Inexpensive, Long runtime?

I'm looking for an inexpensive flashlight that runs off of big, common cells (C or D) and that will last for a long, long time. Dozens of hours. I would use it in case a hurricane knocks the power out or something to that effect.

The only one I know about is the Lightwave TEC3000 which looks kinda funky but is under $20. Any suggestions?

If you don't mind dim, put the NiteIze PR base dropin into almost any light that uses the PR type lamp base. Dim, but huge runtime. I keep it as backup for long runtime in the tailcap of my 2D MagLED, and use it in my Dorcy GelBrite, and Dorcy 4D lantern. It's best used with 3 or more cells however, as the LED in it is designed to work at 4.5 volts. Any less and it'll work, but be underdriven, and more and it won't be brighter, but will have longer runtime.

http://www.ledbeam.com/ these guys have been around for a few years now, always with just this one light. Seems to suit you well, but I have heard of a few switch problems with them.

Take this picture into a B&M store and get them to do a price match.

Eveready 2D 3-LED flashlight from WalMart or similar stores. Claims a runtime of 50 hours on alkaline D batteries. Mine cost $8 including the heavy duty batteries. Nothing fancy here. Wrote a recent post about this light in the "Reviews" section. It is no longer on the 1st page, but not yet in the archives.

I agree with the PR base drop in. I have a couple I put into cheap 2D cell lights and the runtime would be days. They are not too dim either, about the same brightness as the incandescent bulb just blue in colour.

If you want to look into a different battery type you should also look into the Safe Light http://www.palights.com/

I got this one.
http://www.lightwave-4000.com/

I would suggest waiting a few months before buying and take a look at either the Surefire G2L or the Surefire 6PL. Both are under 90 dollars and have long runtimes and run on lithium cells (which may be the down fall)

I'd also recommend a PR base drop-in - simple, economical solution for an existing 2C/D light. A pity the SMJLED PR2 are no longer around, but I understand the newer Nite Ize drop-ins are a lot brighter than they used to be. Try Lighthound or one of the other general light dealers around here.

Just came across this Dorcy drop-in.

http://www.dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=411642

It looks a lot like the SMJLED. It would be amazing if that was the case.

I have to state I have no more information about this than what is shown here. I don't know if they have even reached the stores yet.

Pax et Lux said:

Just came across this Dorcy drop-in.

http://www.dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=411642

It looks a lot like the SMJLED. It would be amazing if that was the case.

I have to state I have no more information about this than what is shown here. I don't know if they have even reached the stores yet.

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Dorcy sells it under the Craftsman name in Sears and Kmart. Here's the original thread.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/155671&highlight=craftsman

Wal-mart had the 2D Magled on clearance for $25 the other day it should be a good long runtime light.Even at the full price the Magled is not too expensive(around $35). :thumbsup:

ZMZ67 said:

Wal-mart had the 2D Magled on clearance for $25 the other day it should be a good long runtime light.Even at the full price the Magled is not too expensive(around $35). :thumbsup:

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Take this picture into a B&M store such as Lowes or Home Depot and get them to do a price match.

selfbuilt said:

I'd also recommend a PR base drop-in - simple, economical solution for an existing 2C/D light. A pity the SMJLED PR2 are no longer around, but I understand the newer Nite Ize drop-ins are a lot brighter than they used to be. Try Lighthound or one of the other general light dealers around here.

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lighthound appears to have the smjled http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1768

I have one of these in a 2D rubber light with a deep smooth reflector and its great. Should run for days on decent alkaline batteries

selfbuilt said:

I'd also recommend a PR base drop-in - simple, economical solution for an existing 2C/D light. A pity the SMJLED PR2 are no longer around, but I understand the newer Nite Ize drop-ins are a lot brighter than they used to be. Try Lighthound or one of the other general light dealers around here.

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Somebody had better pick up the ball in regards to PR drop-ins. I have one PR-SMJLED left to my name.
I just put it in a new version of Rayovac's 2xAA Industrial I picked up tonight at wally world.
Much better light than the old version. A very decent rubber and plastic body, also uses a click switch now instead of the old slide switch and uses a PR base now instead of a bi-pin. A good little, robust 2xAA host. (Comes in 2D also)

If I remember correctly, my runtime test of a PR-SMJLED on 2 AA's was around 20 or so hours.

There are plenty of clustered LEDs lights which will run for ages with one set of batts. These are lightly to be very cheap as most are Cheaper Chinese unknown brands. You will get a fair bit of spill but don't expect too much throw. Flashlightreviews.com reviewed a few.

blan said:

I'm looking for an inexpensive flashlight that runs off of big, common cells (C or D) and that will last for a long, long time. Dozens of hours. I would use it in case a hurricane knocks the power out or something to that effect.

The only one I know about is the Lightwave TEC3000 which looks kinda funky but is under $20. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

I'm surprised that no one has said this, but go to walmart and buy one of the new 2D LED maglites. They'll cost you around $30 depending on where you get it and you get just about 24 hours of good bright light. If you already have a D (or C) cell maglite; buy the matching maglite drop-in for number of batteries in your light. They're priced around $16 per drop-in. Something else I'd also do while in walmart (besides buying batteires) is get one of the the niteize maglite replacment bulbs. They're cheap at around $6 when I got mine (I can't remember the exact price I got mine for) and while they aren't very bright they will run for days and days on a single set of batteries. As others have said; take it and put it in the tailcap in place of the krypton bulb already there.

What Lit Up said --


+1


:thumbsup:


Still waiting for a new PR-base bulb to replace the
ones Lambda sold a year ago. Those have become quite dear, haven't they !


Want (relatively) low brightness and long run-time.

But not like the lowly Nite-Ize PR-base LED sold for big Mag-Lites. :sick2:


_

Marduke said:

If you don't mind dim, put the NiteIze PR base dropin... It's best used with 3 or more cells

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Agreed - In 2-cell lights, it is a huge disappointment, but in 3+ cell lights, it's quite usable (and as a bonus, draws considerably less current).

Now, if Nite-ize would only drop the retail price to around four bucks, they could capture most of the cheap LED flashlight conversion market...

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/img/mag_magleds/vs3.gif

The time scale is hours.

Full review here:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm