Updated opinions on AAA lights please

[Crenshaw]

Hi, i have been reading dozens of things everywhere, i would just like an updated opinion, 'cos the stuff i have been reading is slightly outdated..

thanks

Crenshaw

 

[Marduke]

Use the search function for "AAA" and several dozen relevant threads come up.




NVM, wasn't a poll when I posted.

 

[Crenshaw]

Whoa, slow down, its a poll..

Crenshaw

 

[Illumination]

Why not Arc AAA Premium? Depending on what you want to use this light for, this may be the best one out there. It gets my vote (and I have the Fenix L0D CE).

 

[Marduke]

Whoa, slow down, its a poll..

Crenshaw

Ok, but you're missing a LOT of the great ones.

What about:
LOD-CE Q4
E1
E0
Arc DS
Several Peak lights
Mag Solitaire, either modded or stock (a surprising number of people still are using one here)
UF 602C
KD SSC Buckle light

The list goes on...

 

[Alan B]

I noticed that Fenix has a Season Special L0D Q4 Red that is rated at 75 lumens.

https://www.fenix-store.com/product...d=370&osCsid=f23dc83fb4da24ef86c8286cb8da370a

-- Alan B

 

[Crenshaw]

Alan, yes i saw that, but i dont really fancy having a red edc..

Illumination, because i cant justify the $10 for the extra 4 lumens, and also because shipping is expensive, and the extra 10$ pushes the Arc-AAA premium (meaning the 9lumen one) out of the price range i want to keep, ie, i would rather pay that money for the loads more lumens in the jetbeam..

Marduke,
the ultrafire 602c that i handled is very underpowerd compared to even the spilly beam of the ultrafire, E1 and E0 are not as powerful as i would like, yes the ARC is only 5.5 lm, but seeing as tonnes of people have put it through everything, and it still survives..
and i have never gotten anything from KD before , shall go take a look now.....same with peak lights..
and whats the Arc Ds? i dont see it on the site...is it a discontinued model? because pretty much all thats on the arc site is the arc aaa, aaa uv, and ls

Crenshaw

 

[GBone]

Love my L0D P4, rides in my pocket as my #2 light almost everyday!

Love it so much I just ordered the red L0D Q4 (I must really really love it if I have to carry a red light with snowflakes and bells on it :wow!

 

[Marduke]

Alan, yes i saw that, but i dont really fancy having a red edc..

Illumination, because i cant justify the $10 for the extra 4 lumens, and also because shipping is expensive, and the extra 10$ pushes the Arc-AAA premium (meaning the 9lumen one) out of the price range i want to keep.

Marduke,
the ultrafire 602c that i handled is very underpowerd compared to even the spilly beam of the ultrafire, E1 and E0 are not as powerful as i would like, yes the ARC is only 5.5 lm, but seeing as tonnes of people have put it through everything, and it still survives..
and i have never gotten anything from KD before , shall go take a look now.....same with peak lights..
and whats the Arc Ds? i dont see it on the site...is it a discontinued model? because pretty much all thats on the arc site is the arc aaa, aaa uv, and ls

Crenshaw

The Arc DS is the new +P model that is 10 lumens. I am referring primarily to the 602C SSC, not the generic 1watt one. On 10440's, I hear it's quite respectable. Keep in mind that the E0 is brighter on average and has a longer runtime than the Arc standard, and the current version E0's head is potted with epoxy and I haven't heard of any issues with the potted ones, only the old unpotted ones. Add a pocket clip and you get them for less than $24 shipped. I am debating running my new LOD Q4 on 10440's also, since it should then put out ~140+ lumens.

 

[Crenshaw]

GBone,i respect you for loving that ligh so much you would carry it with the x-mas-y stuff

Marduke,
I dont really like the big heads on the peaks AAA series, the TI looks really nice, but way out of my price range
i will go look into the newer 602c, and seeing as dx is my fav place to shop so far.....
and never really checked out the E series properly, i should....
OMG, that buckle light looks nice.....100+ lm? is that real?

Crenshaw

 

[nerdgineer]

If I were going to use AAA alkalines only, I'd go for some low drain, efficient light designed for alks like the Arc AAA, Fenix E0 or Fenix E1. Of those 3, I prefer the E1 because it's brighter, has dead flat regulation with all battery types, has an actual reflector (metal), has AR glass over the reflector, has the better designed Fenix type twisty, is of minimal size, and has HA. It also costs less. Perfect light for me would be a Fenix E1 type with an Arc type lug body.

 

[Alan B]

A layer of Black Heatshrink over the Red L0D P4 will improve its looks and protect it from the rest of the pocket stuff.

-- Alan

 

[PhantomPhoton]

By far my favorite is Liteflux 2 SSC version. It is a great light, the only drawback being that it takes a bit of practice to program it. But once you set it how you like it, nothing else can compare at the moment.

 

[LEDninja]

If U are using ALKALINES I would suggest staying away from the higer powered lights like the L0D and Jetbeam.
chevrofreak's runtime charts show L0D CE on high
Lithium - 1 hour 22 minutes
NiMH - 58 minutes
Alkaline - 17 minutes
An alkaline just cannot keep up with the demand. On low however
Lithium - 9 hour 5 minutes
NiMH - 6 hour 23 minutes
Alkaline - 5 hour 50 minutes
alkalines work almost as well as NiMH.

My recommendation would be to look at the lower powered lights:
Fenix E0, E1
Arc AAA
Peak Matterhorn / Baltic (no brighter than HO power level)

U can buy the multilevel powerful lights such as the L0D or Jetbeam if you can limit yourself to only using low and medium. (It is harder than U think)

Stay away from the single stage power lights such as the Ultrafire 602C.

 

[PAB]

I've had the red L0D Q4 on my key chain since Friday. The fact that is it red lets it match the red swiss army knife I have on my key chain. Looks very Christmasy. And it is Very bright for it's size. Think I'll have to get more for Christmas presents.

 

[half-watt]

L0D-Q5 has recently replaced the L0D-RB80 in my particular case, but i voted for the Rebel for the purposes of the Poll.

 

[22hornet]

Provided I may only use alkalines in a 1AAA light:

Something that is well regulated with an alkaline cell:

ARC AAA turquoise
Streamlight Microstream
Maglite Solitaire with MJLED

NiMH cells would provide me with more options like a L0D-CE and stuff like that.

Kind regards,
Joris

 

[Crenshaw]

Eventually i will probably buy all these at some point, and i think AAAs are common enough that it shouldnt be a problem. I still have my photonlight as an ultimate back up.

half watt,
the Rebel is still on the site isnt it? i just checked it.

erm anyone has a link for the MJ led thingy?

Crenshaw

 

[Marduke]

L0D-Q5 has recently replaced the L0D-RB80 in my particular case, but i voted for the Rebel for the purposes of the Poll.

You mean the LOD-Q4, right? Q5 has too high of a Vf to be much brighter on the existing circuitry, unless you hand pick a Q5 with a low Vf

 

[Thujone]

Liteflux LF2 for me...