Longest runtime for budget single AA or AAA led light on low setting to be used in tornado shelter

[raggie33]

lucked out got my fenix for 22 bucks total shiped

 

[this_is_nascar]

Interesting about the negative experience with SL. I still have a single LED version, powered by 4xAA that I love. It's got great tint, throw and spill. Yellow body and black bezel. I don't recall what LED is in there. Maybe a Luxeon? Not sure. I've had it for 10-15 years or so.

 

[NutSAK]

Interesting about the negative experience with SL. I still have a single LED version, powered by 4xAA that I love. It's got great tint, throw and spill. Yellow body and black bezel. I don't recall what LED is in there. Maybe a Luxeon? Not sure. I've had it for 10-15 years or so.

That sounds like the Luxeon Propolymer. I have a couple of these too. They're great lights, very reliable and well-built but pretty inefficient by today's standards. The OP is requesting a long-runtime light and these burn through 4AAs in about 6 hours at 100 lumens.

I've seen several comments on negative experience regarding some of the newer lines of SL lights that are made overseas.

 

[orbital]

+

toss a couple of your least used lights in the shelter, then you have 'room' to get a new/better one.

or

something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AW7Q1EO/?tag=cpf0b6-20

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Interesting about the negative experience with SL. I still have a single LED version, powered by 4xAA that I love. It's got great tint, throw and spill. Yellow body and black bezel. I don't recall what LED is in there. Maybe a Luxeon? Not sure. I've had it for 10-15 years or so.

Haven’t heard any complaints about the 1 watt luxeon version. That was actually a decent light with a good throw. I wouldn’t buy one now as it is way outdated compared to newer l.e.d.s. The 7 5mm l.e.d. version was a piece of garbage.

 

[340pd]

Looking for a reliable budget AA- or AAA led light with longest runtime on low setting...doesnt need to have super bright capabilities. Probably 30 lumens or less. 1 or 2 lumens may be a bit to weak to see in the tornado shelter. Ty

Buy cheap, you get cheap. Hand cranks are silly. Pick up two high quality lights and a good supply of lithium batteries which will give you a long shelf light. You won't be your shelter for weeks. This ain't rocket surgery.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Maglite Solitaire


https://maglite.com/collections/compact-size/products/solitaire-led-flashlight

 

[NightTime]

Fenix HM23 maybe.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Fenix HM23 maybe.

You are ignoring the OP's parameters-- ONE(1) AA or AAA!

 

[turbodog]

Have some experience with this.

You want an 'aa' light so you can install lithium energizer cells. Last thing you want, when running for your life, is a light that doesn't work.

Similarly, something that's twist or a simple push button (on the end preferably) is desirable for interface.

Unless you religiously go to the shelter WELL before the storms arrival, most people are running for cover at the last minute.

I made a very (ugly) tripwire light. It has a string across the door of the shelter. The string pulls a plunger which allows a microswitch to turn on a light.

What prompted this was a full speed run to the shelter w/o time to grab ANYTHING, and the need for immediate handsfree light in order to throw the locking lever once inside the shelter.

Maybe I'll remake it later, prettier and sleeker, but I doubt it. It works and is out of the way in the corner.

Lithium 123 under the tape.

 

[turbodog]

It's 2 aa cells, but makes up for it by being cheap and meeting all other criteria more or less. I'm not a fan of a side switch, but at least it's off/on and not a recessed button with multiple modes.

Dorcy Active Series AA Flashlight | 41-2461

The Dorcy Active Series AA flashlight has a slide switch and is weather resistant. It runs for up to 20 hours on two AA batteries (batteries are included). It is available in assorted colors including blue, red and black.

brightguy.com

 

[desert.snake]

It's strange, there are so many projects of flashlights on supercapacitors with magnetic charging, but I still don't see a single industrial design. After all, this is a fairly reliable system in emergency situations, unless of course the person is too cold or weak to shake it








upgraded circuit

Simple Faraday Flashlight - Circuit Diagram and Working | Homemade Circuit Projects

In this article we are going to construct a Faraday flashlight circuit using only a coil/magnet assembly which requires no battery. It’s not free energy, but it converts oscillatory motion […]

www.homemade-circuits.com

If choose from ready-made flashlights, then I am for Malkoff MDC 1AA, it shines for a very long time at low levels, although it is more expensive than most flashlights from the supermarket

 

[Dave_H]

Buy cheap, you get cheap. Hand cranks are silly. Pick up two high quality lights and a good supply of lithium batteries which will give you a long shelf light. You won't be your shelter for weeks. This ain't rocket surgery.

