Need help finding the right 1,000Lm flashlight!

[blerkoid]

Hello CPF,

I attempted to find a previous post for what I am looking for, but was unable to understand a lot of the terminology. So I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate post.

I am very new to the flashlight community and I am looking to gain some knowledge! I am not yet comfortable with modding just yet, but if it is the absolute best route to go I can give it a shot!

Looking for a:
1,000+ lumen flashlight under $150 (Can go higher if absolutely needed. I prefer a higher quality rather than saving a few dollars)
High, Medium, Low and Strobe settings.
Size is not a big priority for me - the smaller the better though.
I do not know much about batteries - i.e. which is the most efficient and does not lose power after being recharged multiples times.
Battery charger.
2 hour battery life on High setting.

This will be used for walks in the woods / fields. I live in Northern Alberta where it is about to be dark 70% of the day and it will be really nice to have a reliable flashlight!

If there is any additional information required please let me know and I will try to respond as quickly as possible!
Thank you very much in advance!

-Branden

 

[RoGuE_StreaK]

For that output with those runtimes, probably have to be multiple emitters with multiple batteries; eg., 3x XM-Ls running at about 1.5Amps should give over 1000 lumens OTF, probably more like 1200+ (say 1500+ at the emitters), if running 4x 2500mAh 18650s in parallel (total 10Ah) then theoretically that'd give you a bit over your 2hours at 1000+ lumens.
(3 emitters @ 1.5Amps in parallel = 4.5Amps, from batteries @10Amp-hour, = 2+hours [10/4.5 = 2.2])

What fits that? Dunno. Don't know much about non-ultra-budget flashlights, but seems the SkyRay King / Kung is getting good reviews, though from a quick look around it appears that they do 2200+ lumens for about 1.5hrs on high, low is a lot lower output. But the physical setup should be about right for your purposes, just need to find something with a driver/mode that brings it inline with the outputs/runtimes you want.

 

[LEDninja]

I do not know much about batteries - i.e. which is the most efficient and does not lose power after being recharged multiples times.
Battery charger.
2 hour battery life on High setting.

-Branden

Brightness sells so most 1000+ lights are designed that way. You will get probably 1 (ONE) hour on the highest setting. Make sure your light have turbo/burst mode and high at 2+ hours.

Almost all 1000+ lumen lights use lithium ion batteries. They can be very dangerous if you do not follow safety procedures. Safety procedures here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Using-Li-ion-cells-in-LED-flashlights-safely

A single XM-L LED max out at 800 lumens though many ebay and Chinese online shops CLAIM 1300 lumens or more. (They are usually half what they claim.) You might be better off going with a real 800 lumens from a reputable manufacturer. At that level there are a few lights that use common batteries.
Nitecore EA8 8AA Neutral Tint .
Nitecore EA4 4AA Neutral Tint .
Sunwayman D40A Neutral White.
Nitecore EA8 8AA .
Nitecore EA4 4AA .
Sunwayman D40A.
Fenix TK41 Cree XM-L LED 8AA.
Fenix TK60 Cree XM-L LED 4D.

To go over 1000 lumens you need multiple emitters.
Fenix TK70 3xCree XM-L LED 4D Flashlight.

But most multi LED flashlights use multi Li-ion batteries (The most dangerous battery configuration).
Nitecore TM11 Tiny Monster LED Flashlight with 2000 Lumen Triple CREE XM-L T5 (Neutral White) LED Output - Uses 4x18650.

NOTE I HAVE PUT THE NEUTRAL TINT FIRST. That tint is a lot less blue than normal LEDs used for flashlights and is best for walks in the woods / fields.

The Fenix TK41 is available from fenixtactical in Canada. The Nitecores and Sunwayman are from batteryjunction. The Fenix TK60 from fenix-store. the Fenix TK41 & TK70 from eliteled.

And go to your profile and add Canada to your location. I would not have bothered with fenixtactical if I did not know you are in Alberta.

 

[gravelmonkey]

+1 on a neutral tint. I used to chase high lumen outputs, now I've found that I'd rather take a (slightly) lower-output with nicer light quality.

2+ hours of 1000+ lumens in woodland seems a bit excessive to me, what are you trying to achieve? 600lm is lots when it's dark and 150 is more than enough to navigate without tripping over anything but each to their own!

Pick two from Small size, high output, long runtime. You can't have all 3.

 

[blerkoid]

Hello and thank you very much for all of the information! Upon reviewing the actual brightness of these flashlights I would feel very comfortable going with a solid 800-900 lumen flashlight. The list you provided above looks very promising! I really like the nitecore and the fenix lights. The neutral light would be highest on the list, too.

