# Most Lumen Flashlight For Around - $15



## Robear (Nov 5, 2015)

Greetings All!

After being 'scammed' out of a flashlight on Amazon :sigh: (luckily I got my money back, but wasted a month) I am looking for a LED flashlight for around $15 that has the most lumen's for that price point. I see ALOT of 1000LM for $5 on amazon/ebay, but I don't trust them. Any info on a good source to buy such flashlight would be greatly appreciated! :thumbsup:


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## ven (Nov 5, 2015)

Hey there, maybe look at the convoy /eagle eye range of lights for around that budget. See which model may suit your needs , be it throw or more flood orientated. 
Your right not to trust lm quotes, more so from budget lights at $5 or so but lm is only a part as it also depends on the LED and reflector size/depth. Deeper/larger diameter then more throw, shallower tends to be more flood. 

What type of light and what uses have you in mind, will help others advise
Not sure where you are in the world, mtn electronics would be a good option.


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## Robear (Nov 5, 2015)

Thanks for the info! You are right in that I should probably be more specific in what I'm looking for. I'm actually looking for two different applications.

1.) All around general light for emergencies, working under the car, hikes, etc...

2.) I'm looking for a light to make a 'ice light' (Reference: http://petapixel.com/2015/01/14/made-homemade-ice-light-less-30/ )

And since I'm not savvy in the world of flashlights, I really don't know which type of flashlight would be better for what application.



ven said:


> Hey there, maybe look at the convoy /eagle eye range of lights for around that budget. See which model may suit your needs , be it throw or more flood orientated.
> Your right not to trust lm quotes, more so from budget lights at $5 or so but lm is only a part as it also depends on the LED and reflector size/depth. Deeper/larger diameter then more throw, shallower tends to be more flood.
> 
> What type of light and what uses have you in mind, will help others advise
> Not sure where you are in the world, mtn electronics would be a good option.


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## akhyar (Nov 5, 2015)

Can check the Convoy models direct from Convoy Shenzen at Aliexpress or from Banggood.
Be sure to upgrade the driver to 7135*8 to get 1000lumens as the stock 7135*3 driver is normally rated 350 to 400 lumens.

You can also order the short 18350 tubes, so that you can use 18350 cell or even CR123 in emergency.
Below is photo of my 2 Convoy S2+ with their matching 18650 and 18350 tubes for size comparison.


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## Str8stroke (Nov 5, 2015)

I would shop around for a authentic UltraFire C8 or Convoy C8. Finding a authentic may be kinda hard. 

I would also suggest considering the BLF A6. It is double your budget, but it is, IMHO, still the best value in budget lights right now and worth the extra duckies. At bangood they are $29.99 after a coupon code I can send you if you are interested. search BLF A6. The caveat is you can also pick the led tint color. If you are working on a car, I suggest a warmer tint. It will make the wiring colors more accurate and to me it casts less shadows under the hood. I find cool white work lights hard on my eyes under the hood or dash of a car.


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## ven (Nov 5, 2015)

Str8stroke said:


> I would also suggest considering the BLF A6. It is double your budget, but it is, IMHO, still the best value in budget lights right now and worth the extra duckies.
> 
> +1 if you up your budget, great light
> 
> ...


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## KeepingItLight (Nov 5, 2015)

Unfortunately, now that the group buy for the *BLF A6 Special Edition* has ended, the coupon code did not work for me when I tried it yesterday.

_Edit:_ This is a false alarm! When I tried again today, the code worked fine, yielding a $10 discount. The price with coupon was $29.95.​​ 
As yet, I do not own any Convoy flashlights, but based on many testimonials I have read at CPF, they are on the top of my list of budget flashlights. With Convoy, you get a quality build that uses the emitter that was advertised. With xxxx-Fire flashlights, there are so many knock-offs that you never know what you are getting.

The *Convoy S2+*, in red, blue, or gray, might be what you are looking for. If you want a bit of throw, try the *Convoy C8*. Be careful about fakes. GearBest, for instance, has recently sold many counterfeit S2+ flashlights. 

In my opinion, the most reliable vendors for Convoy are its maker, Shenzhen Convoy Electronics Co., Ltd., and Mountain Electronics. Simon, the owner of Shenzhen Convoy Electronics, is offering a 15% discount on the blue S2+ to members of BudgetLightForum. Send him an email to inquire. You can find his web site on AliExpress by searching for the full company name.


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## Phlogiston (Nov 5, 2015)

Another vote for Convoy. I just suggested the S2+ to someone else here: 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...al-color-led&p=4771027&viewfull=1#post4771027


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## Robear (Nov 5, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the ideas! I was hoping for a little more lumens, but I'd rather get a better quality flashlight and so far all the info I've looked up on these, makes me feel confident in getting them.


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## Wolfy1776 (Nov 5, 2015)

What size battery are you looking to use?


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## Robear (Nov 5, 2015)

Wolfy1776 said:


> What size battery are you looking to use?



I have no personal preference. If the 'non-traditional' type batteries give out better light, then I'll use those.


