Decent RED powerLED AA flashlights

chillinn

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I have a number of posts scattered across a number of threads started by others, but they're old now.

Since joining CPF, I have only come across a few decent red flashlights.

  • The Surefire Aviators. I gifted my original. New ones are $$$ and not AA. But definitely worthy. I probably need to save up and get a red one of these.
  • The Gerber Infinity, AA, 5mm LED. Ok, but heavy and one dim mode, but brighter than other single 5mm red lights. Well built, was ok for 5mm LED. Twisty, but could squeeze for momentary.
  • The Foursevens Atom A0 Red, battery crusher, only two modes, twisty, AAA
  • The Zebralights H592r Red and H502pr Photo Red AA Flood Headlamps. Side clicky, side beam. I prefer tactical, and I don't think these can be found anymore.
  • (custom) A Thrunite Ti SS that I had Vinh mod with a red Cree. Still my favorite flashlight, always carried. But twisty and AAA
  • I have that $3 common zoomy AA red light, use it quite a bit, but I hate the host, horrible PWM on the low mode and an unavoidable blinky mode. Cheapo, not decent, reverse clicky. But is AA. Picked up a few more in the same style with one mode, direct drive so no PWM
  • Armytec Wizard WR head lamp w/ red & white
  • Fenix TK25 Red Version 18650 tail clicky w/ red & white

Unless anyone knows of any decent red AA tail clickies, preferably moded with no PWM, I guess I will have to choose one and send it to Vinh, or give up AA dreams and blow two months on a new Aviator. Neither option would be regrettable, I suppose.

It just seems like such an obvious thing to exist, a half-decent tactical AA forward clicky/momentary moded red with bright red and dim red for less than $100, but mostly the readily available options in red are such cheap crap. I don't want any more cheap flashlights, unless padding an order for free ship.


Edit: adding to list newer lights here

  • Sofirn C01R AAA single emitter in 660nm, TIR, twisty
  • Manker MC13 18650/18350 w/ Osram KR CSLNM1.23 single emitter in 617nm, TIR, tail clicky
  • Noctigon KR1 18650/18350 w/ W1 Red Osram CSLNM1.23 single emitter in 617nm, reflector, tail piston drive
 
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Katherine Alicia

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have you had a look at the Sofirn C01R?
I don`t know if they`re any good or what you`re looking for, but it might be worth checking, I have one on order myself (it just looked interesting).

edit: NVM, I just looked and I think it`s AAA.
 
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chillinn

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That's not bad at all for 10 bucks, nicer than the AA zoomy I hate.

RpXzqB1_d.jpg


But it is a twisty and AAA. Still, nice to see a new member of the red family. And deep red 660nm, too. Noted, thanks.


I am carrying my new SC5c II a lot. Can't put it down. So pleased with highCRI and whatever pulse scheme it is using does not give me migraines (as the SC5w OP did). Considering the cost and all the variances with the Aviator-RD 3V, I am considering I might give up on tactical tail clicky, find a SC5w II (could not bring myself to have an SC5c II modded, and it would still be hard for me to mod the w but better that than the c) and send to Vinh. (Did Zebralight make an SC5 Mk II? I don't see any in the model sheet.) Considering all the available modes, dim and bright and in between, with crazy runtimes, it might be worth giving up tactical. If I can find one. (Biggest complaint with Zebralight... running out of stock when demand is still high... kind of bush league. Make more, darnit!!).

I better wait and see what else CPF flashaholics come up with...



Edit: In the meantime, I put in a request with Zebralight sales for a one off SC5pr II. Vinh does excellent work, and it is pretty sick he has modded Zebralights, but it would be nice to have it correctly and factory branded. No expectations.
 
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jon_slider

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If you can mod, or hire help
Ultratac A1
Tool AA

are both potential AA hosts for a Red LED modification.
I recently ordered some 660 nm Red from Kaidomain, very inexpensive

Here is a Thrunite T10T I modded to Red.. but I dont recommend that host, as I prefer a tailclicky
37BnLAIl.jpg


here is an article about Red LED lights for astronomy that may help give you more ideas.
 
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chillinn

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Forgot the Tool came in AA. Thanks, that may be the one. Constant current. Modes. Tail clicky... any possibility of finding a ... there is a forward clicky in a light that size that might swap in to replace the reverse clicky. I can't recall which, but I can find it; older one mode light... might be an AAA, but that might not be a deal breaker for the modder.

I can not mod, but Vinh has set up some nice lights for me. Gave one away, one ran away, and one still carried.

Between Vinh, Lumensfactory, and Zebralight, I am going to be broke for a while. Heh, broke now, just for a few days.
 

archimedes

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Peak will do a custom El Capitan

Another option, albeit far more expensive, is a McGizmo AA with a specialized red light engine.
 
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chillinn

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That is something. This is what I am talking about, new worthy stuff. But I can't commit interest without the scratch available, and no price estimation. But I am interested, will say, also want.


