Nite Ize vs Mag-LED for Blackouts

AlexSchira

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With all these threads bouncing around about power outages with wild weather, it got me thinking about keeping some extra lights around for friends and the like, or just to have around to make digging around for one easier. I needed something durable, simplistic, and long-running. 2D Maglites won the coin toss. But who am I kidding, I'm an LED-guy, the drop-ins are where it's at.

Nite Ize says you get flat, unchanging output for 75 hours off the 2D, but it's a true power outage light in that it runs long with barely any throw or real power to it. Then again, 75 hours is 75 hours.

For a very, very similar price I could get a pre-made 2D Mag-LED at Home Depot. I've heard the pre-made versions have more of a yellow tint than the drop-ins, but with how those things perform it's forgivable. Great spill, awesome throw, I've heard they have decent runtime. But not as much as the Nite Ize.

Is the extra power worth the cut back runtime, even with how long these LEDs last compared to others? Or should I get conservative and go with the Nite Ize drops and be ready for any kind of blackout?
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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I have my biggest/most batteries (4D) M*g loaded with a NiteIze. In total darkness, NI is bright enough as a room light to keep from bumping into stuff. You'd need more to read, but we are talking power out.

Several other M*gs have M*gleds. Decent runtime and GOOD brightness.

Several 2AA lights and one 2D have SMJLED PRs. Good brightness and INSANE runtime,

I figure, Light-wise, I could go two weeks EASY without changing any batteries.

I'd say do one or more NiteIze lights, and some M*gled lights and have both ends covered!
 

Badbeams3

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I would run a AA batt powered light for power outages (Fenix L2Tor maybe the new mini Mag, for example). Recharge off your car batt during the day.
 

Culhain

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Thanks for asking this question. I have been thinking about the same things.

I have the Mag 2C and 2D LEDs but was wondering about the run time and output of the Nite Ize.

If the NiteIze will give 75 hours run time, I need one for an unused Mag 3D.

Probably I'm guilty of wretched excess, but between lamp oil, candles and batteries, I can have light for about 90 days in a blackout. :)
 

squirrel

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I think the magled D cell lights have a 36 hour runt time till they hit moonlite mode.
then, a week or something in moonlight mode.
this is of course, constant on.
now if you are pulsing it, 4 hours on at nite. then off till next nite. alot longer the run times are.

If you are wanting TRUE hours in a total no power situation.
get a few PALIGHTS.
they have a 1-3 YEAR glow mode.
100HR low light mode.
40HR hi light mode.
all off of a single 9V battery.

figure 5 of these guys in a room in glow mode, easily enuff light to get around with, not enuff for reading, but 1 year is 1 year as quoted earlier. and thats on the low side with el cheapo batts.

these nite ize mods dont impress me much. there not as bright and there website states 20 hours for 2AA MM, flashlightreviews.com shows a plot that pretty much dies after 14 hours.

the SMJLED PR seems to offer MUCH better brightness comparable time on the long haul.
from everything I have read, not to many ppl are exaclty pleased with them.

just my .02 cents.
 
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watt4

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since your friends know you have a bunch of lights, they will want two. ;)


have an outside and an inside light for them: a $3.50 walmart 6V lantern, along with a minimag with nite ize led conversion.
 
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Lit Up

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This is definitely a case of "buy em both."

Nite-Ize for indoors, MagLED for outside.

If you want a decent light (read: not as bright as a Mag 3 watt, but still damn useful outdoors and better runtime) get a SMJLED coupled with a Coleman water-activated light in 2D.
The Coleman throws the SMJLED quite far. Refelector is about half the size of 6 volt lantern. The beam pattern is just about identical to the MagLED's in D cell size just more bluish as original SMJLED's tend to be.
 

Razor

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Just go ahead with the MagLed as the main bulb, keep the Nite-ize one in the tail cap reserve, and switch them when the MagLed starts fading.
 

Brighteyez

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Alex,

As I mentioned to you a while back, I spent some time earlier in my life working in your fine city. While it's been well over 25 years (not counting visits), I seem to remember that it was seldom dark for no more than about 10-12 hours at a time on any given day, outdoors. I would think that should there be a power outage, you will probably get some level of light through windows during the day that would enable you to change batteries if there was a need. And on a fresh set of batteries, a Mag LED will probably go for at least three full nights (if you never shut the light off at night). If the power hasn't come back on by then, the city would already be in a state of chaos and you should be at work anyway. ;)

They have 2D assembled Mag lights at Home Depot? I thought they only had the 4 cell.

AlexSchira said:
For a very, very similar price I could get a pre-made 2D Mag-LED at Home Depot. I've heard the pre-made versions have more of a yellow tint than the drop-ins, but with how those things perform it's forgivable. Great spill, awesome throw, I've heard they have decent runtime. But not as much as the Nite Ize.

