Big Lots High power 3 watt cree HL for $5

[degarb]

It looked like Biglots has upgraded its $6 zong xing 50 lpw 1 watt to a cree 3 watt. At $10 for two, I couldn't pass it up. The head band even proudly says cree!

Alas, it appears to me that BigLots got scammed. The led doesn't look like any Cree I own. Kinda looks like an xpc knock off (which is not 3 watt). But not quite. (I cannot get good photo that isn't blurry yet of it.) The led is run at 270 ma with alkaline and 200 ma with nimh (no where near 3 watts). The nimh drive level is pretty dim. Comparing it (using alkaline) with my lux 1 Brinkman (the first led hl I liked, for lux.), it doesn't have as much throw, but probably more spill; and, the color makes the sickly lux 1 look warm (yikes!). Comparing it with the $13 home depot xpc rayovac: There is no comparison, the xpc is warmer and throwier (the xpc Rayovac even comes with an 8 hour/100 ma setting, useful for painting and comparable to the lux1, throw.)

What led is this? I don't think it can be considered better than the zhong zing. Probably, on par. It does have a low power white (very dim compared to 50 ma lows on the Defiant xpg) and a red. I think the low power led is run at about 100 ma (Why not eliminate these low power/low efficient leds and add that setting to the more efficient, high power emitter?). Also, I remember 2 years ago, the old $6 AAA (also sold at Homedepot) zongshing led head light was run at two non useful level for runtime: like, 430 MA and 230 on low, or such.

My recommendations is: If you need a cheap brick and mortor light now, buy the $17 Defiant xpg R3 (floody/neutral, but useful throw for for 4 hours with sanyos), or buy the Rayvac xpc $13 (warm/throwy) with very good throw for 1.5 hours and useful low for 8 hours. ... This biglots "cree" light is only good for kids (For camping, it may be better than the $2.50 1 AA, because of its high power led, in some instances.); and it would make a good gift for the non flashaholic that you wish to stay unenlightened (or you know their brain probably will never care if they see well indoors or outside at night). For example, my wife (who is no flashaholic) borrowed it for reading last night; I had to spend 10 minutes to find it this morning.

Still, my curiousity rages: what led is in this light? Thus, urge someone to buy two for $10, tell me what led this really is, and give it to someone you love who would be impressed with 2005!

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I am guessing the light is 3AAA and has a cheap linear regulator in it of some sort. The LED is probably just a generic 1 watt LED that resembles either a short fat 5mm LED or a old luxeon knock off. I have seen headlamps around with such LEDs and ignored them because they are about half way between a good high power emitter and a decent multi 5mm based headlamp in output and the cost typically reflects what you get.

BL is not the place to buy lights and hasn't been for the most part for over 5 years now they only get ancient LED tech lights there including buying a bunch of junk 5mm based stuff and mark it up twice what you can get if from china shipped on ebay for... same stuff. They had other stuff go through there but marked it about half of what it originally sold for new problem is the stuff was 3 generations back in technology worth less than what it was sold for. I got a dorcy 2AA there for $10 the light is nice but sloppy machining in the tailcap has it falling off after you unscrew it 1/4 turn.. a battery vampire with a rebel LED but for the most part they carry dime store junk. Until they get name brand stuff in.... 5mm stuff... forget it.

 

[degarb]

I am guessing the light is 3AAA and has a cheap linear regulator in it of some sort. The LED is probably just a generic 1 watt LED that resembles either a short fat 5mm LED or a old luxeon knock off. I have seen headlamps around with such LEDs and ignored them because they are about half way between a good high power emitter and a decent multi 5mm based headlamp in output and the cost typically reflects what you get.BL is not the place to buy lights and hasn't been for the most part for over 5 years now they only get ancient LED tech lights there including buying a bunch of junk 5mm based stuff and mark it up twice what you can get if from china shipped on ebay for... same stuff. They had other stuff go through there but marked it about half of what it originally sold for new problem is the stuff was 3 generations back in technology worth less than what it was sold for. I got a dorcy 2AA there for $10 the light is nice but sloppy machining in the tailcap has it falling off after you unscrew it 1/4 turn.. a battery vampire with a rebel LED but for the most part they carry dime store junk. Until they get name brand stuff in.... 5mm stuff... forget it.

As I wrote, not a generic-cree is written all over it-, not 5 mm or sawed off 5 mm or chinese zong xing or rebel-it looks like xpc but camera and eyes not good enough to photo bond wires this week. No, this is more interesting.It would be fine for someone that needed two more work/Camping lights and didnt feel the recipent needed more than to see well, not ideal with an xp g2 and flat regulation.One hp11 stolen with sany xx cells, one rayovac 100 lumen ran over by car, one rayovac 100 lumen just vanished on way to job, dozens of four packs for ten bucks single aa 4 lumens have vanished into kids rooms. This, in last two months.bl has a place as a vendor in any heart of any flashaholic who is socially connected and not a gun owner who can enforce proper led care the way Grampa used to.