Best AA Flashlight Between $30-$50

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-03T16:19:58.000Z

Thunderay:

Yes, single AA light…
Great lights, thank you all.

I’m looking for a design similar to maybe the Manker T01 but less bulkier one … I like the Wuben E05 too.

You could try the Zebralight SC53w (330 lumens, $57), or the Zebralight SC52 (300 lumens, $49). You won’t find a more pocket-friendly AA light unless you go to a twist-on switch. The advantage of the SC52 is that it can also use a 14500 for 500 lumen output. I don’t usually run mine that way, but it’s fun when I do.

As for the batteries, after all these years and they’re still stuck at 2500mAh? for God’s sake, why?!.. LOL
are there any higher mAhs available with low self discharge ?

No. There’s not much demand for newer NiMH tech nowadays, so I don’t think they’re doing much to improve it. There’s small incremental improvements with Eneloop over the past several years, but nothing significant. Just like you don’t see much improvement with alkaline batteries… they’re good-enough for their intended purpose (which is ruining electronics by leaking).

Lightbringer · 2019-12-03T17:09:09.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

Just like you don’t see much improvement with alkaline batteries… they’re good-enough for their intended purpose (which is ruining electronics by leaking).

Oh, they’re quite excellent for that.

how_crazy_is_this · 2019-12-03T17:59:18.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

The TN4A is a nice light, but the narrow beam and long throw makes it a very different light than most single 18650 lights. As a decent outdoor thrower to hand-carry, it fits that purpose well. Great light for walking a dog off-leash (which is something you shouldn’t do).

There was a version of the TN4A with an XP-L HI. Perhaps that is what you are referring to. With the XP-L and the OP reflector my TN4A has more flood and more throw than my SC31B with the SST20. My C8 silver with the XP-L HI SMO out throws both of them. The hot spot on that is so bright that I can understand your comment about it not being a good leash walking light although I did that for quite some time and didn’t realize how bad it was.

OTOH, I think that these two examples of single 18650 lights and the TN4A AA are fairly similar with the TN4A having the widest beam and the C8 having the farthest throw. Size and weight are biggest things that make it different. Of course what I like are the UI and the tint and something similar can be found in many different lights.

Wade

buck91 · 2019-12-03T18:52:57.000Z

Scallywag:

I’m trying to come up with the smallest tail-clicky 14500/AA light I can (and AAA too for that matter) … Besides my DQG Slim. I want to hot-rod it, but if it’s not small enough it just feels pointless compared to 18650.

But, for stock, I love the DQG Slim 1/2AA plus extension tube. Throw a 1000 mAh 14500 in there for unmatched capacity, or use eneloops, or Alkaleaks in a pinch.

For a clicky I haven’t seen any smaller than the Sofirn sf14v2.0. I have a few twisties which are smaller, but not clickies.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-03T19:17:23.000Z

how crazy is this:

WalkIntoTheLight:

The TN4A is a nice light, but the narrow beam and long throw makes it a very different light than most single 18650 lights. As a decent outdoor thrower to hand-carry, it fits that purpose well. Great light for walking a dog off-leash (which is something you shouldn’t do).

There was a version of the TN4A with an XP-L HI. Perhaps that is what you are referring to. With the XP-L and the OP reflector my TN4A has more flood and more throw than my SC31B with the SST20. My C8 silver with the XP-L HI SMO out throws both of them. The hot spot on that is so bright that I can understand your comment about it not being a good leash walking light although I did that for quite some time and didn’t realize how bad it was.

Yes, I have the XP-L HI version. I don’t use it anymore, since lights of similar size (like the Astrolux C8) out-throw it and are lighter. But for a AA light, it does throw very well.

arow55 · 2019-12-03T19:36:30.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

Photonica:

Parametrek has some suggestions.

Looks like Soda Can lights run 1100-1500 lumens. Manker T02 (2xAA side by side) claims 1500.

I’d like to see some independent tests of that Manker. IMO, they over-state their lumens. My T01 (1xAA) has nowhere near the output they claim, and it’s not regulated on max either.

