# Longest runtime for budget single AA or AAA led light on low setting to be used in tornado shelter



## enolaniaga

Looking for a reliable budget AA- or AAA led light with longest runtime on low setting...doesnt need to have super bright capabilities. Probably 30 lumens or less. 1 or 2 lumens may be a bit to weak to see in the tornado shelter. Ty


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## thermal guy

if I were you Id grab a real reliable light that cost a little more and buy a few more batteries.


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## enolaniaga

thermal guy said:


> if I were you Id grab a real reliable light that cost a little more and buy a few more batteries.


Ty , I have other name brand led lights...was just looking for other low cost budget options.


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## fulee9999

probably a hand-crank light is your friend then. lasts as long as you, usually pretty reliable.


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## Olumin

If you want tough & reliable then you should spend a little more and get a Malkoff MDC1AA or a Peak El Capitan and run them on Energizer L91s. 
Zebralight is known for their efficient drivers, and will provide long runtimes at low levels.


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## enolaniaga

Olumin said:


> If you want tough & reliable then you should spend a little more and get a Malkoff MDC1AA or a Peak El Capitan and run them on Energizer L91s.
> Zebralight is known for their efficient drivers, and will provide long runtimes at low levels.


Need something that uses one - AA or AAA battery.


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## PoliceScannerMan

I would get a few AAA's with 5mm led and a bunch of AAA batts. That Sofirn with the Yugi is nice.


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## hamhanded

I can’t recommend a hand crank flashlight… moving parts, low cost, and reliability aren't a great combination. If the dynamo fails you have no light.

I would also advise against looking at runtime as your primary deciding factor. Truly efficient current-regulated lights are expensive. Many cheap single-AA LED lights don't limit current at all, counting on the limits of the battery to avoid overdriving the LED. Running lithium primaries in them may kill them. Alkalines love turning into a crystalline mess. Neither is what you want to discover in a tornado shelter.

But... if you can find a cheap single-AA light that uses a simple resistor to limit current, you're golden. Buy four and stash them away. They might be inefficient but you can make up for that inefficiency with extra batteries that are proven reliable in adverse conditions and are still at reasonable cost. A 20 pack is ~$37 and you only have to buy it once every 10 years. If you need more than the 40 or so hours that would provide, I would consider a different battery type.

Good luck in your search


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## vicv

enolaniaga said:


> Need something that uses one - AA or AAA battery.


Not sure I understand your response. He recommended two lights that take AA


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## bykfixer

The shape of the beam can make a difference if you need 3 or 30 in a dark basement post tornadoe or what-have-you. One that throws for example would be good at ceiling bounce provided the ceiling is not some darkened lumber but fresh, lighter color boards, or in good weather you could apply mirrors or alluminum foil in strategic locations.

Something that throws and spreads would be ideal using 10-15 lumens. Another thing is a regulated light will stay the same brightness until the fuel cell dips below a given voltage. Some taper after that. Some go from bright, to dim to off quickly. To me a "bomb shelter" light would be best unregulated for max time of light output,

Another thing to consider is a double a has way more fuel supply than triple a. A triple a is great for getting to said bomb shelter and as a backup if need be. But for most time lit a double a is a better choice. For this request I like the 1aa Fenix E12 v2 since it starts on low with a pretty useable light in pure darkness but allows you to have brighter output if needed. The 1aaa E01 v2 would be a good choice for an even smaller light.

For fuel the Energizer ultimate lithium provide a stable voltage longer than most alkalines, rarely leak and work better down to 20 degrees farnheit.

But there are lots of good choices out there.
Here's hoping you never need them.


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## fulee9999

arrgh my eyes!! said:


> I can’t recommend a hand crank flashlight… moving parts, low cost, and reliability aren't a great combination. If the dynamo fails you have no light.



you would think that, but I had a cheapo one dollar hand crank in the back of my car inside the toolbox for years and that sucker survived basically everything 

also I thought we left the ground of reason when he wanted a cheap but reliable survival light, my bad 

( for a serious answer, really just get a Malkoff MDC or MD2 and some spare batteries, that thing will outlive your grandchildren )


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## TMedina

Most AAA keychain lights have low mode options. And in a blackout or similar "near dark" environments, a little lumens go a long way.
* The Fenix E1 v2 is fairly nice at 5 lumens for 25 hours; ~$10.
* If you don't mind the wait, the Sofirn C01S goes for $8 and has pretty solid reviews.


