Re: The Official Malkoff Junkie thread - Part 2
I don't think you've mentioned CT.
Cool 6200K, could also be offered with a Neutral 4000K.. same as the current MDC HA 1AA.
Cold XPG3 can give the desired brightness.
Agreed, I think the XP-G3 Cool would be the way to go as it is more efficient (30% off the top of my head, could be way off on this though).
Aren't M31's optimized to run off of 3v primaries so you wouldn't get anywhere near the runtime on a single AA?
I think the point is to a single output MDC that made to only consume AA's that would give the most lumen output at around a hourish of runtime.
Exactly. Any 1 AA light that can also run on a 3V or 14500 would not be optimized for best output and runtime from a standard AA (alkaline / NiMH / lithium).
GoVegan, during your conversations with Gene did he show any interest in developing this flashlight if there were an X number of people interested in acquiring the product?
When reading the beginning part of the topic I think there are some technical limitations (at least from Gene's point of view).
I would like an MDC SHO AA flashlight.
Acquiring cr123 batteries is certainly not as easy a task as the AA batteries we can find in the market, bakeries, pharmacies, etc.
I'm monitoring (not just reading) your topic. Noble friend, thank you for creating a discussion of this subject.
I only emailed him about it once a months ago, and got the reply about a single AA would not allow the current draw and voltage necessary for any reasonable runtime and output. So I think it is more of what he considers a reasonable output and runtime rather than any technical limitation (besides the diode requirement design) that has stopped him from releasing a light like this. We had no discussion about required numbers for any production, nor did I say that I'd try to gather what interest there is. However I did email him a link to this thread right after creating it, so he can jump in if wishes to do so.
And you're welcome.
Out of curiosity, how was the 150L output level chosen? Is it just a guess as to what output can be sustained by a AA battery for about an hour or has the FBI or someone released a study about the optimal brightness of tactical lights?
Correct, just what I believe should be technically possible from an AA alkaline, with Ni-MH cells being recommended for better performance. I'm not aware of any study about the optimal brightness of tactical lights (only normally, the brighter, the better), but if it lights up a target at the required distance then it works. On another forum (gun related if I recall, one cop used his 28(?) lumen Microstream to pass his qualifications after his main light crapped out on him. So it's whatever can get the job done.
That said, any light, in a given tactical situation where one would be helpful, is better than no light.
Reminds me of the Steve Fisher quote at the Surefire booth at SHOT Show 2018, "any light is better than no light at all" LOL... someone even mentioned it in the comments.
https://youtu.be/fXLqfaLugjk?t=174
Gene was right. I vote no.
1xAA is not efficient enough, 2xAA is a lot more promising and way more efficient.
...
1xAA is a dead end when it comes to high-performance lights.
But there are already very popular 1 AA lights out there, i.e. the Protac 1AA and it's replacement the Protac 1L-1AA, so I would hardly call it dead. I'd say the current 1 AA bright lights are thriving not just surviving.
There is no technical reason a driver couldn't have an allowable voltage of 1.2 to 4.2Vin - just a series of compromises in that it certainly
wouldn't be optimized efficiently for running in the 1xAA range.
- 1xAA: ~150 lm
- 1x14500: ~500 lm.
...
Certainly no dog in this fight, so please refrain from telling me it's a terrible idea lol.
If Gene could do this then it would be ideal, and would make this light very popular no doubt, I just think the performance on 1.2~1.5V AA would take a serious hit in runtime.
But 5.11 are doing this with the soon to be released (July?) Rapid PL 1AA which can be used with can be used with an alkaline AA battery or a lithium-ion rechargeable 14500:
202 lumens with the included AA battery or
330 lumens with the 14500 rechargeable battery
https://www.officer.com/tactical/fl...d-police-supplies-rapid-pl-1aa-edc-flashlight
...
That term reminds me of that dirtbag Michael Vick. But no offense taken.
I think a dual output light (high-first dual mode) isn't necessarily bad (in fact I would love a Surefire Backup AA with HIgh/Low, and it would probably be my perfect light), I just think a SHO is in line with what he has previously produced, is simpler to design, and also more importantly what the market needs at least IMHO.
Are you claiming that they're more reliable than a Panasonic lithium primary?
oo: If so a whopper like that requires some documentation! Not saying it's impossible but it runs counter to all my experience and I can't see any chemical/mechanical reason that it would be so.:huh:
Amazon 1 star reviews will give you a really good example of bad batches of batteries:
For example here is one that I instantly found:
Panasonic CR123 CR123A 3V Lithium Battery (6 Pack)
"
Bought 6 of these to use on 4 different WIFI Leak Detectors. Minutes after installing them I got a low battery alert from one of the detectors. I tested it on a voltmeter and got a 2.96 reading. 3 other batteries got similar readings. 2 batteries registered 3.25. Thus 2 of the 6 batteries appeared good."
There are so many reviews that say the whole box was bad, now admittedly you could reduce this risk by checking that the seller is Amazon and not a 3rd party, and some of the reviews may be down to bad devices (Trail cams etc), but still there is a risk of finding one or more bad cells or more in any box of new batteries. With Eneloops after a couple of charges you can be sure that the spare cells you are carrying in your EDC bag or BOB are good to go and reliable. Again not saying that NI-MH cells are more reliable that CR123 cells, but they are... just kidding, they can be, or at least offer some major advantages... depending on your point of view... kind of like when Luke was told that Darth Vader murdered his father.
In my dreams! But not real when I wake up.
If Gene says it cant be done, who am I to disagree?;-)
Please show me a runtime chart of ANY single AA light that is Regulated and is still producing 150 lumens after 1 hour on an AA cell.
Im a visual learner.
Pretend Im from Missouri.. Show Me.
here is what I found: (NOT regulated, and certainly NOT 150 lumens at the 1 hour mark, the light starts at 70 lumens and drops from there.. this is not a dream)
Missouri... LOL!
Well firstly that chart as you pointed out is for a 70 lumen light (which I loved to hate, two I had both flickered and drove me insane), and that runtime chart is using an alkaline, so can be expected even though Streamlight does list these Protac lights as digitally regulated or at least "Solid State power regulation provides maximum light output throughout battery life". Also the Protac 1AA was released in around May 2013 (replacing the 50 lumen model from a couple of years earlier), the "C4" (LOL) emitter has imporived since then, and now of course provides 150 lumens for 1 hour 20 mins on an alkaline, yes there is a drop after the intial voltage drop from the fresh cell, but as can be seen, you get excellent performance from a lithium, and no doubt flat regulation from an NiMH cell too.
More relevant runtime of the new model:
https://www.streamlight.com/docs/default-source/fact-sheet/279.pdf
I'll try to stay out of the conversation from now, I don't want to spend too much time on this vaporware light, I just thought that this would be a popular EDC light that would fill a niche that no other light fills (certainly I'd EDC and recommend it) and wanted to get the conversation started and see if Gene considers it.