My only concern now is the batteries. If I do not go with a rechargeable flashlight then what are the best battery compatible lights to look for? I can buy charger on the side. For example if I am buying the nitecore that requires 8aa batteries - is there a certain kind/brand that works best and do they recharge well over time?

I hope that this all makes sense. I appreciate the concise and quick replies! Thank you very much!

 

[stevenkelby]

Search ebay for a UltraFire 9T6 (with 9 x XM-L) and run it on 3 x 26650.

For around $100, on medium it starts at 1200+ lumens and should do 2 hours at 1000+.

I have one but can't measure lumens. It's a cheap light but decent.

I always have a small spare 1 x AA light just in case it fails, as everyone should.

 

[blerkoid]

Search ebay for a UltraFire 9T6 (with 9 x XM-L) and run it on 3 x 26650.

For around $100, on medium it starts at 1200+ lumens and should do 2 hours at 1000+.

I have one but can't measure lumens. It's a cheap light but decent.

I always have a small spare 1 x AA light just in case it fails, as everyone should.

I would prefer to spend the extra money on a quality light.

I just need a bit of direction on the battery side of things and I can place my order tomorrow
Thanks!

 

[jorn]

If quality is a big factor, buy a neutral malkoff hound dog or wildcat. And 2 good 18650 batteties. Neutral and warm leds works best for me.

 

[blerkoid]

I really feel that the Nitecore EA8 8AA Neutral Tint is going to be the winner!

Just curious about the battery side of things. Are rechargeable AA batteries going to be efficient long term? Can someone recommend a good charger/brand of battery that you have experience with?

Thank you all very much! This is very helpful!

 

[FlashKat]

Take your time buying the correct flashlight.
18650 batteries are probably the best all around for performance and runtime.
If you are looking for a larger size light, then I can say the Supbeam K40 is very nice to have. It is slightly large and heavy.
For a pocket carry I would consider a single 18650 light, and carry extra batteries or light.

I really feel that the Nitecore EA8 8AA Neutral Tint is going to be the winner!

Just curious about the battery side of things. Are rechargeable AA batteries going to be efficient long term? Can someone recommend a good charger/brand of battery that you have experience with?

Thank you all very much! This is very helpful!

 

[Grizzman]

I also highly recommend the neutral Malkoff Wildcat with an MD4 body, for two 18650 batteries.

While I've never seen a Nitecore in person, I'd be shocked if it's anywhere near the quality and ruggedness of a Malkoff.

I'd personally never choose 8 AAs over two 18650s.

Grizz

 

[blah9]

I really feel that the Nitecore EA8 8AA Neutral Tint is going to be the winner!

Just curious about the battery side of things. Are rechargeable AA batteries going to be efficient long term? Can someone recommend a good charger/brand of battery that you have experience with?

Thank you all very much! This is very helpful!

Sanyo eneloop rechargeable AA batteries are excellent and highly recommended all over these forums. The older types can be recharged up to 1500 times and don't lose their charge too much when sitting on a shelf. I think there is a newer type either out already or coming out soon that does even better as well, but the older ones are plenty nice for most of us.

My favorite charger for the eneloops is the "Titanium Smart Fast 8 Bay AA/AAA Ni-MH Battery Charger". You can Google it and look for a good deal. It's nice because it charges 8 at once which is convenient when you have a light that takes 8 of them. Other people probably have some other favorite chargers around here, but one good thing to ensure is that you get a smart charger so that each battery is charged independently of the others so that they all get fully charged each time.

 

[blerkoid]

Take your time buying the correct flashlight.
18650 batteries are probably the best all around for performance and runtime.
If you are looking for a larger size light, then I can say the Supbeam K40 is very nice to have. It is slightly large and heavy.
For a pocket carry I would consider a single 18650 light, and carry extra batteries or light.

Thank you for your post FlashKat! The light you recommended is very impressive! I appreciate the information on the batteries. I am assuming that the 18650's are rechargeable?

You are probably right that I should take my time, but I know very little about these things and everything that people recommend or suggest is acceptable. Just hoping to settle on a high quality light shortly as the area that I live is about to become very dark for a number of months.

Thanks again!

 

[FlashKat]

Do you need a light to see far away, or light up a large area around you?
Yes 18650 batteries are rechargeable.

Thank you for your post FlashKat! The light you recommended is very impressive! I appreciate the information on the batteries. I am assuming that the 18650's are rechargeable?

You are probably right that I should take my time, but I know very little about these things and everything that people recommend or suggest is acceptable. Just hoping to settle on a high quality light shortly as the area that I live is about to become very dark for a number of months.

Thanks again!

