Looking for a dropin...

I'm looking for a droppin that'll work in an old 2 AA anglehead light, a Brinkman 2 AA plastic or other donor with a switch. I'm a quadriplegic and twisting lights with my teeth is getting old.
My questions are:
Which is brightest?
Which is better for throw, batwings or reflector?
TIA,
Mike

For some odd reason, I can't help but think Craig's got some suggestions on this...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

You can grab something like a minimag that would accept a madmax/badboy LS module. Then you can supply the minimag with a RAM clickie (red clickie) that's really soft on depression and can easily be turned on with a tongue push, of all else (the spring's almost too soft)...

LSs are pretty bright for its size, and can easily outwhip any 2AA incandescent ligth in terms of output, and in some cases, even throw.. For drop-in pills that are readily available, I find the BadBoy 400 w/ Q3L upgrade to be the brightest overall, with the MadMax+ Q3 the brightest initially.

You'll want a high dome with an NX05 collimator for a good throwing light. For a smoother beam (IMHO, a more useful beam for trekin' in the dark), you can choose either a McFlood reflector or a low dome LS with an NX05...

Just a thought...

Thanks, I had forgot there is a clickie for a mag AA, I hold it in my handto use but my ARC LS, ARC AAA AND CMG Infiniy(all will be in BST as soon as I find replacements) I have to hold with both hands and twist with my teeth to turn on.

freewheelin',

I second FalconFX's choices for both LED dropin and tailswitch. If you decide to go this route, you might want to wrap a few turns of electrical tape around the tailswitch end of the flashlight...it's ugly, but makes holding the light between the teeth a lot more user-friendly. Hope this helps.

Ahh.. Okie!

The clickie is actually quite good. I've found, on occasion, when both my hands are tied up and the light's in my mouth, I'd just use my tongue to turn it on or off...

You could also use a Kroll to turn it on or off as well, but the RAM red clickie's the most soft switch I've seen that's easily depressable with a light tap of the end of the light...

I actually clickd on Inretech's add that was at the top of this page and am considering the set. But I was wondering if they were as good as Datzip or opalec. I know it a dangerous question and its mostly opinion as to which is better, but there it is.

Arc LS has Clickie packs for both 123 and 2AA (Kroll switch).

Inretech's dropins have an incredibly long runtime with lithium AAs. But initially, it's not as bright as, say the MadMax module, nor is it as bright overall... But the IRT is direct driven, whereas Dat2zip's dropins are boosted...

The Opalec has almost 10 straight hours of a constant output of brightness, a great plus with just regular alkalines. And a slightly longer runtime with NiMHs and even longer with lithium AAs... But the Newbeam's nowhere near as bright as the LS counterparts...

From using all three of them before, I prefer always going back to the BadBoy modules because I run it off of NiMHs and usually like the increased and constant brightness...

If getting to or paying for batteries is an issue, well we make a really great product for you. Both the Opalec and the BB modules are good regulated products, but we think that with rechargable 1.5V alkaline batteries now available, we have a better product that can be recharged.

Our latest AA adapters are "WOW" bright, and nothing you want pointed at your eyes.

I'd say for a Minimag or Brinkmann, an MM+ is supposed to be the brightest. Runtime wasn't an issue in the originally posted question.

Also, if unscrewing the tailcap to change out the batteries is a nuisance, you might consider a rechargeable light with a drop-in charger. The Streamlight Polystinger might be a good candidate, since it's about the size of a typical 2C light, not that much bigger than a 2AA Minimag. However, it's not an LED light and may not be so easy to mod (it uses a bi-pin bulb and won't easily take an Everled). Maybe other folks here have further suggestions.

Thanx for the help, I now have both an Inretech and a BB500 and 2 Kroll clickies on the way. I'll post my impressions when they get here.
I'll be running AA NIMH's as I've got 50+ of em.

Awesome! Looking to hear what you think of both!
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Freewheelin,

The InReTech AA adapter will not perform very well with NiMh's. The voltage supplied by two NiMh's will provide a dull glow, but that is not quite enough. If you can get regular alkalines or preferably rechargable alkalines, you will be much happier with our AA adapter performance. Of course, if you have 2/3 AA NiMh's and a proper spacer, you can use 3 of those and get a pretty good light.

How about a headlamp? There are several LED HL's and a couple take AA's

High power headlamps

Tradeoffs involved with high-power LEDs make headlamps more a dream than a readily achieved reality. The key here is light output vs. heatsinking vs. weight vs. second degree burns vs. lawsuits. If you increase the light output, you need to increase the heatsinking which increases the product weight or you risk increasing your customers second degree burns and increasing their lawsuits.

In other words, high power LEDs in headlamps give a lot of companies the heebie-jeebies.

Re: High power headlamps

[ QUOTE ]
shipinretech said:
Tradeoffs involved with high-power LEDs make headlamps more a dream than a readily achieved reality. The key here is light output vs. heatsinking vs. weight vs. second degree burns vs. lawsuits. If you increase the light output, you need to increase the heatsinking which increases the product weight or you risk increasing your customers second degree burns and increasing their lawsuits.

In other words, high power LEDs in headlamps give a lot of companies the heebie-jeebies.

[/ QUOTE ]

From a manufacturers viewpoint, you are so right. From the viewpoint of a caver walking around with a
carbide torch on his head, those reasons look pretty silly.

Re: High power headlamps

No wonder when I emailed several of our modders requesting an LS based headlamp I got no response. I even mentioned that I have 2 with 4D belt pouch power supplies and huge heads with room for lots of heatsink (both have really nasty, ringy, holy, POS beams). I really only use headlamps when I'm at the deer lease and I do like them but for running the 2 blocks to Ace hardware or the grocery store they're really not practical. I'm looking intosome HID bike headlight with the water bottle size batt. packs to mount on my chair too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just 4 deer season and the odd spring turkey hunt.

Re: High power headlamps

I realize it must seem churlish, but I keep having this vision of customers asking us to produce a battery powered light emitting waffle iron that they can strap to their heads.

If you are interested in hunting Coyote and other varmits with night vision, please let me know. Our IR adapter is really quite good, and if there is a market for it, we will expand our product line to include some IR trail illuminating lights.

Re: High power headlamps

Patrick,

Would you have one of you IR drop ins available for sale yet? My SF Millenium M1 (IR) and new Sony Digital8 camcorder with IR Nightshot are looking for a new friend to play with....

BTW
The 20 LED UV unit I purchased is quite nicely snugged away in its new Purple M&g...funny all the things that it picks up thet we never knew about (esp around the cat's litter box! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: High power headlamps

Banshee,

We have IR adapters available and ready for sale online. If you can get good video of a coyote or other varmit by using our IR adapter as the sole source of light, it would be of great interest to me. If you want, we can also develop IR lighting solutions for any legitimate use you have.

Here is a picture of our latest IR adapter illuminating Mike's living room floor viewed through a Generation I nightvision scope.