# New here have some questions



## Rider57 (Mar 31, 2015)

Quick rundown how i ended up here

2 weeks ago i was looking for good AA replacement for my old and tired 4d maglite, asked around and ended up getting a Convoy m1,18650 panasonic 3400mah and charger. Safe to say the maglite is getting the long term storage treatment. 

Im still looking for some good AA budget lights. One i came across was the Spinik68 or SK68 cree. Problem is i see prices ranging from $2.70 up to $16.99. Is it the same light? Whats up with that? 

If its the same light i will def pick one up for under $5.

Still need a bigger AA light, 2-4 would be nice, 6 AAs is pushing it and 8 is just too much imo. 

So what should i get? 

What i need:
AA/14500
>300 lumens
< $20
2 modes would be nice if its single its not a deal breaker
More flood than throw would be nice
Adjustable focus even better but not a deal breaker if it isnt


Im still fairly new to this but im no noob when it comes to rechargable batterys and lions having multiple lipo packs for rc cars myself. 

I am new to 18650s though, the one i got is unprotected as a high mah protected cell would not fit the convoy m1

Any tips and advice is greatly appreciated, thanks for reading


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## Str8stroke (Mar 31, 2015)

Have you considered upgrading the Maglite? Malkoff or FiveMega makes some really nice upgrades. I would much prefer it fixed up than a Spinik! Just a thought.

They are the "basically" the same lights. There several manufactures in China that make these. Some vary in quality, and the higher price does not necessarily reflect the quality. Its a roll of the dice. 

$20 is a tight budget. But if you are flexible by $7 I know the light I would buy: *DQG CREE XP-G2 R5 180LM 3Modes EDC LED Flashlight AA/14500*

or if you can live with out the 14500 feature:
*Cree XP-G2 R5 Brass 3-Mode AA Mini LED Flashlight

*Those can be found on Banggood. Btw, if you have never ordered from there, it is a slow boat from China shipping. So be patient. lol 


See what you think of the DQG. I think its worth the extra $7 investment.


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## RetroTechie (Mar 31, 2015)

Welcome to CPF, Rider57! 



Rider57 said:


> What i need:
> AA/14500
> >300 lumens
> < $20


Not saying the above is impossible, but probably not very realistic. Or useful.

To obtain >300 lumens, one would likely need ~3W input power. With a single AA that's 2A @ 1.5V, at a more realistic 1.2~1.3V that's ~2.5A. Disregarding conversion losses, that is. To actually do that job (while keeping conversion losses in bounds), you need a relatively high-tech light. Which will cost you. And give you perhaps 30~45min runtime at that ouput - _at best_. If you bring in say, 3 or 4 AA's, you might as well get an 18650 based light, which will give you a nicer form factor for same kind of power/energy as 3-4 AA's.

To summarize: I'd go for a bit more realistic goals. Up the budget a little to get in range of such high-tech AA powered lights. Or if you need that >300 lumens output on the cheap, go for another 18650 based light. Or make do with a lower max output.

Adding a nice & small AA powered light to that Convoy M1, will give you better tools for different uses.

Those Sipik SK68 clones are junk, really. :thumbsdow They're _relatively_ well built - given their extremely low cost. But that's all.


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## Rider57 (Mar 31, 2015)

Upgrading the maglight? Id rather not lol im so done with that baseball bat, its more of a home defense weapon now but..... How good are these upgrades? Worth doing? 

If i must up my budget i will, my original budget was $30 and ive already spent $40 on the M1 charger and batt. So in reality im way over budget as i dont even have the light i originally intended, i hope i didnt catch the bug, that will get expensive. 



Maybe i should clear up the lumens. From my limited knowledge i had understood that 300 lumens on a 14500 was doable. I know switching to alkalines will leave me in the 100 range and thats ok. 1-6AA is fine but id prefer 1-2

SK68s are junk. I kinda knew that going in but its the cheapest 300 lumen on a 14500 i found. Ill be using this little light as an EDC at work. I do construction so this light wasnt gonna last very long to begin with, its gonna get plaster on it, concrete, thrown in a bag to getscratched and banged up by other tools. My thinking was getting a cheap light so when itdies its easy to replace ratherthan get an expensive tougher light thatwould probably get destroyed as well. 

