In accordance with the axiom the best light is the one you have with you i am looking for something that is small, has lots of output and can be upgraded easily and good durability. Battery life is inconsequential, but higher efficiency driver and more then one mode are bonuses
I have these parts laying around from a Romisen upgrade that was never done (light was given away) and can use them to upgrade the light
I am looking for at least 75 lumens after upgrade (if needed), but the light has to be a cree led or something that does not need custom pills (i have no ability to produce them)
Budget is about $10 or less, if its just a host thats perfectly ok as long as it is compatible with the parts i have
Not sure there is a good aaa light without glued threads. Easily upgradable is hard to find in aaa. That XP-G2 on a 14mm star would need to be cut down to fit an aaa light.
About $10 leaves you with tank007 e09. 3 mode twisty. The OP reflector that newer ones use solves the problems with its beam.
I was going to recommend the Tank007 E09 as well, but it's over $10. I really like mine. Only issue I have is occasionally finding the head unscrewed from it in my pocket.
Upgradeability is not necessary if it has 75 lumens or more already, but i do have some xp-g sinkpads that can be cut to 10mm, and that light does have an xp-e, would i be able to upgrade it or will it no longer fit the reflector?
I’m surprised to hear your head unscrews in your pocket. The stock spring in mine made the head stiff enough that I wouldn’t expect it to do that. I changed mine to a lighter spring to make the easier to turn in one hand & switch modes quick. Head hasn’t unscrewed itself even with my lighter spring. Maybe your pockets are screwy.
I love the ThruNite TiS but they are glued. Not what you could call easy for most people to open.
One of mine was very hard to open. Its threadlocker does soften with heat but even with a 50W soldering iron pressed against the inside of the pill it would not open. Mini blowtorch might have done it but don’t want to risk the anodizing changing color. Had to cut slots into the pill to be able to apply the force needed to break the threadlocker. Another one was much easier but still took some heat and leverage on part of the pill that is easy to damage. Just clamping onto the pill wrapped in rubber or leather couldn’t provide enough leverage.
It does fit a noctigon without sanding its thickness down.
the OP reflector of the current production version of E09 totally resolves the problem with the hotspot beam beauty but if prefer the throwiness of the SMO reflector. in everytime carry "(24-9)"/7 (8 hrs sleep and 1 hr for *oo and *ee *gg) it could really replace a 1xNiMH light such as E03
Chloe showed us how to mod the light in her very nice review work.
Yes the back spring is strong and the threads are long. With added silicone grease (sticky stuff yuck!) the head will not screw off even in unscrewy pants pockets ;)