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## AstroTurf

shakelight?!?

no batteries required...

LOLz

edit: chicks dig it!!!


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## enolaniaga

AstroTurf said:


> shakelight?!?
> 
> no batteries required...
> 
> LOLz
> 
> edit: chicks dig it!!!


Im surprised no company has made a smaller reliable shakelight ...


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## dealgrabber2002

Palight. Takes 9v. Heard that battery is usually available during/after a storm.


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## xxo

Streamlight Compact II - a little spendy for what it is but built to milspec quality. And it will run on AA's, CR123's or even AAA's, in a pinch.


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## enolaniaga

some of these led flashlights you guys are suggesting are in the 70- $150 price ranges....is that considered " budget " nowadays ?


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## PacificMoon

My Pelican 2350 is supposed to last 21 hours on 1 alkaline AA according to the box in 15 lumen low mode. I haven't had it very long and don't really have many lights to compare it to, but it is at least a light you could look into.


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## dealgrabber2002

Palight. Takes 9v. Heard that battery usually available during/after a storm.


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## db4rings

Fenix E12 runs on a single AA and the most reliable light I’ve owned. I have over a dozen of these in my cars, house, backpacks, traveling luggage and etc.
Manker E05 Ti runs on a single AA and single 14500 and the highest single AA throw torch. Also it has a moonlight which would run for like 100+ days.
My ultimate light for when SHTF is the Streamlight Protac 1L which takes single AA, AAA, cr123 and 14500.


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## Jeep guy

I know this is not a AA or AAA light, but this is what I used to light my house during hurricane Ida last year. Ryobi makes these area lights that clip on top of their 18v power tool batteries. It has 3 light levels, 25L, 170L, and 400L. If you use their 9ah battery, the light has around 40 hours of run time. I had bought 4 of these lights early last year for my emergency supplies and thank god I did. We lost power for a few days here in south Louisiana when hurricane Ida hit us. These lights are about as bright as a table lamp so during the hurricane I used them to light various rooms of the house. I used them for maybe 3 to 4 hours per night for several days until the power came back on and I never had to recharge any of the batteries. I had a generator running outside that I could have used to recharge the batteries if needed.

Now if you have to have just a AAA flashlight, I love my Coast Polysteel 400 flashlight. It has two modes, 400L and 41L. The run time is 3 hours on high and 29 hours on low. It uses 4 AAA batteries. These sell for $25 at Home Depot.


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## bykfixer

I like the Pelican 2350 also, but it's a bit above the $35 price point. (around $40.)


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## Justamessenger

Nearly all of the quality multiple mode AA flashes on low, or a lower mode like candle will outlast the typical tornado warning duration of 2 hours on quality batteries stored less than a year with an initial multi year life (don’t buy disposable batteries without dates, or just stick with new Duracells).


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## RWT1405

fulee9999 said:


> you would think that, but I had a cheapo one dollar hand crank in the back of my car inside the toolbox for years and that sucker survived basically everything
> 
> also I thought we left the ground of reason when he wanted a cheap but reliable survival light, my bad
> 
> ( for a serious answer, really just get a Malkoff MDC or MD2 and some spare batteries, that thing will outlive your grandchildren )



You've been VERY lucky then, at least from my experience, and anyone I've known that tried to use those pieces of junk 

IMHO those "cheapo one dollar hand crank" lights live up to exactly what you paid for them, and I would NEVER trust one as my emergency light for a "tornado shelter".

As to a Malkoff, absolutely!


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## Arcadefreak49

enolaniaga said:


> Looking for a reliable budget AA- or AAA led light with longest runtime on low setting...doesnt need to have super bright capabilities. Probably 30 lumens or less. 1 or 2 lumens may be a bit to weak to see in the tornado shelter. Ty


Coast, Olight, Maglite, just to name a few.


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## this_is_nascar

Sofirn C01 or C01S. These lights have the ability to fire and run on as low as .7-volts, using an AAA cell.


