A co-worker at work asked me to track him down a light but refuses to use anything other than alkaline AA’s since hes super cheap(funny how the richest people you know always are) and doesn’t want to buy batteries and chargers. Since I only use lithium I’m having a hard time finding something that meets his demands.
–3xAA (carrier not in line)
-xml or xml2
-single mode
I maybe way off base here. :bigsmile:
I know you said your friend was cheap and the light needed to be 1 mode and 3 AA’s. But have you looked at a Sunwayman D40.
It has 2 soft push button switch’s, one that controls on and off and another that controls the modes. If the light is turned off in high, when you turn it back on it will be in high. The main four modes are turbo, H, M, and L. If you hold the on and off button for about 5 seconds the light comes on in moonlight mode. The flashy modes have to be activated by certain button presses and holds.
It serious a nice light for a AA light. The modes don’t have to be used if you just turn on and off. Cycling the modes is as easy pressing one button to cycle through modes with out the flashy modes.
I don’t know what he will think of this light, maybe you could show it to him. I personally like the way its setup, wouldn’t really be as useful with out the modes. He might like it and he may not, just thought I would throw it out there.
http://www.sunwayman.com/html/products/201305/127.html
A modded Rook sounds like an option... But I don't think he would be impressed by an XML driven from 1.5V of parallel alkalines.
XinTD X3. Wire over the capacitor on the driver to effectively make it a single mode light.
Alkaline just can’t hold up like nimh.
If he is going to actually use the light frequently then rechargeables are cheaper then alkalines. If not then any junk light is fine for him. :bigsmile:
Sounds like you tried to reason with him already.
Even a fairly lightly driven XM-L is going to draw somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5-2A from 3xAA. This (or even much more) isn’t a problem for NiMH. But alkaline batteries are not going to last long at this kind of current draw. Not to mention that the batteries may leak and destroy the light.
I found 2 more lights that might interest your co-worker.
Not the most exotic flashlight I ever seen, but here it is.
http://www.lightinthebox.com/brinyte-div03-5-mode-cree-xml-u2-led-flashlight-600lm-3-aa-14500-black_p590366.html
.
Another a little on the cheap side. Dorcy 46-4415
Did he ask you to track him down some lights because he's seen yours and been impressed?
Would I be far off-base by assuming:
1. He's just a co-worker (and not a good friend)?
2. By "super cheap" you actually mean he's not smart enough to realise that Eneloops and good charger are much cheaper in the long term?
3. He really doesn't want to be involved in the process of getting a light but just wants you to do the legwork?
4. He wouldn't listen if you told him most lights running on Alkalines will quicky get dim and never perform as well as yours?
If the above is true you can just get him any cheap light since Alkalines won't perform under load and he's likely to leave them in there until they leak and destroy the thing anyway.
(Sorry if I sound grumpy but I have dealt with a couple of people like this recently.)
It might come as somewhat of a surprise to many people here that most people look at alkaline batteries as the epitome of performance. Rechargeable batteries are looked at as an inferior, underperforming technology that some people put up with for the sole purpose of saving a few bucks.
That may have been true in the '80's. I remember buying the "new" NiMH batteries which were cutting edge at a claimed 550mAH for a AA.
I guess the great unwashed still don't know the difference but thankfully, we have moved on. 
Costco lights 250 lumen are they?
Otherwise get him an sk68 and tell him when he is really ready to save money then you can give him something more powerful like a convoy m1 with batteries and charger
There is a saik with 3 AA out there, should be easyly modded to one mode…
http://dx.com/p/saik-sa-305-cree-q2-wc-3-mode-140lm-white-led-flashlight-3-aa-42672
What about the sipik sk58 or so the one which looks like enterprise with 2 AAs…
I know he said that he wants a light with a battery holder (and NOT a ‘three in line’). But a good option here might be a Dereelight Javelin with a 1xAA extender. The advantage with this particular light is that it’s a P60 host. So he can try it with an XM-L if he wants. And if he remains steadfast about using alkalines, but is dissatisfied with the performance, he can go with a less powerful emitter like an XP-G or XP-E.