Best host for EverLED ??

[Jace]

Hi all,

I had ordered a white EverLED from BrightGuys.Com and it should be here Monday. I was planning on trying it in several different mags; everything from the 2C to the 4D. I did some searching and some prefer a smaller host for the little regulated LED, and I like that idea as well. I would like to know of some good (4)AA lights out there... hopefully there are a couple that are positive polarity, and have a nice (fasceted) reflector.

Thanks!! -Jace-

 

[robk]

Princeton Tec PT-40 works good, stippled reflector, 4AA, compact. I used an EverLED in one for a while until my son needed a flashlight so I put it in a 3 D cell MAG for extended runtime. The beam was better in the PT40.
Rob

 

[The_LED_Museum]

The dollar store Turtlelite II knock-off uses 4 AA cells, has the correct polarity, and has a faceted reflector. I just tried my EverLED in mine, and it seems to work quite well.

These flashlights are (or were) being sold on the B/S/T Lights thread by Reviewum right here.

 

[turbodog]

Tec 40 works really well. Bulb can get hot if run long time... dunno if this has any long term problems. Bulb if supposed to be temp regulated anyway.

Mag 3c works pretty good also. Beam will throw about 50% farther than tec 40. Heat is not a problem.

Textured reflector will really make it into a nice beam.

Offhand, I would say a tec 40 with alkaline cells will get about 4-5 hour at full brightness.

 

[robk]

Heat was never a problem in the Tec 40, I think because the LS was under-driven. Not a terribly impressive light, but usable and fairly bright.
Rob

 

[illumiGeek]

Be careful with the PT40 since it is possible to put the batteries in backwards. That's a NO NO with the EverLED.

Otherwise it works well. Nice beam pattern.

 

[Jace]

Thanks everyone! I have a Princeton, but it is the LED version... it has 3 white LED's. I guess I'm off to find the P40 "PR bulb" version with AA's. Saw one on eBay for $10, but shipping was too high. I think I will check the local EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) store - that's where I got my Princeton LED.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[AR15Fan]

I'm using a EverLED in a 4D mag. I'm happy with it.

 

[turbodog]

robk:

Everled does not appear to be underdriven to me. Maybe you got a bad one?! Heat is sort of a problem in my tec 40. It does not melt the light or anything, but if you take out the everled after a good long run, you CANNOT touch it at all. It will burn you. I have 3 of them and they are all like that except for color variations.

 

[StoneDog]

If you have a spare 2D Mag do the "3C" conversion with some 1" PVC pipe and a shortened tailcap spring.

I believe 3 cells run the EverLed a bit brighter than two cells, so you'll probably want at least 3 cells anyway.

Jon

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

It isn't compact by a mile, but I have my Teal Everled in a 3D Industrial Rayovac and it is QUITE nice!

TEC 40 is probably the next best thing I have to put it in.

 

[FluffyGrunt]

My current preferred hosts for EverLeds is a 2D Rayovac Industrial light, it gives a decent beam. And a 2c Mag, beam isn't perfect but it has nice reach for a 1 watt led. Also for what it's worth I have 2 White EverLeds, 1 is quite a bit brighter then the other.

 

[AR15Fan]

Whats the make voltage for an EverLED?

Can I run it at 9V with 3 CR123A's?

 

[The_LED_Museum]

9 volts is the absolute highest voltage you can use an EverLED with; beyond that you might let all the magic smoke out of it.
As far as I'm aware, the EverLED is rated to run from 1.5V to 9.0V.

 

[turbodog]

Manuals says max brightness is with 3 cells or above. It does not say if these are alkaline or nicd though. At around 1.5 v mine cannot maintain and will instantly go dim. But that's pretty good since I started with 4 aa cells in a tec 40.

 

[max52]

I run mine in a 2D maglight modified to run 3 3V Lithiums.
Output is similar to my TL-3, but gets blown away by my Hyper-Lux V.

 

[Jace]

Well my EverLED came Monday and I immediately went to work with it. Tried it in all sorts of mag lites, and I have to agree that the beam projects a nice distance, but the beam shot is really really ugly. There are many artifacts, and a purple ring. I was dissapointed and thinking about calling BrightGuy for some advice. The light was not any brighter in a 3D VS a 5D. But then I put it in a yellow & black GE 2D "contractor standard" flashlight. It has a large (2.5"?) faceted reflector, and the beam quality improved instantly. I now have it running in a small 2 AA Garrity light. It has a smaller (1.5"?) faceted reflector, and the beam is very nice. I ran it for over 24 hours and it worked great. I was installing a couple remote car starters for people up here, and got comments. I removed the EverLED unit a couple times to check for heat, and there was none with the 2 AA 2100 mAh NiMH batts. I think I will hunt for a PT40 or a PT20 because I don't think the Wal-Mart boughten Garrity is water proof.

So, my overall impression of the EverLED is good. Nice unit because it does not care what type of batteries you use. Also, beam shot seems to be nicer if you have a faceted reflector. Now... if only mag lite made a faceted reflector for their standard C and D units. Any rumors yet? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif -Jace-

 

[gwbaltzell]

This thread got me wondering if the 3D Mag. I put my EverLED in was the best choice. My reasoning originally was 1. already had the Mag. 2. Met recommended min. cells 3. Big enough to help me not misplace it.
Just ran some rough voltage, current, brightness checks. The most critical points with mine seem to be 3.8V and 2.9V, that is it seems to need 3.8V to start at max brightness (using an old pair of calibrated eyes) and once started could drop to somewhere in the 2.9V range before dropping to a lower brightness. So 3 primary cells may not be a bad choice but I think 4 rechargeables would be best. If 9V is really the max. I would be conservative and not use more than 5 primary or 6 rechargeable. Because of the min. start voltage 2 of the 3V lithiums would be best. The bulb holder in the Mag. is metal and provides some heatsinking but I think it doesn't have a good thermal path to the body. Current drain (338ma at 4.5V) with fresh cells is not quite half of the original bulb.
Remember fresh cell voltages:
non-lithium primary 1.6V
lithium primary 3.1V
just recharged cells 1.35-1.4V

George

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Without a doubt the Everled does it's best work in Textured reflectors. I tried my Teal EL in a 3D M*g and the beam was not any better than an incan.

I have put it in 2AA Rayovac, and have settled on 3D Rayovac.

It is a very nice unit and only price keeps me from having more!

 

[BillM]

I guess most everybody must have a 3D Industrial Rayovac around the house. When I got my EverLed, I put it in the Rayovac and that textured reflector gave me a wonderful bright a pretty well focused beam. Far beyond what you'd expect for the price tag of the flashlight. Of course the cost of the EverLed makes up for that.

It also works quite well in my Rayovac 2C (smooth reflector). The EverLed lives in one of my tec 40's. With Alakaline batteries it gave me around 11 hours of regulated light and death not long after that. It should make a great cold weather light with Lithiums. My other Tech40 has a Luxon side emitter by TekTite. It is not near as bright and is not regulated. It is a lot kinder to the batteries though. It gave me near full brightness for 24 hours (8 hour test per day) and still had useable light at 48 hours.

Bill