 

[blerkoid]

I like to be able to see far away, but it is not for spotlight purposes. I will be walking on the trails/woods and fields. The areas that I walk in have some drunks and drug addicts, so it helps to see the people from far away so that I can get out of their way.

Does the charger for the 18650 matter or is it pretty normal across the board? Thanks

 

[RoGuE_StreaK]

Charger very much matters, as a lot of the el cheapo chargers do not have proper charging characteristics and can be downright explosive if for example you forget you've got something on charge.
That said, there are some el cheapos that do have proper charge characteristics; some can be had for as little as $3 or so for a diy USB-powered board. Just saying that cheap doesn't necessarily equal nasty/dangerous, as the core chips controlling these are often built into mobile phones and tablets; Apple et al ain't going to put a $50 charge chip in your iphone, they want something as cheap and safe as possible, and the chip manufacturers are continually updating their stuff to be better, faster, safer and cheaper in a bid to garner the supply market. It's just a matter of tracking down reviews of which ones are the good ones.
Of course, generally the more expensive ones won't have any of the associated concerns, and can charge at faster rates safely. As with everything, find lots of reviews, and look for the technical ones rather than the "it's good, I like the colour".

In short, I'd say the charger probably matters more than the battery as far as safety is concerned. You do NOT want to overcharge a li-ion battery. Oh, on a related note, I'd strongly suggest getting "protected" 18650s, these have an inbuilt circuit board that offers a degree of protection against both overcharge and overdischarge, both of which can be dangerous and/or harmful to the battery. Don't rely on the protection, but it's good to have the extra safety layer.

Also, li-ion in parallel is generally a lot safer than li-ion in series.

 

[CarpentryHero]

Right on, another Alberta member :twothumbs
Are you near Edmonton ?

There is a local Fenix dealer in Edmonton, HIDCanada has reasonable prices too.
Dell.ca occasionally has deals on eneloop AA batteries, the Ea8 is a pretty good choice, make sure you get a newer model as the first gen had switch boots that may swell on hot summer days if left in a car.

I highly recommend the Sunwayman D40a, I love it and use it for work lots. The Ea8 will have better runtime but its a little large for edc (everyday carry)

 

[dna89]

The Blackshadow Terminator gets my vote. Basically a high quality SRK with a handle.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...adow-Terminator-(4xXM-L-T6-NW-4x18650)-Review

 

[LEDninja]

Make sure you go with low self discharge NiMH. Label will say 'pre-charged' or 'stay-charged' or something that indicates the battery will hold its charge more than 2 weeks to a month as with normal NiMH. They are actually less capacity than normal, about 2000 mAH vs 2500 mAH fresh off the charger but a month later the normal NiMH is half dead needing recharge before use while a LSD battery still has 90% of its charge.

If you go with 8*AA go with Eneloops or Duraloops. Duraloops are Duracell rechargeables made in the same factory as Eneloops.
Durecell do not make their own low self discharge batteries. They get their low self discharge (LSD) batteries from 2 sources: Made in Japan which are the best ones and made in China which is adequate. All the batteries that come with chargers are made in China (the chargers come from China so use the batteries from the nearest factory). So buy the batteries separate from the chargers. I mentioned Duraloops because they are available in most drug stores.
The made in Japan batteries will hold 80% charge for a year. In addition to the 'Made in Japan' on the package and on the battery they are 'white top'. The colour between the battery button and the wrapper is white.
The made in China batteries will hold 80% charge for 6 months 60% charge for a year. In addition to the 'Made in China' on the package and on the battery they are 'black top'. The colour between the battery button and the wrapper is black. They can not discharge at as high a current as the Made in Japan ones but probably not as critical in the EA8 as in the EA4.
My digital camera objects to the 'Made in China' ones or 'RayOvac Hybrids' when they are half charged but my flashlights will happily run them for another month for occasional use after the camera rejects them.

You can go with a 8 bay charger when you buy the light or just buy 2*4 bay units locally. Note most 4 bay units can only charge 2 or 4 batteries. Not critical for this application but you may need to charge just one for your EDC.
I do not think a fancy charger that can do conditioning and analyzing is necessary. But do get a smart one that turns itself off.

 

[blerkoid]

WOW! You guys are incredibly helpful and you are blowing my mind with this stuff!
Thank you all very much for the replies. I read each one and hopefully some day soon I can understand at least half of it haha.

Every single battery post was very informative and I feel well equipped to continue shopping for batteries made in Japan and a smart charger!

I am going to attempt to add in two more quick questions if you will allow me to:
What is your personal preference between the Nitecore EA8 and the Supbeam K40?

Is there a "Top 10" list of flashlights that can be found on the forums?

Again, thank you all very much! You have made this process very painless on me!
P.s. I am from Fort McMurray!