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## Str8stroke (Nov 5, 2015)

KeepingItLight said:


> Unfortunately, now that the group buy for the *BLF A6 Special Edition* has ended, the coupon code did not work for me when I tried it yesterday.
> 
> As yet, I do not own any Convoy flashlights, but based on many testimonials I have read at CPF, they are on the top of my list of budget flashlights. With Convoy, you get a quality build that uses the emitter that was advertised. With xxxx-Fire flashlights, there are so many knock-offs that you never know what you are getting.
> 
> ...



Strange, I tested it on the Black 5A (4K) right before I posted that. It took just fine????? Now I never got it to work with the unfinished light and I didn't try any of the other models. I also didn't try to check out, but it showed the discount in my cart. Usually they won't show the discount at all if they expire.


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## Str8stroke (Nov 5, 2015)

Robear said:


> Thanks everyone for the ideas! I was hoping for a little more lumens, but I'd rather get a better quality flashlight and so far all the info I've looked up on these, makes me feel confident in getting them.



Wait! I just read that. More lumen?? Did you see the BLF A6?? This light is a flame thrower and a real 1600 lumen. Not some bogus 5000 lumen some Chinese manufacture or reseller is claiming. This light is going to be EXTREMELY hard to beat in output for the $$.


EDIT: That is how you got scammed the first time. You may still be believing what these folks (Scamming sellers) claim a light puts out. I can't stress this enough, for a EDC general purpose light under $40 you are going to be looking a LONG time to beat the A6. Trust me, I own 100's of lights. This light holds its own with lights that I have 10x's the $$ invested in that I know are running 2000 lumen.


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## Robear (Nov 5, 2015)

Alright, I'll pull the trigger on the BLF A6, even though it's more than what I wanted. I'll just have to budget in another one down the road.

Any recommended places to buy it... banggood I assume? And any preferred batteries to go with it?


Edit: apparently banggood has it for $10 off w/ code GBLFA6SE


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## KeepingItLight (Nov 6, 2015)

Str8stroke said:


> Strange, I tested it on the Black 5A (4K) right before I posted that. It took just fine????? Now I never got it to work with the unfinished light and I didn't try any of the other models. I also didn't try to check out, but it showed the discount in my cart. Usually they won't show the discount at all if they expire.



Right you are! I have corrected my foregoing post.



KeepingItLight said:


> Unfortunately, now that the group buy for the *BLF A6 Special Edition* has ended, the coupon code did not work for me when I tried it yesterday.



This is a false alarm! When I tried again today, the code worked fine, yielding a $10 discount. The price with coupon was $29.95.


​


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## akhyar (Nov 6, 2015)

Robear said:


> Alright, I'll pull the trigger on the BLF A6, even though it's more than what I wanted. I'll just have to budget in another one down the road.
> 
> Any recommended places to buy it... banggood I assume? And any preferred batteries to go with it?
> 
> ...



If you like the bare aluminium looks of BLF A6, the public coupon code is "8d7e0d" bringing the price down to $27. 
The previous private code which bring the price down to $23 has already expired.

Just to reiterate that Convoy S2+ can also hit 1000 lumens if you use 7135*8 driver. Sometimes Banggood also has this spec on discount which bring down the price to below 15 bucks including shipping.


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## Robear (Nov 6, 2015)

akhyar said:


> If you like the bare aluminium looks of BLF A6, the public coupon code is "8d7e0d" bringing the price down to $27.
> The previous private code which bring the price down to $23 has already expired.
> 
> Just to reiterate that Convoy S2+ can also hit 1000 lumens if you use 7135*8 driver. Sometimes Banggood also has this spec on discount which bring down the price to below 15 bucks including shipping.



Is it hard to replace drivers? I've never done it before.


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## Str8stroke (Nov 6, 2015)

akhyar said:


> If you like the bare aluminium looks of BLF A6, the public coupon code is "8d7e0d" bringing the price down to $27.
> The previous private code which bring the price down to $23 has already expired.
> 
> Just to reiterate that Convoy S2+ can also hit 1000 lumens if you use 7135*8 driver. Sometimes Banggood also has this spec on discount which bring down the price to below 15 bucks including shipping.



Oh that does sound nice too. I forgot about that one. I don't t know what it entails to swap that driver.


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## Robear (Nov 6, 2015)

akhyar said:


> If you like the bare aluminium looks of BLF A6, the public coupon code is "8d7e0d" bringing the price down to $27.
> The previous private code which bring the price down to $23 has already expired.
> 
> Just to reiterate that Convoy S2+ can also hit 1000 lumens if you use 7135*8 driver. Sometimes Banggood also has this spec on discount which bring down the price to below 15 bucks including shipping.



There's so many of them on banggood, which one should I get?

http://www.banggood.com/search/convoy-s2.html

EDIT: Actually, it looks like they already have the ones w/ the driver that you recommended. 
http://www.banggood.com/Convoy-S2-Blue-CREE-XM-L2-71358-35-Modes-EDC-LED-Flashlight-p-994206.html


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## ven (Nov 6, 2015)

Just bare in mind i bought a convoy m1 a few months back and was a clone(not genuine). So i will not buy any convoy branded lights from them........got money back so cant fault that side.

