- Sep 25, 2001
- 30,160
- 3,300
- 126
Noname LED flashlight $8
Both takes AA batteries.
What makes one better than another (besides the name)?
Both takes AA batteries.
What makes one better than another (besides the name)?
What makes one LED flashlight better than another?
- Thread starter JEDI
- Start date
uberman
Golden Member
- Sep 15, 2006
- 1,942
- 1
- 81
I've got two Streamlight 4AA. I bought one at Costco 2 years ago. I liked it and bought a second. They were between $10.00 and $12.00 and they're going for $22.75 to $40.00 on the net.
This model has seven LEDs and is a non-roll flashlight. It won't roll off a table. It's bright and last a long time. I wonder what Costco has now?
[http://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-68202...olymer-Flashlight-Bright/dp/B00008BFS8]
Here's a google search of LED Flashlight reviews:
[http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=LED+Flashlight%2C+reviews&btnG=Search]
This model has seven LEDs and is a non-roll flashlight. It won't roll off a table. It's bright and last a long time. I wonder what Costco has now?
[http://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-68202...olymer-Flashlight-Bright/dp/B00008BFS8]
Here's a google search of LED Flashlight reviews:
[http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=LED+Flashlight%2C+reviews&btnG=Search]
The Maglite is available with a single 1W or 3W LED. The cheap ones have a cluster of mcuh dimmer LEDs.
Quality, feel, reliablity. You get what you pay for. I have a surefire M2; now compare that to a no name flashlight to walmart, and you would see/feel a significant difference.
The Surefire M2 enthusiast flashlight that will get 20 minutes runtime on expensive virtually proprietary batteries. It's not practical unless you only need light for short periods..
Yea, it does use batteries like a hummer uses gas. But it's still one hell of a flashlight.
And when they 20 minutes of artificial sunlight runs out, I have my million candle powered lamp and my mini-mag with upgraded LED bulb.
How long does a Mag 3W run on 2 AAs? They should make these things with dimmers. I put a rheostat on my Dorcy 1W 3D to dim it, but it didn't work 90% of the time. There was a short I couldn't find.
Edit: Can't find a single review of the Maglite 3W AA. Does it even exist??
Edit: Can't find a single review of the Maglite 3W AA. Does it even exist??
Um, buying one supports American workers, and buying the other rewards communist dictatorship slave-labor.
I assume you're saying Maglight is the American workers?
I bought a number of small, cheap LED flashlights from SurplusComputers to keep in the car as an emergency flashlight, just for random illumination needs.
I just don't see a spare use flashlight being worth three times the cost, but I am all for supporting American workers.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
- Oct 22, 2000
- 24,512
- 21
- 81
Review for the Mini Mag
I've had my fair share of LED Flashlights. X5, X03. Coast Tac Torch, Upgraded Mini Mag (Niteize upgrade), 3cell D Mag (upgraded with Mag LED).
I like the Coast Tac Torch the best because it has a bright concentrated beam, it's compact, and uses 3 AAA batteries. It was expensive at first but the ability to use AAA batteries makes it worth while. Coast LL7736
I do like the 3 cell D mag LED upgrade too. It works great outdoors and at a far distance.
I've had my fair share of LED Flashlights. X5, X03. Coast Tac Torch, Upgraded Mini Mag (Niteize upgrade), 3cell D Mag (upgraded with Mag LED).
I like the Coast Tac Torch the best because it has a bright concentrated beam, it's compact, and uses 3 AAA batteries. It was expensive at first but the ability to use AAA batteries makes it worth while. Coast LL7736
I do like the 3 cell D mag LED upgrade too. It works great outdoors and at a far distance.
Rubycon
Madame President
- Aug 10, 2005
- 17,768
- 485
- 126
Mag is the bose of flashlights.
There are many different types of emitters. Traditional LED (T1¾ package) are the most common and produce up to approx 10 lumens each if driven conservatively. Efficacy is always on the increase and Nichia corp seems to be taking precedence in this realm. ALL white LED's are actually indirect injection devices. The LED is a narrowband semi monochromatic device and this is not well suitable for a general illumination device for human eyes. Back in the 90's it was found that a deeper blue emitter when covered with a fluorescent substance whitish light could be produced. These early white emitters had lots of color issues and often very blue.
