Review of KaiDomain $15 AA CREE

I got a couple of the $15 pocket lights Kaidomain is/was advertising here recently. They came in a 5 mode or the single mode which I ordered. They're very bright (my first CREEs) and surprisingly small. I tend to be hard on things and the tether broke the first day on the one I'm using (other is a gift) and I noted that it was glued together where it separated. I also noted the LED had a smudge of grease on it from assembly and wiped it off - brighter yet. Other than that, the black finish is uniform on all parts (vs some other lights I've seen where the tailcap was a different sheen, or similar due to manufacturing variances, etc), the lense is glass, threads are well machined, the holster it came with is sensible, and there's an O ring on both ends. The clicky end cap switch sometimes bound/stuck when I first got it but by the end of the first day I had played with it enough that it's smooth now.

For $15 shipped, it seems like an excellent deal. Not top quality, but a very good value and I'd recommend it.

One anecdote illustrates perfectly why I got this light. I also have a Wolf Eyes Cree on order from Mike at PTS and got to thinking it would be nice to have an everyday light I would not cry over losing after reading some experiences here (gasp). On Day 3, I was trying to figure out what's wrong with a buddy's ski boat and was out on the lake. It was so bright and sunny I could not see well into the engine bay. Remembering I'd already started carrying this light, I pulled it out, then also remembered cautiously that it had no lanyard. Over the next 15 minutes, I alternately used the light, then set it down up where I could quickly get it, but it could potentially roll overboard. If I'd had the Wolf Eyes with me, frankly I'd have been a little freaked about losing it but it didn't bother me as much knowing it was only $15. In fact, I might not have carried a more expensive light so casually - I'd just tossed it in my shorts as an afterthought that morning.

So, I guess it's better to have an effective light in your pocket than to have a "nightstand princess" at home where you can't use it. This thing gets a strong rating from me for a cost effective light I'll get a lot of use from.

DougM

Re: Review of KiaDomain $15 AA CREE

Thanks for the review, Doug. This might be a good light for me to give to an old buddy for a gift.

Geoff

Re: Review of KiaDomain $15 AA CREE

I have one of the 5-modes of the AA lights coming soon. Will compare to my Fenix L1D CE (since they indicate the performance is similar) and will post my results.

OK, a little change to my positive review is in order.

First off, I didn't mention it since I had an email in to Kaidomain but I ordered two lights and they screwed up the shipping. They were ordered separately with two individual PayPal transactions to AVOID confusion - one to my Father's address as a gift and the other to me. Kaidomain chose to pimp me and sent them both to me instead - saving themselves the promised shipping even though it was crystal clear the other was to go to someone else. So now I'd have to spent $5 to resend a $15 light to make the deadline. Kaidomain has had over a week to return the email, which in email-land means they're simply never going to reply. So, issue #1

Issue #2. The glitchy clicky switch turned into a failure the other night where it actually STUCK ON. I tried pulling the battery, dozens of clicks - nothing. Finally it randomly turned off. In addition, it has failed to stay on after clicking several times.

Issue #3. The lanyard broke almost immediately. There's a thicker strap that's connected to a thin cord which goes through the tiny hole in the light itself. The strap pulled out and to my amazement (or amusement, depending on when this happens to you) it was simply glued into a metal bell, guaranteeing it will come apart under the slightest stress. I took the gift light out of its package and gave the lanyard a reasonable yank and it fell apart as well.

So, this thing was worth every penny I paid for it. Which means it's a piece of junk if you're going to use it much, still a value if it's for a noncritical application where it's OK for it to be unreliable.

DougM

Doug, do you happen to have any of the DX Seoul MTE SSC P4 1xAA for comparison?

Seems like this would be a great light to compare the Kai 1xAA to.

I bought one of the $15 4 mode lights from Kaidomain myself. Mine takes a 14500 and has a Cree.

I had a look at the lanyard and the plastic covering can be slid down revealing the lanyard itself where the join has been melted. The nylon string/cord is tied to this. For what it's made out of and what it is supporting, assuming that I'll only use the lanyard to secure this light, it seems pretty sturdy to me.

As for the switch, I had some problems where the light would flicker and sometimes different modes acted wierd. I undid the tailcap and figured that my battery was also contacting the metal switch retaining ring and hence shorting the switch out or at the least causing problems with the circuit. So, I cut a circular washer shape out of some pvc tape and stuck it in there so that the retaining ring is no longer exposed. The only thing visible now is the spring. Works like a charm.

