Quickie look at ultra cheap AAA LED clickie light

[nerdgineer]

I saw this at DX and got one to try. I found it quite surprising.

First the bad news: it is NOT bright. It's output (and color and beam pattern) is pretty close to that of the first generation 5 mm lights, e.g. Arc AAA, Dorcy 1AAA, etc.) - about 3 lumens, a little blue, and with a wide flood with muted center hotspot.

The good news: it has really good build quality for it's price (more on that later). It has a positive, rubber sheathed clickie, is nicely threaded front and back has a good finish, clean lens/reflector, and on. Amazing. The clickie is stiff so it won't come on by accident and the head and tail leak no air when sucked. It has no O rings but does have grooves for them and I believe this light will be dunkable after i put some O rings in. Overall, it seems to be quite robust.

While 4 bucks is cheap, I notice that Kai sells these for $11.75 for a 5 PACK or like $2.40 each. Just unbefrickinglievable! So I've got a 5 pack coming from Kai - I mean why not?

In use, I've found it quite handy. Easy to hold and click. As we used to say in the old days (4 years ago?), 3 lumens is more than enough if you're actually in the dark, and this thing does that job just fine...

 

[Lobo]

I also checked that light out when they added it to the list. I absolutely love the look of it, but as you said, in these days we're spoiled with output from the newer LEDs. No guesstimation about runtime?

 

[loving light]

Hi,everyone I do not want to hijack this thred,but I found out somethig interesting about this light,I took of the clicky and tried it on the kd buckle light and it fit without the battery being in it,the spring needs to be cut and I am worried that it wouldn't work in the original light again

 

[sino]

Looks like a promising light indeed. I had to laugh at the beam shots on both DX and KD websites. You say this light isn't bright, but the beam shots on those pages make it look truly amazing.

 

[Crenshaw]

I actually really like this light. Thanks for the link to KD, i shall be buying a 5 pack too..

Makes a great give away light..bright enough, enough only.

Clicky is abit tough to click though..

It seems alot like the AAA streamlight...any idea if the clicky will fit an LOD? i sold my LOD, waiting for new one..

Crenshaw

 

[Sinjz]

I believe those are two different lights. One uses a 1W LED, the 5 pack uses "common LED bulb" (I'm guessing 5mm?).

Please let us know what you think when you get them. I'm looking for some decent super cheap 1AAA lights.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=187983

 

[Randy555]

I received my order from Kai and first impession is quite good especially with the different body colors. I loaded all 5 lights with a new energizer industrial AAA cell and check its beam pattern on a white wall.

I got a little variation in color, three has a warm white, one really warm and one white. compared the output with my RR 2xAAA and and this cheap AAA has a better beam profile and almost the same output,
the hot spot like the image at DX is more solid than my RR 2xAAA light but with less throw. BTW Dx image must have been taken about a foot away from a wall with slow shutter speed.

Now compared it with my LOD Q4 on low, this light has a bit wider but less side spill , the LOD Q4 on low has a brighter spill and a solid hot spot, but output is not too far from each other using ceiling bounce. The hot spot on this 1AAA light has a white center and bit warmer on the edge but no bluish white tint like the RR 2xAAA, the LOD q4 has a nice even warm tint all around its beam.

This light will be very useful for indoor and close up work, it can clip on a baseball cap and work like a headlight. For the price this is a great deal IMO.

Randy:twothumbs

 

[nerdgineer]

I believe those are two different lights. One uses a 1W LED, the 5 pack uses "common LED bulb" (I'm guessing 5mm?).

Judging from the pictures of the front of the light on Kai's site, it is the same as the DX light.

 

[Randy555]

Hi nerdgineer,

It looks the same as the led on this 30 led headlamp I got from DX. ihttp://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8832

 

[The_LED_Museum]

I just purchased one - for CPF sakes of course.

 

[Mr. Shawn]

Nerdgineer,

Do you have any idea if that clip might fit a P3D or similar CR123A light? I imagine the clip would need a little coaxing to fit.


In the flow,
Mr. Shawn

 

[Mr_Light]

I got my 5-pack from Kai. Significant variation in brightness from one light to another. Seem about as bright as .5 watt River AAA Rock lights. Threads are kind of loose and shallow (glad these are clickies rather than twisties). Not the greatest quality, but.... for under $2.50 delivered it's one of the best values around.

 

[nerdgineer]

...Do you have any idea if that clip might fit a P3D or similar CR123A light? I imagine the clip would need a little coaxing to fit...

No way. It's a pen sized clip - might fit onto an AAA light like a Peak or Arc or maybe a Fenix, but nothing bigger.

...Threads are kind of loose and shallow (glad these are clickies rather than twisties)...

Threads on my one are actually pretty tight. I'll see when the others arrive. Maybe there are Monday and Friday ones out there.

BTW, I notice that the brightness varies as I unscrew the tailcap, suggesting I should try to improve the contact surface. I'll see if a wire loop tossed into the tail cap (and sanding down the end of the body to clean the anodization off) can make it a little brighter.

...It looks the same as the led on this 30 led headlamp I got from DX. ihttp://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8832

Yep, sure does. BTW, how do you like that headlamp? Good runtime?

 

[Randy555]

Nerdgineer,

I like the headlight a lot, very bright on high and low mode is bright enough for inside the house. I usually test my headlights performing simple task in the dark and this light passed, it produces a beam of white flood with a bit of throw and very easy on the eyes. Btw I can't fit any of my rechargeables, only alkalines but I think a little bit of sanding on the inside walls will do the trick. I haven't done any runtime but I have over an hour on a set of 3 new energizer AA and have not notice any decline in output, so I am guessing it has decent runtimes. I dont know how to measure current coz the battery holder has +/- on the top and it goes inside first. Overall I like it better than my other 5mm multi led headlight.

 

[nerdgineer]

Thanks for the info, Randy.

On another note....DANG....I just got my money refunded from Kaidomain. It looks like they're out of stock.

Oh well, just have to wait, I guess....:shakehead

 

[nerdgineer]

Kai at least shows the 5 packs as being back in stock, now...

 

[f22shift]

modable?

 

[Monocrom]

Are the clips well-made?

I might get a few, just for the clips.

 

[rolling]

After some fiddeling with the inner spring the body fits my L0D-CE Q5 .
Works well but the switch is a bit hard to press.

 

[Jumi]

I also first ordered 5-pack from Kai but got refund instead.

Then ordered 2-pack from Dealextreme.

Mine are bluish and I modded other with old XRE-P4, I used original reflector sanded down. It's not much brighter but warmer color was preferred for my GFs worklamp.

Next goal is to make switch easier to click.

Anyone opened switch yet?

Juha