Today's emitters while far from perfect have much higher efficacies and better color rendition and color temperature balance. The newest Cree devices rival CFL's but produce a point source light. These manufactures are promising better efficacy in the future and hundreds of lumens per watt is possible! :Q
T1¾ based lights will either use an array (hornet's nest) or have an optic to shape or even collimate the light. Luxeon based products can use optics too however deep reflectors will provide much greater throw and better control over the light. There are drop in replacements for traditional flashlights that are based on a side emitter and these work well in mag lights that use conventional incandescent bulbs.
The price of the light determines other features such as digital regulation of the circuitry ensuring the output stays as bright as possible throughout the life of the power cell, flashing, variable power, signaling, etc. Case materials may also be comprised of other uncommon materials such as Titanium. Aluminum machined casings are often Type 3 Hard Anodized with Chemkote treatment on the insides. These higher end products will often feature a thick optical window that's anti reflection coated and hard tempered. These lights can cost hundreds of dollars and will provide years of reliable service. The biggest problem with the smaller lights is losing them!
LED's are most certainly dimmable. If the designer uses a good circuit, color can be maintained as well. Incandescents are really not dimmable IME as the color shift to red is very bothersome.
There are many different types of emitters. Traditional LED (T1¾ package) are the most common and produce up to approx 10 lumens each if driven conservatively. Efficacy is always on the increase and Nichia corp seems to be taking precedence in this realm. ALL white LED's are actually indirect injection devices. The LED is a narrowband semi monochromatic device and this is not well suitable for a general illumination device for human eyes. Back in the 90's it was found that a deeper blue emitter when covered with a fluorescent substance whitish light could be produced. These early white emitters had lots of color issues and often very blue.
Today's emitters while far from perfect have much higher efficacies and better color rendition and color temperature balance. The newest Cree devices rival CFL's but produce a point source light. These manufactures are promising better efficacy in the future and hundreds of lumens per watt is possible! :Q
T1¾ based lights will either use an array (hornet's nest) or have an optic to shape or even collimate the light. Luxeon based products can use optics too however deep reflectors will provide much greater throw and better control over the light. There are drop in replacements for traditional flashlights that are based on a side emitter and these work well in mag lights that use conventional incandescent bulbs.
The price of the light determines other features such as digital regulation of the circuitry ensuring the output stays as bright as possible throughout the life of the power cell, flashing, variable power, signaling, etc. Case materials may also be comprised of other uncommon materials such as Titanium. Aluminum machined casings are often Type 3 Hard Anodized with Chemkote treatment on the insides. These higher end products will often feature a thick optical window that's anti reflection coated and hard tempered. These lights can cost hundreds of dollars and will provide years of reliable service. The biggest problem with the smaller lights is losing them!
LED's are most certainly dimmable. If the designer uses a good circuit, color can be maintained as well. Incandescents are really not dimmable IME as the color shift to red is very bothersome.
Why do you like AAAs? A single AA has the same power as three AAAs. I'd rather have an LED flashlight with two AAs side by side, for a short fat body like the 3xAAA ones-- but that does not exist.
- Sep 25, 2001
- 30,160
- 3,300
- 126
well put it this way
i bought a £3 LED torch off ebay
it came with tiger batteries.....that leaked. they imitated duracells lol, same livery. these lasted about 10minutes
despite having about 20 LED's the torch isnt especially good, its bright, but the beam is way to narrow.
i bought a £3 LED torch off ebay
it came with tiger batteries.....that leaked. they imitated duracells lol, same livery. these lasted about 10minutes
despite having about 20 LED's the torch isnt especially good, its bright, but the beam is way to narrow.
Rubycon
Madame President
- Aug 10, 2005
- 17,768
- 485
- 126
DC-DC conversion allows the LED to run on lower voltages from depleted cells to single alkaline maganese dioxide chemistries providing < 1.5V/C. NiMh works well too.
