$4.97 flashlight

[metlarules]

Anyone have any bright ideas for mods for this cheapo?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...shlights&kw=led+flashlights&parentPage=search

 

[light_fiend]

My first post on CPF!

I have 3 of these. I've done a few things to them. I won't call them mods; I'm too much of a noob to do anything major.

-- they are direct drive from 3 AAAs. The stock LED is a tiny emitter on a standard 20 mm star board. I swapped the star out for another. Not much of an improvement. (note to self: don't buy LEDs from tiny shops that don't have specs on the stuff they sell. This was before I discovered CPF)

-- shortened the tube to drive it with a CR123A lithium, wrapped with a rubberband to fatten it.

-- changed the plastic lens to glass ones from DX. The stock lens is glued on, not held in by a bezel:thumbsdow , so I had to glue the glass on too


-- and finally, I turned one into a desk lamp, using brass plumbing joints and steel braid hose. Has a bit of a steampunk look. V proud of it
:twothumbs

 

[12Johnny]

My first post on CPF!

:welcome: and thank you very much for the tips! :thumbsup:

 

[LEDninja]

:welcome: both of you.
A SSC P4 LED should double the brightness.

 

[Turbo DV8]

It appears the same as this light:

www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.79


I put a Cree in mine. Good throw, but not as much spill as I would like, and a fair amount of artifacts in the beam.

 

[lctorana]

Bought one on eBay over a year ago, with holster, for over $20 in my pre-CPF days.

Back then, I thought it was bright.

I gave it away.

With these 3AAA torches, I tend to use a 18500 cell instead of the AAA cells, but most of them I give away as gifts.

 

[clg0159]

To keep it simple just swap to a SSC P4 and power it with Sanyo Eneloop AAA batteries.

 

[metlarules]

Is there any reason you recommend a SSCP4 over a cree or others?

 

[metlarules]

I wonder if one of those Deerelight pills will screw into this light or could be modified to fit.Hmmm!!

 

[Brownstone]

-- and finally, I turned one into a desk lamp, using brass plumbing joints and steel braid hose. Has a bit of a steampunk look. V proud of it.

Could you post a picture? I'd like to see this project.

 

[Gunner12]

You can probably swap in a Seoul or a Cree.

The Seoul will give a smoother beam.

 

[light_fiend]

Could you post a picture? I'd like to see this project.

Thanks for your interest! Will upload some images once I get my hands on a proper camera.