Embarrasing Flashlight

MikeSalt · Nov 5, 2007

Ok guys, we all have one...a flashlight that we secretly like, but shouldn't:thumbsdow. List yours

Mine is a 50 pence ($1) aluminium flashlight that came as part of a two-pack from Poundland. It has a rubber reverse-clickie at the rear, a 3AAA battery carrier and a 100 ohm drop-down resistor-driven 5mm LED. I shouldn't like it, but secretly I do, and use it alot. :crazy:

uh1c · Nov 5, 2007

Inova Radiant AA
old tech, but reliable and adequate for many of my needs--this thing just keeps going and going and going.

(I'm not really embarrassed by it though...it gets embarrassed when I use other lights near it; like the Olight T20. :crackup:

)

datiLED · Nov 5, 2007

Mine is a Nuwai ALX-332L. It is so beat up and ugly that nobody would steal it. The previous owner used ChemKote on the light, and did a terrible job.

I have upgraded it with a USVOH Seoul LED, and it is using the stock driver and a 17670 cell. I had to remove the plastic lens, and am using a mineral glass lens held in place with silicone sealant. It is my go to light whenever I crawl into the attic (with a headlamp of course), or need a backup light.

Lee1959 · Nov 5, 2007

An old 8 LED generic light sold by Sportsmans Guide about 4 years ago, uses 3 AA batteries and goes on forever, it is still on the original set of batteries. It even has a neat cover for the head, where you put it on and it makes it throw a bit better or remove it and the clear head glows like a lantern. It sits on the dresser and gets used by my wife a lot.

Fallingwater · Nov 5, 2007

I guess I have two lights that qualify.

The worst is undoubtedly an imitation to scale of a US army anglehead flashlight, replete with tiny coloured filters, that my dad bought me when I was ten or so.
It's powered by two AAs and has the dimmest, crappiest incandescent bulb I've ever seen.
It's not even suitable for led modding, or even higher powered bulbs, as it's completely made of plastic and completely incapable of sinking any significant amount of heat.
I could get a converter and run a bunch of 5mm LEDs, but it's just not worth the hassle.
It never sees any use, but I keep it out of affection.

The other is my first LED flashlight. It's powered by three AAs and runs three bluish-white, dim 5mm LEDs.
I'm planning to rebuild the head with brighter emitters and less restrictive resistance, but the old carbon-zinc cells I was using leaked in it and made the inside of the body a corrosion nightmare. I'll try to restore it eventually, but it's going to require some work.

Braddah_Bill · Nov 5, 2007

But when you have someone mod one for you they come out so nice.......

http://elektrolumens.com/AngleLux/AngleLux.html

The US Army Anglehead flashlight was my very first love and highly sought after by all the kids on the block.......in the early '60s it was the light to have.

Bill

Fallingwater said:
I guess I have two lights that qualify.

The worst is undoubtedly an imitation to scale of a US army anglehead flashlight, replete with tiny coloured filters, that my dad bought me when I was ten or so.
It's powered by two AAs and has the dimmest, crappiest incandescent bulb I've ever seen.
It's not even suitable for led modding, or even higher powered bulbs, as it's completely made of plastic and completely incapable of sinking any significant amount of heat.
I could get a converter and run a bunch of 5mm LEDs, but it's just not worth the hassle.
It never sees any use, but I keep it out of affection.

The other is my first LED flashlight. It's powered by three AAs and runs three bluish-white, dim 5mm LEDs.
I'm planning to rebuild the head with brighter emitters and less restrictive resistance, but the old carbon-zinc cells I was using leaked in it and made the inside of the body a corrosion nightmare. I'll try to restore it eventually, but it's going to require some work.

Patriot · Nov 5, 2007

Original Turtle light with single LED, smooth reflector, plastic body, rubber head, four AAs, very dim but threw farther that any LED light within that time period. It must be about 8 years old now and was my 3rd or 4th LED light.

Stromberg · Nov 6, 2007

Original Led Lenser "V8" keyring light that led me to LED lighting many years ago. I still carry it but I only use it if there is absolutely no other light source. It's heavy(for a keyring light) and dim but it reminds me how I got this "led poisoning"..

tslrc · Nov 6, 2007

Hey Fallingwater, I have the same angled head light, it's a Rayovac. I originally bought this and other small lights to light the road while running at night, needless to say they were of little help. I now use either my L2D-CE or Led Lenser(Hocus-Focus).

I guess I've come a long way!

Burgess · Nov 6, 2007

Let's see . . . .

Have a blue Ray-O-Vac "Value Bright" 2AA plastic flashlight,
which sells at Wal-Mart for 84 cents, including batteries.

Does not exactly "turn heads", eh ?

But inside, i swapped the Original PR-2 type bulb
for a SMJLED-PR2 which i bought (in 2006) from Lambda.

and . . . .

