Flashlight-Fi (LED & Conventional)

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coop /img/forum/go_quote.gif 47s has free worldwide shipping... So just $78... Yup, I'm a flashlight nut too.... Some might recognize my nick from CPF. How many lights I have? Not a clue, let's just say I'm enough of a flashlight nut to have named my dog Fenix...

That's a great name for a dog!

 

[jimmyjames8]

Was messing with my new Olight T20 this a.m. and the light came on without me fully depressing the switch and stayed on. Depressing the switch would not turn it off. Not good in a tactical situation. I had to "reprogram" the switch. My Dorcy's that cost less than half of what this Olight did, do not seem to have this "wonderful" feature. Still want to try a Fenix and Surefire however.

And...to the poster who was expounding on the virtues of his made in USA light...I have no problem with that and try to buy American when I can (afford it) but...check your batteries for country of origin. Making batteries is a nasty business and many have moved off shore. My wife used to work for Mallory/Duracell and they closed the plant due to environmental compliance costs, labor costs and greed.

 

[jimmyjames8]

Went to Homey Depot this a.m. to pick up a Xenon lamp for my 3 cell Maglite. While I was there, checked battery prices. $12 for a pair of CR123A's. Glad I am selling my Olight. I can buy 24 AAA's never readys or copper tops for that when they are not on sale. Battery prices are ridonculous.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyjames8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Went to Homey Depot this a.m. to pick up a Xenon lamp for my 3 cell Maglite. While I was there, checked battery prices. $12 for a pair of CR123A's. Glad I am selling my Olight. I can buy 24 AAA's never readys or copper tops for that when they are not on sale. Battery prices are ridonculous.

Jimmy,
Buying cr123's locally is NEVER an option. You can get them all day long for a buck a piece on the web from a number of sites. If you buy quantity or shop sales, you can get them cheaper than that.

As far as buying alkalines for ANYTHING... I wouldn't put an alkaline battery in any of your lights, let alone any of mine. If you do, you're ASKING for trouble. They leak with GREAT regularity in flashlights.

Use the right rechargables, and you will be rewarded with brighter light and much longer runtime, and they will never leak.

 

[immtbiker]

They are under $3 all over the internet.

Example:CR123A

 

[kwkarth]

I've been buying mine from Batterystation lately and they're under $1 a piece.
Actually, most recently, I bought 10 Rayovac CR123A 1550mAH lithium, made in the USA, from LAPoliceGear.com for $1 each.

 

[kwkarth]

I received a SF Titan T1A from LAPG today. It instantly became my favorite EDC UI and form factor. I'm not overly fond of it's super floody beam, but it's growing on me. It is one sweet package! Killer price too!
LAPoliceGear.com

 

[jimmyjames8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jimmy, Buying cr123's locally is NEVER an option. You can get them all day long for a buck a piece on the web from a number of sites. If you buy quantity or shop sales, you can get them cheaper than that. As far as buying alkalines for ANYTHING... I wouldn't put an alkaline battery in any of your lights, let alone any of mine. If you do, you're ASKING for trouble. They leak with GREAT regularity in flashlights. Use the right rechargables, and you will be rewarded with brighter light and much longer runtime, and they will never leak.

Roger that! How the world can HD ask $6 a piece for 123's?

For the second time in my 50 years I just had an alkaline leak in a flashlight. It was a cheap but nice 4 D cell lantern that I got from Outdoor Life for free many many years ago. Leaked out of the light onto the wooden bottom of a drawer it was in. Ate the shiney stuff off the reflector in the lantern. So 123's don't leak, ever?

 

[marvin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyjames8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So 123's don't leak, ever?

Lithium battery chemistries don't leak like alkaline do since they don't have liquid electrolytes. They may expand, explode, vent, and do all sorts of other funny things, but they don't leak. You can get lithium batteries in AA and AAA, but CR123s are cheaper per unit and higher in energy content.

 

[kwkarth]

Personally, for all AA and AAA applications I use the LSD (low self discharge) NIMH batteries. Sanyo Eneloops are all the rage now but for about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of eneloops, you can get the Rayovac Hybrids (made by Sanyo) The nice thing about these batteries is that they hold their charge for a long time as opposed to the "high capacity" rechargeables that start loosing their charge the moment you remove them from the charger.

