Sears Craftsman 4AA led light 1/2 price sale

Sears has a sale on this led light. I didn't buy one, I passed it up in the store.

It's probably a pretty good flood light, and has a unique shape with the 4AA cluster. I'm pretty sure it doesn't come with a xenon bulb.

It is a pretty good flood light, and a spot, for what it is. There's no xenon bulb. It has four led around the reflector, and an led in the center of the reflector. An optical magnification in the center of the lens creates a spot beam. The four leds around the reflector creates a flood. The switch permits "spot", "flood", or combination spot/flood. The price is well worth it in my opinion.

i bought 2 of them @ the 19.99 price. I love them. They have a tough rubber bezel and tail for all those drops.


If i didn't already own two i'd buy more (may even grab a few more anyway) lol

So is there a way to drop a bulb in the center?

I already had one, but thought I'd pick another up at that price. Our Sears didn't have any in stock, but they do have the replacement. I guess the sale price is a clearance. The new one has three leds, instead of four, around the reflector and a 1 watt in the center. They sell for $24.99.

Omega Man said:

So is there a way to drop a bulb in the center?

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Yes, the center LED is in a PR base, so you can just remove it and drop in any PR-based bulb. I've replaced the center LED with a 3-cell KPR103 bulb, which is pretty bright since it's overdriven. However, the only issue is that the lens has a magnifying "bubble" over the center LED position (that's how they get a spot beam with the center LED), which makes for an unusual beam pattern with the KPR bulb. If there was a way to replace the stock lens, it would make it a more useful light. But it seems pretty well constructed, pretty durable, and with the KPR bulb it makes a pretty nice, inexpensive, dual output incandescent/LED combo light. At the clearance price, buy a couple, load them up with NiMH AAs, and let the kids play with them!

beakman

What's the volt and amp rating on the center xenon lamp?

beakman said:

Yes, the center LED is in a PR base, so you can just remove it and drop in any PR-based bulb....

beakman

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Have you tried to install the PR-based LED you removed from the Sears 4AA into a different flashlight which has a 3 or 4 alkalines? If so, how did it perform?

I've already installed the PR-based Luxeon from the Sears 3AA ToolLight into a 3D Maglite and it peforms exceptionally well. Just wonder if the PR-based LED in the Sears 4AA is really just an ordinary 5 mm LED and whether it can be used better in a different carrier.

beakman said:

Yes, the center LED is in a PR base, so you can just remove it and drop in any PR-based bulb. I've replaced the center LED with a 3-cell KPR103 bulb, which is pretty bright since it's overdriven. However, the only issue is that the lens has a magnifying "bubble" over the center LED position (that's how they get a spot beam with the center LED), which makes for an unusual beam pattern with the KPR bulb. If there was a way to replace the stock lens, it would make it a more useful light. But it seems pretty well constructed, pretty durable, and with the KPR bulb it makes a pretty nice, inexpensive, dual output incandescent/LED combo light. At the clearance price, buy a couple, load them up with NiMH AAs, and let the kids play with them!

beakman

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Sounds good, Beakman. Your sig doesm't show a SL Twin Task to compare it to, is that right?

Handlobraesing said:

What's the volt and amp rating on the center xenon lamp?

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Actually, the KPR103 is a krypton bulb. Bulb spec ratings are 3.6V, 0.8A, and about 34 lumens. I've used the bulb with both 4 alkaline AAs and 4 NiMH AAs, and it seems to handle the voltage okay. I haven't instaflashed a bulb, but I haven't done a long runtime to see how long the bulb will last. 4 AA NiMH gives 4.8V, which is a 33% overdrive over spec, and 4 AA Alkaline gives 6V, which is a 66% overdrive over spec (not accounting for any voltage sag or resistance losses in switch, etc.). Using the bulb re-rating formula, 4 AA NiMH should result in about 93 bulb lumens, and 4 AA Alkaline should result in about 202 bulb lumens.

I'm not an expert in this by any means, but hope this helps.

beakman

parnass said:

Have you tried to install the PR-based LED you removed from the Sears 4AA into a different flashlight which has a 3 or 4 alkalines? If so, how did it perform?

I've already installed the PR-based Luxeon from the Sears 3AA ToolLight into a 3D Maglite and it peforms exceptionally well. Just wonder if the PR-based LED in the Sears 4AA is really just an ordinary 5 mm LED and whether it can be used better in a different carrier.

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I haven't tried the PR-based LED in another flashlight. It appears to be just a 5mm LED, with probably just a resistor to handle the voltage from 4 AAs. My guess is that it would perform similar to the old yellow Dorcy Waterproof LED Light. I have a couple of those, and they also have a PR-based 5mm LED in them that can be removed. While the PR-based LEDs from the two flashlights don't look exactly the same, there has been speculation that the various Sears LED lights are actually made by Dorcy. So I guess the 5mm PR-based LED would give a low level of light but a loooong runtime in a 4AA flashlight.

beakman

beakman said:

Actually, the KPR103 is a krypton bulb. Bulb spec ratings are 3.6V, 0.8A, and about 34 lumens. I've used the bulb with both 4 alkaline AAs and 4 NiMH AAs, and it seems to handle the voltage okay. I haven't instaflashed a bulb, but I haven't done a long runtime to see how long the bulb will last. 4 AA NiMH gives 4.8V, which is a 33% overdrive over spec, and 4 AA Alkaline gives 6V, which is a 66% overdrive over spec (not accounting for any voltage sag or resistance losses in switch, etc.). Using the bulb re-rating formula, 4 AA NiMH should result in about 93 bulb lumens, and 4 AA Alkaline should result in about 202 bulb lumens.

