3AAA side by side LED lights?

Am I the only one who finds the form of the barrage of 3AAA 1 Watt LED lights disgusting? Not only do I find AAA batterys repulsive, but anything with 3 - 1.5 volt batterys immediately implies poor regulation to me - unless I have proof otherwise. Simply repulsive form factor. I think I am going to puke just thinking about having to look at a couple dozen new versions trying to find a decent light. Thanks for listening.

They are cheap and small... runtime suffers greatly and probably gives
LED based luxeon lights a worse reputation due to expense vs cheap
2-3D incans costing a fraction as much.
I think the major reason is they are the cheapest and possibly most profitable
entry level higher output LED lights that brick and mortar places can sell.
You cannot yet buy a luxeon AA light for even near $20 in a store yet but
there are a lot of 3AAA based luxeon lights out there in that price area.

What truly turns me off is the runtime/brightness ratio of them.
I am still waiting for a 3AA based cheap luxeon light around $20 to hit the stores...

It might not be my first choice, but hardly disgusting to the pucking stage.

But, in a situation like Katrina, AAA batteries are going to be a hell of a lot easier to find than CR123s for the normal person, so I can definitly see a place for them, not everyone is a fhashaholic with stores of 123s to access...

Plus the lights are cheap and one could stock up on half a dozen or so to provide for family member which we all know do not always provide for themselves and not worry overmuch about gettng them back.

Lee,

AAA are much harder to come by and not nearly as affective as the extremely common AA. In a Katrina type situation, having a flashlight that uses a real common battery is one of the most important factors. Having a decent burn time is also extremely important. The AAA provides neither.

Lots of LED lights that use AA. I'm not positive, but AA and D are probably the most commonly used batteries with perhaps AA taking the lead. I certainly agree with you on the disadvantages of the C123 - but hy compare the AAA to the C123? Not really relavent IMHO. The AAA should be compared to the AA or others. Not counting the more readily available AA rechargables and lithiums !

IMO, the AAA flashlights are only a consideration if dimunitive size is the primary focus/objective. As an example, I like the DORCY 1-AAA to give to the ladies. For myself, I still prefer the longer run time my 1-AA Ultra G or similar gives me.

And YES, not be argumentative, but the side by side 3 AAA form factor "is" disgusting enough to induce involuntary puking.

Of course you can take all this with a grain of salt and a wink

Is it ideal? No. But it's the config of choice if you're attempting to manufacture the cheapest possible design that would use the least materials and still light an LED(s).
That's why you see it as the dominant <$20 LED config coming from the far east.
AAA are not popular here in the west. But the side/side offers a reasonably small diameter barrel and short length.
Although I find the 3 cells a PITA, the form factor is very comfortable if you have small hands and it does allow the light to get into very tight spots like engine bays, and under the dashboard. It does better than a standard 2-3D Mag, and 2AA tube flashlights in tight spots.
I was an early adoptor when I first got one with 3 5mm LEDs. I thought how much better it was than a MiniMag. It got modded with a 1W Luxeonstar and Fraen LP collimator. I power it with 850mAh NiMHs through a 1 ohm resistor, and it yields a lot of light for 1 hour and tapers off. For most jobs, that's plenty, and it survives a beating....rolled off a rooftop, dropped on concrete, and ceramic tile, dunked, thrown, and hasn't failed in 3 years. The KISS principle applies well here. A PCB would likely have been damaged. I don't think a L1P would still be shining if exposed to what I put mine through.

And the reason I would put mine through such conditions is that it's expendable compared to more expensive lights in my collection. Afterall, you don't wear a tuxedo to go clean out a barn (I hope)

These lights are now cheap as dirt, and some are decently made with very bright 5mm LEDs. And for a little more, a genuine 1W Luxeon can be had, like the Lowes' offering with a very stout body.
I have several 3AAA LEDs that I hand out as loaners. To the average person who couldn't give a hoot about flashlights, they still impress, and the size and price is favorable. And if they become like me, may start down the road to flashaholism.

My favorite is a 2AA, and I have several end-to-end models, the most $$ being my XM-3. But I find them too long. A side-by-side 2AA with regulation and 1W Luxeon in a Zippo lighter style would be a nice EDC.
But this gets away from KISS design.

That is indeed part of my point, AAs are much more prevelent for all uses (radios, toys, smaller vibrators, all electronics) than AAAs and therefore they would be harder to find also, I used 123s because like AAA they are not as widely used as AAs, perhaps I was a tad too oblique in my meaning. Therefore, cheap AAA lights in emergency one may actually more likely to find batteries for than AAs (since EVERYONE wants them) or CR123s (since few want them andthey are harder to find, relatively). So, in some locations AAAs might actually be preferable in some ways. I just look at the lights like short stubby D cell lights in look .

Side by Side 2AAA

I've found a side by side 2AAA LED light; I thought these did not exist...
(Side by side is SOOO much better for pocket carry; I don't know why more arn't made)


http://www.osram.com/products/luminaires/torches/led_2.html

Too bad the button is on the top; It would have been much better with it on the 'flat' side.

I have to put my two bits in on the subject of what type of batteries are available after a hurricane. The first to leave the shelves are the D and C batteries. After Katrina, practically all the stores in Mobile were out of D and C's but I could buy all the AA and AAA's I wanted. Also, off topic but critical, an old fashion telephone set that works without house current is also nice to have.

Lynx Arc said:
You cannot yet buy a luxeon AA light for even near $20 in a store yet but
there are a lot of 3AAA based luxeon lights out there in that price area.


Actually, I think people have forgotten about the Inova Radiant 2AA 1W Luxeon at Target, which is $20.

Yes, there was originally a "doughnut" problem, but the recent ones don't have that problem (see Flashlight Reviews). I have three; all have an excellent beam shape, tint, and brightness. They are brighter than my Streamlight Lux Jr (first generation, the brighter one with shorter runtime) and my Nuwai ALX-2512AA (also a good deal from AmondoTech at $21.50).

When you're in the store, look directly into the reflector before you buy it. If you see the dark yellow color throughout, with no dark rings, you've got a winner. I check my Target all the time, and the Radiant 2AA's are now only the "fixed" versions. Not so with the 2C; I haven't found one that didn't have the telltale dark ring. I'd guess there's less turnover with the more expensive 2C; I'd guess most people consider $30 to be too expensive for a 2C flashlight.

I put lithium AA's in them and they're excellent lights for the car. The soft momentary (before clicking fully on) is nice; we all put up with reverse clickies, but I don't know anyone who prefers them.