Flashlight-Fi (LED & Conventional)

[LordofDoom]

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Just ordered an LD10 R4 before I leave for college.  Somehow convinced my dad that a high-quality flashlight was crucial to studying.  (Not that it doesn't help... but crucial isn't really probably very accurate )

Looks like a really nice pocket flashlight. I'm sure you're be as thrilled as I am with my LD20. I just might order one to replace my Streamlight Microstream I carry with me at all times. Let me know how you like it  

It's been amazing.  I think at some point I'm going to order another flashlight just for the hell of it.  My carry feels lopsided since I've got a Benchmade 557S and Fenix LD10R4 in my left front pocket and nothing on the right... perhaps an LD20

How about a quark AA^2? It can do a few things the fenix can't.  

Just placed an order for one.  It's going to become my primary.

 

[yifu]

Im waiting on a Cree Q5 LED equiped flashlight with a 18650 battery. If it arrives and is as bright as 200-300 lumens which people over at candlepower say, i will have found a new hobby!

 

[jfindon]

Just bought a Fenix TK35.  Cheap as hell and looks great.

 

[yliu]

Ordered the Led Lenser M7! It should arrive in a few weeks.

 

[LordofDoom]

Ordered the Quark AA^2, and after much deliberation with Amazon, it finally arrived.  I actually ended up with it free because it came a good 7 days late on a 2 day order (and they lost its tracking on it...).

 

[Audio-Omega]

Klarus NT10 is now my number one light.  It's a bit longer than Nitecore EX11 so that makes it easier to hold.  The interesting part is that it has two switches, a tail switch and a side switch.  To turn it on, off and momentarily, press the tail switch.  Use the side switch for fixed brightness settings.  Hopefully this light is as reliable as Nitecore.  

 

[yliu]

A question for more experienced flashlight users:
Can I use Lithium batteries or NiMH rechargeables on my flashlight?
 
The manufacturer recommends alkalines for their flashlights, and the flashlight i have (Led Lenser M7) has a voltage controller or something that keeps the brightness the same even if the battery is low.

 

[marvin]

Recommendations to use alkaline batteries are usually an indication that a product should not be used with Zinc Carbon (usually labeled General Purpose) or Zinc Chloride (usually labeled Heavy Duty) batteries. Alkaline batteries hold up better under high current draw conditions than either of those chemistries.

Alkaline batteries can generally be replaced by NiMH or lithium batteries with approximately the same voltage output. There are occasionally fitment issues, but nothing that will damage or destroy the light.

 

[fatcat28037]

Just bought one of these to carry in my wifes car.
  

 

[jfindon]

Thought I'd post a comparison between the joke of a flashlight and my TK35.  The joke being a 3 cell Maglite.
 

 
 
I guess you'll have to click it, I really hate whatever forum software this is using. 

 

[kwkarth]

Pretty dramatic difference!  (TK35 / Mag Lite)

 

[kwkarth]

Lately, I've been trying out things on the diminutive / EDC side of things..
 
I really like the new Preons.  Lots of photonic power in such a diminutive package! 
 

 

 

[yliu]

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Recommendations to use alkaline batteries are usually an indication that a product should not be used with Zinc Carbon (usually labeled General Purpose) or Zinc Chloride (usually labeled Heavy Duty) batteries. Alkaline batteries hold up better under high current draw conditions than either of those chemistries.

Alkaline batteries can generally be replaced by NiMH or lithium batteries with approximately the same voltage output. There are occasionally fitment issues, but nothing that will damage or destroy the light.

I thought Lithium batteries have a slightly higher voltage than the others, I just don't want to burn out the LED in my flashlight.

 

[kwkarth]

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I thought Lithium batteries have a slightly higher voltage than the others, I just don't want to burn out the LED in my flashlight.

If we're talking about the AA form factor, yes, the output of a lithium is slightly higher than that of an alkaline, which is slightly higher than that of NiMH, or NiCad.
 
With multiple cells you can get into trouble occasionally.  With my Fenix TK-40 which takes 8 x AA cells, there is a small but real risk of over driving the leds with lithiums.
 
The NiMH works very well in this light because it has the current delivery capability that exceeds that of alkalines.

 

[yliu]

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If we're talking about the AA form factor, yes, the output of a lithium is slightly higher than that of an alkaline, which is slightly higher than that of NiMH, or NiCad.
 
With multiple cells you can get into trouble occasionally.  With my Fenix TK-40 which takes 8 x AA cells, there is a small but real risk of over driving the leds with lithiums.
 
The NiMH works very well in this light because it has the current delivery capability that exceeds that of alkalines.

Thanks! I got my Led Lenser M7 was doing some research of what batteries should I use. When alkaline batteries are draining, the voltage gets lower and lower. With NiMH batteries the voltage stays pretty much the same and it suddenly goes away when the battery has no power anymore.
 
So the M7 has a circuit (or something like that) that keeps the voltage the same so you get a constant brightness no matter how much you (alkaline) battery is used. Will that circuit still work with NiMH, since NiMH and Alkalines act differently when being drained.