100+ hours on a single AA battery?

LEDBE
S

spaceconvoy

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
15
I'm looking for an LED flashlight and a LOOONG battery life is my top priority. I need a replacement for a cheapo 3xAAA LED light I bought at the hardware store almost 2 years ago and hasn't needed new batteries since. More than a few times I've fallen asleep with it on while reading, so I'd estimate it's given me over 200 hours of use.

You guys would probably think it's way too dim, but I actually prefer it like that... So why don't I just get another one? Mainly, I want something more durable and compact. Aluminum housing, waterproof and 1xAA (keychain-ish size) would be ideal. Any suggestions?
 
Out of all the lights I've seen on the board. I don't recall a 1 AA battery LED flashlight. But, I do know there are many 1 AAA LED flashlights and the beams are pretty good.
 
I've already heard a Arc 1 AAA LED is a great watch.

And it meets all the things you are looking for.

Although, I don't think you can find a LED flashlight that will last 100 hours though. Your LED flashlight with 3 AAA kinda proves it.
 
my cpf safelight will last a year on "find me mode" and is enough to see by with night adapted eyes. Takes 9volt battery though.
 
OHM's Law is THE LAW!... and will NOT be violated! :poke:

To get 100 hours on one AA battery, you have already found that the light is going to have to be quite dim.

Doctor Ohm says that you're not going to find a light that runs as long on 1xAA as you like, but you might get close enough to make you happy.
Take a look at the Fenix L1D. It will run 25 hours at a very nice reading level (9 lumens), but will also serve you as a very bright light for those times when you want it.

Do the math, and even though 25 hours isn't 200 hours (I'm skeptical of your observation, but I'll accept it none the less ;)), AA batteries really are cheap in the big picture, and a package of primary AA's will last you a helluva long time for very little $$$.
BUT, if you want to get even better economy than that, get yourself some Eneloops with charger (a combo deal costs about $25), and you won't be buying new batteries for years and years.
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_50&products_id=404

then: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IV0RD6/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Then since you're already used to a longer light anyway (your original 3xAAA light), consider the L2D which will run for over 50 hours at a brighter 12 lumens on 2xAA's, and becomes a 180 lumen blaster at the turn of the barrel.
Again, with rechargeable Eneloops, you won't be buying new batteries for a very long time.
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=362

I've bought two of the L2D's because I like it so much. I used to have an "Itty Bitty Book Light" for reading in bed, but it's now long gone and I use my L2D on it's low setting for reading in bed all the time.
 
Last edited:
The Nitecore DI (1xAA) will get you about 45 hours at 3 lumens, which suprisingly is still a lot of light; and still puts out 180 (read 120ish) on max. However, it does retail for $80.
 
Call Peak Led Solutions and ask for them to set up a Kilimanjaro for the runtime you want. As Zenster says, it will be pretty dim by the standards we're used to here, but it will be enough to read by. www.peakledsolutions.com

Alternatively, the best choice for a 1aa reading light is the Zebralight H50 headlamp (www.zebralight.com). It has a much better beam pattern for reading than most handheld flashlights do, plus you don't have to hold it. At the lowest level it will run a long time, maybe not 100+ hours but certainly several dozen.

Yet another idea is the Photon Proton, either in the old 6-led or new Pro (one high-power led), which has adjustable power so at the dimmest settings it will run a long time. It has a setting where it (gradually, by dimming) turns itself off after something like 3 minutes, so you have to keep pushing the button to keep it lit for longer than 3 minutes. That means you won't leave it on all night.

Finally, as Zenster mentions, use rechargeables and the issue of battery consumption mostly goes away.
 
paulr said:
Call Peak Led Solutions and ask for them to set up a Kilimanjaro for the runtime you want. As Zenster says, it will be pretty dim by the standards we're used to here, but it will be enough to read by. www.peakledsolutions.com
Click to expand...

I would recommend the Peak Pacific P4 instead with the lowest output option. Its rated for 40 hrs on a Alkaline. The P4 LED is more efficient and a better beam pattern than the 5mm led. Peak doesn't really release useful specs but I'm guessing its about 15mA drive and about 5 lumens.

The Zebra would be better for reading. I think they plan on releasing a flashlight version with the same floody LED but on the end.
 
The Zebralight also has a low low mode.

The other lights mentioned above are also good options(Fenix Store has a 8% off coupon for CPF users, "CPF8").

The current gen LEDs will also give more runtime because they are twice or more efficient then the las generation LEDs.

Building a Joule Thief could be another option.

:welcome:
 
I was looking on the Gerber website...the Infinity Ultra-M Red claims around 100 hours (http://www.gerbergear.com/product.php?model=0026). The Infinity Ultra-M White (http://www.gerbergear.com/product.php?model=0027) doesn't say battery life on Gerber's website but on flashlightreviews.com it says 25 hours. Check out the CMG Infinity Ultra too...I think it is better than the gerber one. I don't know too much about Infinitys, but there are a lot of people here who do.

http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/gerber_infinityultra.htm

http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/cmg_infinity_ultra.htm
 
Alas, CMG's haven't been made in 3 or 4 years. You can still find them on BST but they bring higher prices now than they did when they were new.