Did you know you can customize each setting? Maybe you can set highest setting higher.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-03T20:09:46.000Z

arow55:

WalkIntoTheLight:

Photonica:

Parametrek has some suggestions.

Looks like Soda Can lights run 1100-1500 lumens. Manker T02 (2xAA side by side) claims 1500.

I’d like to see some independent tests of that Manker. IMO, they over-state their lumens. My T01 (1xAA) has nowhere near the output they claim, and it’s not regulated on max either.

Did you know you can customize each setting? Maybe you can set highest setting higher.

I used the engineering mode to set it to max output without any step-down. But, yes, I also set up the regular modes so that the brightest is at max output. It is a bright light, and does have impressive throw for such a small 1xAA light. It’s just not as bright as what Manker claims. They claim 500 lumens. IIRC, I got almost 400, but only with a fully-charged Eneloop. It drops output as the battery declines, and it does that fairly quickly since NiMH voltage curves have a pretty steep drop at the beginning.

Oh, and their claim of 900 lumens using a 14500 cell is waaaaay out of reality. It’s really not that much brighter than with NiMH.

I prefer the regulated boost driver of lights like the Zebralight SC5. It has higher output (still not quite 500 lumens, though perhaps the MkII version does), but it will maintain that until the battery is almost dead.

But, if you’re looking for a 1xAA pocket-thrower, the Manker T01 does a good job of that.

Scallywag · 2019-12-03T21:32:18.000Z

buck91:

Scallywag:

I’m trying to come up with the smallest tail-clicky 14500/AA light I can (and AAA too for that matter) … Besides my DQG Slim. I want to hot-rod it, but if it’s not small enough it just feels pointless compared to 18650.

But, for stock, I love the DQG Slim 1/2AA plus extension tube. Throw a 1000 mAh 14500 in there for unmatched capacity, or use eneloops, or Alkaleaks in a pinch.

For a clicky I haven’t seen any smaller than the Sofirn sf14v2.0. I have a few twisties which are smaller, but not clickies.

A quick google yielded this , showing the Ultratac A1 and Tool AA to be a bit shorter.

buck91 · 2019-12-03T21:43:29.000Z

Scallywag:

buck91:

Scallywag:

I’m trying to come up with the smallest tail-clicky 14500/AA light I can (and AAA too for that matter) … Besides my DQG Slim. I want to hot-rod it, but if it’s not small enough it just feels pointless compared to 18650.

But, for stock, I love the DQG Slim 1/2AA plus extension tube. Throw a 1000 mAh 14500 in there for unmatched capacity, or use eneloops, or Alkaleaks in a pinch.

For a clicky I haven’t seen any smaller than the Sofirn sf14v2.0. I have a few twisties which are smaller, but not clickies.

A quick google yielded this , showing the Ultratac A1 and Tool AA to be a bit shorter.

Well, I stand corrected then. I suppose my tool aa 219 does feel down right tiny in the hand.

drewski · 2019-12-03T22:56:46.000Z

Has anyone tried sticking an SST-20 in a Tool AA? I don’t know if they come on 14mm mpcbs. I would love a 4000k tool aa though.

hank · 2019-12-03T23:48:59.000Z

Cells in parallel: Nitecore MT22A

Google shopping has it with a 20 percent discount for the next few days

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-04T00:17:34.000Z

hank:

Cells in parallel: Nitecore MT22A

I don’t understand the benefit of using cells in parallel in a AA light. I get it with lithium-ion (it’s generally safer), but why with an already-safe chemistry like NiMH? They still need to use a boost-driver (which adds some inefficiency the more you need to boost). Is it just amps? Unless they’re using more than 5 amps, a single Eneloop should do the job. If they want to use 2 (or more) cells, why not put them in series so you get a voltage closer to the forward-voltage of the LED, and use half the amps for less loss due to resistance in all the contacts?

buck91 · 2019-12-04T00:47:23.000Z

drewski:

Has anyone tried sticking an SST-20 in a Tool AA? I don’t know if they come on 14mm mpcbs. I would love a 4000k tool aa though.