I admit that I probably shouldn't have to do this for any flashlight I buy however it's a simple fix and the same fix can be applied to the other end where the battery +ve contacts the pill.

As long as people buying these lights understand that there isn't an extensive design process for each of these lights and that there may be a little tweaking required.. then the end result is satisfactory. Unfortunately Kaidomain does not have a comments section for each product (like DX) where other customers can communicate their issues and resolutions to problems with these lights.

I also have the 14500 Cree 4-modes version of this light.

Although I'm yet to experience problems with the switch, I'm a bit disappointed because I thought that the light could tailstand. I believe that the early pictures for this light showed a flat tail but maybe I'm wrong. I just don't buy lights that don't tailstand.

The other issue that I have with this light is that the LED is WAY off center. The LED is on a star and it seems to be centered in the body so I assume it's the reflector that is not centered. Anyhow, the beam is pretty ugly because of that. Also, they put foil around the LED, possibly to prevent the reflector from making contact with the positive wire or maybe because the hole in the reflector is too large.

My light came without the holster so I sent Kai an email and I got pretty good customer service. I've received the holster about a week later.

All in all, it's a decent light for $15. I would not use it as EDC but it will do just fine as a basement/closet light.

I have the Edison LED 14500 version and my brother the Cree 14500 version.
The Edison LED is absolutely flood light and the Cree is best for throw.
Personal opinion - The Cree one is better for $15.

From Kai - I have one of the 5-mode 1xAA Crees coming for about a week:
https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2437

Yesterday though, I ordered the single stage version of the light from both Kai and DX:
https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2246
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1892

They look to be the same light - so I ordered them at the same exact time to compare shipping time and build quality overall. I really like the hex head, keeps the light from rolling off the table if I set it down (that's one thing about the Fenix which bothers me). I will take plenty of pictures, but I am hoping from the look of these things that they will make good little modding hosts. So, in reality I could care less about the LED being centered or how good the driver is...because I plan on replacing that eventually anyhow.

We'll see what the delivery time is on the two units and then I'll see if there is any difference in build quality. Overall though, the lights look very modular and easy to upgrade. I'm excited about the prospects of using RV7s drivers in them once they arrive.

Bror Jace said:

Doug, do you happen to have any of the DX Seoul MTE SSC P4 1xAA for comparison?

Seems like this would be a great light to compare the Kai 1xAA to.

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That MTE SSC P4 A42180 1xAA LED Flashlight is available at both places:
https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=1364 - At Kai it is $15.99
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1995 - At DX it is $14.50

Honestly though - I didn't order that one because I am trying to stay away from SSC lights for now. But these little $15 1xAA lights look like the perfect host for better LED, driver, etc. I can't wait.

I have the 1-mode, DX version of this light (seen here: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1892). I've had it for about a week and so far, I'm extremely pleased. I too had a problem with the switch sticking initially but after a few clicks to wear it in, it now works flawlessly every time. Before I received the light, I kept expecting to have to make the "well...I only paid $13.95 shipped" excuse, but no excuses are necessary. This thing performs and is actually very well made. Fit and finish is excellent. I love the styling of this thing too. Every feature seems to have a very practical purpose. The first thing I did though was to get rid of the lanyard. I don't like or trust that type of lanyard and I really don't need one for this light. Shipping took longer than advertised but DX tells me it was most likely because the first one they ordered from the supplier had a QC issue. I'm glad to hear that DX puts their products through their own QC check before shipping, if that is indeed what happened. They did promise me a free gift for the delayed shipment, but I never received it :sigh:.

PS: The beam is beautiful....bright, white and perfectly centered. With the way the reflector and head assembly is designed, I'm surprised there is any issue with off-centered beams. There are no gaps around the emitter and the hole at the bottom of the reflector (and no foil). Nor are there any gaps around the top edge of the reflector and the bezel. If there was an issue, it would seem that it would have to be the die itself inside the emitter or an aluminum reflector that wasn't machined correctly, which I would think would be unlikely. If the emitter wasn't mounted on the board in dead-center, then the reflector wouldn't seat on top correctly.

flashlite said:

If there was an issue, it would seem that it would have to be the die itself inside the emitter or an aluminum reflector that wasn't machined correctly, which I would think would be unlikely. If the emitter wasn't mounted on the board in dead-center, then the reflector wouldn't seat on top correctly.

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You are correct, the emitters are often slightly off-center on the stars, even to the point where you can't tell by the naked eye but it becomes apparent when threading a centered reflector over it.