Things that have killed my lights at work before in the past include:

Accidentally getting jack hammered
30ft drop
Thinset mix powder 
High heat

The SK68 will be my edc at work where the other AA will be my around the home task light, the latter will get infinetly better treatment

Im very new to these flashlights so if there is anything wrong with my reckoning please do let me know

Thanks guys


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## Amelia (Mar 31, 2015)

Some nice 1xAA Lights: EagleTac D25A Clicky, L3 Illumination L10C, Nitecore SRT3, Zebralight SC52W, Sunwayman V11R (W/Extender tube)
Some nice 4xAA Lights: Sunwayman D40A, Thrunite TN4A

So many great lights out there!


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## ven (Mar 31, 2015)

For an AA light,i like my Fenix e25 bursts,2xAA,burst of 260lm...........nice light for around $10 over budget BUT only AA compatible




Cheap then Crelant v11a,AA/14500
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?356605-Crelant-V11A-Review
:welcome:


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## reppans (Mar 31, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Maybe i should clear up the lumens. From my limited knowledge i had understood that 300 lumens on a 14500 was doable. I know switching to alkalines will leave me in the 100 range and thats ok. 1-6AA is fine but id prefer 1-2
> 
> SK68s are junk. I kinda knew that going in but its the cheapest 300 lumen on a 14500 i found.



I bought a Ultrafire Sipik 68 clone for grins.... it does ~50/135 lms (on flood) on 1x NiMh/14500, respectively, in my lightbox (US-ANSI). 

But yeah, a true 300-700 lms on 1x14500 is doable from some of the more well know know manufacturers... but not <$20.


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## Mr Floppy (Mar 31, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> SK68s are junk. I kinda knew that going in but its the cheapest 300 lumen on a 14500 i found. Ill be using this little light as an EDC at work. I do construction so this light wasnt gonna last very long to begin with, its gonna get plaster on it, concrete, thrown in a bag to getscratched and banged up by other tools. My thinking was getting a cheap light so when itdies its easy to replace ratherthan get an expensive tougher light that would probably get destroyed as well.



Mate, get a couple. I love the SK68 clones. When it comes to these lights, no need to over think it. Get a single mode though, just easier. The one thing you'll find is that run time will be rather short. Not all SK68's are the same but the ones I have draw 1.5A from a 14500 so I only get around 30 minutes run time. 

One little trick to get these to run longer is to mod it into a 2xAA light (not 2x 14500 though). Slight increase in brightness over a 1xAA and more run time.


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## rainbowlight777 (Mar 31, 2015)

To get a light with that many lumens, specifically on AA or 14500 batteries, you're going to have to up your budget a bit, especially if you want a good quality light. Honestly, I would broaden my horizons on the type of battery used. You can get an awesome flashlight for under $40 that has 500lm on a CR123, which has actually become my favorite kind of light. AA or 14500 batteries are easier to acquire but a good flashlight on a CR123 isn't bad and you can still get the CR123's pretty cheap.

Look into Thrunite for some bright lights on a budget.


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## Rider57 (Apr 1, 2015)

Wow guys thanks for all the help, ill start researching the lights mentioned above and take my pick, ill post before buying in case some one has objections or a better option. 

Thanks to all the advice im revising my needs to

AA/14500
=or< 300lms

I have a charger that will do 18650s and 14500s so i dont want to get a c123 light as this will add extra cost in purchasing a new charger and said batterys.
Id rather put that money towards another light.

One thing that has me confused, why is my 700lm M1 $20 and a 200lm AA $40+. Seams it should be the other way around

Edit: just saw most of the lights suggested and wow $50-70+. Only ones i saw worth the price were the tna4, fenix e25 (and some other fenix AAs) and the v11a.


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## Str8stroke (Apr 1, 2015)

Rider, remember price is not always relative to a stated Lumen output. That is kinda the wrong way to think about things. 

Over budget many of the suggestions were. I was keeping you in your budget. Has your budget now expanded? Or are you still trying to stay in the $20 range on a 18650 light? There are some really good options for that battery platform if you are.