I have had a couple of convoy lights previous and those were fine and nicely made.......dont know what happened with my m1!

I would go to the recommended seller by KIL for this brand.


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## akhyar (Nov 6, 2015)

Str8stroke said:


> Oh that does sound nice too. I forgot about that one. I don't t know what it entails to swap that driver.



If order direct from Simon of Convoy Shenzen, you have to specify that you want to upgrade the driver to 7135x8, as his stock driver is 7135x3. I think there's additional cost of slightly over a buck only.
If order through Banggood, Gearbest, Mountain Electronics, etc, have to select the lights with the upgraded driver.


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## Robear (Nov 6, 2015)

ven said:


> Just bare in mind i bought a convoy m1 a few months back and was a clone(not genuine). So i will not buy any convoy branded lights from them........got money back so cant fault that side.
> 
> I have had a couple of convoy lights previous and those were fine and nicely made.......dont know what happened with my m1!
> 
> I would go to the recommended seller by KIL for this brand.



Thanks for the heads up on that. Looking at what KIL said on aliexpress it doesn't look like they have the Convoy S2+ w/ the driver needed to get it up to 1000lm, so I would have to do some modding.


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## Robear (Nov 6, 2015)

akhyar said:


> If order direct from Simon of Convoy Shenzen, you have to specify that you want to upgrade the driver to 7135x8, as his stock driver is 7135x3. I think there's additional cost of slightly over a buck only.
> If order through Banggood, Gearbest, Mountain Electronics, etc, have to select the lights with the upgraded driver.



Do you have the link to contact him directly?


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## akhyar (Nov 6, 2015)

Robear said:


> Do you have the link to contact him directly?



This is the link for the blue Convoy S2+ direct from Simon Mao of Convoy Shenzen Electronic.
You have to PM him directly that you want the upgraded 7135x8 driver (add $0.88) and the tint colour when you place your order.
Tell him you are from BLF for 15% discount.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...defense-camping-light/330416_32445361280.html


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## bigburly912 (Nov 6, 2015)

Contact Richard at mtnelectronics. Tell him what you are looking for and your budget. If he doesn't have it he will build it


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## Phlogiston (Nov 8, 2015)

Robear said:


> Do you have the link to contact him directly?





akhyar said:


> This is the link for the blue Convoy S2+ direct from Simon Mao of Convoy Shenzen Electronic.
> You have to PM him directly that you want the upgraded 7135x8 driver (add $0.88) and the tint colour when you place your order.
> Tell him you are from BLF for 15% discount.
> 
> http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...defense-camping-light/330416_32445361280.html



If you scroll down that page a bit, you'll come to a couple of headings: "*How to customize your flashlight*" and "*How to pay the extra money*". Those are the instructions you'll need to order an upgrade to the 7135*8 driver. I've ordered a custom light three times now and Simon has delivered a perfect light every time. 

If you're in the US, though, I gather that *mtnelectronics* keep Convoy S2+ lights in stock. Quicker than waiting for shipments from China


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## Hooked on Fenix (Nov 8, 2015)

There's a 3C 850 lumen Defiant flashlight with a high, low, and strobe at Home Depot for $10. Looks like it uses 3 Cree XP-E2s or XP-G2s. Will that do?


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## Camo5 (Nov 21, 2015)

Get one of these and throw it behind an opaque cover: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01339G2F6/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Hook it up to a 12v lead battery and you're golden. Assuming this is for an ice fishing house?


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## Destiny (Nov 27, 2015)

Robear said:


> I am looking for a LED flashlight for around $15 that has the most lumens for that price point. I see ALOT of 1000LM for $5 on amazon/ebay, but I don't trust them. :thumbsup:


Finding bright flashlights isn't the chore it used to be. Today, I find the challenge to be finding bright lights that also have low lumen settings with good, long runtimes, because I don't often need the brilliance. But to answer your question, I've found eBay to be a good place to shop for budget lights. The thing is, you don't want to have to send a defective light back to Shanghi -- so I look for a proximity bargain, and I've had lot of good luck with Ultrafire lights. Specifically I've bought three Ultrafire WF-501x lights: Two very bright red flashlights and one UV. There's also a white LED model that's very bright. All three came with UF 18650 batteries labeled 3400 mAh. They only have one power setting, BRIGHT! Even my red ones are nearly too bright. If I can find a white LED model, I may pick one up. 

EBay sellers that deal in high volume sales generally like to keep their buyers happy and hate bad reviews, so check sales and ratings.


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## Travelr (Feb 12, 2016)

I have an Astrolux S1 on order from Banggood, it is essentially the same light as the BLF A6, it is under $30 and comes with a short tube allowing 18350 cells. I just bought a Thorfire C8s from Amazon for under $15 with their coupon code, very bright but not suited for a pocket clip...


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## CelticCross74 (Feb 13, 2016)

as overrated as I believe Convoys are they are your ticket to 1000 lumens for $15. If you can score the BLF A6 with a coupon even better...


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