Just a dumb question, but has anyone tried running it with a normal 1.5v AA, does it still power on? cycle through the diffrent modes? If so, how bright is it?

Teh said:

Just a dumb question, but has anyone tried running it with a normal 1.5v AA, does it still power on? cycle through the diffrent modes? If so, how bright is it?

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Assuming you're asking about the 14500 version of this light, then a AA cell would not work as these circuits don't have the ability to boost the voltage. Some lights have circuits designed to work with both and are able to boost a 1.5/1.3V cell, but not these. And pretty much any light that's designed to handle a 3.7V battery as well as a 1.5V cell would be advertised as being able to do so. So in case your wondering if 3.7V light model 'XYZ' can also run on a 1.5V cell, unless it mentions being able to do so then it's highly unlikely that it's able to. Occasionally the opposite is not true, with a few lights that are only being advertised as 1.5V lights also being able to handle 3.7V, though it's often a risk of damaging the light in those cases which is why they're not advertised for 3.7V batteries to begin with.

joedm said:

As for the switch, I had some problems where the light would flicker and sometimes different modes acted wierd.

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YES!!!

joedm said:

I undid the tailcap and figured that my battery was also contacting the metal switch retaining ring and hence shorting the switch out or at the least causing problems with the circuit. So, I cut a circular washer shape out of some pvc tape and stuck it in there so that the retaining ring is no longer exposed. The only thing visible now is the spring. Works like a charm.

Click to expand...

Hmmm... :thinking:

I have a Lyckeby (9 LED, 3 AAA) that I've modded with a Cree and regulator and it's started acting quite funny. I thought it was the switch itself but maybe it's something else. The presence of the regulator board means that there's less space for the battery holder, and the plastic bung around the spring in the tail cap has been pushed in a little. Maybe something is contacting there that shouldn't be. (That would be bad.)

There's a contact on each end of the battery holder that shouldn't contact anything else, and is only there to help hold the terminals in place within the holder. I've just bent them in so they're not exposed any more, the one at the negative end in particular.

Initial impressions are very good. Now banging the torch doesn't make it flicker, and when turned on it stays on at full brightness. So the switch seems fine.

:kiss:

Thanks very much joedm.

TorchBoy said:

There's a contact on each end of the battery holder that shouldn't contact anything else, and is only there to help hold the terminals in place within the holder. I've just bent them in so they're not exposed any more, the one at the negative end in particular.

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Actually all the switches like that that I've seen, the short tab side is supposed to be contacting the tailcap body, the longer spring side is not. With the plastic holders I have, if you look at them they'll have a pass-through for the spring contact within the plastic so that it doesn't contact the tailcap wall.

mmmflashlights said:

Actually all the switches like that that I've seen, the short tab side is supposed to be contacting the tailcap body, the longer spring side is not.

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:thinking: I haven't taken this particular switch apart (yet?) to see, but it looks like my problem has been solved without having to take the switch apart to clean or tweak it. (I did notice that when I took the rubber button cap off the switch stayed on.)

mmmflashlights said:

With the plastic holders I have, if you look at them they'll have a pass-through for the spring contact within the plastic so that it doesn't contact the tailcap wall.

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You're talking of the plastic holder around the tailcap spring rather than the battery holders? The extra contact on my battery holder appears to have been contacting the edge of the tail cap, on the inner surface of the tail cap thread.

Does anyone know, are these lights regulated at all?

TorchBoy said:

:thinking: I haven't taken this particular switch apart (yet?) to see, but it looks like my problem has been solved without having to take the switch apart to clean or tweak it. (I did notice that when I took the rubber button cap off the switch stayed on.)


You're talking of the plastic holder around the tailcap spring rather than the battery holders? The extra contact on my battery holder appears to have been contacting the edge of the tail cap, on the inner surface of the tail cap thread.

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I'm sorry, I think I completely mixed up what you were talking about with my previous response. I thought you were talking about the switch and plastic holder in the tailcap. I was probably reading too fast and read it as the 'switch holder' instead of battery holder. Probably a mixup when I was reading what joedm did with his tailcap. :duh2:

meuge said:

Does anyone know, are these lights regulated at all?

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Considering it takes a 1.2-1.5 volt battery and ups it to 3.3V, it is somewhat regulated.

wintermute said:

Considering it takes a 1.2-1.5 volt battery and ups it to 3.3V, it is somewhat regulated.

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I am just wondering what the runtime graph would look like on this light.