One of my favorite 18650 right now is the BLF Special Edition at Banggood. I like it so much, I have 4. lol Killer, "semi custom" budget light out of the box. Tons of work went into the make up of this light. Pretty sure, Banggood offers a discount code too. $29 This light puts out a real 800 plus lumen on turbo.


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## Berneck1 (Apr 1, 2015)

I don't think you can find a true 300 lumen light for under $20. Especially an AA light. I think $30 is probably more realisitc, and it will find you a higher quality light. I, personally, would stay away from the no-name brands. Not saying it won't work, but it is buyer beware on those things. 

You might want to check out the Thrunite Archer 2A V2. It puts out 430 lumens on 2xAA. However, does not take 14500. If you want 14500, the Eagltac D25a is a good 1xAA light, but you're looking at $40 on sale. 


Sent from my iPad using Candlepowerforums


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## Str8stroke (Apr 1, 2015)

Bernek1, not true. You can find a true 300 lumen light for under $20. Now running a single AA would be hard. But slap a 14500 and let her rip.


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## RetroTechie (Apr 1, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Ill be using this little light as an EDC at work. I do construction so this light wasnt gonna last very long to begin with, its gonna get plaster on it, concrete, thrown in a bag to getscratched and banged up by other tools.


For that use a few 'expendable' cheapies may indeed be the better choice (and those Sipiks not _too_ bad when aiming for $5 / pop).



Rider57 said:


> One thing that has me confused, why is my 700lm M1 $20 and a 200lm AA $40+. Seams it should be the other way around


There's no strong relation between cost and lumens output, really. It isn't hard to put together a high-output light. What's harder is build a light _well_, or build it such that it will last. Or one that looks good, is relatively compact, efficient, _and_ has a nice UI.

So what you pay for is the amount of effort & thought that went into building the light. $5 will get you something that's slapped together in a hurry from lowest-common-denominator parts, $500 will get you a custom light that's more like a jewel & might be with you for a long time. Between those extremes, pick what best suits the purpose.


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## thedoc007 (Apr 1, 2015)

Take a look at the Xeno E03. Can run on AA or 14500 with no problem, under $30 (might be possible to find it for under $20 if you are patient and your shopping fu is strong), and will give you 200 lumens on AA, and more than 400 lumens on 14500. Also available in multiple colors, and cool/neutral/warm tint, depending on what you like.


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## reppans (Apr 1, 2015)

Berneck1 said:


> You might want to check out the Thrunite Archer 2A V2. It puts out 430 lumens on 2xAA. However, does not take 14500. If you want 14500, the Eagltac D25a is a good 1xAA light, but you're looking at $40 on sale.



The Neutron is the most powerful 1 or 2 AA light made and will do over 600 on 2AA. It'll pull 700 on 1x14500 (best batt for the light actually) and still out power (200+) anything on an 1x Eneloop. QC is not the best though - many folks have had issues, and mine has become finicky reaching 300+ Turbo on 1x Eneloop. 

(note: add ~100 lumens to the above outputs if using a Thrunite/Zebralight/Selfbuilt scale).


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## FRITZHID (Apr 1, 2015)

For "beater" lights, I picked up a 3pk of tasco 3aaa lensers for $20 @ Sam's. 250lm. Cree xre. If I bust, lose, get clepto'd, etc. I won't cry about it. They use a clicky so no batt drain. I stuff 3 Energizer lithium primaries in them...... it can get a lil warm on high.
Low/high/strobe. 
Has all the basic features one would want/need for cheap.


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## Rider57 (Apr 1, 2015)

I know nothing about tints, i didnt even know there were any until after buying my M1 so i cant really say what i like having only seen one (1A tint). What i do know is some tints sacrifice brightness and i dont want that. 

"There's no strong relation between cost and lumens output, really"

I just figured, higher lumens = better driver-better led= more money, totally understand the "build quality" plays a big role part. I dont need a NASA approved aerospace nano material flashlight body though lol This will be my "around the house light" its gonna be babied. 

