best aaa light for max brightness

i bought a "100 lumen" kiadomain light and it is really bright and awesome. the problem i have with it, is that it has no tail spring.
i had to modify a aaa battery to fit.
also i'm trying to turn it off and it's flickering and even staying on some low mode (really just weak connection and part of the flickering) part of the time.

i also got a 10440 kit with batteries from dx (i think) and it's almost as bright, i really had to compare the two a couple times to tell the difference but there is a small difference. kiadomain aaa is brighter. 60vs55 lumens, idk, something like that. if the runtime of the 10440 and the reliability is much greater i'll just gift the aaa light out.

can anyone help me make this kiadomain light work right.
i thought about maybe the exposed sides of the battery (i had to peel some paper back to make it contact at the bottom due to lack of tailspring) were touching something making it flicker. maybe i should not mod the battery but ball up aluminum foil real small and drop it in to make contact with the metal on the aaa battery like a tailspring would.

any suggestions?

Chevrofreak estimated the L0D CE with 10440 on high to be 158 lumens. I would imagine a Q4 or Q5 Cree L0D CE would be even more powerful if they work with 10440. There's a Q4 L0D CE (75 lumens as opposed to 50 on regular L0D with regular battery) at the Fenix-Store right now in the 'Seasonal Specials' section.

Solder blob on the bottmo will help things out, and perhaps a foam ring. You might get some ideas from here:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/179895

i use streamlight body with my modded LOD SE head SSC P4 USWOJ,
not bad
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/180233

If you plan to use 10440, I woudl recommend the LF2 -- Seoul will have more lumens but in a wider flood pattern than the Cree version. The L0D-CE is brighter, but really isn't safe -- for one it draws excessive current from the cell, and on the lower levels it can very easily over-discharge the cells.

The LF2 is regulated all the way up to 5V, and has low voltage protection for 10440s. (it has a warnring "blink" a few minutes ahead of time as well).

the l0d ce is the aaa fenix right.
i don't like the idea of overdischarging a lithium battery, so what if i ran it on high instead of turbo. does the light maintain it's modes on high.
if it's 158 lumens on a 10440, that sounds awfully high coming from a aaa size light. isn't that three times as bright as a aaa.
can someone confirm fenix is that bright on 10440?

also are there any fenix aaa with efficent led right now?
rebel 100 or q5?

jasonsmaglites said:

the l0d ce is the aaa fenix right.
i don't like the idea of overdischarging a lithium battery, so what if i ran it on high instead of turbo. does the light maintain it's modes on high.
if it's 158 lumens on a 10440, that sounds awfully high coming from a aaa size light. isn't that three times as bright as a aaa.
can someone confirm fenix is that bright on 10440?

also are there any fenix aaa with efficent led right now?
rebel 100 or q5?

Click to expand...

I think you are confusing overdischarging [excessive current] with over discharging [running the rechargeable lithium cell voltage down too far and destroying the battery]. Doesn't matter anyway because BOTH are problems.

The running the voltage down too low problem can happen in ANY mode (even with low current), but it doesn't matter anyway because, going back to your question, NO the modes on the L0D don't work with 10440, unless the cell is almost discharged, and by then you are running the cell down to the point where it may be destroyed (there is no low voltage cutoff on the L0D because it was never designed for lithium batteries).

The lumen level on 10440 cells is a crapshoot because different L0D's on different Lithium batteries draw widely different current levels.

If your lucky it's down around 500ma to 600ma at the emitter, then you just get a light that is 150 lumen bright (but hopefully won't destroy itself too quickly). On the other hand some of the lower Vf CREE's and Rebels will draw a amp or more. This makes the L0D try to put out and insane amount of light (but unfortunately will also quickly fry up the emitter to the point that the LED starts to permanently dim down and loose output).

I don't like the idea of permanently damaging my L0D, so I will never run 10440s in it.

You are correct that what the L0D REALLY needs is just a more efficient emitter.


I have seen a Q4 L0D which is rated at something like 75 lumens, but the Kaidomain light can do that for 15 dollars (if you don't need multi-modes with long runtimes).


