block trying to act tough.
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/24847
Do not support this brand.
DINODIRECT – SCAM COMPANY. DO NOT BUY
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/11324?page=2#comment-254983
Ah nice to see that thread catching some interest. An AA/2AA (or with extension) BLF flashlight with custom driver would rock really.
Not sure how hard is it to pull it off for the driver part. Maybe TK would know?
That would really really be awesome! Getting a host, choosing an emitter, getting an awesome driver like the BLF-A6 and a budget price!
Never ever forget and forgive. Niwal**er new kid on the block trying to act tough.
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/24847
Do not support this brand.
DINODIRECT – SCAM COMPANY. DO NOT BUY
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/11324?page=2#comment-254983
Problem is that there is no BLF AA boost driver yet, there have been talk about a BLF AA boost driver since 2011 but it is still not there. The latest talk is about an Attiny based one with BLF firmware. For a compact AA light you need a 15mm diameter driver.
link to djozz tests
You’re taking cheap lights TO china?
… I bet you’re the kinda guy who tries to put toothpaste back in the tube, too.
Yes, I don’t want to risk losing any of the lights I have. And if I take 6, I can dump them and bring back 6 better ones.
I will surely be bringing more back though. So long as the wife lets me
Toothpaste? What’s that
Monty
To many flashlights, too many batteries. Wife is going to kill me
Q8 (Still coming), S2+: 10, SRK style: 6, C8: 10, L2: 3, L6: 2, Couri XM-L2: 1 LuckySun BLF SE: 3, EagleEye X6: 2 and lots more....
Monty
My old Fenix L2T is about at the end of its life. Would not mind a good replacement.
EDC rotation:
KR4, SST-20 FA3 4000k (favorite!)
FW3A, Nichia 4000k sw40 r9080 (second favorite)
FW1A, LH351D 3500k (third favorite)
FW1A, XP-L Hi 3A
FW3A, LH351D 3500k
FW3A, SST20 FD2 4000k
FW3A, Cree XP-L Hi 5A3
Emisar D4V2, SST20 4000k
Emisar D4V2, brass E21A 3500k (night light of choice)
The BLF Starry Light was a good attempt.
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/28859
The survey in the OP pretty much reflects what I’d want for an AA/14500 flashlight, except I would like hidden blinkies.
I pretty much agree with the OP survey too, except I am not too bothered about 14500 support.
I’m really surprised forward switch is most popular. I can’t think of any custom BLF lights tha use forward switches and we seem to do a lot of custom runs.
I like forward switch, I wish more budget lights used it.
That failed, IMO, because of switch/driver issues when switching to next mode gave no output and threads, that are made out of plastic on plastic body, wore out with very, very little use.
True story bro, thats how it is on mine. Bought two, one for me, one for friend, but not sure if he ever used one so cant report on his specimen.
Forward switch would be nice.
I wouldnt mind 14500 compatibility, extension tube for 2xAA is a must.
Cant we design not just its internals but the looks as well? I sort of dont like using clone of clone as a host and just engrave BLF logo on it.
In my experience with them, whenever there's more than one or two modes, a forward clicky is a nuisance.
link to djozz tests
Yes!
Rotating head lights are quite rare and what a coincidence, eagle light have one AA angle light http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_168409.html

Also interesing is the mini DQG AA http://www.banggood.com/DQG-CREE-XP-G2-R5-180LM-3Modes-EDC-LED-Flashlight-AA14500-p-970068.html

Either one with high CRI LED or better tint would be perfect.
I have the DQG AA in Stainless Steel Neutral White form.. Great light. Tiny.. Very bright.. Great tint.. and also tough.
Not a big fan of the “twist off to turn on” approach though.. Because it also switches off again if you twist it “too far”.. so you have a small area of movement between on and off. This is alleviated a little by the head not having much “play” in it.. not much chance of it switching modes accidentally while being held..
If it was a clicky, it would be much better (but obviously also probably 1-2cm longer).
It’s also a nightmare to mod… I wouldn’t even try it I don’t think.. I let the Mrs have it (oo err), as it fits in her handbag quite well.
I think any future AA flashlight I would want to be able to easily mod – even if its just an emitter/reflector swap etc… To help future-proof it a little…
Umm… forward clicky and e-switch are two very different things. What exactly are you trying to say about forward working with e-switch? Do you mean two switches?
The Cycle of Goodness: “No one prospers without rendering benefit to others”
- The YKK Philosophy
Yes, for example lights like Nitecore P12, Thrunite TN12, and Fenix PD35 use forward tail switch with side eswitch.
I’d like a budget light that used the A6 direct drive driver with SMO reflector, forward tailswitch, and side eswitch to blow away those other lights.
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