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## bykfixer

The C01 is great, but are there any left at Sofirn?

I think they were a limited run of a few thousand but us CPFr's gobbled 'em up by the dozen.

Another nifty thing a couple years back was the Yuji mod in 2aa incan minimags and P60 modules. I had a minimag that had been used off and on for years, stuck a Yuji in it using the same batteries and left it on for 70+ hours. It was still going so I turned it off, and set it aside for emergencies.


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## fuyume

My Fenix E12 v2.0 is a great little light. Fenix says 13 hours on an alkaline AA at 30 lumens, or 70 hours at 5 lumens.

I would also suggest the NiteCore LA10 lantern, for 23 hours at 10 lumens.


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## pumps

Pak-Lite's Official Website (9v LED Flashlights) - Pak-Lite's Official Website


Official Website -- Pak-Lite LED Flashlights snap to the top of a 9v Battery and provide light for up to 1,200 hours.




9voltlight.com


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## MrEternalight2

enolaniaga said:


> Looking for a reliable budget AA- or AAA led light with longest runtime on low setting...doesnt need to have super bright capabilities. Probably 30 lumens or less. 1 or 2 lumens may be a bit to weak to see in the tornado shelter. Ty


1000 hours run time. Eternalight - techass.com or ebay -suggest the Ergo/ErgoMarine or ErgoXRay models.


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## gottawearshades

MrEternalight2 said:


> 1000 hours run time. Eternalight - techass.com or ebay -suggest the Ergo/ErgoMarine or ErgoXRay models.


Wow. These folks are still around?

Have they kept up-to-date on emitters? If they had hih-CRI I would buy one.


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## this_is_nascar

bykfixer said:


> The C01 is great, but are there any left at Sofirn?
> 
> I think they were a limited run of a few thousand but us CPFr's gobbled 'em up by the dozen.
> 
> Another nifty thing a couple years back was the Yuji mod in 2aa incan minimags and P60 modules. I had a minimag that had been used off and on for years, stuck a Yuji in it using the same batteries and left it on for 70+ hours. It was still going so I turned it off, and set it aside for emergencies.



No idea. I have (2) full colored sets, that I'm looking to sell as sets. I didn't know they stopped selling them.


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## cadcoke5

Certainly, it is wise to not depend upon a single system. I threw away my $1 squeeze light, because it was impossible to get a steady light from it. Perhaps the capacitor went bad. As for batteries, I am sure there is the issue of potentially forgetting to replace the aging ones 10 years from now. So a mixture of things is wise. And some of those options can be very cheap.


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## Banzai310

Just get a zebralight AA. Great at higher settings, can run over 4 months on the lowest setting.


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## der_horst

or how about the armytek prime a2, 0.15lm/200d 








Small Torch Light Prime A2 | Armytek.com


Small Torch Light Prime A2. ARMYTEK official representative. ✔CREE LEDs. ✔IP68. ✔TIR-optics. Powerful and reliable. The new models. No hassle warranty 10 years.




www.armytek.com


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## lampeDépêche

I'm going to recommend this bundle of 4 cheap lights plus batteries:

EVEREADY-Flashlight-Multi-Pack-Emergencies-Batteries

That's part of a big-river link; they currently sell it for $13.99, but check the big-box stores for even better deals. I've seen two-packs of the single D-cell version for about $5 before. 

For under $15 bucks you get 4 lights plus batteries for all lights. Two of them are designed to run on AA, two designed to run on a single D-cell each. But the D-cell lights can easily be fed with a single C-cell, AA cell, or AAA cell -- just a bit of tape and tin-foil is all it takes. 

I have owned the D-cell lights before, and found them reliable, cheap, and fun. Their boost-circuit will accept fairly low voltage, so you get a long curve of diminishing output, which is what you want in an emergency light. My calendar notes tell me that I turned a pair of them on starting Dec. 29, 2017, and they were still giving usable light on Feb. 6 2018. So, more than a month of run-time on a D-cell; that will mean a week or so for a AA cell.

