Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I would say from the stampings the bulbs are made (or parts of them) at the same place. It would be interesting to see what is inside these bulbs to compare. It would be ironic if the circuits were almost the same such that you could swap out a resistor or capacitor and make the 1.5v one into a normal 3v one.
For the price the dorcy is 2-3 times as much as the Eveready making it a lot less attractive.

 

[Lightfoot98]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

No pics, but inside is a small circuit board with a thru-hole resistor on one side, and on the other side is a smt cap,
a smt diode and what looks like a smt mosfet stamped 002 on it. Could be a DC/DC converter,
but only has 3 legs.
I think it operates by pulse to boost voltage.

To remove insert, heat center tip with a soldering iron while pulling on insert.

Center tip in connected to resistor with piece of stiff wire which will break if just prying insert apart.
How do I know????

Insert is just press fit with center tip wire holding it together.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I sort of figured it was using an IC based converter similar to the 1st gen dorcy 1AAA. Are you sure the resistor isn't an inductor instead (green body).

 

[kbark]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I picked up a 2 pack of these lights at Target the other day. I put the led in a 2D mag and it was brighter for a few minutes until it got very dim. When I put the led back in the 1D plastic light it wouldn't light up anymore, so I figured it was fried. So I put the led in a 4D mag just to see what would happen.

Well, it lit up and was brighter than it was in the 1D and 2D! So for the time being I'll keep it in the 4D and see how long it lasts.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I picked up a 2 pack of these lights at Target the other day. I put the led in a 2D mag and it was brighter for a few minutes until it got very dim. When I put the led back in the 1D plastic light it wouldn't light up anymore, so I figured it was fried. So I put the led in a 4D mag just to see what would happen.

Well, it lit up and was brighter than it was in the 1D and 2D! So for the time being I'll keep it in the 4D and see how long it lasts.

sounds like you fried the boost circuit, I expect you will quickly fry the LED using 6v input also.

 

[flatline]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

sounds like you fried the boost circuit, I expect you will quickly fry the LED using 6v input also.

I find it curious that we have at least 2 examples now of bulbs that died quickly on 2 cells yet others (myself included) have gotten many hours of use on 2 cells with no issues. Is this likely due to the variance in components used from bulb to bulb?

--flatline

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I find it curious that we have at least 2 examples now of bulbs that died quickly on 2 cells yet others (myself included) have gotten many hours of use on 2 cells with no issues. Is this likely due to the variance in components used from bulb to bulb?

--flatline

It is probably pushing the limits of the components such that some will fail. I wouldn't even try 2 lithium batteries on this drop in. I figure sooner or later either I or someone else will take one of these dropins apart and swap a few components to make them more 2 cell friendly.

 

[roverjohn]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

Mines still working just fine a 2xd through a couple of weekend camping trips. I tend to use it as little as possible but I do that with all lights as I'd rather be in the dark. I still have not found my 2xAA host but when I do I'm sure the drop in will be just fine on two NiMH's.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

Mines still working just fine a 2xd through a couple of weekend camping trips. I tend to use it as little as possible but I do that with all lights as I'd rather be in the dark. I still have not found my 2xAA host but when I do I'm sure the drop in will be just fine on two NiMH's.

nimh may be ideal for these dropins as for the lower voltage of around ~2.8V vs possible 3.1V for alkalines new out of the package the extra 10% voltage could be the breaking point for some modules if there is 10% tolerance on a component in the circuit and/or variance in the Vf of LEDs also.

 

[kbark]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I found out last night that if you bend the spring a little bit these lights will run off of a AA battery, if you put it in a D sized adapter first. It's a nice emergency light that will run off of AA's or D's now.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

After finding this thread you know I wouldn't be able to resist at this price. Not a bad light, all things considered. I might wish it was less focused and smaller. Not sure if I'll mess with AA's with an adapter, but it's nice to have that option. In reality they will probably be sitting on the shelf with the same batteries two years from now. I'll make myself give them some play time tonight. Maybe make a lumen estimate based on ceiling bounce comparison.

