Will the madness ever end?!?

The_LED_Museum

*Retired*
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Messages
19,414
Location
Federal Way WA. USA
While looking for a replacement Mini-Mag 2-AA (for testing the new tailcap accessory that showed up the other day), I found the Energizer Double Barrel 4-AA on sale at Office Depot for $7.99. They also had NeoGlow keychain lights (new design) in red & blue for $3 and change. So of course I had to have them. The LED in the blue NeoGlow is the deepest blue I've seen in a pre-made flashlight. Really nice color. I didn't buy a red one, though I should go back and get one before they're gone.

Yesterday, I got the Eddie Baeur Mini Opto and Micro Opto lights, and the day before that I got that "Flashlight Tuner" for the mini-mag. A couple of days before that, I got three UV keychains and two bare UV LEDs, and a day or so before that I got a bag of "ultra-" LEDs from Wilycon.

And people ask why it's taking so long for me to put a new LED or flashlight up on my website.
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WILL THE MADNESS EVER END?!?

P.S.
Never did find anybody who sells the Mini Mag in downtown Seattle. Guess I'll have to keep looking for the one I have until it turns up.
 
Not want to just send you another light, but are you looking for the 2AA or 2AAA mini mag? I have a couple of the 2AAA ones, but I don't know about the 2AA
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TTS:
Craig AA or AAA and color choice.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Let me keep looking at least for a couple more nights. I know it didn't just grow legs and walk away. I bet it's in a box of flashlights somewhere. If it still hasn't turned up though, I'll leave you a message.
Thanks!
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It's an AA Mini-Mag. Need to test & eval. the "Flashlight Tuner" tailcap LED thingie I got in the mail a few days ago. If I need to take you up on your offer, silver would be my first color choice, as it would then match the Flashlight Tuner. Purple, red, blue, and black would be alternates, in that order.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I found the Energizer Double Barrel 4-AA on sale at Office Depot for $7.99<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK this isn't fair... I've been looking for that light forever!!! Energizer Australia initially told me they had some and sent me on an insane wild goose chase.

It turns out (after searching across town) that the 4AA is long gone in Australia and the Energizer customer service rep got it confused with the 4xAAAA version! Grrr
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There are still several 6 and 8AA double barrels in Australia. Care for a swap?!
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Anyway, I saw the 2AA Minimag and Solitaire on sale and I before I knew it, I was handing money over to the nice Kmart lady. I don't even have any use for them! I just had to have a "brand-name" flashlight.

The Solitaire is much brighter than I thought it would be. If the Arc LE is just as bright I may have to get myself one.

Overall I gotta admit these two lights are pretty disappointing. Firstly the beam is absolutely appalling. The Solitaire isn't too bad but no matter why I do, I can't get the Minimag to a tight circular spot. My $1.75 fake-Minimag has a better beam and my cheaper Energizer 6AA DB is better-than-perfect in comparison!

Also the finish is easily scratched. The Minimag tailcap got scratched by the torch being placed in candle mode. A black marker did a reasonable job of hiding it but it shouldn't have happened at all.

Finally why is the Solitaire so much harder to focus? The Minimag can be turned on and focused in half a turn while it takes a full rotation with the Solitaire?

You'd think with the amount of money Maglight are making they would invest it in R&D to improve their products. Oh well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Someguy:
OK this isn't fair... I've been looking for that light forever!!!

There are still several 6 and 8AA double barrels in Australia. Care for a swap?!
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<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Let me make another trip to the store (it won't be before 10:00am because I don't want to miss Digimon)
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, and if they have any more 4-AA Double Barrels, I'll be happy to make a trade. These come with a not too bad looking folding mini-multi-tool thingie rivited to the package as a bonus. Looks like it has pliers and two screwdrivers. I haven't opened the package yet (pictures need to be taken first) so it's still 100% new.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Someguy:
OK this isn't fair... I've been looking for that light forever!!! Energizer Australia initially told me they had some and sent me on an insane wild goose chase.

There are still several 6 and 8AA double barrels in Australia. Care for a swap?!
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<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just came back from the Office Depot a few minutes ago, and urine luck!
(there goes my potty humor again!)
They had just one left, and somebody else was beginning to reach for the basket. But I zoomed by on my Rascal scooter at full throttle and snagged it on the fly, almost nocking over a stand-up display full of copier toner bottles, light bulbs, ink wells, lamp oil bottles, and other things that could make a mess.
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"CLEANUP AT REGISTER TWO PLEASE!!"