I'm not an expert in this by any means, but hope this helps.

beakman

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I was asking about the original lamp from factory.

Handlobraesing said:

I was asking about the original lamp from factory.

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Oh, sorry. Well, the original center lamp isn't a xenon, either. It is a 5mm LED in a PR base. So it's not very bright on 4 AAs, but the lens on the flashlight includes a special focusing lens over the center LED, in an attempt to give it some throw. So in its stock form, I don't really have much use for this flashlight, as the "spot" LED in the center isn't bright enough for me. I had bought it with the sole intention of replacing the center LED with a krypton bulb, so it would have the option of a bright central incandescent beam, or the soft flood of the 4 LEDs surrounding the center (i.e., a poor man's A2). Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, the focusing portion of the lens makes for an unusual beam pattern when used with the krypton bulb. If I could figure out a replacement lens, it would make it a more useful flashlight.

beakman

beakman said:

Oh, sorry. Well, the original center lamp isn't a xenon, either. It is a 5mm LED in a PR base. So it's not very bright on 4 AAs, but the lens on the flashlight includes a special focusing lens over the center LED, in an attempt to give it some throw. So in its stock form, I don't really have much use for this flashlight, as the "spot" LED in the center isn't bright enough for me. I had bought it with the sole intention of replacing the center LED with a krypton bulb, so it would have the option of a bright central incandescent beam, or the soft flood of the 4 LEDs surrounding the center (i.e., a poor man's A2). Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, the focusing portion of the lens makes for an unusual beam pattern when used with the krypton bulb. If I could figure out a replacement lens, it would make it a more useful flashlight.

beakman

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Weird. Sears Description says xenon.

Handlobraesing said:

Weird. Sears Description says xenon.

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I took a look at the description on the Sears webpage, and it says "5 super-brilliant LEDs....Bright bulb runs 25 times longer than standard Xenon flashlight." It's not written in the clearest way, but I think they mean that the LED runs 25 times longer than a xenon bulb. Either way, this flashlight definitely does have a single 5mm LED in the center, surrounded by 4 5mm LEDs. If my memory is correct, I believe the switching goes: 1 Center LED -> 4 Outer LEDs -> All 5 LEDs -> Off.

beakman

beakman said:

I took a look at the description on the Sears webpage, and it says "5 super-brilliant LEDs....Bright bulb runs 25 times longer than standard Xenon flashlight." It's not written in the clearest way, but I think they mean that the LED runs 25 times longer than a xenon bulb. Either way, this flashlight definitely does have a single 5mm LED in the center, surrounded by 4 5mm LEDs. If my memory is correct, I believe the switching goes: 1 Center LED -> 4 Outer LEDs -> All 5 LEDs -> Off.

beakman

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Look in product spec:

"
General Features:

Bulb Type

Xenon

"

Handlobraesing said:

Look in product spec:

"
General Features:

Bulb Type

Xenon

"

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Hmmm, you're right! Well, I can only surmise that this is a typo on the Sears website, as to my knowledge, Sears does not make a combo Xenon/LED flashlight that looks like this. I think I still have the paperwork that came with mine at home. I'll try and find it to confirm the model number on the 5 LED light.

beakman

Omega Man said:

Sounds good, Beakman. Your sig doesm't show a SL Twin Task to compare it to, is that right?

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Actually, I do have a TwinTask 2L, but have never directly compared the two. The TwinTask should have much better beam quality, especially compared to the artifacts from the focusing lens in the Sears light. According to flashlightreviews.com, the TwinTask xenon bulb puts out about 3500 output units, or roughly 50 lumens. If you use the bulb rerating formula, the KPR103 bulb puts out about 93 bulb lumens on 4AA NiMH batteries, and if you assume a 35% loss from the reflector/lens/etc., this comes out to about 60 torch lumens out the front.

I'd say the TwinTask is a nicer quality, but more expensive light, which has the benefit of using lithium batteries, so it's better to throw in a glove compartment for long term use. It also has a smaller form factor, better for tossing in a coat pocket. But at the clearance price, with the cost of a couple of KPR103 bulbs (2-pack for under $2), the Sears light is a nice inexpensive alternative for around the house, and can use rechargeable NiMH batteries. Good choice to give to the kids, too, with the rubber head & tail for the inevitable drops. I just wish I could replace the focusing lens with a plain lens!

beakman

So does the lense really just destroy the Krypton? I have the TT2L, and the River Rock combination. For $12, getting the Sears light and bulbs would be as much as the RR combo was. Plus it's running on 4AA compared to the RR's 3AAA. I wonder what the runtime would be compared the TT or RR combos.
Probably worth picking up.