Small rant on old LED lights sold at current prices

[Fallingwater]

I'm looking for a one-LED night-light (read: to use to go to the bathroom when it's dark ) that will use up every last microwatt in the many AA cells I have that are too weak to run a multi-led or super-led flashlight, but that still hold a bit of energy.
I thought that, in this age of CREE and Seoul LEDs, where even Luxeon lights that were all the rage a year or two ago are now seen as obsolete and sell for spare change, something like an Infinity Ultra task light would be practically free.

They ought to be happy you're ridding them of back stock and just make you pay for shipping, for crying out loud.

Instead, I see them on eBay and online shops still for as much as $19, and never at less than $14.
It seems pretty crazy to me, considering I can get a DX CREE light for $12...

Is there anyone who still buys such old lights at full price? Why don't they lower the price?

 

[qip]

cpf community are the only ones who know whats hot and whats not and whats available....the shops probably dont know about or not know much about the seouls and crees and think their luxeons are top of the line still

 

[Norm]

The general public aren't aware of sites like DX and would consider lights that you think are obsolete as the latest in technology.
Norm

Snap qip

 

[greenlight]

5mm led lights are still really efficient.

 

[Jeff H]

...Is there anyone who still buys such old lights at full price? Why don't they lower the price?

I am guessing you know the answer to that but just need to vent a little because these lights are defying your sense of what the market would do based on our typical experiences.

I do share your disappointment because I had hoped to see SF L1s go on clearance for $10 (OK, $75) to make room for the new models with Crees but they will more likely remain a good seller in the "used" market as they become harder to find. I think this is part of the price we pay for choosing classic quality. The good thing is that your Infinity Ultra will be as good a light in ten years as it is today and you will have diffused the original expense over many years. Not knocking DX or their lights but, the one I bought for $23 is a knockout but, all the same, a "cheap thrill" that is not likely to outlast my humble, dim Gerber.

The 5mms and Lux's are still useful and viable lights, indicated by your own part of the overall demand for them. I am certain that it does not cost any less to make them either and, the Infinity Ultra, in particular, will likely last many years, it takes the ubiquitous AA, is bone simple and very efficient. The Infinity Ultra was my second LED light, and at $12 or so, seemed like a fair chunk of change for a flashlight. Having used the snot out of it (literally switching on and off about four times a day, every single day, for almost three years now) and having paid about eight bucks each (at killer-deal prices) on both an SF L1 and a Pelican 2390 and almost $45 each for several Fenix LxTs, I think it is still a bargain.

Yeah, it sucks. Empirical evidence would have us think they would go at blowout prices because of the Crees but, they really aren't obsolete.

Jeff H

 

[paulr]

An Ultra-G will outlast 100 Fenixes.

 

[Fallingwater]

Any 1-LED regulated flashlight on sites like DX that you know of?
All 5mm flashlights I see on DX and Kai are multi-LED and likely to draw more current than tired old alkalines can deliver for any significant time...

The general public aren't aware of sites like DX and would consider lights that you think are obsolete as the latest in technology.

Well, at least there's some fun to be had in this.
A few days ago one of my friends' brother had just bought a chinese multi-led light and was comparing it to his old mag incandescent, all the while saying how much brighter it was.
I almost blinded him with my MXDL Cree. The look on his face was priceless

 

[TORCH_BOY]

A lot of the shops in Australia just want to sell us CR@P! at an inflated price,
If you want something decent the only place to buy is online

 

[nerdgineer]

An Ultra-G will outlast 100 Fenixes.

An unsubstantiated claim.....:shakehead. If nothing else, the Ultra-G seriously overdrove its' 5mm LED at about 60 MA which greatly speeds up LED decay, while the Fenixes underdrive their Luxeons/Crees when running at low (to match Ultra-G light output) resulting in much, much longer LED lifetimes. I don't know of any advantages the Ultra-G circuit or bodies have over Fenix (twisty - no fair comparing with clickies) bodies, so I would guess that ground truth is more like Fenix >> Ultra-G rather than the other way around.

About too high prices on old LED lights, the best message you can send is to not buy them. If enough people send that message, the seller will definitely receive it. If enough people do pay him, he is - basically - sending YOU a message....

 

[ringzero]

An unsubstantiated claim.....:shakehead....so I would guess that ground truth is more like Fenix >> Ultra-G rather than the other way around.

I have a Gerber Infinity, Fenix E0, and Fenix E1.

Haven't taken any of them apart. But, have examined with great interest threads with pics here on CPF that show the innards of all three of these lights.

The Gerber Infinity (and its predecessor the CMG Infinity) have far tougher innards than the Fenix lights. Infinity electronics are potted, which provides far more shock resistance when dropped onto a hard surface.

Fenix electronics are not potted and can fail when dropped onto a hard surface. Have seen threads about E0 and E1 failures after being dropped, including pics of internal damage to electronics.

Often what fails is the inductor. Stress cracks may form in the plastic of the inductor as the result of a drop, and then propagate through the plastic with each succesive drop until it finally fails.

I like both the Fenix E0 and E1 - very decent little keychain lights at great prices - but in no way consider them in the same class as my Gerber Infinity.


.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

...Is there anyone who still buys such old lights at full price?

That would be a yes.

...Why don't they lower the price?

Why should they?

 

[scottv]

I picked up a new two AA cast aluminum penlight with a Nichia 5mm for 4.97 (yep, thats a Walmart price) even has electronics behind the LED and a clicky.

Pretty efficient and pretty cheap.

Look for new lights using the older tech and they're less expensive than the old lights with the old tech.

 

[the servents of twilight]

I have sold stuff on Ebay before. You have fees (ebay/paypal), people who don't pay, questions to answer (no matter how stupid), and trips to the post office. If I can't make at least $5 - $10 on an item I would just assume toss it in the garbage. I am sure that is what the sellers are thinking too.

 

[HarveyRich]

There are plenty of quite inexpensive multi-led lights on the web. Here's one at DX for only $5.23 per 2 lights: 9 LED Flashlight 20000mcd 2-pack Now, I don't know how many of them drain a battery, but why not consider using recyclable NiMH batteries? Then you won't worry about using primaries down to the last microwatt and will do the environment a favor too.

Harvey