On that note i need another flashlight. Come August im going camping. Having a nice AA/14500 >200 lumen light would be nice. On this one id def need multiple modes, a 5-30 lumen low for tent stuff, 30-50 med for campsite stuff and a high for hiking duty. If my "house" light and this light could be the same one id be even happier, although having 2 new lights would be nice ha ha

With my new SK68 on its way i find my self in the need for some decent mah 14500 for reletively cheap, found a bunch on ebay but dont know which ones i can trust to be safe and have true mah. Someone care to point me in the right direction. Not looking to break the bank but also not looking to blowmy fingers off. 

@sams? Sams club? Also have a pic of the beaters?

The spinik68 was purchased hoping to outshine and outlast this el cheapo in the middle



These (plus the m1) are all the lights i own btw. The el cheapo and lantern have a blue tint to the light where im sure all you know the mag has a 92' saturn pos headlight tint

Also stay awayfrom ( )fire lights? They seam to have ok lights at great prices, some even use the xml2. Most of their lumen claims are way off but im sure real world lumens fall in an acceptable range. They cant all be bad right


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## RetroTechie (Apr 1, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> I just figured, higher lumens = better driver-better led= more money,


There's something else to consider: runtime. High lumens from a 'pocket rocket' is nice, but only serves for show if it empties the battery in minutes. For that reason, _if_ I need a bit more light from a small EDC, I find myself mostly using modes in the ~100 lumens range. A good 1x AA light keeps that up for perhaps 1.5~2 hours, a decent 1x 18650 light keeps that up for 8+ hours. Beyond that, higher output brings me little advantage in terms of doing a job, mostly just more battery swapping.

Sure, in theory different modes can cover all those needs, but that doesn't help you if you picked a light with an on/off or low<->high driver.



> Also stay awayfrom ( )fire lights?


Some of those ( )Fire lights aren't even that bad!  More importantly: stay away from ( )Fire branded rechargeable Li-ions, which are usually much lower capacity than claimed, bad quality, sometimes even dangerous construction.  And one other brand I want to mention specifically: GTL, which is known to overstate capacity by _ridiculous_ amounts. :hahaha:

For 18650's my shortlist is Sanyo/Panasonic, LG, Samsung and Sony (cells made in Japan or Korea). Other brands are re-packaged cells of those manufacturers (at best), "unknown" (?), or (more likely) poor quality junk. I don't think this is much different for 14500 Li-ions.

Probably one of the best 14500 cells currently out there is the UR14500P (can be found both under Sanyo, or Panasonic brand), which has ~800 mAh capacity. If you stick to using that with a reliable Li-ion charger and *1*x AA lights, the bare (unprotected) cell should be okay. If unsure about that, look for a (protected) brand name battery that has this cell inside. Cheap 14500 cells that claim to have (far?) above 800 mAh capacity, is most likely marketing bs, and simply won't perform as claimed. 

Note that a decent AA NiMH will have similar energy capacity as a 14500 Li-ion. So there isn't much point in using a 14500, other than those high-output modes in a light that supports the Li-ion's higher voltage.


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## mpett1 (Apr 1, 2015)

I just picked up a Finix 2 AA E20. It has 3 modes and a 250lm high and is nice and throwy. Best AA light I have..


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## Rider57 (Apr 1, 2015)

Yeah i thought all those surefire lights were getting undeserved bad publicity, i knew they couldnt all be bad. Specially those using the xml2 and a decent driver. 

That fenix E20 is nice, really nice. Not sure about the motion sensing though, might get annoying if it does it accidentally. Price is high but it reflects its build quality with its hard anodized paint and water proofness and what not. A bit over kill for a light that ill be babing really. 

If anyone here knows a good ____fire light that is > 300lms, multiple modes on AAs please let me know. Price is an issue as ill now be buying 2 for the camping trip, one for me one for the gf. 

On 14500, i was hoping a good one would be upwards of 1000mah, at 800 is just a tab over 2x the mah of a good AA alkie. Should i scrap the 14500 idea all together or is there an unseen benifit to these besides the high output modes they support?