As the voltage drops lower the current will be higher to maintain output until the cell is "sucked dry". This can damage certain types of secondary (i.e. lithium poly) cells so protection must be designed into the driver or cell to prevent over discharge. One issue with protected lithium-poly cells is the light will suddenly go out when the protection engages. Not the kind of thing you want to happen if you're in a cave up to your waist in water!
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,924
- 45
- 91
The MiniMag LED has a 3W Luxeon LED, for starters. Mostly the difference is in quality of materials and construction. Some difference in brightness probably. I like the MiniMag LED, but focusing it doesn't do a whole lot. It makes the center of the beam brighter, but doesn't reduce the overall size of the beam, so you're losing some intensity when you want to use it as a spotlight.
I have some expensive flashlights, and I have some cheap flashlights. Expensive flashlights are nice, but I like cheap flashlights because I can stick them everywhere. I got some cheap 21 LEDs off eBay that are brighter than my Inova X5.
I have some expensive flashlights, and I have some cheap flashlights. Expensive flashlights are nice, but I like cheap flashlights because I can stick them everywhere. I got some cheap 21 LEDs off eBay that are brighter than my Inova X5.
Here's what my LED flashlights look light. I misplaced my mini mag with the LED upgrade so I only have 4 pictured.
The Inova XO3 uses a 3 watt luxeon LED with a non-adjustable lens. With new batteries it is extremly bright and focused. It requires 2 CR123A batteries so it's very expensive to maintain. It's lifespan is about 2 - 2.5 hours if used constantly. It gets warm but not hot enough to burn. When the battery gets low the light will flicker on and off.
The Inova X5 has 5 white LEDs. It's beam pattern is a floodlight so its good up close but at about 2 - 3 feet it barely illuminates. It also requires 2 CR123A batteries so its fairly expensive to maintain. It's life span is 5 hours of constant use. It gets a little warm after about 5 minutes of use.
The Maglite 3w 3 Cell D is a luxeon type LED with an adjustable reflector so you can adjust the beam pattern to a concentrated spot light to a wide flood light. Battery life is unknown as I have only used it briefly at work.
The coast tac torch uses a Luxeon LED with a smaller non-adjustable lens. It's beam is focused similar to the XO3 but not quite as bright. It uses 3 AAA batteries so its farily low cost. Overtime the light will dim a little. Battery life is about 3 hours of constant use
Sorry for the poor quality pictures. My house is dark and my camera doesn't like the low light
Side View
Front View
Angled View Of Each Flashlight On
Beam Pattern
The Inova XO3 uses a 3 watt luxeon LED with a non-adjustable lens. With new batteries it is extremly bright and focused. It requires 2 CR123A batteries so it's very expensive to maintain. It's lifespan is about 2 - 2.5 hours if used constantly. It gets warm but not hot enough to burn. When the battery gets low the light will flicker on and off.
The Inova X5 has 5 white LEDs. It's beam pattern is a floodlight so its good up close but at about 2 - 3 feet it barely illuminates. It also requires 2 CR123A batteries so its fairly expensive to maintain. It's life span is 5 hours of constant use. It gets a little warm after about 5 minutes of use.
The Maglite 3w 3 Cell D is a luxeon type LED with an adjustable reflector so you can adjust the beam pattern to a concentrated spot light to a wide flood light. Battery life is unknown as I have only used it briefly at work.
The coast tac torch uses a Luxeon LED with a smaller non-adjustable lens. It's beam is focused similar to the XO3 but not quite as bright. It uses 3 AAA batteries so its farily low cost. Overtime the light will dim a little. Battery life is about 3 hours of constant use
Sorry for the poor quality pictures. My house is dark and my camera doesn't like the low light
Side View
Front View
Angled View Of Each Flashlight On
Beam Pattern
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 10K
-
Discussion Speculation: Zen 4 (EPYC 4 "Genoa", Ryzen 7000, etc.)- Started by Vattila
- Replies: 13K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 7K
-
Facebook
Twitter