Not specifically but I’ve put SST-20 in place of some cold white Nichia as well as XPG2 leds with good results. Don’t see why the Tool would be any different. Worst case, just reflow the SST-20 onto the existing star.

Scallywag · 2019-12-04T00:51:01.000Z

drewski:

Has anyone tried sticking an SST-20 in a Tool AA? I don’t know if they come on 14mm mpcbs. I would love a 4000k tool aa though.

Standard footprint, just reflow it.

Watermanchris · 2019-12-04T01:12:08.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

hank:

Cells in parallel: Nitecore MT22A

I don’t understand the benefit of using cells in parallel in a AA light. I get it with lithium-ion (it’s generally safer), but why with an already-safe chemistry like NiMH? They still need to use a boost-driver (which adds some inefficiency the more you need to boost). Is it just amps? Unless they’re using more than 5 amps, a single Eneloop should do the job. If they want to use 2 (or more) cells, why not put them in series so you get a voltage closer to the forward-voltage of the LED, and use half the amps for less loss due to resistance in all the contacts?

It’s just adding capacity and more amps. Lights with parallel batteries can often run on a single cell in a pinch like the LT1.

hank · 2019-12-04T01:35:34.000Z

the benefit of using cells in parallel in a AA light.

Actually “side by side” is what I like; the old incandescent “doorstop wedge” flashlights I remember had the cells wired in series but placed side by side. I don’t know how they’re wired in contemporary flashlights.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-04T01:37:37.000Z

Watermanchris:

WalkIntoTheLight:

hank:

Cells in parallel: Nitecore MT22A

I don’t understand the benefit of using cells in parallel in a AA light. I get it with lithium-ion (it’s generally safer), but why with an already-safe chemistry like NiMH? They still need to use a boost-driver (which adds some inefficiency the more you need to boost). Is it just amps? Unless they’re using more than 5 amps, a single Eneloop should do the job. If they want to use 2 (or more) cells, why not put them in series so you get a voltage closer to the forward-voltage of the LED, and use half the amps for less loss due to resistance in all the contacts?

It’s just adding capacity and more amps. Lights with parallel batteries can often run on a single cell in a pinch like the LT1.

That seems inefficient, compared to cells in series. Why double the amps, when you can instead double the voltage? Less amps means less loss to resistance, and higher voltage means a more efficient driver.

hank · 2019-12-04T01:40:25.000Z

the benefit of using cells in parallel in a AA light.

Actually “side by side” is what I like; the old incandescent “doorstop wedge” flashlights I remember had the cells wired in series but placed side by side. I don’t know how they’re wired in contemporary flashlights.

I just bought a NITECORE MT22A to give to an elderly neighbor — it’s handgrip size, comes with a highly findable yellow case, and runs on two AA cells.

Lightbringer · 2019-12-04T01:51:20.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

That seems inefficient, compared to cells in series. Why double the amps, when you can instead double the voltage? Less amps means less loss to resistance, and higher voltage means a more efficient driver.

One problem with any cells in series, whether alkaleaks or NiMH, is that one cell can rapidly go to zero and then be reverse-charged. Probably ruin NiMH, but would definitely cause an alkaleak to crap the bed. There’s always one runt of the litter that’ll go first.

xevious · 2019-12-04T03:26:06.000Z

hank:

the benefit of using cells in parallel in a AA light.

Actually “side by side” is what I like; the old incandescent “doorstop wedge” flashlights I remember had the cells wired in series but placed side by side. I don’t know how they’re wired in contemporary flashlights.

I just bought a NITECORE MT22A to give to an elderly neighbor — it’s handgrip size, comes with a highly findable yellow case, and runs on two AA cells.

Yes, when I said “parallel” I meant physically, not necessarily circuit wise. Vast majority of 2xAA lights run in series, with sequential orientation.