Flashlight or Spotlight??
- Thread starter dax702
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Grijon
Flashlight Enthusiast
+1!
Grijon
Flashlight Enthusiast
Nothing wrong with that, ha ha
How long will you be using the light each night? (i.e. 10 minutes a night, or 15 minutes twice a night, or whatever)
Yeah, I think the EA41 would be good based on that. I don't see street lights, so you will see pretty darn far with the EA41. I've read good things about many of the other 4xAA lights, but I don't like to recommend what I haven't used. As one poster touched on, you don't need much to see an animals eyes, especially in pitch dark. The EA41 may even be "too much" light, but you can use the lower modes for your needs and have a little more if you need it. I think I mentioned before, you really won't need more than 1000 lumens for the vast majority of your needs, and in most cases much less.
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freeride21a
Newly Enlightened
I am going to jump on the TN4A bandwagon here. It has become my favorite high power general purpose light! It has the best throw and spill combo of any light I have. I got my cool white for $55 with 4 nimh batteries. I use it in the mountains here and it lights up the forest!
I also have the EA41 2015 version which is nice, but I really like the TN4A better. Better all around beam, and more solid feeling as well as thermally regulated.
I also have the EA41 2015 version which is nice, but I really like the TN4A better. Better all around beam, and more solid feeling as well as thermally regulated.
Well yes it would need to be portable, I don't want anything wired. To answer the question about how long I'd need to use it for, maybe 2-3 minutes per night? Just enough time so the mutt can do her business and come back inside before bed. I'm not exploring any underground caves or anything 
Grijon
Flashlight Enthusiast
... To answer the question about how long I'd need to use it for, maybe 2-3 minutes per night? Just enough time so the mutt can do her business and come back inside before bed. I'm not exploring any underground caves or anything
With such short runtimes using primaries instead of rechargables shouldn't break the bank (and if you don't mind throwing batteries away). From a tool perspective, I don't think you'll beat the cost:benefit ratio of using an LED MagLite 2xAA on alkalines or Energizer Lithium. Total investment of less than $30, batteries included.
If you're interested in a nicer flashlight, I maintain that a Fenix E20 locked on 125 lumens fed by the Eneloops and charger linked above (or Energizer Lithium non-rechargables) would do you plenty fine, for less than $60 all in. You'd also have the option of unlocking its 10-lumen Low and 250-lumen High whenever you want, with the simplicity of a single-mode flashlight when you don't.
And if you're wanting the ability to really blast some light, then I stand by my original suggestion of an LD41, new LD41, or E41 with the Eneloops for an all-in cost of $83-95.
(And I'll keep on hoping we have another flashaholic in the making...!)
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mdocod
Flashaholic
The ~$50 (total cost for flashlight + battery + spare battery + charger) option I listed above delivers the same sort of illumination performance you'll get from those 4XAA lights, but does so at lower implementation costs, and does so with an arguably superior physical format for comfortable holding and pointing about.
I'm in pretty much the same situation as you Dax702. I have never used the ultra high power lights but got the TN4A and a charger with 4AA eneloops included, cost very little, the batteries are good for 2000+ recharges and the torch really has a good range and spill on it. Well worth a punt for the amount it costs. It really does light up the area as well as shooting of plenty of light into the distance.
+1
A Convoy C8 is plenty flashlight for your purpose, but I'm not as sure that the specified 2 mode driver option is optimal.
I don't have it with me so I'm not sure if it's the exact one, but this looks like the charger I have already, I bought it a number of years ago to charge batteries for a digital camera:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XOMOBY/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Would this be sufficient for the T4NA?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XOMOBY/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Would this be sufficient for the T4NA?
Grijon
Flashlight Enthusiast
Short answer: Absolutely!
A very long answer is also possible, of course, and you may get it anyway - but I'll spare you mine (long answer) unless asked, ha ha.
lovecpf
Just to let everyone know, I bought the TN4A and I like it a lot, amazing that so much light can come out of something so small!
I didn't get the rechargable batteries yes, just using regular AA, and it's already telling me that they should be replaced. The manual says NIMH 2450 MAH) What exactly should I get? My local batteries+bulbs store doesn't have the "eneloops" someone said to get. Should I order them online, do they make that big a difference compared to other rechargable batteries?
I didn't get the rechargable batteries yes, just using regular AA, and it's already telling me that they should be replaced. The manual says NIMH 2450 MAH) What exactly should I get? My local batteries+bulbs store doesn't have the "eneloops" someone said to get. Should I order them online, do they make that big a difference compared to other rechargable batteries?
mdocod
Flashaholic
Here comes the "told you so" speech:
If you think the TN4A is impressive, imagine a light that is even smaller and less expensive with similar illumination performance. See post #11 above.
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Now, on to solve your battery problem...
Walmart usually carries a 4 pack of 2400mAH Duracell branded pre-charged, low-self-discharge cells, that are very likely rebranded eneloop XX cells. Look for cells that say "Made in Japan" on them. Usually ~$12 for the set. I'll let someone else advise on chargers, I don't keep track of NIMH chargers. I'd be tempted to advise a nitecore dual-chemistry charger so that you have some freedom to expand to 18650 powered devices later on already built in, but there may be other superior options.
If you think the TN4A is impressive, imagine a light that is even smaller and less expensive with similar illumination performance. See post #11 above.
-------
Now, on to solve your battery problem...
Walmart usually carries a 4 pack of 2400mAH Duracell branded pre-charged, low-self-discharge cells, that are very likely rebranded eneloop XX cells. Look for cells that say "Made in Japan" on them. Usually ~$12 for the set. I'll let someone else advise on chargers, I don't keep track of NIMH chargers. I'd be tempted to advise a nitecore dual-chemistry charger so that you have some freedom to expand to 18650 powered devices later on already built in, but there may be other superior options.
The Duracell Iron Core 2400 mah batteries are just as good.
ToysRUS has them (four pack) on sale ONLINE @ $8.99 and your local store should honor the online price.
ToysRUS has them (four pack) on sale ONLINE @ $8.99 and your local store should honor the online price.
I'd agree with mdocod. I have the nitecore intellicharger I4, and although it is a little slow compared to others, it may actually be better for the batteries to charge them at a lower rate. I like its flexibility in its ability to charge Li-Ion, or NiMH. Whichever charger you choose, I wouldn't get one unless it had the ability to also plug into the car's cigar lighter port. This will extend its usefulness during power outages, so that you can recharge your batteries each day, after you use them all night.
I also agree with mdocod, and MauiSon, that a Convoy C8 driven at 2800ma with an XM-L2 emitter is a great light at the price of about $16. The Convoy series of lights is one of the few exceptions to the rule of low cost lights. The simplicity of a single 18650 battery rather than 3 or 4 AA cells (for the same performance) is a big deal for me. I much prefer the 18650. Since there are few AA lights that will significantly outperform your TN4A, when you want something more, you'll most likely go to 18650, so you might as well get a charger than can do both, Li_Ion, and NiMH.
Good luck with your light, and enjoy!
BTW... 2,376 "whose line is it" points to Amelia for such well though out, and well written posts! :thumbsup:
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