what Malkoff dropins would work well with his 2xAA host?

primaries is only 2.4v right?

http://www.malkoffdevices.com/shop/malkoff-valiant-little-twisty-2xaa-p-90.html

The new M31 would be the one.

Each AA is 1.5v

M31 series - 2x AA @ ~1.5V ea. - NiMh or Lithium (Alkaline if desperate)

M60/61 series - 2x 14500 LiIon

M30 series - 2x AA NiZn or 1x 14500 LiIon & AA spacer

Really best with M31, but if you want to, the others are possible.


- Syncytial.

I own two M30WF modules. I run them in 2xAA and 3xAA bodies, using NiZn cells. 2xNiZn is the sweet spot: it's noticeably brighter than 2xNiMH, but not much dimmer than 3xNiMH. These days, I run them with 3xNiZn, but only because I can; the third cell gives me maybe 25 percent more lux.

What kind of runtimes would you get using 1) Lithiums, 2) Alkalines, 3) Eneloops?

prof student said:

What kind of runtimes would you get using 1) Lithiums, 2) Alkalines, 3) Eneloops?

Click to expand...

If you're asking me--about my M30WFs--I'm not sure, but I think about 90 minutes with lithiums, 70 minutes with Eneloops, and 25 minutes with Alkalines.

Another overlooked option is the M60LL, or I suppose its new equivalent of M61LL or the new M31LL when it comes out.

These LL modules are not that bright but you do get crazy runtime. I think they are a better match for 2xAA configuration than full blown M31 version. I run M60LL on 3xAA and get several days of runtime on Alkalines and a good day on Lithiums.

I tried running M31 on 2xAA now, that thing is insanely bright but thirsty - bring a lot of spare cells with you.

etc said:

Another overlooked option is the M60LL, or I suppose its new equivalent of M61LL or the new M31LL when it comes out.

These LL modules are not that bright but you do get crazy runtime. I think they are a better match for 2xAA configuration than full blown M31 version. I run M60LL on 3xAA and get several days of runtime on Alkalines and a good day on Lithiums.

I tried running M31 on 2xAA now, that thing is insanely bright but thirsty - bring a lot of spare cells with you.

Click to expand...

Interesting idea - running an M60/61 LL on 2x AA. I just tried it with an M60LL, M61LL and M61WL using 2x AA Lithium.

In each case, the 2x AA lithium has less output than 2x 14500 LiIon, but still substantially more output than a 2AA Streamlight Polytac LED. Quite usable, at least initially.

I also very quickly measured current at the tailcap:

2x 14500 LiIon - M60LL: 122 M61LL: 120 M61WL: 243 (mA)

2x AA Lithium - M60LL: 220 M61LL: 240 M61WL: 195 (mA)

For the LL versions running on lithium AAs, initial current was around 300 mA, which dropped over the course of 20 -30 seconds to the listed values.

I won't bother with checking alkalines or Eneloops now. Perhaps when I get my M31Ws I'll do more.

So, you could run this way. I'd most likely reserve it as a fall-back for when the LiIons are depleted and all the backup CR123s are used up as well.

With the M31 series, I'd like to run a two stage light - saving the high output/high drain mode for when it's really necessary.


- Syncytial.

etc said:

Another overlooked option is the M60LL, or I suppose its new equivalent of M61LL or the new M31LL when it comes out.

These LL modules are not that bright but you do get crazy runtime. I think they are a better match for 2xAA configuration than full blown M31 version. I run M60LL on 3xAA and get several days of runtime on Alkalines and a good day on Lithiums.

I tried running M31 on 2xAA now, that thing is insanely bright but thirsty - bring a lot of spare cells with you.

Click to expand...

I think the examples you mention are good. But the light will not be regulated and the brightness drops during the runtime. Especially with alkalines the brightness will be pretty good with fresh batteries, then fast drop to much lower level. But yes; it will run long time, and be usable.

syncytial said:

Interesting idea - running an M60/61 LL on 2x AA. I just tried it with an M60LL, M61LL and M61WL using 2x AA Lithium.

Click to expand...

