Keychain lights

[zarj]

Now I've got the lumens bug I'm looking to upgrade the Mag Solitaire glow worm that lives on my car keys.

Is there an easy bulb replacement that drops in without too much effort? I'm no good at soldering. Or should I just get an Arc AAA instead?

thanks
Colin

 

[powernoodle]

Consider the Arc or one of the Fenix lights (fenix-store.com).

See also, here, here , and here .

cheers :thumbsup:

 

[LEDninja]

It is probably cheaper to buy a new light.
Here are the 2 LED bulbs available for the Solitaire.

SMJLED2 AAA Solitaire Module
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_52_82&products_id=861

Upgrade your Maglite® Solitaire with the New Tektite LT-3™ LED Replacement bulb
http://www.led-replacement.com/solitaire.html

 

[zarj]

It is probably cheaper to buy a new light.
Here are the 2 LED bulbs available for the Solitaire.

SMJLED2 AAA Solitaire Module
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_52_82&products_id=861

Upgrade your Maglite® Solitaire with the New Tektite LT-3™ LED Replacement bulb
http://www.led-replacement.com/solitaire.html

Thanks for the links guys, some good reading there. It seems the LED modules cost quite a lot compared to the cost of a brand new light so an Arc AAA looks like the way to go. The Orb Raw looks pretty nice too!

 

[LEDninja]

Thanks for the links guys, some good reading there. It seems the LED modules cost quite a lot compared to the cost of a brand new light so an Arc AAA looks like the way to go. The Orb Raw looks pretty nice too!

The Orb RAW uses 'FUNNY' batteries. I saw a thread in which a CPF member's friends were initially very impressed with his Orb - until the battery died after a few minutes - then they totally lost interest. A sub15 min runtime is not enough in a real emergency.

Do not forget the Fenix, especially the L0D-CE.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/fenix_l0dce.htm
http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_49&products_id=191
Don't forget your CPF5 discount code. Fenix-store has free shipping so shipped price is about the same as an ArcAAA-P

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.

L0D-CE
Medium (default) - total output 12 = 16.68 lumens for 1 hr 45 min
Low - total output 5 = 6.95 lumens for 5 hr 50 min
High - total output 33.8 = 46.982 lumens for 0 hr 18 min

Arc AAA-P
total output 5.2 = 7.228 lumens for 4 hr 52 min (that is roughly the same as the L0D-CE on loowww)
Note the Arc has a blue center spot with a yellower corona. My L0D-CE is pale white in both spot and spill light. The Arc is smaller and more rugged.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/arc_aaa-p.htm
http://216.71.117.133/arc-aaa.shtml

 

[derfyled]

I f you're now hooked to lumens, consider a Fenix instead of an ARC. It has a cree led instead of a 5 mm led.

arc aaa p = 5.5 lumens, $39.95
Fenix LOD CE = 50 lumens, $ 44.00 (shipped) from fenix-store.com

 

[ILL-Luminated]

The versatility of the Fenix is hard to beat.

 

[ACMarina]

I dunno, I modded my wife's Solitaire and she loves it..

 

[Casual Flashlight User]

Arc AAA-P all the way...may not be the brightest, but it's toughest and by far the best quality AAA light around IMO!

CFU

 

[Pokerstud]

Go with the Fenix LOD-CE, or if you want only 3 modes, the Fenix LOP-SE.

 

[Mars]

The Tektite LED replacement is quite a step-up from the original Solitaire output but compared to the L0D-CE which I also bought, it's still a candle

 

[Max Brightness]

I just got my Fenix L0D with the cree. I've had an Arc AAA-P for some time.
I consider both of these lights to be winners.
Here are some notes of comparison.

Arc AAA-P

• About 0.5 cm shorter
• Tapered head does make it slightly more confortable in the pocket
• Can turn on easily with one hand (My Fenix is new, maybe it need some time to loosen up somewhat)
• Easier to hold (especially wet)
• very wide Beam (light almost to 180 degrees)

Fenix L0D

• Can stand on end (candle mode)
• Stylish and I like the black.
• In low mode, Similar to arc in brightness, runtime, throw
• Has additional brighter modes
• Strobe and SOS
• Twisting head interface is nice. (not necessarily easy to do with one hand)
• Beam is smoother

 

[2xTrinity]

If you want to go for 5mm LEDs, I'd recommend buying the coincell lights from Dealextreme, and dropping in more efficient LEDs from here.

