Continuing my search for a single AA light

Please stay out of this thread if your intent is to make a political comment or tell me why you don't approve of my choices. My other thread got locked because of people who were rude enough to disrupt it and there were some informative responses prior to that happening.

I am still looking for American made recommendations and I have read the thread on US manufacturers. I have gotten some good ideas so far.

Again:
1. Single AA
2. Forward clicky with momentary ability
3. 80lum on high at least, and prefer a low mode if possible but not several levels/sos/strobe etc....just high and low.
4.Surefire E2E type body, knurled with good clip.

Some good ideas I have received:

1.The Malkoff Valiant head on an E2E body with an m30 drop in is looking good but I dont know how to space the battery and how to estimate lumens/run times. (this would also be high only I know)

2. The Malkoff MD2 light (with high low switch) with m30 drop in and a "half 123 spacer" was recommended as well.

*in both these cases I understand everything but the spacers...dont know where to get them or how to fit them to turn these 123 lights into AA lights.

The m30s also seem to be out of stock everywhere...anyone have a source?

If anyone has anymore recommendations please post them here...thanks to all who help out.

PEAK El Capitan with a rear momentary switch. Only single mode though, about 150 lumens on #8. Although, it can be had in whatever output you tell them.

that will be hard light to find with such requirements. it is pretty hard to find single aa that puts out 90+lm, and fit the rest of your requirements

all i could think is modify a 2 aa maglite, shorten it to 1 aa size, use li ion batt. that has closest size to aa battery, terralux drop in, (3w rated 140lm), and iq switch (3 brightness modes, and 2 strobe modes), i have set up like that, thou mine is uncut, and uses 2aa, i like it, combo of 3w led, and iq switch works great for me.

just a suggestion.
But it would probably be a good idea/make sense to list "what some of those good ideas" were to reduce redundancy/help people get a better idea of what you're looking for

good idea flasher thanks!...I will put them in the first post.

What price range are you looking at? Because if it's high enough, you can request a custom light.

It is hard to get 90 lumen from a single AA, not impossible, but hard. The two drivers that I recall with that ability are both made in China though (along with many of the drivers, reflectors, switches, optics, and even LEDs here). The parts for those drives and such could be made in a different country, it's hard to trace where everything is made and assembled.

If you don't mind the components being made overseas, a Minimag AA mod with a good driver could be an option. You can obtain the 1AA minimag body, and send it to Milkispit to be modded to you specifications.

I remember when Malkoff started, you had to sign up for his email list, and keep watch of that. When ever a batch of drop-ins came, you had to be quick to buy or you won't get one. He also made a few special drop-ins for people too, so maybe you can contact him?

Having more then one mode is already multimode. If you think about it, all lights are multimode, light, or dark, choose a mode

Runtime estimates are usually done by dividing the battery capacity by current. That gives the max theoretical runtime, so real runtime would be shorter, sometimes a lot shorter if you are drawing high currents from an alkaline battery for example.

:welcome:

Thanks for the runtime info...

Price is one of those fluid things for me...of course I would like to keep it down but I am willing to pay a little more for the right light. Not 400 dollars more but a little more.

If I can get this E2E body and Valiant/m30 head combo worked out I could be happy...Getting the AA to work in a space made for 2 cr123s is my problem.

The Md2 seems a fair bit bigger overall (more like a surefire c2) size and I am not sure I want that much bulk, it has no clip I can find, and since they will both have the same emitter and battery combo anyway I am leaning toward the E series option...but with either one I have to get the battery to fit.

Anybody? Anyone know of any spacers available that will make an AA snug and make contact in a body made for 2 cr123s?

doesnt the quark aa or nitecore ezaa fit your needs perfectly

I just tested my M30W with 1 AA Energizer E2 battery and an AA dummy in my Surefire C3. There does not appear to be adequate voltage to get anywhere near 80 lumens. The M30 with 2 AA Energizer E2 batteries runs just like Gene says it will, about 100 lumens. Looks to me like the M30 route is out.

As usual my vote for a 1AA light goes to the EagleTac P10a !:thumbsup:
Website states 130 lumens on high and 37 on low....
Basic High and Lo settings, none of the fancy schmancy strobe settings etc.
While I am kind of partial to the Eagletac lights and I do rotate between a T100c2MKII, a TK10 and a Strion Incan for my EDC on my belt, the P10A is always in my right front pocket.

mbw_151 said:

I just tested my M30W with 1 AA Energizer E2 battery and an AA dummy in my Surefire C3. There does not appear to be adequate voltage to get anywhere near 80 lumens. The M30 with 2 AA Energizer E2 batteries runs just like Gene says it will, about 100 lumens. Looks to me like the M30 route is out.

Click to expand...

Well crud...thanks for trying it out.

I wonder how metlarules is making it work so well with one as he mentioned in this post:

"Malkoff MD2 with a hi/low bezel switch and the M30 drop in of your choice. Stick a aa cell in it and then stick half a cr123 spacer in. On high I get 2 hrs out of a eneloop aa."

I have PMd him and hopefully he can clear it up. Maybe his "high" isn't as high as I had hoped.

HSG said:

As usual my vote for a 1AA light goes to the EagleTac P10a !:thumbsup:

Click to expand...

tekguy said:

doesnt the quark aa or nitecore ezaa fit your needs perfectly

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions but as I said in the OP I am looking for American made.

Nevermind I misunderstood......

ztm said:

Also how are you getting the two AAs to fit into the c3 version? Spacers? etc

Click to expand...

If you look at the around there were some runtime tests conducted with many of the M60/M30 in different Surefire bodies. The short answer is 2 AA batteries will fit into any of the 3 cell Surefire lights (9P, C3, G3 etc) just fine. Note, the AA batteries will rattle a bit, just wrap some paper around the cells and that should solve the rattling issue.

jp2515 said:

If you look at the around there were some runtime tests conducted with many of the M60/M30 in different Surefire bodies. The short answer is 2 AA batteries will fit into any of the 3 cell Surefire lights (9P, C3, G3 etc) just fine. Note, the AA batteries will rattle a bit, just wrap some paper around the cells and that should solve the rattling issue.

Click to expand...

Thanks I get it now...that is getting up there in size and I prefer a smaller light. Hopefully I can still get something worked out with the AA/m3 combo once metlarules sorts me out.

You can make your own spacer with the right length piece of metal and insulated tape.

Calling "metlarules"

Thanks all for the replies and info everyone.

Metlarules could you step in and explain how you had the malkoff set up with one AA and what kind of light are you getting from it? `also where did you get the half spacer?

Thanks all...

metlarules got me squared away...thank you sir

So what did you end up doing?