Recommendations for 1-lumen light

This is an offshoot from my 1-lumen post, but now that I know 1 lumen is detectable, I would like a smaller light for night use, that I can also use as a reading light.

I would like one that can get close to 1 lumen on low, and have a medium or so that won't kill my night sight. I ordered my tactical ray (Fenix T1) which will be a bit much for night.

I have these listed to me so far:

120P - .08 lumens - Probably too dim
SF L1 Gen2 - 1.1 lumens
Mag Solitaire - 0.9 lumens
HDS U60 - 0.08 lumens
HDS B42 - 2 lumens - Might be good but I'd like close to 1 lumen as a reference.
CR2 Ion - 2.5 lumens

If I could get one that can go 1 lumens on low, and 5 on medium or so, that would be good as well. High can be 20 or 30, or whatever is good.

I look for any other recommendations. I think an LED might give me the closest figure, but I'm open to any suggestions. I do want it to be cheap, possibly less than $25.

I would like it directional, not an omni-source.

Lol, most people want a bright light, but you want only 1 lumen. I understand the purpose though. Unfortunately I have no suggestions.

Yeah, it's about curiosity as to what exactly 1-lumen looks like (or maybe 1-lumen / m^2). I ordered a 225 lumen T1, so I've got bright enough covered.

jugg2 said:

Lol, most people want a bright light, but you want only 1 lumen. I understand the purpose though. Unfortunately I have no suggestions.

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Your best bet would be a Flupic driven light where you can dial in a low low, and a medium, medium. Might have problem with a high because it might be too high for your liking. I can not think of any in your price range, but most of the lights you have listed cost more than $25.00. I have a personal barrier about "cheap lights", and would rather spend the money to get something that reeks some quality.

Bill

If you don't already have your T-1 you are going to like it. Mine is my EDC now, along with a P2D if I can get a replacement clicky...

Supposedly the HDS is the closest you'll get to accurate lumens. I believe that HDS has a setting for 0.94 lumens. It's been measured in an integrating sphere and shown to be pretty accurate for a sampling of a few HDS lights.

While the Novatac is supposed to be similar to the HDS technology, I've seen (non sphere) measurements that show it's not the same output depending on battery type, whereas the HDS produced the same output.

With the right 5mm LED, a 2AAA or 2AA incan MiniMag would be right up your alley. For low light, I use a 3000mcd red frosted LED in a 2AAA MiniMag. I keep a white tritium keychain attached to the back so I can always see it in the dark, along with a black fauxton with the 2xCR2016's replaced with a single CR2032 for a dim light (brighter than the red though), but with better color rendition than the red LED.

Yes, plugging a 5mm direct drive style into a bipin MiniMag socket seriously overdrives the LED, and will burn it out within a few thousand hours (maybe even a few hundred), but they come free in giveaway keychain lights, or can be bought in bulk for pennies off DX.

If you use a white LED, a IQ switch, or a couple layers of scotch tape over the lens will dim it right down again to the low low level you want.

I'd recomend the Liteflux LF2 AAA light -- no need hauling around a big battery if you only need a tiny current. You'll like having a nice "low level" light that is small enough for keychain carry. It's essentially a two-stage twisty light, 1/4 turn for level 1, 1/2 turn for level 2. The levels are also completely user programmable from 0.1% up to 100%. I have my primary level extremely low
(less than a lumen), and my second level very high (over 100 lumens, a lot for a keychain). The super low level has proven much more useful than I even expected-- just enough to say look through drawers in the dark, or read from a paper without dazzling myself. Outside in a true dark environment, it's also just enough to light up a pathway withotu spoiling night vision.

Also, by using a high-power emitter with a shallow reflector, the beam is a lot more "floody" than 5mm LED beams, with a uniform hotspot that gradually fades to spill, rather than a bright "circle" of light, that prodcues an unpleasant tunnel vision effect. The LF2 on low lights up everything in my field of ision so that it looks like working under a full moon. I'd consider the Cree edition to be a "narrow flood" and the SSC version to a "wide flood", neither has a sharp hotspot (good for working up close).

I modified a Minimag like the one Marduke was talking about, and it is about as dim as they get. If you want to go crazy, try this: Get an Inova X5, remove the tailcap, and push down on the protruding + end of the battery. The light will light up, and I'd say it's a little less than 1 lumen.

KeyGrip said:

I modified a Minimag like the one Marduke was talking about, and it is about as dim as they get. If you want to go crazy, try this: Get an Inova X5, remove the tailcap, and push down on the protruding + end of the battery. The light will light up, and I'd say it's a little less than 1 lumen.

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This is pretty cool -- discovered the effect accidentally when doing a battery swap on a direct drive light, I could see the die light up from the current going through my finger. Wetting the tip of your finger will really make resistance go down, and actuall generate a light that is enough to actually see things with in the dark. (this won't work with lights that require drivers, only direct drive).

nanoWatt, the numbers you quote for the HDS U60 and the Novatac 120P are the absolute lowest outputs they are able to achieve. They both use similar electronics and have about 20 programmable brightness levels.

Luxlover made a table of the different output settings for the HDS lights before the HDS/Novatac forum was closed. He might be able to send you a copy. I think the HDS has three or four levels around or below 1 lumen.

My HDS is my nightstand light. On its minimum setting I can easily read or walk around with night adapted eyes. Its beam might be a little tight for long periods of reading though.

I just reread your post and saw your budget is only about $25. Most of the lights you mentioned, with the exception of the Solitaire cost a fair bit more than that :candle:. In that price range, I recommend you look at the Gerber Infinity Ultra or a single-LED Peak Matterhorn.

I'll put in a plug for PhotonLight. I think much of their range of models starting from the Photon Freedom have adjustable output.

This is my recommendation. I use it every day and it's awesome! It's been kicking out light for almost a year non-stop on one battery!
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?p=2093257#post2093257

carbine15 said:

This is my recommendation. I use it every day and it's awesome! It's been kicking out light for almost a year non-stop on one battery!
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?p=2093257#post2093257

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You just beat me to it - I was going to suggest a Safe-Lite or other PAL light model. I don't know what the lumen rating is, but it is very low - it may be less than one lumen. The original PAL Survival light is the LED light that started my continuing facination with LED lights. They are great.

PALight?
The all-time glow should satisfy your 1-lumen needs, and the other modes would take care of the rest.
And if you find one of those 2-cell LiPo "9 volt" batteries you don't need to worry about the piddling capacity of 9 volt batteries either.

The battery in my Sea-Pal was put in Sept or Oct 2005(I wrapped a note around the battery with the install date). And it still gives off it's standby light at the same level, the normal setting is twice as bright(still very dim), the high setting is way low, and then the strobe setting strobes at the 1st level.
I was gonna change the battery now, but I like it as a bathroom-finding-don't-step-on-the-pets-light.

5mm keychain light?

LukeA said:

5mm keychain light?

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The Fauxton type? Those are >5 lumens, sometimes closer to 8 unless you mod them with other batteries or LED's

Toss the two CR2016s, replace them with a single CR2032, and enjoy low light levels and monster run time (relatively speaking).

The Photon Proton will dim down to something less than 1 lumen in white or red.

Geoff