What to buy my neighbor: bright LED on $50 budget?

Had something interesting happen this evening! My neighbor has been giving me grief about allegedly shining flashlights into his second story windows, freaking out his family. As far as I can tell it was probably some of the folks attending one of the NJ Photon Fests that I hosted last autumn. Either that or my own lights have WAY more throw than I thought! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

Well, tonight I walked over there to say hello as it was getting dark outside, and deliberately took a prototype flashlight I'm developing, that pumps out roughly the same amount and type of light as a PR-T head running DB917 with a TV0K emitter. The idea was to demonstrate that I frequently take walks after dark and always carry a flashlight, lest oncoming traffic clobbers me due to lack of visibility! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Turns out bringing the flashlight along had unintended consequences. At one point in the conversation, the guy suddenly asks if I could build one for him!

"Are you joking?" I ask. (Thinking he was!)

"No!" he replies. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

Here's the dilemma.

He's expecting to pay about $50 for parts, and I'll throw in the labor for free. Or maybe just buy an existing light. It needs to be an LED light that's fairly small... and the more I think about it, maybe I need to give him a light that can run on common "grocery store" batteries (AAA, AA, C, or D), because I really don't see him ordering boxes of 123 cells online. But the sticking point is that this light not only needs to meet the pricing and battery requirements, but also needs to approach a DB917 in brightness! I'm sure he's expecting something along those lines.

Any suggestions as to what I should buy or build for my neighbor? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

ElektroLumens HyberBlaster or Blaster Jr. ?

If you can wait until March 25th, how about a new EL blaster 3P?
It's 49 bucks, has a lux3 and runs on D cells...
And if you want smaller, the blaster jr is pretty much the same flashlight, just smaller running on AAs and still has a very decent runtime.

heehee..beat ya KFC...

but the Blaster 3P is also a good idea.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

yikes! I gotta type faster next time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

What about a 3 AA light like a SL Lux TaskLight, or a modded brinkmann legand 3AA? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Good suggestions gentlemen. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Along with those suggestions...

Just how large is the FT-3C?

And how bright is one of Elektrolumens' boosted 2D lights?

I'm also thinking a real sleeper light might be an EL Blaster VI running off 6AA alkalines... but only if I can find somebody who's willing to sell me one for $55 or so! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Scott,

How bright do you want to get. From what I've seen, you're pretty handy. Why don't you just build him a sandwich and mod a mini m@g for him. A MM with reflector will impress.

If it wasn't for the batt requirement, I'd say go with a Pelican M6LED.

This is a pic of the FT3C compared with an M8 LED and a 2D Mag.

Tony,

The light I showed him was pretty darned bright. Actually, the only sandwich-based light I've got that approaches it is my BB750-T running on 2AA NiMH. But more importantly, I don't have any parts on hand for building sandwiches! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Re: What to buy my neighbor: bright LED on $50 bud

milkyspit, you may consider a home made version of FT-3C ($60), which is a 3C maglite body ($19) Lux3 emitter(prefer T, but hey)($18) electrolumen puck heat sink ($2) resister ($2) glass lens ($7)= $48

I would stump up the extra $12, go with a FT=3C and be done. FT-3c IMHO has one of the best throws for the $$$ and has nice spill. You will get a 30mm collimator VS a plastic mag reflector. An aluminum reflector speckled is $25, which puts it out of the budget.

At one of our Tulsa flasholics get togethers, wolfram had a FT-3C and Mut had a DB917 Tbin PR (& a large arsenal of other Mcluxes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif), I had my lone X3T PR.

Anyways.... X3T came out on top he he he /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin07.gif , but I was amazed at how light FT-3C threw out, very close in output. Difinately the best value of the group.

Re: What to buy my neighbor: bright LED on $50 bud

Zeng, that photo was really helpful. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Cy, sounds like a cool gathering! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif You're absolutely right about building my own... but resistor!?! We don't need no steenkin' reezistor! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Re: What to buy my neighbor: bright LED on $50 bud

[ QUOTE ]
milkyspit said:
Zeng, that photo was really helpful. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
No prob, man. I sent you email regarding the FT3C...

Re: What to buy my neighbor: bright LED on $50 bud

If he wants small and bright, then an AA light is the way to go. For the bright I'd go 3AA, with a modded reflector. The 3aa brinkman seems the creature to mod. DD on 3AA's should do around 1 amp to a LuxIII.

Re: What to buy my neighbor: bright LED on $50 bud

Zeng, got your email, and sent an email reply your way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif