Long running Low Low Light?

Does anyone make something along the lines of a 1 or 2 cell 123 light running a 5mm or other led at around 5 lumens that will run for days or weeks at a time? A dedicated low output regulated light. A kind of survivial light?

The Jetbeam III M R2 is the longest lasting and lowest lumen light I have.


CR123*2: 225Lumen, 2Hours
RCR123*2: 225Lumen, 1Hours
18650*1: 225Lumen, 3Hours
Min Output: 2 Lumen, lasting for 200 hours

Bill

Brasso said:

Does anyone make something along the lines of a 1 or 2 cell 123 light running a 5mm or other led at around 5 lumens that will run for days or weeks at a time? A dedicated low output regulated light. A kind of survivial light?

Click to expand...

I just placed an order last night for a Zebralight H31. It's a single CR123 headlamp but here are the runtime specs:

• High: H1 220 Lm (0.9 hrs) or H2 120 Lm (2 hrs)
• Medium: M1 43 Lm (12 hrs) or M2 24 Lm (23 hrs)
• Low: L1 5 Lm (3.7 days) or L2 0.5 Lm (21 days)

http://www.zebralight.com/H31-Headlamp-CR123-220Lm_p_25.html

The SC30 is Zebralights flashlight. It has the same runtimes roughly.

http://www.zebralight.com/SC30-Flashlight-CR123-193Lm_p_18.html

I have a PALight 'Survival' that has a very low, low. It is great for moving around when your eyes adjust to the dark. I can't quantify the lumens, but I would guess the 'glow' feature is around 1 or 2 lumens. The light is always in 'glow mode' and will stay that way for well over a year before the battery needs to be changed. I've had mine for about 4 years. It takes a 9v battery, so it doesn't fit your CR123 criteria. This is our go-to light at night because it is so easy to locate. If you leave it pointed up, you can always find the beam on the ceiling...sometimes I put it behind a glass lantern in the living room, which makes it glow at night. http://www.palights.com/store/safe-light-survival-led-flashlight.html

4sevens has some lights with moonlight mode.

http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_43&products_id=1648

It has a 30 DAYS runtime at .2 lumens. 2xAA light.

the Novatacs have very low lows .08 lumens and are cr123s and I get great runtimes even with RCR123s. Not sure if Lighthound still has he EDC85T but they were around $60 when I bought mine.

I have an HDS, Jetbeam, Quark, etc. I guess my question is whether someone makes a dedicated low low light. One thats specifically regulated to run only at low output for maximum run time at around 5 lumens. I don't know that I necessarily need something like this, but I think it would be a useful Bugout / SHTF item to have on hand.

I think it was milky who used to make the led candle. It was before my time here. I wonder if he makes them anymore?

Bill

Brasso said:

Does anyone make something along the lines of a 1 or 2 cell 123 light running a 5mm or other led at around 5 lumens that will run for days or weeks at a time?

Click to expand...

Brasso said:

I have an HDS, Jetbeam, Quark, etc. I guess my question is whether someone makes a dedicated low low light. One thats specifically regulated to run only at low output for maximum run time at around 5 lumens. I don't know that I necessarily need something like this, but I think it would be a useful Bugout / SHTF item to have on hand.

Click to expand...

FYI, a 5mm LED is a lot less efficient than the modern Cree emitters. Any maker would be much better off using one of the newer emitters to produce that kind of output and runtime (not to mention with infinitely better tint)

But since HDS, Novatac, 4sevens, JetBeam, Zebralight and others all make multi-power lights with true moon modes that can last that long, I can't see why someone would make a competing product that only had the moonlight mode. There's no real advantage to making a restricted flashlight that would cost nearly as much as more versatile ones.

If HDS, Quark and the others don't give you what you're looking for, there are only 2 other options I can even think of.

