Copycat Fenix L1D for $7

[Alero]

I was killing time at Micro Center about a month ago and got this light:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0275488

They have a whole line of LED lights made by "Ultra-Lite" which I would guess is their private label for China imports.

Anyway, this one is nearly identical to the L1D and is only 7 bucks. It doesn't work like a real L1D, obviously, and the build quality sucks compared to Fenix. But it's a nice light for the price if you don't want to carry your nice one.

It is only a single mode reverse clicky. It is pretty bright with a very nice bean pattern and decent color. It looks nice and white unless you white wall it next to a perfectly white light, then it's very slightly on the bluish side.

It's a really old school looking LED. Luxeon1 maybe? Not a 5mm Nichia type though. It's about as bright as the newest iNova X1 or maybe a bit brighter, but the battery lasts quite a bit longer.

It's got a boost circuit (obviously) but no low voltage cut off. It stays bright for around 2.5 hours (on a 2k mah nimh), then gradually gets dimmer.

The build quality is ok. I've droped it a few dozen times and clicked it on and off thousands of times (nervous habit?)and it's still working fine.

The finish isn't too great. It's HA but not as hard as even a basic Maglite. No big deal for a cheap beater though.

It won't replace a real light like a Fenix, but if you need a really cheap beater or some cheap gifts, the 1xAA L1D form factor is pretty nice.

 

[Marduke]

Looks the same as the $4.36 Powerlight HX-G011

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2089

 

[swxb12]

Kind of looks like the MTE SSC one-mode as well. Looks like a helluva steal for a b&m AA light compared to the $2x.xx Target River Rock 1 watter (also a Luxeon)

 

[Alero]

It's smaller than the river rock but doesn't have the cool hat clip. Also the river rock has low voltage shut off (which might be good or bad depending on your tastes) and it's LED is slightly brighter and whighter although the beam pattern is about the same. It's definately a different driver though.
The river rock has a nicer HA finish as well as better machining quality, but it's also 3 times the price.


Wow it does look like the one from DX! ANd under 5 bucks too!

 

[Crenshaw]

wow, but then there are plenty of single mode aa lights around that while slightly more expensive, would likley perform much better as they have brandname emitters in them..

Crenshaw

 

[TORCH_BOY]

It would make a nice gift

 

[z96Cobra]

I saw those @ the Cincinnati, OH Micro Center last week. They were called "Miracle-Brite" here though! They had about 6-7 different lights by this company. I ended up buying a Coast "Auto-LED" which is pretty cool.

Roger

 

[nerdgineer]

Part of what made the L1P great was its very efficient circuit (which still makes it a good run time contender against cheaper knock offs running Crees through less efficient circuits) and rock solid operation (i.e. "quality"). Many of the very cheap clones can't match this.

That said, I recently got a few of the $13.48 Kai Cree AA lights and I have to say I'm quite impressed. It's output matches the Ultrafire C3 Cree (early single level model), about 170% that of the L1P IIRC, and it's runtime on Kai's site aproaches the L1P suggesting it nearly matches the L1P's circuit efficiency. It's also been very steady in operation with no flicker or glitches, suggesting good quality. THAT is quite an accomplishment for a $13.48 light and is more impressive to me than the other cheap clones I've tried.

 

[Fallingwater]

Those round LEDs are about as efficient as a LuxI. I have one of these, which probably uses the same LED.
It's brighter than my Fenix L1S, and has a nicer beam colour (slightly bluish versus greenish), but it draws considerably more current.

 

[cookiecutter]

Does anyone make a AAA light in the style of the "$13.48 Kai Cree AA lights" mentioned above ... the AAA format (L0x) can work as EDC in slacks or on a keychain while the AA is kinda pushing it on size. I'd LOVE an LOD with a functional tail clicky.

Thanks,

CC

 

[swxb12]

Does anyone make a AAA light in the style of the "$13.48 Kai Cree AA lights" mentioned above ... the AAA format (L0x) can work as EDC in slacks or on a keychain while the AA is kinda pushing it on size. I'd LOVE an LOD with a functional tail clicky.

