I wouldn’t recommend alkalines, they can’t deliver high currents for long
NiMH is far better, most brands can deliver the max current necessary for this light
I hope i haven’t violated any faux pas on this forum by posting a CPF link
This makes a good point that the holder may be the source of higher resistance so less output from the 3AA batteries.
On high there is a color temp diff between the AA batteries and lithium, is this from the camera?
Also, does the AA battery holder look like it could be disassembled if i wanted to replace its internal wiring with thicker wires to reduce its output resistance?
On my C-88 I took a file and knocked down the inside edge of the battery tube ..Mine started to peel a battery ..it was tight but not that tight ...now no sharp edge .. if it's gonna peel a battery, It's gonna have to really want to .
So, the XM-L still needs better batteries, but how about the Q5. it says XP-E on one. It should run nice and bright and long on just alkies, yes?
I doubt it would run very long on alkalines. I've never been able to get a good handle on how many amps good alkalines can dish out continuously. It should run medium and low just fine. I can tell you that my co-workers are running my modded 3C Maglite which is an XP-G with a 1.4A nanjg diver with AA Duracells in AA->C adaptors, but I can't tell you how well or how long it works on high.
-Garry
Anyone ordered from these guys?
I’m kind of liking this aa/aaa/26650 functionality in a light, the potential direct drive driver also interests the lunatic in me…… :bigsmile:
I havent, never heard of them.
BTW, can anyone comment on how good is XP-E and XM-L version of this one for throw compared to Cyclone C88?
Looks like my SH-3AA is already gibbled.
The ‘AA’ battery carrier is pooched, after two insertions….and it winks and blinks like a hungover wino even with a 26650 in it. Didn’t even get a full hour out of it.
I’ve about had it with this ‘bargain’ crap. I think if it says “…fire” on it, that means it’s supposed to be thrown in a campfire.
Next time I need to see something in the dark, I’ll just burn money and cut out the middle man.
Rant off.
If you don’t want it any longer I’m sure someone here would take it off your hands for the cost of shipping. wink wink
+1
Wink wink wink
Hey! *Wink x infinity" 
Hi, I’m new and was brought here by exactly these two lights :). I have the Ultrafire but not the Aurora. From the Overviews, the runtimes of these two are different: Ultrafire is “2-3h” (hours), while Aurora is “90 minutes”. Are they really different? (If you have both, did you test?) Also the pictures show Aurora seems to have more focused beam than Ultrafire, I wonder if that reflect the actually case? I tend to think these two are identical, but maybe they are different… I’d like to get another one, hesitating between the two. Which one do you like better?
Thanks.
Hi, flight
I don’t have either of these lights, but I bet they would be the same. But it is only the XR-E version that offers those long runtimes. No XM-L on AAs is going to run any longer than 10 or 20 minutes or so on high mode. They lack the capacity, as well as the ability, to release enough current for an XM-L, but for an XR-E, that 90 minutes would be very believable.
Welcome!
Rusty Joe, thanks for the welcome :). I got the Ultrafire last November but rarely used it. When using I set it at Medium or strobe. Collectively it’s been maybe 5-6 hours and still on the original alkaline batteries, but I’m about to replace the batteries. What I like about it is the beam. I once owned a zoomable flashlight claiming to have much more lumens than this one, but it was very poor. My impression is that flashlights with zoom feature generally don’t have a beam that is both far and wide, am I right? (That’s why I’m giving up zoomable flashlights)
Btw, how does the reputation of Ultrafire and Aurora compare to each other? Or are they the same maker?
Hi,
I’m a new owner of the ultrafire version of this flashlght.
I’m looking for a holster for it.
If someone can advise me I would be interested.
Thanks