Need help with finding flashlights.....

[vali]

I have to agree. Sometimes 10 lumens is brighter than desired in certain environments.

A couple of months ago I was in a dark wood with a Fenix E01 and my Akoray K-106 in minimun. Both were too bright to walk with without blinding ourselves. There are lots of people raving about getting more and more lumens (even if the runtime is ridiculous) for perfect normal situations. Recommending a P7 for in-house use or saying 100 lumen is too dim to be usable makes me laugh. I wonder how many of them were in a wood with leafy trees far away from a city.

If you need the flashlights just to reach the exit from the office, an E01 is enough. If you need enough light to keep ppl working in some jobs, then the 2xAA with about 80-100 lumen are the best option in my opinion. As I said before the RC-N3 will be my choice: cheap, fairly reliable (but not trust your life to it) and easy to breed. Most of non-flashaholics will open their mouths if they have never seen a decent powerled before.

 

[DemskeetSkeet]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone.

I am really looking for something around $10 and under with LED's and something that is made cheaply but a decent run time and decent brightness.

I ordered a Dorcy 3aaa light because it's cheap, decent run time, and has led's.

Need something that looks cheap so people are less likely to pocket it.

Thanks, I will still take suggestions if they have those types of features.

I was thinking about dealextreme's romison light for $10.51 shipped with bulk rate.

 

[hyperloop]

are you referring to this light??

Romisens are pretty well received here, i have owned one before, a single CR123 clicky but sold it off as i wasnt into CR123s at that time.

It looks like a decent light and AA cells can be found everywhere (except in emergencies ). Not too sure what the bulk rate is but i think its a good buy

 

[jankj]

+1 on the Romisens of appropriate battery configuration and price point from shiningbeam.com :twothumbs

 

[RWT1405]

May I suggest the Streamlight ProPolymer 2AA light in yellow. Approx. 25 lmns. for 18-20 hrs., @ $18.45. I think it is what you might be looking for.

http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_2AA_LED_ProPolymer_Flashlight.php

My .02 FWIW

 

[DemskeetSkeet]

are you referring to this light??

Romisens are pretty well received here, i have owned one before, a single CR123 clicky but sold it off as i wasnt into CR123s at that time.

It looks like a decent light and AA cells can be found everywhere (except in emergencies ). Not too sure what the bulk rate is but i think its a good buy

That is the light I am talking about, seems like a great light, just not a big fan of the run time on it.

I received a Dorcy 3aaa light from amazon earlier today and I must say it isn't bad for the price. Feels solid for being plastic, takes 3 simple AAA batteries, testing the run time right now.

There is really no focus beam on it but it floods a lot which I think it's perfect for what we need it for(basically just locating simple items for work).

All three batteries come out at once so when the light is not in use when we do have power than you can remove the whole little battery holder so the batteries don't drain.

I just ordered a 3 pack of them from amazon with free shipping.

Seems like the perfect light, no one will want to steal it and the run time is long.

I'm really not sure on the brightness, seems maybe 10 lumens.

Thanks for all the help!

The dorcy lights are less than $6 a piece!

 

[Centropolis]

I also think the Fenix E01 will be a good one for power outages. Despite the small output, 10 lumens is actually quite enough for walking in darkness.

I recently went camping and I brought a SF G2, DBS MC-E, Microstream, and E01. I used mostly the E01 for walking around campsite and around the campground in general. MC-E was just for the fun of it.

 

[KiwiMark]

I am amazed with the AAA suggestions - surely 2 x AA is far more cost effective in terms of run time vs output? AA cells have much much more stored power than AAA cells! For the emergency standby task I think I would only consider AA Lithium (primary) cells due to the longer shelf life & the longer run time. 2 x AA cells would work out much cheaper to buy Lithium cells for than 3 x AA (3 x AA would be 50% dearer to buy batteries for). Actually wouldn't 3 x AAA cost more than 2 x AA but be much less total power?

 

[Kestrel]

I am amazed with the AAA suggestions - surely 2 x AA is far more cost effective in terms of run time vs output? AA cells have much much more stored power than AAA cells! For the emergency standby task I think I would only consider AA Lithium (primary) cells due to the longer shelf life & the longer run time. 2 x AA cells would work out much cheaper to buy Lithium cells for than 3 x AA (3 x AA would be 50% dearer to buy batteries for). Actually wouldn't 3 x AAA cost more than 2 x AA but be much less total power?

