I Don't Like My New LED Flashlight.

[JohnnyGalaga]

I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

I bought a Brinkman 4-D cell LED flashlight at Walmart. It has 4 LED's and you can twist the lens to make it only use 2 of the LED's to save power.

Even with all 4 LED's in use, the light is very dull and the color of the light is darker and less brilliant than incandesant flashlights. In my opinion, it flat out sucks. The main reason I bought it was because it makes the batteries last so much longer, or so it says. You also never have to change the light bulbs.

Are all LED flashlights like this ? Do they all have them same blue-ish tint and produce a darker light than incandesant flashlights ?

Are there any LED flashlights that produce the same shade of light and brightness as incandesant flashlights ?

Thanks.

 

[Jarhead]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

The low cost supermarket type LED flashlights often have these sorts of issues, dim, blue tint (overdriven "low cost" LEDs).

However, there are other LED flashlights that will out do a MagLite, abeit, not in the same price range.

High power LED flashlights can be whiter than a incadescent, or can be brighter, but with a Warm-White light, if a person wishes.

Generally, cost is linked to quality in LED flashlights, but not always. Lots of folks here modify their own flashlights to take advantage of the cutting edge technologies.

Here is a beamshot of a 2AA Mag compared to a Single AAA Solitare that I modified with a Luxeon LED.

http://www.molalla.net/~leeper/mag_soli.jpg

or

http://www.molalla.net/~leeper/magsol1.jpg

Keep in mind, the camera goofs the color up, but if you color correct for the 2AA, imagine how white the Luxeon LED modified one is.

 

[Negeltu]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

I liked the Brinkmann 4 led light. If you wish to have an led light that is around the same brightness as an incandescent...then get a luxeon based flashlight. 5mm leds just won't do it for ya.

Unless you're talking about a small incan like the solitaire /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Mark_Larson]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

In general, LED based lights aren't ready for mass consumption yet, in anything more than small/single-cell form-factor.

 

[Darell]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

Find yourself a Surefire L6, and you'll wonder how you ever thought LEDs sucked. Of course you'll have to sell one of your kids, but that's the price of the bleeding edge!

The simple answer to your question is No - not all LED lights are like supermarket flashlights. Read around the forum a bit, and you'll soon figure out which lights folks are in love with.

Welcome to the CPF, by the way. I sure hope that you soon find something about flashlights and batteries that you like!

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

Damn double post!

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

Tonight I was trying to do some delicate work on something. I was trying to use a 2AA light, but it was never pointed where I needed it.

I got a 3AAA 3LED Headlight and turned it on. It STILL was never where I needed it.

But I found in this situation an incandescent light was needed. I needed the bright white light.

That said, LEDs are great for many things... especially long runtime!

I'd never be caught DEAD without my ARC AAA!!!

And I have one of these 2D 4LED lights. I figure it will do it's best work in a power out situation. It is plenty of light in my room JUST after turning off the main light WELL before I'm night adjusted. So there.

 

[asdalton]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

When I heard that Brinkmann was going to make a two-D version that had only four LEDs, I had a feeling that it would be a dud. I haven't seen the beam firsthand, but I have seen the *huge* body of that flashlight on the shelf at Wal-Mart. Today, there's simply no excuse for putting only four 5-mm LEDs into a flashlight that big.

(The original Brinkmann Rebel, which uses two AA batteries to power a single focused LED, was actually an innovative flashlight when it was introduced two years ago. You might still be able to buy this flashlight, although there are better choices now.)

For a brighter flashlight, you have two basic strategies. One, you can purchase a flashlight that employs more than four 5-mm LEDs. Seven is a popular number, and there are also flashlights that have 10, 14, 19, or even more LEDs. Flashlights with many LEDs tend to be more expensive, however.

Your second option is to get a flashlight with a single Luxeon LED, which is as bright as 10 to 14 5-mm LEDs. Luxeon flashlights aren't cheap, but they are more cost-effective than flashlights that produce the same amount of light using 5-mm LEDs.

No LED flashlight will have the same "throw" (long-distance spotting) as a good incandescent, although the 1-watt Luxeon high domes are getting close. Also, most "white" LEDs emit light that is on the blue side to varying degrees. Nevertheless, it is possible to buy an LED flashlight that is bright, reasonably white, and not too expensive. The Streamlight 4AA 7LED is in that category, as is the Lightwave 3000. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Keep in mind that brighter isn't always better; sometimes smaller is what you want. By that criterion, you can't go wrong with the Arc AAA.

Since you're new to CPF, be sure to read the old posts (use the "search" function) about the different kinds of flashlights. When you know more about the specific flashlights available, then you will be able to ask the rest of us questions about our good/bad experiences with them before you buy a different LED flashlight.