There was a very good thread done by GreyShark on the M60LL w/ 2xAA here.

Kestrel said:

There was a very good thread done by GreyShark on the M60LL w/ 2xAA here.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the very interesting link!

I actually missed that thread before and have read through it this night. The question is if I will move my M60LL from the G2 to my Solarforce L2r...
I just have to make a try and compare with my lightmeter. At this moment I consider to get a M31L or a perhaps coming M31LL, and this thread was very welcome. I am looking for a 2AA long runtime option.

Regards, Patric

Swedpat said:

I think the examples you mention are good. But the light will not be regulated and the brightness drops during the runtime. Especially with alkalines the brightness will be pretty good with fresh batteries, then fast drop to much lower level. But yes; it will run long time, and be usable.

Click to expand...

Running out of regulation is exactly the point - you get super long runtime because of that.
Would be interesting to see how M61LL runs on 2xAA.

etc said:

Running out of regulation is exactly the point - you get super long runtime because of that.
Would be interesting to see how M61LL runs on 2xAA.

Click to expand...

I understand what you mean. A light with very long runtime will be very useful though brightness constantly drops. In a case of emergency it may not be important if the light after 10 hours puts out 30lm and after 20 hours 15lm. It can still be usable down to 5lm or even less, and be the decisive factor for seeing nothing or actually see more than enough to save you in a difficult situation.

Personally I prefer a light with a certain time regulation, and after that a long time with declining brightness. That will give me the two options depending on the situation:

1: when it falls out of regulation (the drop usually is fast and noticable) I can instantly replace the low cells with fresh ones, and direct get more hours of constant brightness. When using rechargeable batteries this will also prevent overdischarging.

2: if I have not spare batteries I will not be suddenly left in the darkness when it falls out of regulation. For example Malkoff M60 will continue to run more than a whole night with lower but still usable brightness.

Accordingly I personally prefer a light with both hours of regulation followed by long time direct drive. But I am tempted to try as well M60LL and M61LL with 2AA and see how it works...

Regards, Patric

3-4 days ago I started to run my M60LL in Solarforce L2r host and 2xAA alkalines. It still shines dim but very useable output, quite strongly dazzling daytime if hold the light and shine into the eyes at one meter.

Because I know that also Fenix TA30 works with 2AA, I moved the same used batteries from L2r to TA30. It shined with a usable brightness, which shows that also TA30 is a battery vampire. Because lightmeter will not detect any lux value of ceiling bounce test with such low outputs I tried to place the lightmeter at a table and shined on the wall at close distance.
I also compared with Quark 123 at moon mode.

The result was twice the lux value with M60LL than TA30 (also it was my eye estimation that M60LL was brighter). The lux value was ca 5 resp. 10 times brighter than the value of moon mode of Quark 123.

I guess this does mean that M60LL LED is more efficient than the LED of TA30?

That's what I like about Malkoff M60LL version. (I haven't yet tried M61LL). It runs on anything.

3x123 2x123 1x123
1x18650, 2x18650
2xAA 3xAA

It's the most flexible drop in module. And keep in mind that there is not much "Low" in it, it's actually a pretty bright device depending on what cells you use it with.

As I said before, I run it on 3xAA cells, usually energizer Lithium but I keep it kind of like a TSHTF lite. When all fails.

The most flexible body for it is Surefire 9P, as you can use either 2xAA or 3x123 or a 18650 with spacer, or 18500 cells. A true omnivore. If you cannot get cells for that beast, then you are in real trouble.

Two days ago I moved the batteries from Solarforce L2r/M60LL to Fenix E20. I was surprised the brightness (after ca 5 days continious run) was around 50% of max output with E20. That brightness dropped pretty fast however, and was very dim when I tried it some hour ago. Then moved the batteries back to L2r/M60LL. Completely dead. After that I placed fresh alkalines in L2r/M60LL. I was surprised: the output with fresh 2AA was slightly higher (didn't measured brightness with fresh cells first time) than with 2xCR123!...Any explanation of this?
After 30 minutes continious run brightness had halvened, however...