Bargain LEDs

LED flashlights are still relatively expensive especially compared to regular incandecants - since they are still regarded by some as "hi-tech" - but LED flashlight prices are starting to become more realistic.

Although it's a common saying "you get what you pay for" -
once in a while there are exceptions to the rule -

What do you consider the bargain/value for money LEDs?

Here are mine -


20 for $20 LEDs from CountyComm - at $1 a piece - what's not to like?
linked reveiw -
20 for $20 LED Lights

Dorcy 1AAA - one of cpf's favorite bargains at under $6 from a local WalMart - there are obviously variations in beam quality - some may be easy to fix - and there may be a way of inspecting the lights in its bubble pack ...
review -
Dorcy 1AAA #2 (vs ArcAAA vs Ultra-G vs Dorcy #1)

Dorcy 1AAA Beam adjustment

S1801 - 1 watt Luxeon 1x CR123 - the most "expensive" light here - at $24.99 +$4 shipping from GoldenGadgets.com, or $19.99 +$8 shipping (on eBay) - the one I got seems pretty darned good and the light is compact and bright -
review -
S1801 1w Luxeon 1xCR123

EDIT-
<font color="red">Strong WARNING/Caveat </font> - there have been many negative feedbacks about the cheap knock-off MXDL brand (below) - that any potential buyer should be aware about the cr*p-shoot to get a good one. If it's good - it's a bargain - and obviously if it doesn't work properly it's "less than worthless" -
<font color="red">so be warned </font>
MXDL 3w Luxeon 3AAA on eBay - I got mine from seller twpower1688 in Hong Kong at $8.99 +$8 shipping - first it is NOT a real Luxeon - but a Chinese copy - it may be cr@p shoot to get a good one eg: the beam on mine is a bit ringy - but makes no difference in real practical usage (to me). This fluted head version seems to have had relatively good reports, whereas the other MXDL version and the 1 watt seems to have less favorable reports here. Mine is not that much brighter than the S1801 above and the beam tint is a little more green in comparison - but at less than $17 total shipped it is still a bargain - bearing in mind this is "cheap" for a Luxeon (copy) flashlight.
review -
MXDL 3Watt "Luxeon" 3AAA from eBay

Tell us what you consider the real bargains in LEDs -
remember not one of these lights cost me more than $28 TOTAL delivered.

Hey unknown, I love your posts!

Do you think that one could put the guts of the Dorcy 1AAA in a m@g solitare?

What say you?

I've bought several $1.25 keychain lights from KevinL and they are not bad at all. Output looks very similar to Inova Microlight.

[ QUOTE ]
junior said:
Hey unknown, I love your posts!

Do you think that one could put the guts of the Dorcy 1AAA in a m@g solitare?

What say you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Someone did that already, they had to remove all the parts from the board and connect them together and pot them with the LED as a *plug*.

Well, the 3xAAA 1 watt Luxeon light I got from DaGunn impressed me plenty. Like most Chinese lights, the metal feels kinda cheesy and the knurling isn't as nice as the bigger dollar lights, but it functions 100%, has a solid switch, has very decent runtime and is quite bright for the cost. I think it was $13 shipped or something like that.

Another 3xAAA light that has impressed me is the 19 LED from eBay. Was only $8 shipped since I added it to a XNova copy auction I had won. Within about 15 feet or so, it is very bright. I've had several other 10-18 LED lights and this one is the brightest if my eye is properly calibrated.

And I have one of the countycomm 20/$20 lights in red a forum member was kind enough to send along for free with another purchase so I guess that free is the best value! I think they are absolutely worth $1 a piece.

I still think for overall usefullness, the Infinity Ultras are the best light going. The size is still nice for pocket carry, they should last just about forever and they run on cheap batteries, rechargeables, Lithiums or whatever. Mine were just under $12 I believe at a sporting goods store going out of business. I bought seven, gave one away, have sold four for at least a $3 profit per light which means I'm left with one light I paid $12 for and one that is free.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
junior said:Do you think that one could put the guts of the Dorcy 1AAA in a m@g solitare?

[/ QUOTE ]

Many thanks for your kind comments.

IMHO to put the guts of a Dorcy 1AAA into a Solitaire seems not to be a trivial job - probably requiring "surgery" to the Dorcy ciruit board and/or Solitaire's body.

For me it doesn't seem to be worth the effort when I actually prefer the form factor of the Dorcy 1AAA.....

OK a slight explanation may be needed.

Initially I used to criticize the Dorcy 1AAA for being much bigger than needed for a single AAA light - both in length as well as the wider/flared head -

BUT strangely it is precisely because of the size and shape that actually makes it an easy in pocket carry -
say compared to -
Ultra-G (which I regard very highly) - the Dorcy is slimmer over most of its length.
ArcAAA (fabulous light) - but a bit too big for keyring for me - and also a bit too small so gets lost in the pocket - the Dorcy actually overcomes the in-pocket carry because of its size.

In hand use - the Dorcy's size again is comfortable for me - even the rubber inserts actually fall into place when using the momentary ON tail switch.

By no means do I consider the Dorcy 1AAA "ideal" -
but it suits me fine in both form and function and I've EDC'd it both at home and out of the house for well over a year now....

Hi all,

I think I may have been the first to put the Dorcy circuit in a solitaire and it really is more of a pain than it's worth.

In the end I decided to switch to the Zetex circuit since it had smaller components and it was cheaper since I wasn't tearing apart a ~$6 light just to get to the $1's worth of components inside.

The hardest part of putting anything in a solitaire isn't what what I expected either. I figured it would be hard to fit the circuit inside the 7mm diameter hole where the original pill was. I discovered that the hardest thing for me was the mechanical difficulties in retaining the same on/off mechanism of the light.

So if you are interested in putting an LED in the Solitaire, it may be cheaper to just buy a ready made mod for $50-100. Just look at me. My first post was the one linked above and now I've got myself a $600 lathe and a couple hundred more (easily) in random light/circuit components lying around. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

pb

I have Edited the opening post to add a Warning/Caveat to the MXDL 3 watt LED from eBay.

There have been too many complaints about these MXDL lights from eBay -
seems like mainly this style and in the 1 watt version -



Please see this thread:
MXDL junk!

I thing the $7.77 (sale price) 5-LED 2AA light from Princess Auto
was a good deal. The light quality and build quality
seemed good for the price. Especially since the Dorcy
1AAA cost $15.99 here in Canada (at London Drugs).

I wish I had taken a photo of it before I gave it away
(as a Christmas gift).

Found a photo ( here )

Greg

Sorry. The link works in the preview but not here for
some reason.

Greg

[ QUOTE ]
greg_in_canada said:
Sorry. The link works in the preview but not here for some reason.

[/ QUOTE ]

Possibly because that url was so long including the search term highlight -

here's the thread:
Inova lookalike spotted in Canada

and I've hotlinked the photo -

Thanks Vincent.

Greg