KiwiMark is right on the mark, plus the fact that 3xAAA battery carriers have a considerable number of electrical connections, any one of which could fail and render the light conmpletely useless. These carriers are much-maligned in the reliability department. 1xAA or 2xAA is far superior, IMO. My two lumens,

 

[AusKipper]

May I suggest the Streamlight ProPolymer 2AA light in yellow. Approx. 25 lmns. for 18-20 hrs., @ $18.45. I think it is what you might be looking for.

I was going to suggest the exact same light.

I would trust a Streamlight over a Dorcy

Because its "just plastic" its probably less likely to be stolen than any metal flashlight.

Seems like I replied to late though..

 

[DemskeetSkeet]

I was going to suggest the exact same light.

I would trust a Streamlight over a Dorcy

Because its "just plastic" its probably less likely to be stolen than any metal flashlight.

Seems like I replied to late though..

it's never too late to reply.

The problem with the stream light is the cost.

I love my Fenix stream light, stylus pro, and my normal microstream over any other edc light but this isn't my money to spend.

And the boss says that it needs to be $10 and under and must not look "fancy" because the chance of someone walking out with them is increased greatly.

I've been testing the little dorcy light for run time, and how much does it heat up after use.

I left it running for almost 2 hours last night with no hiccups in brightness. Took the batteries out felt around and it wasn't even warm to the touch!!!

Wish it was a bit brighter but it's mainly just one big flood light, lol, isn't really a focus spot or throw to it.

But for being out of power it seems like a good work light.

I purchased the normal one but I am really thinking about getting some of these: http://www.dorcydirect.com/p-279-41-4235-9-led-angle-head.aspx

They're the exact same as the little guy I bought except it has a clip and angled head.

Should last a long time and can be clipped or set down to light what you are working on.

What does everyone else think?

 

[AusKipper]

What does everyone else think?

I think the most important decision you should make now is not to put alkaline batteries in it. If you do, theres a decent chance your going to go to use it and find your batteries leaked all over the insides and the torch not functional.

As for normal "torch" vs "anglehead" your probably going to be the best person to answer that, because your going to know how its going to be used.

Do you plan to use these torches just to evacuate the building? or stay there and continue to work?

If your just evacuating the building, I would get the normal torch. I dont know what workplace sort of environment this is for, so if your planning to stay i'm not sure what would be the most desirable.

 

[DemskeetSkeet]

I think the most important decision you should make now is not to put alkaline batteries in it. If you do, theres a decent chance your going to go to use it and find your batteries leaked all over the insides and the torch not functional.

As for normal "torch" vs "anglehead" your probably going to be the best person to answer that, because your going to know how its going to be used.

Do you plan to use these torches just to evacuate the building? or stay there and continue to work?

If your just evacuating the building, I would get the normal torch. I dont know what workplace sort of environment this is for, so if your planning to stay i'm not sure what would be the most desirable.

We have generators to keep working but they only power the essentials and lights are not the essential part.

I have one of those Rayovac lanterns coming that produce 300 lumens which will help within the rooms we work in. But anywhere outside of that these angled head lights should do the trick.

Been testing the standard dorcy and it seems to be working great. It's basically just a one big flood beam, really no focus point to it.

The angle head will allow it to be set down to find stuff, and the pocket clip is simple enough that you can just put it on your waist band when you need to.

Wish it was just a bit brighter but just for some simple uses, great run time, led bulbs, durable plastic, and it looks cheap so people most likely won't steal it.

It's also nice that there is a holder for the 3 batteries so when not in use they can come out.

 

[DemskeetSkeet]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I took out the crappy batteries that came with the dorcy and put some basic energizer batteries in it and it's much brighter.

Almost matches the high setting on my Modded Fenix Stream except it's a more white light to it.

Excellent!!!

Worth every penny! At less than $8 a piece!!! Good buy for a beater/out of power light

 

[AusKipper]

We have generators to keep working but they only power the essentials and lights are not the essential part.

Thats an interesting development.. in Australia if a building is going to have anything UPS'd its the emergency systems (fire alarms, electronic door locks and what not) and the lights.

If you have generators there they really should be able to run the lights or at least put a separate "emergency lighting" circuit in that powers a couple of florescents if the generators dont have enough beef to power whatever lights you have there at the moment.

Still UPS's can (and have once for me) fail, its always good to have torches regardless.