Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output...

[Brasso]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

Theoretically, with the qtc that Peak uses it should be the most efficient as the qtc has no overhead voltage requirements. Realistically, I'm just not sure. One of the problems with qtc is that it is not necessarily exact in the amount of voltage that passes thru it.

 

[Thetasigma]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

I'll second the recommendation for the Peak El Capitan. If you can still get one in levels at a 6, it is a bombproof single mode light with good runtime. If you like variable output the QTC works but it is finicky. The momentary switch and a Darksucks clip is a great combo.

 

[eh4]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

I wonder if QTC could be "locked" and several pathways of QTC accessed by head turn, this would eliminate infinite variability but allow the QTC to act as a variable number of "lossless resistors" in parallel... To give a non fussy, reliable multi mode twisty.
That would be neat, no QTC pills wearing out, no spring back of material making output creep up, no components to fail.

 

[jon_slider]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

Received my L11C. Very happy with the small size and light weight.
I like the L11C tailswitch better than on the Tool, because the L11C will tailstand, the switch is quieter, and it will half press through modes without switching off as easily.

I like the L11C LED better than on the Maratac because the L11C has higher CRI and seems brighter. This makes it a successful upgrade over the Tool and Maratac, when more brighness is needed as a car light, without giving up CRI.

The L11C weighs 28 grams empty, the same as a copper Maratac empty

Left to right, 4000K N219B Tool, 4500K N219B L11C, 6000K XPG2 Maratac

same lights as above, all on their Highest mode:
left to right mfg specs;
4000K 93CRI 80 lumens, 4500K 92CRI 140 lumens, 6000K 70CRI 138 lumens,

Weights with batteries included:

personal observations (I have no test instruments)
the 4000K Nichia shows more red when shining on my hand palm, than the 4500K Nichia. The 6000K XPG2 makes me look like a zombie.. I really dislike the cool white and low CRI of the Maratac LED (so I lego the head of a Tool with Nichia onto the Maratac body).

I also like the L11C better than the Tool in terms of hand feel. The L11C is a consistent diameter, and allows a 4 finger grip without blocking the beam. The Tool is a 3 finger light, else the head gets blocked by the heel of my hand (I wear size Large gloves).

 

[gotothelight]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

I carry a Gerber Infinity Ultra -M (military version of their Infinity Ultra). Has a protected recessed lens, a heavy duty clip, waterproof, twisty tailcap with a paracord sized lanyard hole. Decent output, very long runtime on a lithium AA, no sharp edges, and barely noticeable in your pocket.

 

[reppans]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

reppans,
I wonder if the cool led Malkoff is using is just that much more efficient at producing light at such low draw, in addition to luck of draw variation within emitter batches?
I also wonder if the cool Malkoff will light up and stay lit with batteries that the Nichia L10 considers dead?

Along with valuing the quality of light of the higher CRI emitters, I put high value to little lights that continue to give light when the others won't. -Ideally these should be very small and low mass, something that's never minded never left behind to save space, that can be treated as a reserve battery case until it's the only thing left that still works.

Crees are better than Nichias in efficiency, no question, and the XPG2s have very nice white tints, my favorite cools, and from a variety of different brands. The huge efficiency difference is due to such a dim sub-lumen mode on the L10 - the dimmer it gets, the more the circuit consumes over the LED - my SC52 has a similarly poor efficiency across its 3 sub-lumen modes (all <0.09 lms).

You seem concerned with emergency runtime - you should know the L10 is one of the few lights with conducting threads that's easy run on any battery with a paperclip - like the Quark and D25A Ti....(assuming it can handle the voltage).

 

[eh4]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

It's a pickle, because in my subjective experience the warm light is more useful at very low light levels, and the cool leds I've encountered seem to excel at producing a little light when the Nichia219 for instance says the battery is dead.
I guess I need to look into warm Cree regardless of CRI.

 

[jon_slider]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

It's a pickle… warm light is more useful at very low light levels

good point, a high CRI light is less efficient than a low CRI light

how many minutes of light are you benefitting by being Cool? Maybe that sort of last gasp scenario could be mitigated by a second light, as you said, acting as a battery carrier, or a replacement..

I also prefer warm 3000K over neutral 4500K at sublumen
otoh, for high mode Cool 6000K is a better match for me
in fact I have lights in each of those CCT and rotate thru

3000K bedside, an XPG and a XPL.. I prefer the XPG and recommend it
4500K keychain, Nichia 219b, personal favorite
6000K car, XPG2 and XPL.. I prefer the XPG2 even though the XPL is brighter, its got a greenish tint I love to hate

one of each is good , (L11c w Nichia and T10T w XPL)
Both No PWM or pulses.. the Thrunite firefly is quite similar to the L11c, but the Thrunite High is much higher.

[h=1]ThruNite T10T XP-L Neutral White[/h]

• Output mode: High (208lm), Low (13lm), Firefly (0.15lm).
• Happy Shopping, post pics

 

[eh4]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

It's almost more of a design/engineering aesthetic, except that sometimes the light actually goes out, -and another light will continue using the same depleted power supply for hours after the other says nothing is left.

