I need a 1 D size arc. Do you?
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Manzerick
Flashlight Enthusiast
b.o.b.??
Nah. It's a cute idea, and I'd maybe buy one out of flashaholism, but it's not something important or "needed". The point of a 1-cell light is you trade off complexity/inefficiency (the dc-dc converter wastes some energy and increases cost and failure modes) for space savings. This is important for a tiny light. If you're willing to have a bigger light, multiple cells make more sense.
I'd say go for a 3AA or 3C Tek-Tite light, if you want a long-running, simple, low-powered, non-miniature BOB light. They run a long time and are indestructable. I do think 1AA is a great form factor and Arc should bring back its 1AA light. AA's are the most common battery in the world and it's very easy to scrounge them because there's so many. C's are not that popular any more, so it's easy to scrounge them because there's less demand. D's are what practically every non-flashaholic household flashlight uses, so they become scarce in emergencies.
I was in NYC during the 2003 blackout and experienced this. All the D's and AA cells were snapped up in the stores just about instantly, but you could still buy all the C's and AAA's that you wanted, since nobody needed them. And you could still scrounge plenty of AA cells out of your quartz clock, walkman, cordless mouse, TV remote, etc. I think I counted about a dozen usable AA cells around my mom's apartment, and she's not even a gadget freak--there are probably 100's of AA's at my place. But if you needed D's, you were out of luck
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Anyway, I'd go for a 1AA or 3AA light over a 1D light in a BOB (or if I want to go rich, a 2AA like a Fenix L2T). Four spare AA's take up the same space as one D cell, have almost as much total juice, and are a lot more useful.
I'd say go for a 3AA or 3C Tek-Tite light, if you want a long-running, simple, low-powered, non-miniature BOB light. They run a long time and are indestructable. I do think 1AA is a great form factor and Arc should bring back its 1AA light. AA's are the most common battery in the world and it's very easy to scrounge them because there's so many. C's are not that popular any more, so it's easy to scrounge them because there's less demand. D's are what practically every non-flashaholic household flashlight uses, so they become scarce in emergencies.
I was in NYC during the 2003 blackout and experienced this. All the D's and AA cells were snapped up in the stores just about instantly, but you could still buy all the C's and AAA's that you wanted, since nobody needed them. And you could still scrounge plenty of AA cells out of your quartz clock, walkman, cordless mouse, TV remote, etc. I think I counted about a dozen usable AA cells around my mom's apartment, and she's not even a gadget freak--there are probably 100's of AA's at my place. But if you needed D's, you were out of luck
.Anyway, I'd go for a 1AA or 3AA light over a 1D light in a BOB (or if I want to go rich, a 2AA like a Fenix L2T). Four spare AA's take up the same space as one D cell, have almost as much total juice, and are a lot more useful.
Lebkuecher
Flashlight Enthusiast
Someone made a D sized battery pack for the Arc a few years ago. I remember seeing a picture of it on the CPF. I would like to have one for camping, I can remember many time setting in a tent or camper during a rain storm and only having a flashlight that was to bright or cumbersome. You could stand this on end and have a nice usable light for a long long time.
Bug Out Bag
Hmm. Good points. I use UK 4aa eled. Wouldn't the Nichia last longer than the Luxeon. I just went to the Energizer site and their AAA is rated at 625 mAh vs the D at 20,500. That's more than 3 times as much for the D cell. So if the Arc last 5 hrs, wouldn't one in a D cell last ove 15 hours? That is a lot longer than my UK.
Hmm. Good points. I use UK 4aa eled. Wouldn't the Nichia last longer than the Luxeon. I just went to the Energizer site and their AAA is rated at 625 mAh vs the D at 20,500. That's more than 3 times as much for the D cell. So if the Arc last 5 hrs, wouldn't one in a D cell last ove 15 hours? That is a lot longer than my UK.
Yeah, I remember that D pack for the Arc AAA head. It was well made and I give it a thumbs up for flashaholism. (Or maybe I'm thinking of a 2C battery holder someone made for an Arc LS). But the Arc AA also stood on end, and would run all day on an AA cell. I also miss the original CMG Infinity which put out plenty of light for that tent purpose and ran even longer.
(edit): Yeah, the 4AA UK eLED runs around 12 hours with very flat regulation. AA's should have around 2850 mAH, AAA's around 1250, and a D has 20500, per here. That's at low currents. By my calculations we get these ratios:
D/AA: vol: 6.77 wt: 6.43 capacity: 7.19
D/AAA: vol: 14.66 wt: 12.87 capacity: 16.40
AA/AAA: vol: 2.16 wt: 2.00 capacity: 2.28
That is, a D has 7.19x as much capacity as an AA, 6.77x the volume and 6.43x the weight, and so forth for the D/AAA and AA/AAA ratios. This is for alkalines and it looks like there's not that big a difference in weight or volume per mAH. D's are probably the most cost effective and AAA's the least. In practice, for something like a camping trip, I'd probably bring AA NiMH cells, and for a very long trip I'd bring a solar charger.
(edit): Yeah, the 4AA UK eLED runs around 12 hours with very flat regulation. AA's should have around 2850 mAH, AAA's around 1250, and a D has 20500, per here. That's at low currents. By my calculations we get these ratios:
D/AA: vol: 6.77 wt: 6.43 capacity: 7.19
D/AAA: vol: 14.66 wt: 12.87 capacity: 16.40
AA/AAA: vol: 2.16 wt: 2.00 capacity: 2.28
That is, a D has 7.19x as much capacity as an AA, 6.77x the volume and 6.43x the weight, and so forth for the D/AAA and AA/AAA ratios. This is for alkalines and it looks like there's not that big a difference in weight or volume per mAH. D's are probably the most cost effective and AAA's the least. In practice, for something like a camping trip, I'd probably bring AA NiMH cells, and for a very long trip I'd bring a solar charger.
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