For emergencies, you want redundancy. And with four lights, you can choose a variety of light-levels, even if each light is only on-off. All of them tail-stand.
Remember, these are cheap -- less than $4 per light, with batteries. So the batteries are not top-end alkali, and the QA is not foolproof. For my money, I'd buy the four-pack, test each of them a few times to make sure the lights work, and then buy some back-up batteries of a better quality. 
These are not waterproof, bullet-proof, or tactical cool. They're cheap, simple, dorky, and only medium bright with a full battery. But cheap is good! Having multiples is good!


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## lampeDépêche

Dealgrabber -- it looks like PALights are no longer manufactured, and no longer available. I see one on eBay for $100.00 (!!!), but the original site says that they are all sold out.
Or are you referring to Pak-lites? Those are still in business, and offer a good product (though not what the OP asked for).


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## Hooked on Fenix

Fenix E12 v.2 for AA or Fenix E01 v.2 for AAA. If you want the longest running, don’t go with a cheapo budget light. Get something where they put money into making an efficient circuit. If you’re looking for an emergency light to have with you during a time every tool you have on hand is critical to keeping you alive, don’t cheap out. Spend a little more to make sure it doesn’t fail and get you killed.


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## dealgrabber2002

lampeDépêche said:


> Dealgrabber -- it looks like PALights are no longer manufactured, and no longer available. I see one on eBay for $100.00 (!!!), but the original site says that they are all sold out.
> Or are you referring to Pak-lites? Those are still in business, and offer a good product (though not what the OP asked for).


Pak-lite is good as well. More options like modes, glow in the dark, and warm tint. I just throw 9v out cause I remember someone said most batteries were gone except for 9v during disasters. Just another option if OP wanted something else.


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## Unicorn

enolaniaga said:


> Need something that uses one - AA or AAA battery.


The L91 is a AA battery. It's Energizer's product number for their lithium AA. https://data.energizer.com/pdfs/l91.pdf


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## Unicorn

The Streamlight Propolymer 4AA should be pretty cheap. It's rated at 67 lumens for 155 hours.

They also make a 3AA lantern that might be more convenient if you are looking for area lighting.


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## bykfixer

Unicorn said:


> The Streamlight Propolymer 4AA should be pretty cheap. It's rated at 67 lumens for 155 hours.
> 
> They also make a 3AA lantern that might be more convenient if you are looking for area lighting.


Not sure if that's what op has in mind, but I'm all over that idea.


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## FastTurtle

My go to emergency lights are Chem Lights (Glow Sticks/Lumilights) in the green. I also get them in yellow with a 12 hour output as they're cheap, safe and only need replacing once a year if you get in 12 packs. Good enough for emergency use due to power outages or as you stated, a tornado shelter. For an EDC light, go with the maglite 2x AA mini. Batteries last a long time and it's reliable as hell. If you want another option and can find one, get a Maglite Solitair (1xAAA) with the incadescent bulb. Bought several spare bulbs and for that usage or camping, it's almost perfect since you can pull cap and use it like an electric candle. only issue is the battery life sucks


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## CarpentryHero

Gerber Omnivore would be good for scavenging batteries, it’s been discontinued but still possible to find.
Lumintop and Thrunite are two budget friendly lights, that have both tailcap and twisty ui options on their smaller lights.


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## glockboy

You can go to walmart and buy the solar powered pathway lights that use 1 AA battery for $3 each.
Around 5 to 10 lumens, (so buy a few of them)


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## Hooked on Fenix

glockboy said:


> You can go to walmart and buy the solar powered pathway lights that use 1 AA battery for $3 each.
> Around 5 to 10 lumens, (so buy a few of them)


If you’re going to get solar lights for an emergency, go to Home Depot and get the 55 lumen Hampton Bay solar spotlights that cost under $8. They take a removable 1000 mAh 18500 cell. 55 lumens will be way more useful than 5-10 and you can probably take the battery out and use it in a lot of lights that have a 3aaa battery carrier.


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## glockboy

In total darkness, even a candle, you can see everything.


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## nollij

enolaniaga said:


> Looking for a reliable budget AA- or AAA led light with longest runtime on low setting...doesnt need to have super bright capabilities. Probably 30 lumens or less. 1 or 2 lumens may be a bit to weak to see in the tornado shelter. Ty


Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but if you’re not completely attached to the AA/AAA, the paklite (9voltlight.com) using a lithium battery lasts nigh on forever and will probably give you the amount of light you need. I have one for a night light for my daughter when traveling and it’s got weeks on it with no noticeable drop in brightness. As a bonus, they make a higher CRI version that looks a lot nicer (what I bought). An added bonus: those 9v “dead” batteries from the smoke detectors will run for quite some time when run on low in a Pak-Light. They are GREAT for emergency kits.


