Tell me about Malkoff AA

Hi,

Malkoff AA. If I understand right the body VME is needed which I see is $55 and the drop in at $69. twisty, correct ? From what I see there are 3 levels at 60 lumens and 125 lumens and 230 lumens. I am guessing most people would buy the M31 drop in for the 2AA setup, that is the form factor I am interested in. . I am a bit dissapointed that no runtime is given for any of the 3 modules. For $69 for one drop in I would think a runtime or at least an approximate runtime would be listed. Really when products sold on quality and service runtime should be provided.

1) So since no runtimes are provided what kind of runtimes you guys are getting ? Not looking for a guess, runtime on alkaline and Eneloop whould be great for all 3 drop in.
2) Which would be the most popular/useful output; 60 or 125 or 230 ?
3) Any other experience with the body and drop in running on AA appreciated.

Hi marinemaster,

I have Malkoff M31LL and M31W. The M31LL I intended to be used especially with alkalines and M31W with NiMh.
I made some runtime tests on them.

M31LL ran at 60lm for 5+ hours constant output with alkalines, after a 20min decline from initial ~100lm. Using NiMh at 2500-2700mAh(don't remember exactly what cells I used) it ran stable for ~8 hours.

With M31W(will be the same like the cool) I got 30min stable output with alkalines and 70 minutes with Sanyo Eneloops. That should be around 90min with the highest capacity NiMh cells.

With M31L you then can expect runtimes quite between the M31LL and M31.

Regards, Patric

Double post

I am thinking about this , I don't need to run 200 lumens so probably the M31L or M31LL will work for me.
I am thinking maybe the M31L be ideal is bright enough and last enough hours.

Swedpat, do you find the M31LL to be bright enough for what you using it for ?

The Malkoff M31 does really well. The out the front lumens vary depending on voltage input and cell choosen.

Here is what I tested with my sample.


Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31________2 NiMH Tenergy AA________249.2 _______1 sec______________
______________________________________________________________233.8 _______30 sec_________
________________________1.25A at the tail________________________232.3 _______1min______
Moddoo Zero Tolerance__________________________________________ 230.0 _______2 min_________
__________________________________________________ ____________ 228.5_______ 3 min______
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31________1 NiMH Tenergy AA________193.8 ________1 sec_________________
______________________________________________________________173.1 _______30 sec______________
__________________________________________1.97A at tail__________166.9 ________1 min________________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________161.5 ________2 min_______________
__________________________________________________ _____________156.9_________3 min_________________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31___________2 NiZn AA____________ 323.1 _______1 sec________________
______________________________________________________________289.2 _______30 sec_________________
__________________________________________1.1A at tail___________ 282.3 _______1 min_____________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________273.8 _______2 min________________
__________________________________________________ _____________ 273.8_______ 3 min_______________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31___________1 NiZn AA____________ 234.6 ________1 sec_____________
______________________________________________________________230.8 _______30 sec________________
__________________________________________2.45A at tail__________ 226.9 ________1 min_______________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________ 223.8 ________2 min______________
__________________________________________________ _____________ 220.0_________3 min_____________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31________2 Energizer L91 AA________246.2 _______1 sec______________
______________________________________________________________232.3 _______30 sec________
________________________1A at the tail___________________________ 230.8 _______1 min__________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________228.5 _______2 min________
__________________________________________________ _____________ 226.9_______ 3 min______________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31________1 Energizer L91 AA________182.3 ________1 sec_________
______________________________________________________________157.7 _______30 sec_______________
__________________________________________1.8A at tail___________155.4 ________1 min_____________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________153.8 ________2 min_______________
__________________________________________________ _____________153.8_________3 min______________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31_____2 Energizer Alkaline AA_______ 249.2 _______1 sec_____________
______________________________________________________________235.4 _______30 sec___________
__________________________________________1A at tail_____________233.1 _______1 min_______________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________230.8 _______2 min_____________
__________________________________________________ _____________ 228.5_______ 3 min______________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31_____1 Energizer Alkaline AA_______ 186.2 ________1 sec_____________
______________________________________________________________159.2 _______30 sec___________
__________________________________________2.1A at tail___________ 150.0 ________1 min_____________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________ 138.5 ________2 min____________
__________________________________________________ _____________ 133.1_________3 min____________
Surefire 6P UCL_________Malkoff M31_________1 Surefire CR123_________ 246.2 ________1 sec____________
______________________________________________________________234.6 _______30 sec____________
__________________________________________1.2A at tail___________ 232.3 ________1 min_____________
Moddoo Zero Tolerance___________________________________________ 229.2 ________2 min_____________
__________________________________________________ _____________ 228.5_________3 min_____________

marinemaster said:

I am thinking about this , I don't need to run 200 lumens so probably the M31L or M31LL will work for me.
I am thinking maybe the M31L be ideal is bright enough and last enough hours.

Swedpat, do you find the M31LL to be bright enough for what you using it for ?

Click to expand...

I wanted M31LL for a working light with alkalines which I don't need to be worry for over discharging NiMh batteries. The brightness isn't "WOW" but is more than enough for short distance or other tasks when you don't need an extreme brightness, like lighting up a room or a car cabin/bagage. And it will run stable for hours with every kind of AA batteries.

You are right here; in many cases you really don't need 200lm, which also will make the runtime several times shorter. The beam of Malkoff dropins is great; a quite wide hotspot melting together with the spill in a very pleasant way. There is a reason to the big liking among flashoholics for Malkoff dropins!

I think M31L is also a good choice, I have an M61WL which is also 125lm, twice as bright as M31LL, and it's great! Take in consider your desired runtime and choose the dropin which is best for you. According to my test results for M31LL and M31W I think it's a quite fair guess that M31L should give ~1,5hours with alkalines and ~2,5 hours with Eneloops.

Nice info guys.

Now if Gene would only sell a high/low ring for the M31.