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What makes one LED flashlight better than another?

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After getting an LED headlamp, I'm never going back to flashlights. My Aurora (forgot maker) has 3 LEDs, uses 3 AAA, fits in the palm of my hand, and after heavy uses, at least a few hours continuous, it's still super bright. Light is uniform and can light up the broadside of a barn.
 
cheap leds use those old standard size leds u find in keychain lights. even if you have a few in a flashlight its not really that bright. more expensive ones use 1-3+watt leds, much much brighter.

as for the mag, i dunno about that

i remember reading somewhere(maybe candle power forums?) that it was a compromised design, since they made the led fit into the size of the old lightbulb to keep compatiblity with their old lights, so it has to self throttle itself because it can't deal with the heat?
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=119665
mag led technical review... bad bad bad , lack of heat sinking very poor design. but mag light brand will still garrantee sales so what do they care
Click to expand...

wow.. thx!

i was going to buy the maglite 2AA LED for $25 @ Walmart since i have doubts that my LED flashlight has the boost circuittry for constant light output as the batteries fade.

but after reading that article, it's not worth it if Maglite's light output drops to 40% after 5min.
 
Walmart has a 4 led light that takes no batteries, it has a crank handle you turn it a few times and it charges up. $7, saw it today near the register.
 
So, do you guys use these flashlights everyday for a specific reason? Some of you are really in to them. 😉
 
Originally posted by: SSP
So, do you guys use these flashlights everyday for a specific reason? Some of you are really in to them. 😉
Click to expand...

I'm really just a sucker for the overengineering that a good flashlight offers. Sure, I use mine, they come in handy for this and that almost daily; but it's really an aesthetic thing. These days, with everything being made of plastic and tinsel, nothing solid, it's really nice to be able to pull out something that is made right. Machined aluminum, knurled, hard anodized, heatsunk head with DC-DC converter, the whole lot waterproof to considerably deeper than I care to go. Sure, I could probably get the light I occasionally need from a one dollar photon light knockoff; but it just wouldn't be a pleasure to use.
 
i just want a flashlight thjat produces a near constant light output as the batteries fade.

thought ALL led flashlights had that.

i now have doubts that my $8 LED has it.

and by 0roo0roo's link, Maglite's LED flashlight overheats in 5 min, thus cutting light output to 40%.

Arrgg.. is there not a good inexpensive AA LED flashlight out there? 🙁
 
Originally posted by: SSP
So, do you guys use these flashlights everyday for a specific reason? Some of you are really in to them. 😉
Click to expand...

I never realized how useful flashlights were until I had so many that there is always one nearby. 😉
 
Originally posted by: JEDI
i just want a flashlight thjat produces a near constant light output as the batteries fade.

thought ALL led flashlights had that.

i now have doubts that my $8 LED has it.

and by 0roo0roo's link, Maglite's LED flashlight overheats in 5 min, thus cutting light output to 40%.

Arrgg.. is there not a good inexpensive AA LED flashlight out there? 🙁
Click to expand...

dansdata.com has a few reviews. http://www.dansdata.com/41-4262.htm
here's a dorcy 1 watter that uses those 123cell batteries. i've seen the aa? aaa? version at wallyworld for about 19-20bucks. should be about the same.
 
Originally posted by: JEDI
i just want a flashlight thjat produces a near constant light output as the batteries fade.

thought ALL led flashlights had that.

i now have doubts that my $8 LED has it.

and by 0roo0roo's link, Maglite's LED flashlight overheats in 5 min, thus cutting light output to 40%.

Arrgg.. is there not a good inexpensive AA LED flashlight out there? 🙁
Click to expand...

That overheating problem is unique to Mag's C and D cell LED lights, due to minimal thermal transfer extending from the LED "bulb" base. Mag's AA lights do not have this problem.