The least expensive version of the Raovac that I've found is packaged in groups of 4-AA's or 4-AAA's and called "Rayovac 4.0 rechargeable with Lithium Technology." The AA's are $5.79 for 4-AA and the AAA's are about 2 bux less at Fry's Electronics. I have no idea what they mean by "with Lithium Technology" because as far as I can tell, they're LSD NIMH cells.

For all CR123A applications I so far am just using the lithium primaries from Surefire, Rayovac, 4Sevens, and Titanium. I think the best deal today are the Rayovacs from La Police Gear for $1.00 each or the Titaniums in bulk from BatteryJunction and you can get the price below 1 buck each.

As Marvin said, they last a long time and don't leak. I have read stories of them exploding an outgassing under abusive circumstances, but no leaks.

Edit:
At the Battery Junction I found the following blurb about the Rayovac 4.0 that might be helpful;

1. 1.2v per cell
2. Lasts up to 4x Longer in Digital Cameras v. Energizer Max Alkaline
3. Patented Lithium Hydroxide coating delivers high capacity while maintaining good life cycle & reduced self discharge
4. Holds charge longer than standard NiMH when not in use
5. Works in all chargers
6. Ideal for high drain devices such as digital cameras, CD players, wireless game controllers, LED flashlights, handheld games, remote control cars

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyjames8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Roger that! How the world can HD ask $6 a piece for 123's?

Ya got me, man! I can't figure out how brick and mortar stores in general sell the 123's for so much dinero. I guess not enough people know better yet.

I hope the post above helps with your flashlight/battery quest.

Good luck!

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth /img/forum/go_quote.gif I received a SF Titan T1A from LAPG today.

Hi Kevin. What is it that is attached to your Surefire Titan in your pic. Also, how many lumens does it put out in "Hi" mode.

*Edit: Nevermind, I just went to Surefire's sight, rather than the LAPG one, and see that it's a BMW keychain. I also see that it only puts out 70 lumen on hi for only one hour.
Compared to the others mentioned here and my rechargeable 140 lumen Streamlights, it doesn't seem like a good deal for $175-280. What the selling point?

 

[marvin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Compared to the others mentioned here and my rechargeable 140 lumen Streamlights, it doesn't seem like a good deal for $175-280. What the selling point?

Infinite output adjustment points between 0-70 lumens. Throw in the "It's a Surefire" and the "pocket jewelry" premiums and ~ $170 is about right.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Kevin. What is it that is attached to your Surefire Titan in your pic. Also, how many lumens does it put out in "Hi" mode. *Edit: Nevermind, I just went to Surefire's sight, rather than the LAPG one, and see that it's a BMW keychain. I also see that it only puts out 70 lumen on hi for only one hour. Compared to the others mentioned here and my rechargeable 140 lumen Streamlights, it doesn't seem like a good deal for $175-280. What the selling point?

The user interface and small size is what caught my interest, but at SF's asking price I was not biting, anyway, most of my EDC's these days are closing in on, if not exceeding 200lm on high... I digress...

I noticed that LAPG had it for $169, so I bit.

The UI is reeeeely nice and the general build quality of the light superb. For it to become the light it should be, it needs a photon transplant, something like a Cree XPE Q3 5A. I love the neutral white tint of that led.

The led that SF chose SUCKS. It looks like they frosted the plastic bubble that covers the emitter. The result is such a floody beam, that it's of little use more than 3m away, even at full brightness. It also has an ugly bluish/purplish tinge to it.

The other bummer is that it will not tailstand because of the poorly thought out design of the tailcap. Something like the Fenix P1D tailcap would be much better, and even better yet would be a design like the Nitecore EZ series tailcap design.

Anyway, it's like a silk purse that was turned into a pig's ear by poor choices in led and tailcap design. The overall build quality and user interface is so good I hope to be able to correct the shortcomings.

If you're familiar with the brightness and beam quality of the Fenix LD01... That's what I'm after for the T1A with the tint color of the XPE Q3 5A.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Infinite output adjustment points between 0-70 lumens. Throw in the "It's a Surefire" and the "pocket jewelry" premiums and ~ $170 is about right.

Yup, and if Surefire hadn't made such boneheaded decisions for LED and tailcap choice, it would be worth their original MSRP.