Is the extra power worth the cut back runtime, even with how long these LEDs last compared to others? Or should I get conservative and go with the Nite Ize drops and be ready for any kind of blackout?
 

_mike_

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Brighteyez touched on a point I was going to bring up, which is daylight hours versus night time. Obviously, the majority of flashlight use would be after it gets dark out. Even then, you'll probably sleep at least a little bit. ;)

My longer run lights are actually pretty weak if there's much ambient light around. But when it's totally dark and my eyes are adjusted, they provide plenty of light.
My long runners are,
2 - Arc AAA -- wife and I both have them on our keychains.
2 - Gerber Ultra Infinity AA.
Nite-Ize in a Minimag 2aa.

Though I have picked up some of those PR MJLED's and will be looking for hosts.

And when I get tired of playing with my flashlights in the dark (or my wife says to stop playing), I fire up my generator and watch television and charge my batteries. :nana: It runs off my 325 gallon propane tank and will power my whole house like there's no power outage.
 
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Brighteyez

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This might sound ridiculously practical and have no place on this forum, but what would happen if you used some of that propane to power a propane powered lantern? :crackup:

Can't think of anything that is more effective at producing lots of light quickly and cheaply like a mantled lantern.

_mike_ said:
And when I get tired of playing with my flashlights in the dark (or my wife says to stop playing), I fire up my generator and watch television and charge my batteries. :nana: It runs off my 325 gallon propane tank and will power my whole house like there's no power outage.
 

mtnwalker

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"Just go ahead with the MagLed as the main bulb, keep the Nite-ize one in the tail cap reserve, and switch them when the MagLed starts fading."

Talk about a backup to a backup....

Not being negative here..really.

I bought a couple of MAG LED replacements for my 3 and 4 D older Maglites. The batteries at that time were already weak (1.3v). I put in the MAG LED bulbs and BOOM! full bright again! (with those same weak batteries...)
Using a BrightIze backup to that is like squeezing thoze dead batteries to actually pancake status......
talk about efficiency!
Rando

My battery drawer is already half empty now...gonna get even emptier now that I've seen the "LIGHT"

good topic!
 

Culhain

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Brighteyez said:
This might sound ridiculously practical and have no place on this forum, but what would happen if you used some of that propane to power a propane powered lantern? :crackup:

Can't think of anything that is more effective at producing lots of light quickly and cheaply like a mantled lantern.

Very good point.

I love to cook outdoors (BBQ and grilling) and think of my back porch as an outdoor kitchen.
My grill and outdoor stove both run off of 20# propane tanks. The stove is set up with up a distribution post that allows me to screw a lantern head about 3 feet above the stove. I can't give you an estimate of run time as the stove and lantern have been draining the same 20# tank for over three years. I'm just guessing that may well be over 100 nights of use. On the other hand, my Weber gas grill goes through 20# tanks of propane about once a month.

Bottom line is that you can not safely use propane powered lights indoors. They will leak.

A friend once tried to use a camping style propane fueled lantern in the mini tent trailer that he pulled behing his motorcyle. The night was humid and cool and he thought that the light would dry things out and raise the temperature. A short while after leaving the tent/trailer, he heard a loud KHABOOM as the lantern exploded and flames engulfed what he had thought was his home for the night.
 
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squirrel

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Culhain said:
he heard a loud KHABOOM as the lantern exploded and flames engulfed what he had thought was his home for the night.

holy cow, I hope he was A -ok.
that had to suck.
 

Razor

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TigerhawkT3 said:
That's exactly what I gave to my boss's boss last week.

Oh cool, so it was suggested already. Sorry I didn't see your thread; otherwise I would've just plug it in as a reference.

I just like the multiple redundency of the MagLed/NiteIze setup, because in a prolonged power outage - as essencial as lights are - I'd also want it to be the last thing to worry about.
 

flashlightguy

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I think it's your call, but why not have the 2-D 3w LED upgrade as the primary bulb and a Nite-Ize in the tailcap as a low power backup. 30 hours from the 3w is pretty good on a set of batteries. Then there's the nearly endless moon mode. I find mine is a nice white color. Lux lottery? If you really want the extra long runtime, just put the Nite-Ize in before it gets dark. Don't forget to keep a stock of fresh batteries on hand. A solar charger might be handy too.
 

Bmccue1964

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Buy any sized MagLite with a MagLED ("D" cell sized). Tape a SAFE-LIGHT PAL to the body. The SAFE-LIGHT ($10 w/battery) will provide general illumination with a long run time. In low power mode, you can also find the MagLite it is attached to. The MagLite can be used for spot lighting and intense lighting of needed. It's a win/win situation.
 

fishwatcher

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I wonder how Mag-LED in moon-light mode, would compare to Nite Ize with the same batteries?
 
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