Geoff

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

After finding this thread you know I wouldn't be able to resist at this price. Not a bad light, all things considered. I might wish it was less focused and smaller. Not sure if I'll mess with AA's with an adapter, but it's nice to have that option. In reality they will probably be sitting on the shelf with the same batteries two years from now. I'll make myself give them some play time tonight. Maybe make a lumen estimate based on ceiling bounce comparison.

Geoff

I'm guessing about 8 lumens myself. The nice thing about these lights is they are so cheap you won't worry about leaking batteries destroying them as it just gives you an excuse to transplant the bulb in another light. You could take used batteries out of other devices or buy the cheapest batteries you can find to power them. In a power outage they would be perfect giveaways. Cheap 2 cell hosts with partially used batteries would be perfect for a dropin swap as the bulb should drain them down to around half a volt before giving up.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

Based on a ceiling bounce comparison to my SC50w with a rated 18 lm at low medium, this light looked pretty close. Assuming the SC50's battery was a bit low, I'm thinking with it's new battery it's around 12 lm. Probably drop in a real hurry with much use.

Geoff

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

Based on a ceiling bounce comparison to my SC50w with a rated 18 lm at low medium, this light looked pretty close. Assuming the SC50's battery was a bit low, I'm thinking with it's new battery it's around 12 lm. Probably drop in a real hurry with much use.

Geoff

I would say it is a very useful level of output. I did find one gripe about the light. With 1 D cell in it located near the bulb it is top heavy so when tail standing it is easy to knock over just a slight bump will do it.

 

[flatline]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I would say it is a very useful level of output. I did find one gripe about the light. With 1 D cell in it located near the bulb it is top heavy so when tail standing it is easy to knock over just a slight bump will do it.

I actually haven't used them with D cells yet. I thought I'd work through my collection of half-used AA cells first. After 2 weeks of use (about 45 minutes each night) my first half dead battery is finally approaching the red on my batter tester.

Conclusion: this little light barely sips any power at all. When I finally get to the D cells, it'll run forever!

--flatline

 

[Lightfoot98]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

If you remove the spring, a C cell fits into the bottom between the vanes that holds the spring in place.

I'm going to modify mine to take 2 C cells with a homemade spring assy or the original 1 D cell by putting
the original spring back in place.
Will need to sleeve the upper C cell with a tube (cardstock) to hold it centered.

I have 4 of these lights and all mine operate great with 2 cells.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I just found a good host for one of these. I bought a 4AA camo Garrity flashlight from Walmart on clearance long ago. I uses a 4AA cartridge that I took out for something else and found a stardard D cell drops in perfectly in place but I had to put it in backwards for correct polarity. Ironic that I downgrade a 4AA incan to a 1D LED light to use the dropin.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

It looks like they're selling these everywhere now either under the name of Eveready or Energizer. I've seen them at Kroger, Target, Home Depot, and Lowes. I'm guessing that they are intending to replace the ubiquitous plastic 2D model with this model. Or, at least I hope that's the case.

--flatline

Energizer I think has LED lights with multiple LEDs and optics (2 cell) and these 1D versions with 1 LED (no optic, 1 cell).
I picked up an energizer 2AA waterproof Incan for cheap and it is a nice (but not perfect) host for the dropin using nimh batteries which because of slightly lower voltage is easier on the dropin. I noticed when I checked a half dozen of these 1D lights that the dropins vary some as to tint and more importantly focus. The reflector on the 1D light is fairly optimized for a nice beam compared to some other incan hosts that give you mixed results.
I have yet to tear one of these modules apart. I may consider transplanting a cree emitter (XR-E) on top of one if the current to the emitter is low enough.

 

[DaveG]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

I just found a good host for one of these. I bought a 4AA camo Garrity flashlight from Walmart on clearance long ago. I uses a 4AA cartridge that I took out for something else and found a stardard D cell drops in perfectly in place but I had to put it in backwards for correct polarity. Ironic that I downgrade a 4AA incan to a 1D LED light to use the dropin.

Good idea,just did a swap with a old Dorcy 4-aa like it much better,feels more balanced not top heavy to me.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Cheap eveready 1D? LED lights at Home Depot

Good idea,just did a swap with a old Dorcy 4-aa like it much better,feels more balanced not top heavy to me.

Mine is not quite as bright but sports a nicer beam and the runtime is a lot improved compared to the 4 hours off AAs.