Left - White JELED
Center - Stock DX "White" (looks very blue)
Right - Red JELED with 2032 battery from DX (should have over double the runtime of the others)

You'll have to buy several, but each modified light will end up costing you under a dollar -- I have three on my keychain (all of the ones pictured except the stock DX) though and they've turned out to be quite useful. Here are a few photos from the ones on my keychain:

Left - White JELED
Center - Stock DX White (looks very blue)
Right - Red JELED with 2032 battery (should have about double the runtime of the others)


"Whitewall" beamshots from each -- the white ones appear much brighter in reality (the above appears more lifelike)


This is one of the 5mm LEDs where I sanded down the "dome" completely flat using 600 grit sandpaper, it produces an even flood beam which is great for reading in the dark:

 

[zarj]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The Fenix L0D was pretty tempting but I've decided on (and just ordered!) the Arc AAA-P mainly because of the much longer run-time which I feel could be important for an emergency use light.

That now means I have:

3 Mini Mags
1 Mini Mag 2AA LED
1 Mag 4D
1 Mag Solitaire
Surefire A2 Aviator
Surefire 9P (on order)
Arc AAA-P

The wife is bound to notice at some point......

 

[Max Brightness]

Awesome Choice!

 

[luchs]

i just got some of this "super bright white LEDs" from JELED, 50.000 mcd.
unfortunately they have some very ugly yellow rings in the beam.
comparing it to the "lighthound" keychain-LEDs for 0,99 bucks these ones seem to be brighter and whiter than the JELED leds. there's no yellow circle visible.

for me, I'm dissatisfied with the quality of these 50.000 mcd, super bright white leds from JELED.

perhaps i can take a photo later.

 

[xiaowenzu]

If you're sensitive to weight as I am, then go for the Photon Freedom Microlight. It's the best keychain light for it's size (hides under a quarter!) and much brighter than your Mag solitaire! I've always found the larger metalkeychain lights such as my friend's Fenix's waaayyyyy to heavy on the pocket.

 

[luchs]

hi,
i also own this photon freedom max, a smjled from lighthound, his fauxtons and some free gifts.
the brightest one is the Smjled, than the fauxtons - both from lightHound.
the fauxton has more throw - the smjled has more spreat / spill.
i like the smjled most, but it is 7 usd - the fauxton is 0,99 - the photon is 19 USD (regular). fauxton is the best deal!!!!

of course, the photon has more utilities, but I don't really need that on my keychain. and it's brightness does't impresse me.

 

[Russianesq]

what about the JIL DD for the keys

 

[2xTrinity]

hi,
i also own this photon freedom max, a smjled from lighthound, his fauxtons and some free gifts.
the brightest one is the Smjled, than the fauxtons - both from lightHound.
the fauxton has more throw - the smjled has more spreat / spill.
i like the smjled most, but it is 7 usd - the fauxton is 0,99 - the photon is 19 USD (regular). fauxton is the best deal!!!!

of course, the photon has more utilities, but I don't really need that on my keychain. and it's brightness does't impresse me.

Wow. I didn't know about the Lighthound coin cell lights. That's a good price, though DX is still the place to get spare batteries for them IMO. I like the fact that they sell the lights with color shells as well, the entire rainbow (red, amber, green, blue, violet, white) can be purchased for $6. I will definitely try some of the Lighthound photon lights and see how they compare to my DX ones.

I must admit though that with my Jeled's, I've actually used most of them sanded down with diffusers, for things like LED night lights, and such. They do put out a lot of lumens at low drive current (25mA in these night lights) But the beam pattern is pretty rough unfortunately. My "sanded" Jeled keychain is actually my most used one -- as with dark-adapted eyes I can light up wide spaces with it and not nuke my night vision, followed by the red LED ones (more of a spotlight without nuking my night vision). If I need concentrated white anymore, I go for L0D-CE, or reach for a CR123/18650 flashlight.