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## Spin

Unicorn said:


> The Streamlight Propolymer 4AA should be pretty cheap. It's rated at 67 lumens for 155 hours.
> 
> They also make a 3AA lantern that might be more convenient if you are looking for area lighting.


I like the Streamlight Propolymer 4AA but i'm reluctant buying it. If one led goes bad the others will go bad also.


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## Buck91

Hmm let’s see. I have a couple mini mags which I dropped yujis into that will run forever. Just watch for battery leakage.

On the single cell front I modded one of my foursevens atoms with a joule thief board from gchart and it’s really quite wonderful. This particular one is brighter than expected but favorably so. I’m going to swap out the driver in a jaxman e3 with another gchart joule their soon. If you can find them the gerber infinity ultra would fit your needs well, plus they are easy to swap to a high CRI 5mm led if so desired. Of course, good luck finding them anymore.


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## Dave_H

I am seeing lots of brand-name, some pricey answers to simple requirement. For low-cost solution, I found 1xAA mini flashlight/worklight at Dollar Tree, but have not seen them in-store for the better part of a year (this is in Canada); and I don't see it on their U.S. website.

Cost was $1.25 CAD, would be $1.50 now plus tax which is still under $2.

For this price you can have several at minimal cost. They are pretty sturdy, not too water-resistant, if that matters.
It is fairly bright for its size/cost/battery. I've had it apart, uses switching-type booster (YX8018 or similar) so looks pretty efficient. No runtime available yet but could do one.

Flashlight beam is OK for sub-1W LED, and nice to have four SMT LEDs on the side as mini work-light.

Not sure if it's OK to post a link to a YouTube review. It does not give too many details.

Dave


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## Dave_H

Hooked on Fenix said:


> If you’re going to get solar lights for an emergency, go to Home Depot and get the 55 lumen Hampton Bay solar spotlights that cost under $8. They take a removable 1000 mAh 18500 cell. 55 lumens will be way more useful than 5-10 and you can probably take the battery out and use it in a lot of lights that have a 3aaa battery carrier.


A bit off main topic as OP is looking for single-cell AA or AAA, as noted 18500 fits in some (but not all, depends on holder) low-cost 3AAA flashlights; some even take 18650. However if goal is short-term cell wide availability without need to recharge, primary AA/AAA may be the best choice. Regular OTS sources of 18500 (LiFePO4) such as HD are a bit pricey.

Dave


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## Dave_H

A note to OP, I frequently run down "free" used alkaline/zinc-carbon AA and AAA in small 3-4 cell lights for which current control is no more than a series resistor. Many will run for many hours (or days) on these weaker cells, at lower brightness. I use them as night-lights. Just another idea you could try.

Dave


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## vicv

I do the same thing with my cr123s that can’t hold brightness anymore. I put 2 of them in an 18650 light and it’ll run for hours on low outputs for power outages and stuff I guess


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## Dave_H

My $1.50 Dollar Tree 12-LED lantern on low setting, running on 3xAAA currently around 0.9v/cell, draws 15mA and is still producing useful light. Positioned correctly it could light a small room, albeit dimly but enough to get around in. With current technology say 100 lumens/watt, I am guessing at around 0.04W which could be 4 lumens.

Cells have maybe 10% capacity left but that's enough for at least a dozen hours, probably longer at decreasing brightness. Not expensive or eligant, but gives an idea what can be done in a pinch.

Dave


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## Poppy

I am pretty sure that those 3mm leds often found in cheap lights are not nearly as efficient as a decent (Cree or SST) led.
I had a 24 x 3mm satellite lantern that ran on 4 AA batteries. It was surprisingly inefficient compared to other lights I have.

I don't know if there are different quality COB lights, but I think generally speaking they are nearly as efficient as an XML or XML2 led.