Peak will do a custom El Capitan

Another option, albeit far more expensive, is a McGizmo AA with a specialized red light engine.

Peak are pretty well done, but I prefer hidden threads on the head, exposed threads on the body.

McGizmo AA would be pretty amazing, love everything about his stuff but his drivers. iirc, the AA light engine has PWM? I can't remember, maybe that is the one he has that is without PWM. But it gets more expensive, because I'd need 2 light engines, one red, one with nichia.

I sort have almost made up my mind for both a Vinh ZL Mk II something, just too tempting and not unaffordable, and an red AA Tool with forward clicky, to get closer to my original spec request.

But the suggestions should keep coming because I have a couple months before pulling the plug. And the red threads are old, so a new one with new stuff is not out of order. Will be helpful to others interested in red.

Thanks all, I am red delighted.
 

chillinn

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I'd like some assistance exploring the viability of a Cree Red or Photo Red in a Zebralight SC5w II.

WalkIntoTheLight indicated elsewhere the SC5c II draws 5 amps on Turbo. Just a cursory look at Cree XP-G3 Photo Red and Cree XLamp XP-E2 Photo Red specs (1A) leads me to believe this is folly.

Is there a Red or Deep Red LED that can handle those amps? Cree preferred, but whatever can handle the amps will help me reckon. TIA
 

AstroTurf

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The Gerber, can't remember the model, AA, used 5mm LED. Ok, but heavy and one dim mode, but brighter than other single 5mm red lights. Well built, was ok for 5mm LED. Twisty, but could squeeze for momentary.

Just picked one of these up on the bay for 10.50

The Zebralights H592r Red and H502pr Photo Red AA Flood Headlamps. Side clicky, side beam. I prefer tactical, and I don't think these can be found anymore.

Have one of the H502pr, and it is still for sale on the ZL site.

I'm also sportin a P6 with a red filter, Good Stuff.

Love my red lights!!! Good Luck with your search.

Jim
 

chillinn

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I would prefer a tail clicky Zebralight in photo red with a forward emitter. Those don't exist. I even asked Zebralight if they could make a few, and their answer was unintelligible, I don't think they understood my question. I am sort of still in love with my new SC5c II. I can't bring myself to have it modded, but an SC5w II is fair game, and if it could work, the Zebralight headlamps would not compare to its max brightness.

Those red headlamps are great. I don't mind custom work, happy to support the practice. But I need to know before even bugging the modder about it if the available red LEDs will not :poof: on a particular platform's electronics.

I am confident some CPFer knows, or is able to chew threw the literature of what is available and make a determination.
 

AstroTurf

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yeah, the aviator is prolly the most budget friendly...

I would prefer a tail clicky Zebralight in photo red with a forward emitter. Those don't exist. I even asked Zebralight if they could make a few, and their answer was unintelligible, I don't think they understood my question. I am sort of still in love with my new SC5c II. I can't bring myself to have it modded, but an SC5w II is fair game, and if it could work, the Zebralight headlamps would not compare to its max brightness.

Those red headlamps are great. I don't mind custom work, happy to support the practice. But I need to know before even bugging the modder about it if the available red LEDs will not :poof: on a particular platform's electronics.

I am confident some CPFer knows, or is able to chew threw the literature of what is available and make a determination.
 

jon_slider

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I have a hope better can be had for less with a custom mod. I seek a Red LED that can handle 5 amps, if such a unicorn exists.
Hunting for RedZebraUnicorns with forward tail clicky operating at 5amps, sounds like Mission Impossible. And, with all due respect you are creating mutually exclusive criteria

One AA battery cannot provide 5amps
and afaik, there are no tailclicky zebras

why would you need 5 amps of red?

these are the options I know of:

xp-e2 660nm Red, max 1amp
xp-g3 660nm Red, max 1.5amp
sst-20 660nm Red, max 3amp

you could use a triple to reduce power to individual LEDs.. but, there are no triples that run on AA
 
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chillinn

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why would you need 5 amps of red?

I was told the SC5c II drew 5A on turbo, assumed SC5w II drew the same on turbo.
Both Eneloop and L91 can handle these amps okey dokey.

these are the options I know of:

xp-e2 660nm Red, max 1amp
xp-g3 660nm Red, max 1.5amp
sst-20 660nm Red, max 3amp

Thanks for this.

I assumed ZL AA must have buck drivers. Is the XP-L 660nm Photo Red no longer available? I know it also won't do 5A, just being thorough. Nice to have all Cree 660nm Red listed in one spot, plus the Luminus.
 

chillinn

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I did not know that.. how is it possible, where is your info coming from?

And with the SC5 running on max, it draws about 5 amps, which drops the running voltage down to about 1.1v even on a freshly charged cell.

In post #183 of the [url="https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?428969-Zebralight-SC5-MKII]Zebralight SC5 MKII[/url] thread.

My emphasis.
 
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