# 100 lumen LED 3AA desk lamp at Dollar Tree



## Lynx_Arc (Jan 9, 2021)

I just picked up a $1 desk lamp at Dollar Tree today and am pleasantly surprised at the bargain.
It uses 3AA batteries and I have 3 duraloops in mine. Output seems to be on par with 100 lumens and color it probably 5500K or so slightly bluish output but not bad. It uses a cheap clicky switch... 1 mode on/off. Has a metal gooseneck with a large head to it 
Not sure of the LED used due to a diffuser but I'm guessing 9 Chip (smd) type LEDs on a circuit board. As I only bought one I'm not going to tear it apart at this time to inspect things may buy a second one to do that at another time.
For $1 I find it a steal.

Oh and it comes in an almost cube like white/blueish box I found it at the bottom of the shelf on the phone charger section in my local store.


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## bykfixer (Jan 10, 2021)

Sounds pretty nifty. As a rule I don't visit dollar stores. Self control issues where I end up spending $20 on stuff I either already have or don't need but it seemed like a good thing to have like $1 gloves, $1 belt, $1 screw driver etc etc.
But I may go look for one next time Mrs Fixer says "wanna go with me to the dollar store?"……


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 10, 2021)

I think as cheap as the light is cheap alkaleaks would even be acceptable in it. Buy a few of them and toss them if the cells spew in them as better alkaleaks cost more than cheap ones and the light does included. The build quality is surprisingly good has a pretty solid reverse clicky switch in it.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 10, 2021)

I just did a test using only 2 nimh cells and it puts out usable light with a current draw of 22 ma while 3 nimh cells has a current draw of 220 ma. I figure 9-10 hours normally on 3 cells and 80+ hours using 2 cells. It is tempting to take it apart and add in a resistor to drop the current draw to about 100ma giving close to 20 hours runtime off 3 cells and probably close to 50 lumens output. I do like gooseneck LED lights as you can position the light to work on a table or bench top exactly where you need it.


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## bykfixer (Jan 10, 2021)

great for reading when the power goes out


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 10, 2021)

bykfixer said:


> great for reading when the power goes out


Some may not like a more cool white tint though. I'm still tinkering a little.... managed to snap the battery compartment off (no screws) using a flat blade screwdriver and there is 3 wires and a clicky switch and no other parts they must be on the LED circuit board on the light engine part. I haven't got the LED end open probably glued shut but pried it open enough to see what looks like 9 chip (smd) LEDs on a board. I'm guessing there are SMD resistors mounted somewhere on the board. Ingenious how the battery compartment snaps together though with the switch holder on it.


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## xxo (Jan 10, 2021)

They are probably relying on the high IR of 3 AAA carbon zinc batteries to limit current, NiMH's will likely over heat the LEDs and cause them to go dim.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 10, 2021)

xxo said:


> They are probably relying on the high IR of 3 AAA carbon zinc batteries to limit current, NiMH's will likely over heat the LEDs and cause them to go dim.


Nope, as I've had lights in the past that used the IR of heavy duty batteries to throttle output on 5mm LEDs to "safe" enough levels and nimh batteries in those lights tended to be a lot brighter and this light is in the 100 lumens range with freshly charged duraloops.


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## xxo (Jan 10, 2021)

Lynx_Arc said:


> Nope, as I've had lights in the past that used the IR of heavy duty batteries to throttle output on 5mm LEDs to "safe" enough levels and nimh batteries in those lights tended to be a lot brighter and this light is in the 100 lumens range with freshly charged duraloops.




Have you run it a couple times for 9-10 hrs continuous on fresh duraloops? if so, check the LEDs through a filter to see if any have started to dim or flicker.

Have you checked the brightness level on carbon zinc cells? I would be surprised if you get a measured 100 lumen output.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 11, 2021)

xxo said:


> Have you run it a couple times for 9-10 hrs continuous on fresh duraloops? if so, check the LEDs through a filter to see if any have started to dim or flicker.
> 
> Have you checked the brightness level on carbon zinc cells? I would be surprised if you get a measured 100 lumen output.