1. Get a Pal light "the survival". It takes a 9v battery and the low low low will run for ~2 years constant. It also has 3 other brightness settings.
http://www.safe-light.com/store/safe-light-survival-led-flashlight.html

2. A large tritium sphere mounted in a light like a Luce de Notte would glow for ~15 years or more.

If you don't mind using 17670 batteries, a 17670 will give you 2.5 times the run time as a single 123. I suggest a Hi Cri RA Clicky with 17670 body or better yet, get a Hi Cri RA Twisty with the 18650 body.

I also had a "run forever survival light" in mind when I did some research a year or two back and came across Wayne's (Elektrolumens) Blaster 1D.

I bought just one from him but wish I had bought a couple more.

It'll run forever on one D-Cell battery, and it's plenty bright for normal use in the kind of emergency situations I had in mind.
It's more like 60 lumens as opposed to just 5 lumens desired in the OP, but the Blaster will still run for 3 days straight on one D cell, and I use it also as a room lamp during a power outage. I tail stand it under one of my table lamps and throw the light up into the lamp shade. That diffuses the light from the Blaster and it becomes a very good backup for when the lights go out.
Using rechargables for a "survival" light doesn't make much sense because it's quite possible that you won't be able to recharge them anyway if the power is out.

Scroll down the link below and you can see what the Blaster 1D looks like.
I'm seeing a preference for 123's, but there is nothing like a D Cell if you want a runtime that you won't believe, and don't forget the very easy availability of D cells anywhere.

For the purpose stated in the OP, I would highly recommend seeing if you can talk Wayne out of another of his Blaster 1D's or a Blaster Jr.

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=129788&page=3

I'll check it out. I can believe that the newer Cree emitters are more efficient than 5mm's. But I though that a dedicated low output regulated light would do better than one that was high output also.

A 5mm is less efficient than a latest Cree offering, but which emitter will actually fire up on a near-dead cell?

kingofwylietx said:

I have a PALight 'Survival' that has a very low, low. It is great for moving around when your eyes adjust to the dark. I can't quantify the lumens, but I would guess the 'glow' feature is around 1 or 2 lumens. The light is always in 'glow mode' and will stay that way for well over a year before the battery needs to be changed. I've had mine for about 4 years. It takes a 9v battery, so it doesn't fit your CR123 criteria. This is our go-to light at night because it is so easy to locate. If you leave it pointed up, you can always find the beam on the ceiling...sometimes I put it behind a glass lantern in the living room, which makes it glow at night. http://www.palights.com/store/safe-light-survival-led-flashlight.html

Click to expand...

Those PAL lights are way less than 1 lumen on the glow feature, I compared one to my old novatac on its lowest level which was about 0.07 lumens and the PAL light wasnt as bright as it I'd estimate 0.04 lumens on glow

Oh and a novatac or a RA will last a long long time on its lowest level, i think its a few days even I cant remember but I do know its too long for me to test.

Your Ra will last a very long time at the low low level. If you want something dedicated to a low low, it would be fairly easy to put a low output driver on any number of production lights.

This thread may be of some interest to you
(Beacon of Light's Thread over at 4sevens forum)

Not my cup of tea but it seams to have a lot of interest.
Maybe there is a market!

-Bobby

I think there is or will be a market, especially now with all the zombie and terrorist attacks people are expecting.

Actually, I WAS being serious. I'm one of those who now only buys lights that have a really low mode, just in case and even the SR91 I got I bought because it would also do around 450 lumens for 10 hours. Now THAT is cool!

I'm one of those who showed interest in the other thread and I think that's a great bail out light.

Oh, by the way, now's a good time to buy that Jetbeam III M as Flavio is selling them for 65 bucks shipped. Moon mode is super low on it

There is nothing out there that beats the 160lumen/watt of a nichia gs k1 5mm. Again cree only offers power leds with their higher efficiencies. Nichia is still on top!

Also in 2009, nichia also said that they are doing 249lm/watt at 20ma, so there is a new ultra long running low yet to be built. This is with white light too...

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"nakahoshi" offered a very good thread for reference .

PAL lights are STILL very good survival lights.

And very good for the bedroom night stand .

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