Best lumen/dollar?

Just for fun. So please don't tell me about how a ra, fenix etc is more useful.

Let it begin!

My weak entry:
a 12 volt sla batt with a switch and a 20 watt par16 soldered on

cost: $20 aud (batterie savaged)
brightness: 400? Lumens

A coin cell powered single led squeeze style $1.00 keychain light would be a contender.

My two cheapskate candidates:

5 cents per lumen (plus an unprotected 16340 battery - NOT a CR123a):
SmallSun ZY-C60 Cree Q3-WC 180-Lumen LED Flashlight with Strap (1*CR123A) $8.99
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20341

Edit: added battery.
LIR 3.6V CR123A Batteries (2-Pack for $3.28)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.722
$3.28/2+$8.99=$10.63
$10.63/180lumens=$.059/lumen including 1 battery
Not great quality, but cheap and bright!

47 cents per flashlight and 2 batteries:
Black Flashlight Keychain 22000mcd 10-pack
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.01253
(5-10 Lumens each?)

I've got one that is undefined. Free keychain light, so that is probably 5-10 lumen divided by a cost of $0, so undefined

I would have to say that the Stanley HID would be very hard to beat in terms of highest lumen to dollar ratio (or lowest cost per lumen).
If we assume that it is putting out around 3000 lumens (it could theoretically be putting out more), then it would end up with just over 2 cents per lumen, or over 42 lumens per dollar.

I seriously doubt that any of those cheap DX lights are really putting out 180 lumens with a Q3 and 1 CR123, especially not for 9 dollars.

Coast LED Lenser DigiTac I: HA, single AA cell, boost regulator, Luxeon I LED w/ collimating lens, warm tint with large spot and very little spill - $12 w/ 2 cells and sheath.

DuraVision Pro XLT-1300: 2x CR123A cell, HA, collimating lens. I'm not sure what emitter this light has, but it is a little brighter than a P60L, with less spill and a warmer tint. - $12 with 2 Surefire cells.

Neither light is Surefire quality, but both are of reasonably good quality.

Is there really any point in discussing and recommending bright+cheap lights... without factoring in some degree of reliability?

I paid $40.00 US. for a brand new POB(3500 lm.) off E-Bay.Works out to be about 87 lm. per $1.00.I saw one go for $23.00 in an auction.Works out to 152lm. per $1.00! Unfortunately the price on these have gone through the roof.

Mjolnir said:

I seriously doubt that any of those cheap DX lights are really putting out 180 lumens with a Q3 and 1 CR123, especially not for 9 dollars.

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they certainly do not (OTF)... they are in the ~120 Lumen ballpark OTF for a brief moment, and decline from there as the emitter heats up and cell depletes.

ANDREAS FERRARI said:

I paid $40.00 US. for a brand new POB(3500 lm.) off E-Bay.Works out to be about 87 lm. per $1.00.I saw one go for $23.00 in an auction.Works out to 152lm. per $1.00! Unfortunately the price on these have gone through the roof.

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You mean POV right?... I have seen deals like that too and kick myself for not jumping on them.

**edit**
Oh right... DOH I knew that.

kramer5150 said:

You mean POV right?... I have seen deals like that too and kick myself for not jumping on them.

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No I'm talking about the Vector Power On Board HID Spotlight.I only see one currently for sale on E-Bay($109.00 US) Item number:220430426787

This is what i got and i think its a good buy IMHO:-

1. CR2 light (this was the shortest i could find) here for $13.70

2. 5xCR2 cells here for $6.50

Was the only budget CR2 light i could find and i recently got myself 2xRCR2s, no charger as my WF-138 can charge these cells with some judicious use of aluminum foil

Cheap spotlights such as the Stanley and Vectors, win hand down.

cheap hids should win this..

tongue in cheek my vote goes to the Sun. (yeah that yellowish bright thing in the sky)

a book of matches would also be a contender. yeah runtime is pretty crappy, and they're not rechargeable, but think of how much you're actually paying for a single match. it's gotta be fractions of a penny, for pretty much guaranteed north of 25 lumens per strike.

R@ndom said:

Just for fun. So please don't tell me about how a ra, fenix etc is more useful.

Click to expand...

NonSenCe said:

cheap hids should win this..

tongue in cheek my vote goes to the Sun. (yeah that yellowish bright thing in the sky)

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brighterisbetter said:

a book of matches would also be a contender. yeah runtime is pretty crappy, and they're not rechargeable, but think of how much you're actually paying for a single match. it's gotta be fractions of a penny, for pretty much guaranteed north of 25 lumens per strike.

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:thinking: is this a trick question?

Outdoors Fanatic said:

Cheap spotlights such as the Stanley and Vectors, win hand down.

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I wish you wouldn't call them "cheap." I prefer the term "competitively priced."
That way, I don't feel bad that I bought my HID at Walmart!