You are welcome to spend $1 and go nuts with testing one of these right now I don't have the time to do a 10 hour test but I'm pretty sure it will run fine on carbon zinc as 200ma is not a overwhelming load on a carbon zinc AA battery it should be able to sustain a voltage higher than nimh cells which IMO seem to put out in the range of 100 lumens.


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## raggie33 (Jan 15, 2021)

Lynx_Arc said:


> I just picked up a $1 desk lamp at Dollar Tree today and am pleasantly surprised at the bargain.
> It uses 3AA batteries and I have 3 duraloops in mine. Output seems to be on par with 100 lumens and color it probably 5500K or so slightly bluish output but not bad. It uses a cheap clicky switch... 1 mode on/off. Has a metal gooseneck with a large head to it
> Not sure of the LED used due to a diffuser but I'm guessing 9 Chip (smd) type LEDs on a circuit board. As I only bought one I'm not going to tear it apart at this time to inspect things may buy a second one to do that at another time.
> For $1 I find it a steal.
> ...



ive reported you to the mods! dollar tree? im just teaseing. i love the dollar tree they used to have swifer sweeper pads cheap


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 15, 2021)

raggie33 said:


> ive reported you to the mods! dollar tree? im just teaseing. i love the dollar tree they used to have swifer sweeper pads cheap


I buy cheap charging cables for my android phone, and they even work with fast charging for $1. I also buy starlight mints for work as the dust and cold sometimes starts me coughing when my throat dries out and sucking on a mint has 2 uses first it coats the throat and second if you do have Covid one of the symptoms that can occur is you lose your taste and mints have a lot of taste to em. 
I bought some of their magnetic closet lights and have one in my small fridge that comes on when I open it. It runs off of 3 AG13 cells for a lot of open/closing.


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## raggie33 (Jan 15, 2021)

check out tge canned tamalies. i love them


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 16, 2021)

raggie33 said:


> check out tge canned tamalies. i love them



Do they use 3AA batteries?


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## Dave_H (Jun 4, 2021)

I picked up a couple of these last year from Dollar Tree in Canada for $1.25 each. The cool tint plus running on AAs rather than AAAs is great. They work on NiMH at somewhat lower brightness than fresh alkalines or zinc-carbon, but good enough.

Unfortunately both developed a scratchy push switch which needs to be played with to get them to work. Not sure if it's batch related, if nobody else is reporting this. Opening bottom is easy and I will most certainly replace with another push or maybe mini toggle switch, no matter the low cost.

I got the head open and PCB has 10 SMT LEDs plus single series resistor (2R2 = 2.2 ohms). Lens popped back on, no damage.

They're still for sale here, may pick up one more to see if the switch problem persists.

Dave


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 4, 2021)

Dave_H said:


> I picked up a couple of these last year from Dollar Tree in Canada for $1.25 each. The cool tint plus running on AAs rather than AAAs is great. They work on NiMH at somewhat lower brightness than fresh alkalines or zinc-carbon, but good enough.
> 
> Unfortunately both developed a scratchy push switch which needs to be played with to get them to work. Not sure if it's batch related, if nobody else is reporting this. Opening bottom is easy and I will most certainly replace with another push or maybe mini toggle switch, no matter the low cost.
> 
> ...



They have mostly vanished around here but there is a new light they have a 3AA COB/LED lantern type light 100/60 lumens. I was a little tempted but have better COB/LED lights already and 100 lumens for a COB light using 3AA for a lantern didn't interest me. If it were 200/100 with a brighter COB I would have got one but I spent $1 on a blu-ray movie instead.


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## Dave_H (Jun 4, 2021)

A bit OT but down the same lines, DT sells a 3xAAA LED bulb which somewhat resembles an ac bulb. Tint is cool, and has high/low/flash settings. Not as good battery economy as if it were 3xAA (I wish they could have done) but very decent at the price ($1.25 CDN). They've been around at least a couple of years and are still seen in some stores here. Product number on package is 284264.

What's nice about this light is the low setting is PWM and by removing the LEDs (three 10mm leaded) one output can be used as controller for a high-power LED light feeding into the dimming pin of its driver; have done this on a 12v 10W light. It did require a small interface circuit, PNP transistor and two resistors. Salvaged LEDs can be reused in other projects, such as replacing those in ac nightlights which have dimmed over time.


Dave


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