Thanks,

CC

For L0D clicky you can try adding a Streamlight tailcap: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=179101&page=2

There are also some generic looking lights on DX/Kai that look like the Streamlight. Not sure if they fit the L0D as well.

 

[BMF]

Part of what made the L1P great was its very efficient circuit (which still makes it a good run time contender against cheaper knock offs running Crees through less efficient circuits) and rock solid operation (i.e. "quality"). Many of the very cheap clones can't match this.

That said, I recently got a few of the $13.48 Kai Cree AA lights and I have to say I'm quite impressed. It's output matches the Ultrafire C3 Cree (early single level model), about 170% that of the L1P IIRC, and it's runtime on Kai's site aproaches the L1P suggesting it nearly matches the L1P's circuit efficiency. It's also been very steady in operation with no flicker or glitches, suggesting good quality. THAT is quite an accomplishment for a $13.48 light and is more impressive to me than the other cheap clones I've tried.

Have you tried $13.48 Kai Cree AA with 14500 batteries? I got couple of them too but don't have the batteries yet.

 

[z96Cobra]

Here is a link to all of the lights they have under the "Miracle Beam" brand...

http://www.microcenter.com/search_r...wn_keyword=miracle+beam&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

Roger

 

[kramer5150]

for $7... B&M availability I'll give it a shot. Theres a microcenter 5 minutes from my office.

$7 barely gets you 2 gallons of gas in my part of the country.

BRB, hopefully with a new toy....:thumbsup:

 

[kramer5150]

I picked up a couple, $15 out the door. It feels solid in the hand, although its light-weight gives it less of a hefty feel.

tail stands nicely
click switch feels solid, and is just hard enough to click to avoid accidental turn on.
Definitely the same manufacturer as those $5 DX lights posted above
The O-ring gaskets on the body don't inspire confidence though... it doesn't feel like they engage much with the head or tail.
Mine has a little dust specs inside the head.
The head is held together with a one-way clip-spring washer piece... that perhaps with a little effort can be unscrewed to reveal the LED and DC board.
just a little cell-rattle.

Not dark enough yet to test the light output...

 

[Alero]

I got a little dust in the lens too but it doesn't affect the beam.

I agree about the body feeling solid and hefty. The tailcap feels really thin though. Mine even squeaks when I screw it on. haha

I like the switch a lot too!


I still think it's different from the DX version. Look closely at the emitter. They aren't the same.

I REALLY like this form factor. It's much smaller than a light like the Rommison and it's a uniform cylinder unlike the river rock. It just feels good in my pocket, although it's usually in my hand getting clicked on and off all day.

In fact, I've grown to love the size and shape so much I'm gonna order an L1D combo next week.

 

[blademan]

I opened the head on mine and the led looks like a MJled. I'm thinking of what I can mod it with.

 

[kramer5150]

For those interested... heres whats inside.











Might make a nice little mod host. At the least I am going to replace the plastic lens with a glass one. The emitter/reflector combo seem to be designed for each other. The light has some nice flood with a good hot spot in the center. Its just not very bright overall. Maybe a hair brighter than my night-ize 3-LED minimag drop in. Color is no where near as blue either.

One of the lights I bought has a faulty switch that is intermittent, so I am taking it one back for an exchange. This light is noticeably more blue and dim compared to the other one too:green::green:.

I wonder if the stock emitter can handle a 14500 and a higher current DC-DC board?

I'm pretty sure the stock reflector can be dremel-modded to fit a Seoul Ubin.

 

[blademan]

My switch was acting strange so I tried a Fenix tailcap and it fits. The light is much better now.

 

[kramer5150]

Must be nice having spare parts to donate:thumbsup:

FWIW...

Good cap on the right
Bad cap on the left.



the defective cap on the left does not have the little metal contact tab. I'm speculating that this cap is trying to conduct through the anodized threads, which is intermittent at best.