The value of light is certainly on some logarithmic scale, the first 1/10th lumen is seemingly infinitely better than total darkness.... and if that first 1/10 lumen doesn't overly dazzle your eyes and leave you blind when you turn it off, it's that much more useful.

Play around with a Nite-Ize 1 watt 2-6 cell (3-9V) dropin and a paper clip. It'll go for many, many hours on a single AAA (36+ hours, 60-90% of runtime blown by it's little jule thief circuit staying as bright as possible early on. ).
The tint is pretty bad blue/white to my eye. There's no regulation, it just pumps as much light as it can based on the power available. It's still the best battery vampire I've run across though.
I want a warm, if not HCRI, 4 mode version of That.

 

[eh4]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

What I'm really getting at is the most reliable, most long running light, that uses the most ubiquitous battery, and can extract many hours of usable light from that most ubiquitous battery, after it's been gathered for next to nothing because "it's dead".
The ultimate AA battery vampire, with a warm tint, and the ability to drive an AA at multiple levels if the battery has it in it, but if not defaulting to lowest forward voltage low mA illumination.
HCRI is wonderful, but we can throw that out the window, low CCT is necessary though for detail central focus vision and easier adaptation back to darkness. ... It's a given that our eyes are more sensitive to the blue leaning spectrum, that's part of the problem, once we turn the light off -so there's something left for later.

 

[jon_slider]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

HCRI is wonderful, but we can throw that out the window, low CCT is necessary

not sure I understand, can you give an example of a light that meets your criteria?
doesnt the XPG have both HCRI and low CCT, AND longer run time? I think thats what this chart shows, no?:

 

[eh4]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

Yes, the XPG warm looks good!
An extreme example regarding your question would be a deep red led, virtually no CRI and very low CCT.
I'll take the XPG instead thanks.

 

[FroggyTaco]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

It would be nice if there was an updated graph that showed the XP-G2, XM-L2, XP-L, & XP-L HI to reflect modern emitters.

 

[jon_slider]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

It would be nice if there was an updated graph that showed the XP-G2, XM-L2, XP-L, & XP-L HI to reflect modern emitters.

true, and btw, that chart is from of darksucks.com, they have more info about CRI if you browse their site

by extrapolation, I generalize that all the X*L leds are more "efficient" and also cooler and lower CRI than the X*G family

then you have the Nichias, which control the middle ground in CCT and king of the mountain in CRI

basically, if you want throw and high lumens and dont care about CRI.. Cool "L" leds
if you want low light levels, which favor warm CCT.. the XPG still rules in my small world
for general carry, my 4500K Nichia 219b L11c is turning out to very practical

the L11c even has a nice firefly, but I wish it was warmer
Im Loving the L11c (modes .09, 3, 30, 140)
other than the slightly too cool firefly, the other modes are very practical, with the middle two giving hours of runtime ..

Im liking the clicky on the L11c still.. I would buy the L11c with Nichia again if I needed another AA light.. thumbs up

 

[reppans]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

New low lumen AA efficiency record for my collection - 47 Atom AA w/reflector. Consumes 8-13 ma producing on 0.7-1.6 lms on NiMh to Li L91 primary - that's > 200 hours from a AA Eneloop, Alkaline, or L91 on "bright" 1-ish lumen. This is current controlled, vs the Malkoffs PWM, but both are unregulated and vary low mode output based on voltage. Although cool white, all my XPG2 lights seem to have great tints lately - I like them. I bought several more.. $18 is hard to beat.

 

[LeanBurn]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

My ThruNite Archer V2 has a rating of 408hrs on firefly mode 0.055L is my current best 1AA. Its a pretty simple light, it has 4 modes (side switch access) with memory. It doesn't have huge output at 175L but it has decent run times. Neutral white tint is a win for me.

 

[eh4]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

What a great thread this was.
Just did a search for this same topic and found it again, just as interesting to read through it again a few years later.
Thanks All.

 

[xevious]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

What a great thread this was.
Just did a search for this same topic and found it again, just as interesting to read through it again a few years later.
Thanks All.

Agreed. Would be interesting to see what other AA lights released since 2016 are now favored for simple UI and long run times, for reasonable price.

On a related note the AAA form factor has had many new entries since then. The Sofirn C01 is a terrific light for true simplicity (1 mode) and very durable design (5mm LED, no lens). My go-to for AAA is the Jetbeam U. Very well made and stupid cheap (about $12 shipped). Just 3 modes. So thin and easy to tuck into the edge of a pocket with the clip attachment, or affix a micro lanyard.

 

[Paul6ppca]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

I'm going to reread this one. Very interesting

 

[Cosmodragoon]

Re: Current "Best" single AA light, favoring KISS and long runtimes over high output

Sadly, it doesn't seem that Nichia 219B is an option anymore. That's okay though. This thread has a lot of good information!

Y'all have gotten me interested in the L3 Illumination L10 with Nichia but I have three questions:

1. Which Nichia LED does it use?

2. What are the run-times on the different modes? (I'd use Eneloop Pro but any information is welcome.)

3. The website has a 3-mode version that eliminates firefly and starts in the 3-lumen low. Anyone with experience have feelings about this option?