I've cleverly inserted a disc of FastCar's fantastic 10-ply
diffusion material between reflector and lens. :kiss:

Thus transforming an Ugly Duckling into a Swan !

Of course, this flashlight is now worth much more than 84 cents !

:devil:
_

RebelXTNC · Nov 6, 2007

I have a $3 plastic and aluminum GE 2xAA light with 3 LED's that look like the one in the RR .5 watt. I put a piece of printer paper under the window for diffusion. Awesome soft wide beam. Now, if the crappy switch would stop crapping out...

Fallingwater · Nov 6, 2007

tslrc said:
Hey Fallingwater, I have the same angled head light, it's a Rayovac

I can't be sure, but I don't think so.
Mine is pretty much just a toy. It's rather smaller than any true angle-head I've ever seen, and just screams "toy" whichever way you look at it.

Here are some piccies (dug it out just for you

):

While I was at it I decided I might as well snap a beamshot or two.

Here it is, compared to my Luxeon L1S (itself a rather underwhelming performer) in low mode:

And just for kicks, here it is against my most powerful flashlight on high:

This beamshot didn't quite come out as it should have. The big light's beam is very overexposed, and it's actually rather brighter than the other one than it looks like in the picture.
But I didn't feel like retaking it, so this is what you get.

tslrc · Nov 6, 2007

I was wrong, very different light, mine is crappier. I took some photos, but not sure how to upload them so will have to figure that out if I have time. Good photos, my beam shot is similiar, although the light was a little brighter than I remembered.

Click photos for better closeup.

Next to my L2D-CE.......

Sorry, not the best photos, but glad I figured it out.

That's an LID-CE, a quarter, 2 AA's and the reflector and tail cap.

PhantomPhoton · Nov 7, 2007

Mine's a Maglight 3C with the Mag 3W Luxeon drop in.

I have outdated lights that were state of the art when I bought them. They aren't used much but thave sentamental value. I own no cheapie lights that I haven't since improved upon or recycled after I canibalized them for parts. :devil:

Daekar · Nov 7, 2007

I have an old Eddie Bauer 3x5mm LED headlamp I got from somewhere that runs on 3xAAA. The output is pathetic, the tint makes even the worst Arc-AAA look like specialty lighting, the battery life is poor, and the hinge which the emitters are on tends to migrate to the wrong position. Oddly, it looks like a Coast headlamp I've seen. The difference being the battery holder implementation is not nearly as good and there are multiple LEDs instead of a single power LED.

LEDninja · Nov 7, 2007

The really old version of this
http://dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=412498
with a MJ modded Nichia BS 5mm led.
$10 at the now defunct Radio Shack Canada no batteries.
$15 with 4 alkaline batteries various locations.

http://dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=412946
$3.99 at Giant Tiger c/w 4 Super Heavy Duty batteries.

http://dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=412951
$2.99 at Walmart Canada c/w 2 Super Heavy Duty batteries.
(Walmart was so embarrased about this that they hid it at the checkout counter instead of placing it at the flashlight section.)

Flying Turtle · Nov 7, 2007

That would be the Shorelite Vx1. Had it since joining CPF. In fact, I got it instead of an Arc AAA, since it had multi-levels. Had a nasty beam which is only slightly improved with a Scotch tape filter. It's still pretty unique.

Geoff

Tachikoma · Nov 7, 2007

An old Inova x5t that puts out only 65 lumens, too dim for a 2xcr123 imo, but I love it because it's the ONLY one completely crushproof, I even ran on it with my Ford Fiesta once and the body it's not even deformed :party:

MikeSalt · Nov 8, 2007

Tachikoma said:
I even ran on it with my Ford Fiesta

Never mind embarrasing flashlight! Shame on you, being from Italy,and not having an Italian car! :laughing:

I'm only messing with you. I have one of the first generation Puntos and feel very strongly about it. Go out and try to buy a small car which is <<1000kgs, has fully-independent suspension, tasty handling and no stupid computerised gadgetry (ABS, traction control etc..). I have not found a car to better it in this class! Kudos the the Italians :twothumbs

Fallingwater · Nov 8, 2007

Tachikoma said:
An old Inova x5t that puts out only 65 lumens, too dim for a 2xcr123 imo, but I love it because it's the ONLY one completely crushproof, I even ran on it with my Ford Fiesta once and the body it's not even deformed

Why hello, I think I know you from somewhere.

Why would a light need two 123 cells to only put out 65 lumens?

MikeSalt said:
Never mind embarrasing flashlight! Shame on you, being from Italy,and not having an Italian car!

Only Italian vehicle I've ever owned is a 50cc moped.

no stupid computerised gadgetry (ABS, traction control etc..)

Traction control I could understand why you don't like (although I disagree), but ABS can only be a good thing.
The fact that a Punto can be had without it is a problem, not a feature.
Besides, I think the latest Puntos all have ABS, and quite possibly traction control, built-in from the start.

Sorry for the OT.

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