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This brand new Double Barrel 4-AA flashlight now has your name on it. The "multi tool" it came with is beefier than it looks in the photo, and may actually be useful. So you'll get a little bonus with the flashlight.
E-mail me so we can swap shipping addresses.
I'd like the 8-AA version if you can still get one.
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I ran over to Office Depot and picked up one of these.It seems really well made for 7.99,but it isn't very bright.I expected it to smoke my UKE 2AAA,but I don't think it is brighter,and it had a much worse beam.What gives?It has more than twice the batteries.
troy
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TTS:
Craig AA or AAA and color choice.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I found a Mini-Mag.
Not the one that apparently grew legs and crawled down the drain, but I did find them at Freddys just east of Seattle for a decent price. I can't ask you to jump in when the loss of the Mini-Mag was clearly the result of my own negligence or perhaps forgetfullness. And now that I've purchased a replacement, you can surely bet that my original will turn up when I least expect. It always happens that way.
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Wow thanks! I was actually j/k around but why not? Time for a new torch!
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Sorry to be a pain but what was the colour of your other DB? I was actually looking for the silver model but I'm not too fussy.

I've seen a couple of 8AA DBs at a couple of Bunnings hardware stores for around US$19. I'll pick up one on Monday.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>but it isn't very bright<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I actually wanted the 4xAA DB for its run-time, not its brightness (the 4AAA version is just as bright as the 4AA). Its also the perfect size.

At around 20 lumens its definately bright enough for most applications but because its only drawing about 280mA from the batteries it should run for 6-7 hours CONTINOUSLY. All my other AA alkaline incandescents will only run around 3 hours continously.

Actually did you know the DB can run with only 1 barrel loaded (ie. with only 2 batteries). It uses the other barrel (if loaded) to increase the run time (around 200-300%) by running both barrels in parallel.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Not to be a pain, but I've seen double barrel's for sale on www.cheapbatteries.com as well.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think so. Unless they actually have leftover stock, the 6 and 8AA DB have been discontinued in the US for quite a long time. Energizer US only stocks the 4AA and 4AAA while Energizer Australia is selling the 4AAA, 6AA and 8AA (but NOT the 4AA).
 
Thanks-I was wondering what the runtime would be.My son and I took the light out walking in the woods tonight,and it worked great for him.He was using my LX because it was small enough for him to handle-he's four years old,and carrying the D cell maglight was killing him
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Buying the lithium batteries was killing me.Now he's got a pretty nice light that will run cheaply.
thanks for the tip Craig,
troy
 
Yeah I saw the 4AA at Botach and they were really prompt in answering my e-mails. I would have bought it from them until they told me the shipping cost... "around $40-50"

Thats right! $40 shipping for a $8.75 torch. They won't ship using the USPS which would have been a lot cheaper. Instead they only use UPS.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Troy Webber:
and it worked great for him.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Which worked great? The LX, DB, Mag or UKE?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Someguy:
Wow thanks! I was actually j/k around but why not? Time for a new torch!
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Sorry to be a pain but what was the colour of your other DB? I was actually looking for the silver model but I'm not too fussy.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The only two I saw (bought) were both the metallic candy apple red color. The sign by the display indicated all were this color so I wouldn't have had a choice even if I got there earlier. So you can have the red one, or the red one.
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What's "j/k" anyway? A cuss word?
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I meant the DB.The store by me had them in silver,blue and red.If I would have had more cash,I would have bought a couple more of the silver.The little multitool that came with it is o.k. too.It looks like a knockoff of the Sebertech keychain multitools.It is a pretty nice freebie.
troy
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The LED Museum:
The only two I saw (bought) were both the metallic candy apple red color. The sign by the display indicated all were this color so I wouldn't have had a choice even if I got there earlier. So you can have the red one, or the red one.
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What's "j/k" anyway? A cuss word?
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<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was in one of our local Office Depots today, and they had red, blue, silver and orange. I didn't buy one because I already have two of the 4AAA, a 4AA, a 6AA and two 8AA. Incidentally, have you any idea who sells the replacement lamps. I can find lamps for the AAA, but not the others.
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Troy Webber:
I ran over to Office Depot and picked up one of these.It seems really well made for 7.99,but it isn't very bright.I expected it to smoke my UKE 2AAA,but I don't think it is brighter,and it had a much worse beam.What gives?It has more than twice the batteries.
troy
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You've either got an exceptional UKE 2AAA, or a defective DB 4AA.
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No the DB isn't defective,it was the batteries.I purchased some 8 packs of Panasonic Heavy Duty AA batteries at a Menard's harware store.They were $1 a pack with a $1 mail -in rebate.I guess you get what you pay for sometimes.I removed those,and put some Duracells in it and it is brighter than my 2 AAA by a fair margin.The light was really yellow before,it is much whiter now.I also took the Wrightright film off of the 2AAA UKE and its beam is even worse off than the DB.
 
j/k = joking.

Craig, is it possible to throw in another small cheap torch, I dunno, a Brinkmann Rebel or something? Swapping a $8 torch with a $19 torch seems a little weird.

Also if anyone else wants a 8AA or 6AA DB (apparently good for mods), I will swap 2x 4AA DBs. One in silver and another in whatever colour. I can get the two torches for around $15 and $18 respectively. Good torches to keep around the house. I seems like I'm more picky than I thought :p

BTW the 4AAA uses the same bulb as the 4AA, or so says the documentation. Look up Energizer's US or Asia-Pacific site for more info.
 
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