A dealer in Japan had some nice L0D's with Rebel 100 emitters that were really sweet, but they sold out fairly quickly.


You might want to just order the Kaidomain AAA to wet your appitite, then wait a few months for a Q5 or Rebel 100 L0D to hit the market.

Luminescent said:

I think you are confusing overdischarging [excessive current] with over discharging [running the rechargeable lithium cell voltage down too far and destroying the battery]. Doesn't matter anyway because BOTH are problems.

The running the voltage down too low problem can happen in ANY mode (even with low current), but it doesn't matter anyway because, going back to your question, NO the modes on the L0D don't work with 10440, unless the cell is almost discharged, and by then you are running the cell down to the point where it may be destroyed (there is no low voltage cutoff on the L0D because it was never designed for lithium batteries).

The lumen level on 10440 cells is a crapshoot because different L0D's on different Lithium batteries draw widely different current levels.

And to jason, yes the lodce running on 10440's is that bright. Thats why it has a permanant spot in my pocket. It is incredible the amount of light that comes from such a tiny and affordable light, it is my favorite flashlight.

If your lucky it's down around 500ma to 600ma at the emitter, then you just get a light that is 150 lumen bright (but hopefully won't destroy itself too quickly). On the other hand some of the lower Vf CREE's and Rebels will draw a amp or more. This makes the L0D try to put out and insane amount of light (but unfortunately will also quickly fry up the emitter to the point that the LED starts to permanently dim down and loose output).

I don't like the idea of permanently damaging my L0D, so I will never run 10440s in it.

You are correct that what the L0D REALLY needs is just a more efficient emitter.


I have seen a Q4 L0D which is rated at something like 75 lumens, but the Kaidomain light can do that for 15 dollars (if you don't need multi-modes with long runtimes).


A dealer in Japan had some nice L0D's with Rebel 100 emitters that were really sweet, but they sold out fairly quickly.


You might want to just order the Kaidomain AAA to wet your appitite, then wait a few months for a Q5 or Rebel 100 L0D to hit the market.

Click to expand...

Yes the modes DO all work on the lod ce running 10440's. I've used mine every day for nearly a year using only 10440's with no issues whatsoever, its even been accidently left on high for 40 minutes with no ill effects other than a warm head.

and to jason yes it is that bright, amazing the amount of light from such a tiny and affordable package.

I have the LOD-CE Q4 on order with fenix-store.com and I have some 10440 AW's on the way as well. I also have th Liteflux LF2 on the way. I would probably only run the LOD Q4 on max for short bursts. If I would accidentally ruin a $4 battery it wouldn't be the end of the world, I'd just order some more and learn to be more careful.

I have been holding off on getting the q4 lod, thinking as some have speculated a q5 is in the wings. If it doesnt come out soon I'll prob just get q4 lod anyway, even though I've got 2 lodce's already. I'd be curious to know if the lodq4 running on 10440's is noticibly brighter than the lodce on the same batteries.

My latest light is a p3dq5 fenix, very bright and I love the UI. I keep it on low if I need bright a quick twist gives me turbo. BTW, my little LOD is still the more usable light.

todo said:

Yes the modes DO all work on the lod ce running 10440's. I've used mine every day for nearly a year using only 10440's with no issues whatsoever, its even been accidently left on high for 40 minutes with no ill effects other than a warm head.

and to jason yes it is that bright, amazing the amount of light from such a tiny and affordable package.

Click to expand...

It's all a crap shoot like I said. If the emitter Vf of the CREE emitter in your light is HIGH enough, and the loaded voltage of the 10440 is LOW enough, then it may work with only slightly messing up the mode levels (no real low).

On the other hand, in Rebel Lights for example with low Vf emitters, the thing just goes into 'direct drive' and you can't control it.

As far as your bright little toy goes, here's another fun game to play. Find a friend who has a NEW L0D that hasn't yet been fried on 10440 cells.

Ready?