The original CMG Infinity ran for around 40 hours on an AA cell at around 1.5 lumens. The later CMG Infinity Ultra and Ultra-G ran for 12-16 hours at around 3 lumens, basically the same light with the power level cranked up so it was brighter with less runtime. A few years ago Gerber acquired the CMG company and started selling CMG's products under the Gerber brand, but eventually redesigned the products for offshore manufacture and cost reduction (made in China instead of USA). The new Gerber Ultra is brighter AND runs longer (newer and more efficient LED technology) than the CMG version, but it is not built like a tank the way the old CMG's were (this is what makes the CMG's still desirable). Anyway it's still nowhere near 100 hours. Finally, the Gerber Ultra-M is a Gerber Ultra with a harder finish and a light baffle that blocks most of the spill light--it's generally been unpopular here.

100 hours on a single AA is sort of a tall order, because the dc/dc converter necessarily will burn some power independently of how much is getting to the led. Even with the best of today's leds it will probably be running in the 1 lumen range at best.
 
Last edited:
The MTE C3 20 mode (deal extreme sku 8751) has an extremely low mode that's so low they refer to it as standby. I haven't seen a proper review of it yet, nor have I tested mine for runtime on this ultra low setting, but I'd guess runtime would be at least 100 hours. I haven't tried reading with it at this setting, but I find it to be the perfect level for navigating trails in the dark when I'm not wanting to totally waste my night vision. It lights up a dark trail just well enough to guide my next few steps.
 
arficus said:
The MTE C3 20 mode (deal extreme sku 8751) has an extremely low mode that's so low they refer to it as standby. I haven't seen a proper review of it yet, nor have I tested mine for runtime on this ultra low setting, but I'd guess runtime would be at least 100 hours. I haven't tried reading with it at this setting, but I find it to be the perfect level for navigating trails in the dark when I'm not wanting to totally waste my night vision. It lights up a dark trail just well enough to guide my next few steps.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I have both this light and the LRI Proton Pro on the way to me.

When they come in, I intend to do a comparison of runtime on low setting between the Proton Pro, this MTE, the Nitecore Defender, and a Gerber Infinity Ultra. I will post the results on CPF.
 
Last edited:
arficus said:
The MTE C3 20 mode (deal extreme sku 8751) has an extremely low mode that's so low they refer to it as standby. I haven't seen a proper review of it yet, nor have I tested mine for runtime on this ultra low setting, but I'd guess runtime would be at least 100 hours. I haven't tried reading with it at this setting, but I find it to be the perfect level for navigating trails in the dark when I'm not wanting to totally waste my night vision. It lights up a dark trail just well enough to guide my next few steps.
Click to expand...
Doesn't it have a very obvious PWM flicker at the non high levels? :thinking:
 
Thanks guys for all the responses - I spent basically all day reading posts, reviews and specs, and I think I've narrowed things down a bit:

LiteFlux LF5 - seems perfect, too bad I can't buy one

Photon Proton Pro - expensive but no cool diffuser cap like the LF5

ZebraLight - very appealing because of the wide beam, but don't know about the weird led position

MTE C3 20-mode - cheap, but seriously messed up interface, maybe too ghetto

I guess now that I've read some more I can be a little more specific. I'm really looking more for a wider beam reading light than a spot light. Any other ideas?
 
spaceconvoy said:
Thanks guys for all the responses - I spent basically all day reading posts, reviews and specs, and I think I've narrowed things down a bit:

LiteFlux LF5 - seems perfect, too bad I can't buy one

Photon Proton Pro - expensive but no cool diffuser cap like the LF5

ZebraLight - very appealing because of the wide beam, but don't know about the weird led position

MTE C3 20-mode - cheap, but seriously messed up interface, maybe too ghetto

I guess now that I've read some more I can be a little more specific. I'm really looking more for a wider beam reading light than a spot light. Any other ideas?
Click to expand...

Actually the user interface on the MTE is not messed up and it really works like a regular multilevel flash light. I'm not sure what you mean by "maybe too ghetto."

See this thread before you dismiss it.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=186062

:welcome:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sonofjesse
Question on MH25 Pro battery on choosing a 21700?
Replies
4
Views
716
sonofjesse
sonofjesse
4
What LED to swap into a single cr123 Weapon Light?
Replies
0
Views
47
4Pro
4
B
looking for a under $100 thrower
Replies
4
Views
774
Brokenarrow
Brokenarrow
K
New flashlight Glow arrow 14500 typ-c/AA battery
Replies
6
Views
879
kuqumi
K
J
TS10 Triple for Flood and TS10 Single for Throw
Replies
2
Views
359
Monocrom
Monocrom

Latest posts

Top