:welcome:
* I'm going to need to buy 4-12 of these things
Can you narrow down the number a bit. 12 is 3X the price of 4.
* 2xAA battery
While cheap plastic 2AA battery is common in supermarket hardware aisles, they are not so among 'flashaholic lights'. 1AA are much easier to carry around (pocketable/EDC) and with the proper boost circuit & LED are much brighter than the typical supermarket 2AA. If they need more light flashaholics prefer the CR123A battery which is 1/3 the length of 2AA.
* A fairly wide beam w/heavy spill
If you want a strong spill, The Cree XRE (any bin is OK) is best. The Cree produces a dark ring around the hotspot the OP reflector smoothes that out.
* Are multi-mode (low,medium, high) at minimum
Multi modes are a PITA.
- practically all of them have strobe and SOS, and with the exception of FENIX make you cycle through them when changing modes.
- practically all of them with the exception of FENIX have memory. Memory is supposed to avoid constant switching of modes to get what you want by starting at the last mode the torch was on. But memory & mode switching conflict so sometimes you get the last mode, sometimes you get next mode. The timing for memory vs mode switching seem to vary from torch to torch (same brand, same model) so with up to 12 torches you will have an interesting time.
- The Fenix L1T/L2T have a much simpler solution. Tighten the bezel for high (good for outdoors), loosen for low (good for indoors); click switch for on off. The L1D works the same way. As long as you do not play with the button you won't go into the other modes, but they are there in case you need them.
- If non flashaholics will be using the lights stay away from the multi modes. If tech geeks will be using the lights get them a multimode (the more the merrier, some have 20 or more).
* Q4 or better
Luxeon (also known as 1 watt) 14X brighter than 5mm LED,
Cree P3 bin 2X brighter than Luxeon 28X brighter than 5mm LED,
Cree Q5 bin ~1.3X brighter than P3 bin which is not a lot.
So with a limited budget I would relax that to say any Cree XRE.
BTW brightness depend on both the LED and the current supplied by the boost regulation circuit so a P3 bin running at 700ma is 1.5X brighter than a Q5 bin running at 350mA. It is better to specify minimum lumens. Unfortunately you do not have any reference at this point.
As to why I do not think the bin is not that critical here is a review of a P3 bin early L0D CE:
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/fenix_l0dce.htm
flashlight reviews said:
The shear volume of light produced is amazing for a single AAA cell light. My readings show that on the "high" setting the L0D-CE is producing more light overall than a 3-D Maglite. On "medium" it produces more light overall than a common 2-D cell light. All this from one AAA cell
Video 3D Maglight vs L0D CE and some other Fenix & Surefire torches (warning 10 minutes long but the L0D CE bit is in the 1st half)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=isfuJ8ru7Xk
Video L2D CE (5 minutes)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bdxm4B0RnMk
The L0D CE is listed by Fenix at 50 lumens.
The Fenix L2T v2.0 Q2 is listed at 152 lumens or more than 3X brighter than a 3D mag.
The L2D CE is 135 lumens or more than 2.5X brighter than a 3D maglight.
Do you really need more light?
https://www.fenix-store.com/index.php?cPath=22_69_71
The L2D Q5 is 180 lumens but is $12 more per.
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=397
Don't forget your CPF discount code CPF8
* Are regulated
LEDs prefer ~3.6V. 2AA are 3V or less so all 1AA/2AA have boost/regulation circuits. The ones with flat regulation tend to go dark quite abruptly. The semi-regulated ones get dimmer and dimmer with alkaline batteries but give you time to find another battery.
* Glass lens
When modders build incan hotwires the extra heat from the 3500 degree bulbs melted the plastic lenses from stock maglights. So they need glass lens. With LED the temperature is around 120 degrees with no danger of melting plastic lens. Ditto reflectors (except P60 drop ins where the reflactor is part of the heatsink). The only advantage with glass lens in your case is more scratch resistance.
* Can fit 2650 MAH NiMH batteries
That is critical. I've come across a couple of lights the batteries don't fit.
Suggest looking at LSD NiMH. Regular NiMH needs charging every month or 2 even if they are not used (with 12 lights keeping track of when each light has to be recharged can be a pain). With LSD you only need to recharge 6 months to a year or after every use.
And I just can't find the darn things. Closest I can get is the Fenix L2D, and it's just to much $$$.
DealExtreme: $20.90 Ultrafire C3 Cree Q5 5-Mode LED Flashlight with Extension (1.5V~4.2V)
- It comes in 4 parts head, body, extension, tailcap so is not a pure 2AA light. Can run 1AA, 2AA, 14500 Li-on.
- It is brighter than my L0D CE P4WD both 1AA vs AAA and 10440 vs 14500. I think I got a Q5.
- It is brighter in 2AA than 1AA.
- It is 5 modes medium>low>high>strobe>SOS. Not 1 mode as indicated on DX.
If you leave it off long enough it starts up in default medium mode. Otherwise it keeps switching to next mode. Can not tell if it has memory or not. It just came back to high from high. Sorry just got the light. Have to play around a bit more to figure out the UI.
Now you know why I think multi mode lights are a PITA. Have to figure out the timing (both on and off) for switching modes, coming back to last mode, going to default. I got this light a week ago. Took me 2 weeks and advice from 2 other CPF members to sort out my MTE 5 mode SSC-P7.