 

[Jarhead]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

JohnnyGalaga:

Here is a comparision of a flashlight using a very similar LED to your Brinkman, sitting next to a Luxeon. Keep in mind, that this Luxeon that is next to it is running only at 25% of its possible light output (notice how blue the white light of the LED that is very similar to yours, in the photon, on the Left):

http://www.molalla.net/~leeper/solinar.jpg

And when I adjust for wide angle on the Luxeon powered Solitare, it is still MUCH better looking than the LED that is in your Brinkman (Photon side).

http://www.molalla.net/~leeper/soliwide.jpg

 

[DaMeatMan]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

If you really want to see what an LED flashlight could do then do the 3D Mag conversion. Do some reading on how so many other people on this forum have already converted their 3D mags. Basically you will need to get yourself a hotlips heatsink and a good binned white Luxeon 3. You can get yourself a TWAK or TWOK emitter from Elektrolumens. Trust me you will NOT be dissapointed in the results, i would describe in detail how to do this mod but i have to run off to class. Let me know if your interested and i'll point you in the right direction for all necassary info.

 

[Blades]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

Take it back to Walmart and get your money back.


Blades

 

[Justintoxicated]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

[ QUOTE ]
DaMeatMan said:
If you really want to see what an LED flashlight could do then do the 3D Mag conversion. Do some reading on how so many other people on this forum have already converted their 3D mags. Basically you will need to get yourself a hotlips heatsink and a good binned white Luxeon 3. You can get yourself a TWAK or TWOK emitter from Elektrolumens. Trust me you will NOT be dissapointed in the results, i would describe in detail how to do this mod but i have to run off to class. Let me know if your interested and i'll point you in the right direction for all necassary info.

[/ QUOTE ]

Im interested, with my new FL7 by smith and wesson I have little need for the hgue bulkey 3D mag, unless I can make it equally as bright with decent runtime, and use LEDs /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[DaMeatMan]

Re: I Don\'t Like My New LED Flashlight.

Modding a 3D mag with a luxeon is a very easy mod to do. Firt things first though, for this mod you will need to get a hotlips heatsink from hotbeam here. And you will also need to get a good binned luxeon III, i personally get mine from Wayne of Elektrolumens here. While your waiting for your parts to arrive you will want to prepare the mag for installing the heatsink. To do this mod right you will need to remove the bulb post that is inside the mag. To do this you will need to remove the rubber switch cover, once you've done that you will see the switch. You will notice the button has a hole in the middle of it, this is where you will insert the proper sized alan key to loosen the bolt that holds the switch in place. Once you have loosened the bolt you will notice that the switch assembly now moves freely. Push it downwards and out through the end of the flashlight. Remove the guts of the bulb holder leaving only the plastic post and the switch intact. Now you will need to solder a length of wire to the metal strip that goes through the plastic post, this will be your negative contact. Then you will need to solder another wire to the positive contact of the switch and run it up through the plastic post. Once you have your negative and positive contacts in place it would be a good idea to remove the anodizing from the inside of the mag where the heat sink will make contact with the light, this will ensure better thermal transfer from the heatsink to the body of the mag, a dremel tool comes in real handy for this part /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Also you will need to chop off the cam of the reflector, this is the long tubular part of the reflector. You will want to cut it very carefully making sure not to cut into the reflector itself. Leave a couple of millimeteres before the reflector to ensure you don't butcher it! Once that is all done you will want to reinstall the switch and push your wires through the premade holes in the the hotlips heat sink and slide the heatsink securely into the top of the mag, you will most likely need to use a very smooth, neatly trimmed piece of foil to wrap around the heatsink to ensure a very secure and snug fit in the mag. You want it to be as snug as possible to transfer the heat to the body. Some people like to use thermal paste around the inside of the mag but i don't think it's necessary as the alluminum is plenty soft enough to form a good contacting surface with the mag body. Once you've got your heat sink securly in place epoxy the emitter directly onto the center of the hotlips heatsink being very careful to get it as perfectly centered as possible, remember to use a very thin layer of thermal epoxy for this step. Your goal here is heat transfer and it occours most efficiently when you have a very thin layer of epoxy, remember to use a non conductive thermal epoxy for the job. If you don't have any around and don't know where to buy it you can simply mix thermal paste with regular epoxy like i did and it will do the job just as well, i mixed about 40% thermal paste with 60% epoxy. You may find it helpful to use a rubber band to hold down the emitter in while it dries, just keep on eye on it to ensure that the rubber band does not pull the emitter out of it's sweet spot while it dries. Once dry you can go ahead and solder your contacts, the positive contact on the emitter is the side with the square hole in the short end of the contact, the other end with the partial square hole is the negative contact. Always be sure to wire it correctly the first time, because there will be no second time if you try to fire it up while incorrectly wired!/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif This may seem like allot of work, but when done right you will be extremely pleased with the results and find it to be a very rewarding mod. Previously my 3D mag had taken a back seat as got my Blaster III and Tri-Star from elektrolumens, but after this mod it is now my light of choice and has the brightest spot and plenty of sidespill. You will not be dissapointed, if all this seems overwhelming and you need some encouragement go ahead and check out the pics of my 3D mag mod here, you will notice some extra cool additions to it as well. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Good luck and i hope this has been helpful to you or anyone else considering this mod. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif