my dream edc design...

... would be an 2x AA flashlight with the batteries side by side.

i just can see a lot of pros and don´t understand why you can´t buy it yet (can you?!)


+ i would like the compact form factor much more than the usual 2x AA design

+ the possibility to run it on 1 AA in emergencies

+ becaus of the AA form factor you can put in a lot of different batteries (li-ion, alk, Nickel Zinc, lsd, generic nimh)

+ long runtime

+ AA format is perfect for travelling: it is cheap, you can get it everywhere, you can find it in a lot of different devices if you really need some (beats cr123 in this points; by the way: cr123 is very expensive and not very common here in europe)

+ more efficent than 1x AA due to higher voltage

(+) maybe it would be possible to produce a high capacity special li-ion battery with the section [not sure if that´s the right term] of a peanut-shell for longest runtimes in daily use (can´t describe it better due to my limited english skills)


what do you think?

maybe you could use 2 emitters next to each other in order to avoid a big flashlight head - wouldn´t it be more efficent (and brigher) to use two underdriven emitter instead of one or is this an error in reasoning?!

looking forward to any input!

Nice, I've been thinking about an AAx2 side by side for a while... A D20 in this form would be awesome!

A great idea.
Is this what you were thinking?


EDIT* this is a better thread, I think.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/173259

I have a little plastic body twisty incan with this side by side AA design that I got for free from Duluth Trading with an order a couple years ago; I don't see it on their website now.

It is actually one of the best incan lights I have; nice and bright, decent incan beam and very reliable.

I haven't seen an LED light with this config though; I suppose something like the SPY007 but with AAs might be cool.

EDIT: Jeeves beat me to it....

With two AA's side by side you either have more voltage (if they're in series) or the ability to run it from one AA (if in parallel), not both at the same time.

Either way, it would be nice to see a light in this configuration. The power of a Fenix LD20 in a package the size of a thick cellphone. Would be very nice.

Not super bright, and I doubt it will run on 1 battery, but the design might interest you.
Streamlight Sidewinder

Barbolight B-04D uses three AA side X side and is 180 lumens.

just a very, very basic scetch:

this is the format i´m basically thinking of:


http://www.directupload.net

I had what was supposed to be a dive light, very similar to that. Had a nice beefy incan head on it. I Loved it.

I don't think the spy is what you're looking for. Lol. I know it's not what any of our wallets are looking for.


Good luck.

the SPY007 looks AMAZING, but i´m not sure if the switch is verry ergonomical beeing placed on the front.

but the idea of the rotary switch is very intuitiv. maybe a stepless slideswitch would be great aswell.

Your right about cr123 being hard to find in europe especially UK but they have longer run times :ironic:

I worked on a similar concept - this one is designed to take P60 style drop-ins. Expensive from a design/production standpoint and therefore not much of a demand.

Nice work there. It looks like u put two orings if so thats a good idea i always think two is best incase one of the orings fails.

I had a small, yellow, 2xAAA light made by Pelican (Incan) that was my go-to SFF for years. You couldn't tell it was in your pocket.
Plastic construction, batteries went in through the head socket and you'd push over the first battery to make room for the second.
Very pocketable, waterproof, simple twist on.
So yeah, I agree it's an overlooked design.
Couldn't find it quickly on the web, probably an old product.

steinstern said:

the SPY007 looks AMAZING, but i´m not sure if the switch is verry ergonomical beeing placed on the front.

Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to handle a Spy005 and Spy007 and the switch is VERY ergonomic I found. Now if only I could afford a SPY.

A 2xAA Spy would be neat.

how much was/is the SPY007 ?!

alot...and I can't figure out why other than the complexities of its machining, plus the LED driver is offending by name

try this on for size: Introducing the SPY 007
MSRP $1075

Illum said:

alot...and I can't figure out why other than the complexities of its machining, plus the LED driver is offending by name

try this on for size: Introducing the SPY 007
MSRP $1075

Click to expand...

Go buy a fancy 3D CNC machine, or whatever Data uses, buy a bunch of blocks of Titanium, machine them into the Spy body. Then install the electronics, emitter, reflect, switch, etc, by hand. Once you've done all this, tell me how much you'd want to charge.

These are fancy custom lights and made in limited #'s. If you want one, you have to pay for what goes into making them. At least that's how I see it.

yeah i been hoping for one too.. stacked aa batteries in cellphone sized package. with stacked/double barrel AA the slim oval shape should make it rather easy to pocket carry.

and in my mind the wider shape would keep the light more securely in upright position.. my 1aa lights tend to turn all around in my pockets if they are left loose.. hence i need the lanyard to keep it upright or pocketclip.

something like thickness 35mm *width 22mm*length 90mm

i just want a cheap mans "spy" (the Spy 005 and 007 are an awesome concept. and.. isnt that switch a rotating clicstop switch.. very easy to roll sideways with the thumb or forefinger. not a tactical ice pick grip hold light but point and shoot kind)

my old thread about lights i wish to see made:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/225761&highlight=lights+production

Sorry, in my earlier post the light I was talking about wasn't a pelican, it was an Underwater Kinetics .