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## Dave_H

Poppy said:


> I am pretty sure that those 3mm leds often found in cheap lights are not nearly as efficient as a decent (Cree or SST) led.
> I had a 24 x 3mm satellite lantern that ran on 4 AA batteries. It was surprisingly inefficient compared to other lights I have.
> 
> I don't know if there are different quality COB lights, but I think generally speaking they are nearly as efficient as an XML or XML2 led.
> 
> View attachment 27684


I'm sure Cree and SST are not the only ones who make LEDs with high efficacies, and at least some "cheap" LEDs from vendors we may not have heard of can do a decent job these days. In another thread I pointed to Samsung LED giving up to 220 lumens/W at 0.2W .

I guess we're a bit OT but wonder if the OT thinks we've answered the questions. My ultra-cheap (albeit 3AA) lantern is doing great on nearly dead cells.

BTW (further OT) I have lantern looking very similar to grey one 2nd from right. It is 3D, definitely not AA, but works a treat even on some of my "free" alkalines, going down to below 1v per cell (mostly using low setting). I wish it had a much lower setting.
Dave


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## Hooked on Fenix

Spin said:


> I like the Streamlight Propolymer 4AA but i'm reluctant buying it. If one led goes bad the others will go bad also.


If you’re talking about the old 7 l.e.d. light, you’re right. Had that light maybe a decade or more ago. L.e.d.s didn’t last past the second or third set of alkaline batteries. One of the worst lights I ever had. Newer lights use better l.e.d.s that are made to take the heat, run efficiently, and use circuitry that protects against heat, high voltage, and reverse polarity. Don’t get a light that uses old 5mm l.e.d.s and maybe a resistor.


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## raggie33

i hate streamlight worst flashlight i ever ever bought mine had this digusting green tint worse ive seen in damn near 20 years


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## Hooked on Fenix

Best 1 AA light with the most runtime at 30 lumens is probably the Fenix E12 v.2 which lasts 13 hours at that setting. Costs $30. Not super cheap, but you get what you pay for (a reliable light with very efficient circuitry)


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## raggie33

lucked out got my fenix for 22 bucks total shiped


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## this_is_nascar

Interesting about the negative experience with SL. I still have a single LED version, powered by 4xAA that I love. It's got great tint, throw and spill. Yellow body and black bezel. I don't recall what LED is in there. Maybe a Luxeon? Not sure. I've had it for 10-15 years or so.


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## NutSAK

this_is_nascar said:


> Interesting about the negative experience with SL. I still have a single LED version, powered by 4xAA that I love. It's got great tint, throw and spill. Yellow body and black bezel. I don't recall what LED is in there. Maybe a Luxeon? Not sure. I've had it for 10-15 years or so.


That sounds like the Luxeon Propolymer. I have a couple of these too. They're great lights, very reliable and well-built but pretty inefficient by today's standards. The OP is requesting a long-runtime light and these burn through 4AAs in about 6 hours at 100 lumens.

I've seen several comments on negative experience regarding some of the newer lines of SL lights that are made overseas.


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## orbital

+

toss a couple of your least used lights in the shelter, then you have 'room' to get a new/better one.

*or *

something like this:



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AW7Q1EO/?tag=cpf0b6-20


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## Hooked on Fenix

this_is_nascar said:


> Interesting about the negative experience with SL. I still have a single LED version, powered by 4xAA that I love. It's got great tint, throw and spill. Yellow body and black bezel. I don't recall what LED is in there. Maybe a Luxeon? Not sure. I've had it for 10-15 years or so.


Haven’t heard any complaints about the 1 watt luxeon version. That was actually a decent light with a good throw. I wouldn’t buy one now as it is way outdated compared to newer l.e.d.s. The 7 5mm l.e.d. version was a piece of garbage.


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## 340pd

enolaniaga said:


> Looking for a reliable budget AA- or AAA led light with longest runtime on low setting...doesnt need to have super bright capabilities. Probably 30 lumens or less. 1 or 2 lumens may be a bit to weak to see in the tornado shelter. Ty


Buy cheap, you get cheap. Hand cranks are silly. Pick up two high quality lights and a good supply of lithium batteries which will give you a long shelf light. You won't be your shelter for weeks. This ain't rocket surgery.


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