I've been "into" flashlights for over two years now. My first light was a Mini Mag modded with a 3W Luxeon LED and shrunk to 1AA size. Total cost of that light was over $100, but the light served me great. When I broke the LED this summer on a camping trip (had the head of the light off, so the LED was exposed), I went on the prowl for a new light. I found the Fenix L1T, a 1AA 3W Luxeon light with adjustable output for just $46. I highly recommend http://fenix-store.com for anyone looking to spend between $40-65 on a kickass LED light in 1-2 AA, 1-2 AAA or 1 CR123 form. These things may be Chinese made, but they're built to a standard that previously took more than $100 to attain.

After using my Fenix L1T for a couple months, I bought a 3AA 3W Minimag LED as soon as I found one in my local Wal-Mart. I wasn't expecting much, because Maglite has really gotten a reputation for stagnating, being woefully un-innovative and litigating. I was quite surprised to find that the light was slightly brighter than my 1AA Fenix, and threw quite a bit farther. Not only that, but it was the first Luxeon light I'd seen where I could effectively change the focus. I was also surprised by the runtime.

Cliff's: Minimag 3AA LED does not suck, and is a good buy for the price range it's in. It undercuts any competitor I know of with a similar quality light. It's bright, puts out lots of usable white light for a number of hours before starting to dim. It's durable, and well worth $25.
 
interesting, any reviews where they take the thing apart?

need to replace my aa mag, the old ones just sucked pretty hard with those delicate little bulbs and sh*t light output.

guess no c/d size... the aa is only good for clubbing kittens to death🙁
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
interesting, any reviews where they take the thing apart?

need to replace my aa mag, the old ones just sucked pretty hard with those delicate little bulbs and sh*t light output.

guess no c/d size... the aa is only good for clubbing kittens to death🙁
Click to expand...


I have the 6 D cell mag, great for show.
 
As of several weeks after the launch, I hadn't seen any good tear-down reviews. By now I'm sure there's a good one somewhere on Candlepowerforums.
Minimag LED is an immense improvement over a regular Minimag.

There's a number of aftermarket parts available for putting 3W Luxeons in D Mags *properly*, but they don't come cheap. Proper heatsinking is key, and the popular choice is custom-machined copper. Last I looked it took about $80 to get a 3W Lux in a 2D Mag, but it'd run for dozens of hours 🙂
For $120+ you can stick three 3W Luxes in a 2D Mag for tons of light, but it will cut the runtime to under 10 hours.
 
Recommend me a flashlight!

I have an old mini mag and a $1 flashlight sitting on my desk.

The power died in my apartment and I whipped out my cell phone which has 2 LED lights.

So my main flash light is pretty much the LED flash on my Sony Ericsson W810i. I had a mini mag AAA but thats pretty much a worthless POS compared to my cell phone, and why bother with a heavier keychain when I always have to have my cell anyways?

So yea I grabbed my mini mag AA incandescent and was working around trying to find a few books and stuff before heading out.. All this talk about LED has me interested. My mom bought some $10 LED lights that are bright as hell compared to my mini mag, but I guess anything LED can kick an incandescent bulb's ass. So yea... Mini mag AA w/ LED is a mixed bag? Iono.
 
Depends on the lumen rating as suggested above. But, Luxeon III is regard as the best for white light emitters. Luxeon V is regard as the best for general purpose non white light emitters (120 lumen).

I had a Luxeon Star III flash light that takes 3 AAA cells (20 hours) and it lasted 2 weeks on the job before it when missing (single LED).
I now have a cheap Rayovac 7-LED flashlight that that work well & consumes 6 AA cells (200 hours) and it is slightly less bright as the above single LED.

<-- Purchased 4 AAA cells for a bit more money than a 48 AA alkaline cells bulk pack.


 
yeah it could be lots of things. the watts on the led bulbs, the actual lumens output, the build material and quality, and yes brand name does add cost and so do the batteries if say the Mag comes with durecell and Walmart comes with everlast or whatever
 
Originally posted by: DLeRium
Recommend me a flashlight!

I have an old mini mag and a $1 flashlight sitting on my desk.

