need a small LED recommendation

[jls]

I need recommendations for a light that meets the following criteria:

1) 2-3 times brighter than a Photon II
2) reasonably bright for at least 8 hours on fresh batteries
3) as small and light as possible

Thanks!

 

[Negeltu]

I just bought a dorcy AA 3 led light at target for $7.99. I am very pleased with how bright it is. I go on walks with it at night and it is more than adequate. Type II anodized.

 

[eebowler]

Welcome to the CPF jls! It is good to have you here. I hope you enjoy your time with us. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I would suggest an Opalec NewBeam module. It is a regulated, 3LED (5mm) replacement bulb for your minimag flashlight. It provides constant light output for 10 hrs on two alkaline AA cells.

 

[Flying Turtle]

You might want to check out the Eternalight Derringer. Though it is an unusual shape, its total volume is probably no more than a Dorcy AA and it may be lighter and brighter. It definitely has a wider flood. Of course, you could get two Dorcys for the same price.

 

[jayflash]

Hello, jls, and welcome to our madness. As eebowler said: Enjoy your stay, have fun and contribute often.

I've got a 2AA/4LED version of the Dorcy that Negeltu mentioned. It's not as bright as an Inova X5T but bright enough for walking and other close tasks. It draws about 350mA, so a pair of 2300mA NiMH cells might get you close to eight hours of RT. The Opalec, that eebowler mentioned, is a good use for an old MiniM^g body. You should get plenty of other ideas too. CYL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

 

[Negeltu]

I was going to get the 4 led v., but decided that it was probably not THAT much brighter with one extra led. You will probably get longer runtime. I'm still on the AA cell that came with the light. I wanted the dorcy 8 led 2C but couldn't afford it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[idleprocess]

I much prefer the output from my Dorcy 2xAA to my 1xAA - although the 2xAA isn't easily pocketable.

 

[paulr]

CMG Trio, $20 at batterystation.com. Uses two AA's and three LED's.

 

[jls]

I was looking for something a little smaller than 2xAA. Right now I'm leaning toward the Black Diamond Ion headlamp. Is there anything else in the 1xAA or AAA format that has a plastic body?

 

[PhotonBoy]

2AAA UK eLED

There's the 2AAA UK eLED from Underwater Kinetics. Only $11.95 from pocketlights.com. It's regulated too.

 

[jls]

That UK light looks like what I want. How does the brightness compare to a Photon II? I will probably order one regardless

 

[greenLED]

Keep in mind that the Photon II and other coin-cell lights are very bright, but only for a few minutes, then they dim. I think they have less than an 8hr runtime.

So, what exactly are you going to use this light for? It would help people narrow down their recommendations.

I'm liking the Infinity Ultra. Single AA, decent brightness, long runtime. I got mine from Countycomm (they have a CPF "specials" page).

 

[jls]

This will be an "emergency" light to leave permanently in my pack for hiking and running. If I have any expectation of being out after dark, I'll bring a headlamp. It needs to be small enough that I won't be tempted to leave it behind--for me, that means very small.

I've used the Photon lights before when caught out unexpectedly and they work well, but could be a tad brighter.

 

[paulr]

The UKE 2AAA is a nice light with about 20 hours runtime and more throw than a Photon because of its focusing lens, but its total brightness is about the same as a Photon (single 5mm LED). The 2AAA's big brother is the UKE 4AA eLED, which uses a Luxeon at around 250 mA and runs for 12+ hours on four AA's. It's regulated and is highly regarded here on CPF. But it's a much bigger light, not really suitable for EDC for most people.

There is also an incandescent (xenon) version of the UKE 2AAA which is a little cheaper and a lot brighter, but runtime is only 1-2 hours. The Princeton Tec Blast is comparable to the UKE 2AAA Xenon but a little nicer in my opinion.

Photon-style lights are good for several hours, though they do get dimmer over that period. The dimming is usually not a big problem. If it's really dark, a little bit of light goes a long way.

Maybe you want to rethink those runtime and brightness requirements. The UKE 2AAA is bright enough for most emergencies in which a 3-led light is bright enough. And what kind of emergency do you expect needing 8 hours of runtime? That rules out the Arc AAA, one of the favorite lights on CPF, but which runs for more like 6 hours. If you're stuck after dark someplace, do you really expect to need light all night? Just stay put and try to get some sleep til morning.

You might consider the Princeton Tec Aurora headlamp at around 3 ounces. It uses three AAA's and three 5mm LED's, and should run for well over 10 hours even in high brightness mode. It also has lower brightness modes, and flashing modes which could be good for signalling/location.

 

[Kiessling]

What about the Opalec module (it is soooo cool) on 1x123?
Will give you about 5h regulated and some more with declining brightness IIRC, and it is quite small if you can find the right host, for example a SF E1e.

on the right side is an Opalec in SF E-Series head on SF-Arc-adaptor with Arc twisty. Unfortunately this twisty is not available, but you get the idea ...

bernhard

 

[paulr]

UKE 2L with the eLED Luxeon head is another good possibility. I forgot to mention that earlier. It should be about 5x brighter than a Photon and run for about 8 hours on two 123's. Weight would be about 2.5 ounces, a little bit heavier than a CMG Ultra but quite a bit bulkier (maybe 2x the volume).

And oh yes, if you're considering expensive lights like those Surefire mods, don't forget the Arc4+. 16 brightness levels, comparable to a Surefire E2O at level 1 and something like 100 runtime hours at level 16. 3x Photon brightness would be maybe level 8 or so, and you should get over 8 hours at that level.

 

[Lurker]

I would recommend the Dorcy 1 LED 1 AAA flashlight with 1 spare battery. That will get you to 8 hours and it's one of the brightest single 5mm LED lights and it is also cheap and very portable. It probably is 2 to 3 times brighter than a Photon if you are talking about a photon that has been running for a while. And a single spare AAA battery is very small to tuck into a pack. Something like the Infinity Ultra would also be a good choice.

 

[paulr]

Also: Tekna Splashlight LED, $20 from www.batterystation.com . Probably comparable in brightness to the Dorcy and should run around 8 hours on 1xCR123. Weighs somewhat less than an Ultra. Note the Dorcy is maybe 1.5x as bright as an Ultra, not 3x as bright.

 

[jls]

I already have several small headlamps and carry them if I think I might be caught out. Those Surefire lights are incredibly cool, but out of my price range for this project. I think it will be one of the UK lights or the Black Diamond Ion.

 

[Stanley]

Agreed on the Tekna Splashlight LED, I have a couple of them, and they are way brighter than an Infinity Ultra, runtime of about 7-8 hours as Paul has mentioned. Great also for draining those used 123s. It is however, thicker in girth, and if you're looking for something thats slimmer, then the Infinity Ultra/G or Arc AA/AAA is good, but I don't think its brighter than a Photon. But it makes up for the brightness in runtime though...

BTW, the 20hrs runtime on the UKE 2AAA eLed, is that advertised numbers, or has someone actually tried a runtime for it? I checked Roy's plots, but he didn't have one plotted there...