Now convince him that you are a much more powerful wizard, and have much larger genitalia by showing him your 10440 trick. :devil:

Fun wasn't it? No wait, we aren't done yet! Now buy a nice fresh package of Duracells just so you have two IDENTICAL batteries.

Ready?

Now comes the REALLY fun part, put the fresh Alkalines in both lights and play the "who's flashlight is brighter game again"?

Ooooh CRAP, my little L0D seems to be looking like Poo Poo now, compared to the light that wasn't FRIED with 10440 cells for the last six months. :sick2:

Who's the brilliant powerful wizard now? :naughty:

Of course some of us were the type of kids that always busted our toys and just didn't care (because there was always someone around to buy us new ones), but others may be those boring kind of folks that like to take care of their things, and they may want thier L0D to last just a few years before the LED starts to dim.

There was a recent thread from someone who had this experience with RCR123's in a larger light, and that doesn't subject the light to nearly the amount of abuse that 10440's cause for the little L0D.

So YES, it CAN be done (works with some lights better than others) and if it works at all, it will make your light incredibly bright, but understand what you are getting into, and what the long term consequences are.

Wow lumy, the cute little lodce allways does seem to get your shorts all knotted up does'nt it. You've been corrected by myself and others here (more than once) that all modes DO work fine when 10440's are loaded into the lodce, albeit all a bit brighter (not a bad thing)LOL. However you still continue to incorrectly warn posters of the pending doom should they be so bold to run 10440's, do you have some ajenda I'm missing??? And why does it seem to irk you that some of us just love this little light????? Do you even own an lodce??? I doubt it.LOL

Let me say it again loud and clear for ya lumy, Its not a $200 light its a $40 light run the 10440's in the lodce, it'll be fine mine has probably 200 battery changes run thru it and is as bright as the day I got it, just checked it with my new(backup).

I thought there were people running 10440's in LOD-CE's, and have yet to report any negative results in doing so. As long as the driver circuit can handle the input voltage it shouldn't be a problem as long as the LED doesn't over heat. Cree's have been pushed harder in other lights than the LOD's Cree has been pushed by a 10440. Do you have any proof of what you speak Luminescent? Can you link us to threads that give proof of this happening?

The LOD-CE running 10440's is about the same as a P1D-CE in both brightness and levels. Basically you get a step up using 10440's from NiMH or alkalines. With 10440's in the "low" mode is just above what was "normal". The "normal" mode is just a bit more then what turbo or high used to be on regular cells, or the same as if you ran lithiums AAA or a freshly charged NiMH. Now turbo mode, well, it's off the charts and does get warm.

I typically use the light with 10440's in the "low" or sometimes "normal" mode. Both of these are well within specs for the light. Occasionally I use the turbo mode, its just to darn tempting and very handy to use it once in a while, although many have run it full out regularly it wouldn't surprise me if it will slowly damage the LED, but it's worth it And by the time you might kill it the q6's or q7's will be out anyway

WadeF said:

I thought there were people running 10440's in LOD-CE's, and have yet to report any negative results in doing so. As long as the driver circuit can handle the input voltage it shouldn't be a problem as long as the LED doesn't over heat. Cree's have been pushed harder in other lights than the LOD's Cree has been pushed by a 10440. Do you have any proof of what you speak Luminescent? Can you link us to threads that give proof of this happening?

Click to expand...

Read his review of the L0D Rebel 80, and note the comments about it shutting down and dimming in only a few seconds on a 10440.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/174561

This is NOT a 'defect' in the Rebel, it's just due to its lower Vf.

Before you CREE fan's get too smug, please note that CREE recently changed their P4 (and higher) bin emitters to use 4 bond wires, and now their Vf is a bit lower also. As a result, some folks have started reporting problems with some type of batteries shuting down, EVEN WITH THE CREE VERSION L0D-CE.

When these reports initially started, the oh-so-clever self appointed 'experts' promptly declaired that was due to 'cheap or inferior batteries that were probably made in China'.

Actually ALL of these lithium batteries are supposed to have a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) protective device, so the only thing these 'cheap' batteries were guilty of was doing their humble best to keep these idiots from blowing thier hand off, by shutting down the light when the L0D started to draw potentially explosive levels of current.