The power died in my apartment and I whipped out my cell phone which has 2 LED lights.

So my main flash light is pretty much the LED flash on my Sony Ericsson W810i. I had a mini mag AAA but thats pretty much a worthless POS compared to my cell phone, and why bother with a heavier keychain when I always have to have my cell anyways?

So yea I grabbed my mini mag AA incandescent and was working around trying to find a few books and stuff before heading out.. All this talk about LED has me interested. My mom bought some $10 LED lights that are bright as hell compared to my mini mag, but I guess anything LED can kick an incandescent bulb's ass. So yea... Mini mag AA w/ LED is a mixed bag? Iono.
Click to expand...

well the mini mag incandescent were just dim, so yea even cheap led flashlights are better, but those cheap ones are still rather dim compared to decent flashlights.
 
Originally posted by: SandInMyShoes
Originally posted by: JEDI
i just want a flashlight thjat produces a near constant light output as the batteries fade.

thought ALL led flashlights had that.

i now have doubts that my $8 LED has it.

and by 0roo0roo's link, Maglite's LED flashlight overheats in 5 min, thus cutting light output to 40%.

Arrgg.. is there not a good inexpensive AA LED flashlight out there? 🙁
Click to expand...

That overheating problem is unique to Mag's C and D cell LED lights, due to minimal thermal transfer extending from the LED "bulb" base. Mag's AA lights do not have this problem.

I've been "into" flashlights for over two years now. My first light was a Mini Mag modded with a 3W Luxeon LED and shrunk to 1AA size. Total cost of that light was over $100, but the light served me great. When I broke the LED this summer on a camping trip (had the head of the light off, so the LED was exposed), I went on the prowl for a new light. I found the Fenix L1T, a 1AA 3W Luxeon light with adjustable output for just $46. I highly recommend http://fenix-store.com for anyone looking to spend between $40-65 on a kickass LED light in 1-2 AA, 1-2 AAA or 1 CR123 form. These things may be Chinese made, but they're built to a standard that previously took more than $100 to attain.

After using my Fenix L1T for a couple months, I bought a 3AA 3W Minimag LED as soon as I found one in my local Wal-Mart. I wasn't expecting much, because Maglite has really gotten a reputation for stagnating, being woefully un-innovative and litigating. I was quite surprised to find that the light was slightly brighter than my 1AA Fenix, and threw quite a bit farther. Not only that, but it was the first Luxeon light I'd seen where I could effectively change the focus. I was also surprised by the runtime.

Cliff's: Minimag 3AA LED does not suck, and is a good buy for the price range it's in. It undercuts any competitor I know of with a similar quality light. It's bright, puts out lots of usable white light for a number of hours before starting to dim. It's durable, and well worth $25.
Click to expand...

ah.. thx for the info on maglite's AA led flashlights.

my leatherman belt pouch has a AA flashlight holder. 3AA flashlights are way too long and would look dorky on my belt. I'll probably pick up the 1AA.

THX!

edit:
sigh.. my local walmart doesnt carry Maglite 1AA led. they have 1AAA, and 2 AA. the 2AA LED still looks long. (it's longer than the maglite 2AA incandestant bulb.)
 
Originally posted by: MS Dawn
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
LED's are not dimmable...

ZV
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
I've always read that in order to "dim" an LED you had to modulate the current to cause the bulb to LED to "flicker" (albeit flickering fast enough that the eye doesn't perceive the flickering) and that a simple rheostat in series with an LED would not function properly as a dimmer.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I've always read that in order to "dim" an LED you had to modulate the current to cause the bulb to LED to "flicker" (albeit flickering fast enough that the eye doesn't perceive the flickering) and that a simple rheostat in series with an LED would not function properly as a dimmer.

ZV
Click to expand...

This is true. PWM is the most common form of dimming of LED's.

If the flicker is too fast to see one can shine it on a solar cell connected to an amplifier and listen to the waveform superimposed onto the seemingly CW output.

 
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