I agree, hand-crank lights are a gimmick and last resort. In an emergency the last thing you have time and energy for is to keep cranking up the light, and light output from ones I've had is not all that good.

I also agree on keeping some Lithium AA (and/or AAA) on hand although the cost has recently gone up (sometimes way up). They have their place. I would also keep alkalines though many frown on them; just store them separately and not in the lights or other devices. Why chew through expensive batteries unless you need to (or have money to burn).

Low-cost (as compared to cheap) is not all bad; I have a few decent 1xAAA and 1xAA lights which were $10 or less. At that price level you can afford spares.

Dave

 

[Dave_H]

You are ignoring the OP's parameters-- ONE(1) AA or AAA!

May be true but I wonder if OP would be open to 2AA or 2AAA which expands options a fair bit. Many compact ones are available with not much additional weight/size, and longer potential runtime. I carried a 2AAA "penlight" style light in my shirt pocket for several years on one job, doing a fair bit of electronic diagnostic work.

Dave

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

May be true but I wonder if OP would be open to 2AA or 2AAA which expands options a fair bit. Many compact ones are available with not much additional weight/size, and longer potential runtime. I carried a 2AAA "penlight" style light in my shirt pocket for several years on one job, doing a fair bit of electronic diagnostic work.

Dave

Dave--No offense intended, but the OP stated on page 1 that he had other lights. He was very specific in his request for a ONE (1) AA or AAA light. I respect his intelligence to know what he needs. All these other suggestions for multiple cell, expensive lights are no help. He is looking for an inexpensive light. Again, I trust that he is intelligent enough to know what he needs/wants.

 

[Dave_H]

Dave--No offense intended, but the OP stated on page 1 that he had other lights. He was very specific in his request for a ONE (1) AA or AAA light. I respect his intelligence to know what he needs. All these other suggestions for multiple cell, expensive lights are no help. He is looking for an inexpensive light. Again, I trust that he is intelligent enough to know what he needs/wants.

OK fair enough although sometimes people change their minds. My recommendation is for inexpensive lights (cell count aside), I noted his comment about this early in the thread. Perhaps
OP could comment.

Dave

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

OK fair enough although sometimes people change their minds. My recommendation is for inexpensive lights (cell count aside), I noted his comment about this early in the thread. Perhaps
OP could comment.

Dave

LOL! Dave! I just noticed, the original post is from over a year ago! I imagine he has already made his choice some time ago, and probably has purchased several more lights since!

 

[turbodog]

LOL! Dave! I just noticed, the original post is from over a year ago! I imagine he has already made his choice some time ago, and probably has purchased several more lights since!

Was wondering if y'all noticed that.

 

[Dave_H]

OK, fair enough, year-old thread but people are still adding to it. Beyond the OP who may well have made decisions (and maybe not watching this thread at this point), these threads have value to others including outside OP's requirements. Maybe another thread would be better but adding to this one is convenient.

Back to subject matter:

A decent 1xAA I got around last Christmas is Omnimax brand carried by Home Hardware (Canada) for about $10. Pretty sturdy, high/how/strobe, 1W LED, 60 lumens high, adjustable beam (zoomie style), weighs 75g (2.6 oz.) with alkaline. Clip is not so great. Claimed runtime is 2.5 hours high, makes sense as I measure 1.1A current with fresh cell. Runtime on low is not stated, but current/brightness drops with cell voltage so could be long (I may run a test).


Dave

 

[Dave_H]

It's 2 aa cells, but makes up for it by being cheap and meeting all other criteria more or less. I'm not a fan of a side switch, but at least it's off/on and not a recessed button with multiple modes.

View attachment 44877

Dorcy Active Series AA Flashlight | 41-2461

The Dorcy Active Series AA flashlight has a slide switch and is weather resistant. It runs for up to 20 hours on two AA batteries (batteries are included). It is available in assorted colors including blue, red and black.

brightguy.com

BTW this probably uses bulb similar to the Dorcy 30-lumen "2-cell" LED bulb (known as "drop-in" replacement also) which will run on one cell. I have a 1D flashlight using one.
Flashlight spec. says 50 lumens.

Dave