Have you read ANY of the threads about lithium battery explosions? Did you know that lithium cells can't even be legally shipped by air on passenger aircraft? Anything that can go bang in a way serious enough to damage an airplane is not something I want going off in my hand.

Not convinced that abused lithium cells can go BANG!

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=124776


And now in the "Truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH" department . . .

Here's an absolutely CLASSIC L0D 10440 rationalization after something does go wrong.

First read this -
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2200669&postcount=28


and the followup post is even better!

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2201939&postcount=30


Let's see, you used a battery with higher than the voltage the light is rated for by Fenix, and it pushes about SIX TIMES the rated current through the driver and emitter. Yes absolutely, I'm SURE that this had NOTHING to do with it dying. Nothing whatsoever, REALLY, just a random event . . . Yeah Right, and Monkeys will fly out my butt.

So good luck! If you find just the right cells (with NOT too effective PTC protection circuits), and then randomly get a L0D with fairly high Vf on the emitter (better try the CREE not the Rebel), then you may be able to get it to work just peachy. The only problem is that even under the best conditions this pushes maybe twice the current through the emitter as even an L2D on Turbo (in a light about 1/10 the mass), and under the worst case conditions, it can draw an insanely high amount of current (two or three amps just before the battery [hopefully] trips it's protective circuit), so don't expect the emitter in your L0D to be very happy about it, and if the battery doesn't trip fast enough . . . Well, nuff said. Have fun.

Luminescent said:

Let's see, you used a battery with TWICE the voltage the light is rated for by Fenix,

Click to expand...

This is the only part I have a problem with, the LOD-CE is rated for 3.3v.

Marduke said:

This is the only part I have a problem with, the LOD-CE is rated for 3.3v.

Click to expand...

I just checked the Fenix-Store web site, and you are correct, I was going by older info from another site.

I stand corrected The key thing with that 3.3 volt spec, is that it's designed to keep the battery voltage from exceeding the Vf of the emitter and sending the light into unregulated 'direct drive'.

With a freshly charged 10440, and a low Vf emitter like the Rebel, the light not only goes 'unregulated' but the current can go up to a couple amps, with possibly disastrous results

Seems the LOD-CE works fine with 10440, as long as you use the high mode sparingly.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/161778

Brock said:

The LOD-CE running 10440's is about the same as a P1D-CE in both brightness and levels. Basically you get a step up using 10440's from NiMH or alkalines. With 10440's in the "low" mode is just above what was "normal". The "normal" mode is just a bit more then what turbo or high used to be on regular cells, or the same as if you ran lithiums AAA or a freshly charged NiMH. Now turbo mode, well, it's off the charts and does get warm.

I typically use the light with 10440's in the "low" or sometimes "normal" mode. Both of these are well within specs for the light. Occasionally I use the turbo mode, its just to darn tempting and very handy to use it once in a while, although many have run it full out regularly it wouldn't surprise me if it will slowly damage the LED, but it's worth it And by the time you might kill it the q6's or q7's will be out anyway

Click to expand...

Sounds like your experence is near the 'best case' where the Vf of the emitter is high enough, and the battery voltage is just a leeeetle higher

Under the conditions you discribed, it's probably not going to hurt the emitter, but some of the Rebel lights will not even stay on more than a few seconds, and just get INSANELY bright, so it can't be a good thing.

Luminescent said:

Sounds like your experence is near the 'best case' where the Vf of the emitter is high enough, and the battery voltage is just a leeeetle higher

Under the conditions you discribed, it's probably not going to hurt the emitter, but some of the Rebel lights will not even stay on more than a few seconds, and just get INSANELY bright, so it can't be a good thing.

Click to expand...

How are THOSE "conditions" different than anyone elses, as a matter of fact I didn't hear any "conditions" described in enough detail for you to determine his light/life is SAFE.. LOL. Sounds exactly like the same "conditions" mine and everyone elses lodce . Plus 2, no one here is talking about the Rebal lights, but when I get one, I'll be sure and post you my results.