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## mpett1 (Apr 1, 2015)

The E20 can lock out with a turn of the head. I dont believe you are going to get anything over 300lm for under $30 running on 2 AA


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## ven (Apr 1, 2015)

Trouble is,even if buy a cheap light,cells and charger should not be scrimped on(not saying you would). So a couple of 14500 cells and say a cheap Xtar charger will put you at $20 easy(thats if you dont have any).

I am sure you can turn the motion off on the fenix light.

The Fenix should see you right for many years,so in long run works out cheaper than hit/miss .....fire lights. I have not seen a 14500 over around 850mah(could be 830mah sanyo inside iirc) Not seen 1000mah so would say fake..............

I have several efest 14500 IMR and KeepPower 14500 800mah cells,both good cells.


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## Rider57 (Apr 1, 2015)

On 14500s, ill pick one up for kicks and try it out on my SK68, i already have a charger for it. Where do you guys buy your cells from? Good price fast shipping? 

Sorry guys i put the wrong symbol, ment tosay under 300lms, folks here pointed out above 300lms light will be more dough so sticking with less lumens now, more realistic expectations for my budget.

Edit: just went thrift shopping in dark cramped 2nd hand stores looking for a score, found a few with the help of my M1 on low mode 40ish lumens anything brighter blinded me and my bro so that makes me feel alot better about buying a light under 300lms. Still getting used to this lumens business


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## Poppy (Apr 1, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> On that note i need another flashlight. Come August im going camping. *Having a nice AA/14500 >200 lumen light would be nice. On this one id def need multiple modes, a 5-30 lumen low for tent stuff, 30-50 med for campsite stuff and a high for hiking duty.* If my "house" light and this light could be the same one id be even happier, although having 2 new lights would be nice ha ha



It seems to me that most lights will run about 1 hour, to 1.5 hours on HIGH. I'd like to suggest that when you want more lumens than 60 or so, from your AA light, grab your M1 instead. The capacity of the 3400 mah 18650 is 3-4X that of the single AA.


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## Rider57 (Apr 1, 2015)

Poppy said:


> It seems to me that most lights will run about 1 hour, to 1.5 hours on HIGH. I'd like to suggest that when you want more lumens than 60 or so, from your AA light, grab your M1 instead. The capacity of the 3400 mah 18650 is 3-4X that of the single AA.



Yeah thats what i was thinking, ill buy another 18650 before the trip. Ill use the AAs for regular around the campsite/tent stuff and use the m1 for hiking and animal spotting/scaring. It would still be nice to have the AAs push 200lms just in case we need them to. I suspect 98% of the AAs life will be spent in med or low mode where the opposite can be said for the m1


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## FRITZHID (Apr 1, 2015)

Idk, as far as edc or regular usage lights... I prefer lithium rechargeable.
Disposable batts are nothing other than convenience.
I 'try' to keep my lights multi-battery friendly but ime a single 18650 beats 3xaa any day.
Personally, I'd transfer over to lithium rechargeable and just plan ahead with extra batts. A solar recharger would be in my inventory as well when camping. With this, universal batt fit for all lights. Long, bright runtimes. comfortable fit. Cheaper in the long run over primaries. (If conversion is done right, primaries will still work in an emergency).


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## Rider57 (Apr 1, 2015)

Totally agree and id totally want my light to be able to run multiple batterys types, hence my AA/14500 requierment. Id prob run it on the rechargable as an edc and use AAs in a pinch. Id love a light that could take 18650s/14500s/AAs if it doesnt break the bank. 

Got a question: Can i charge my panasonic 3400mah 18650 at 2.1amps, charger says . 5a in but not sure if this is max or minimum requierment

Heres what ill be plugging it into, first slot is 2.1 amps the other 3 are 1.2 amps. I dont own a . 5amp usb wall charger.


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## FRITZHID (Apr 2, 2015)

*****


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## thedoc007 (Apr 2, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Got a question: Can i charge my panasonic 3400mah 18650 at 2.1amps



You can, yes, but it is definitely not recommended. Panasonic's recommended charge is .3C (where C is the capacity of the cell, in milli-amp hours.) .3 x 3400 is just over one amp. I think it is unlikely you will have a safety issue with charging at a couple amps...but it will certainly shorten the life of your cells, and hasten capacity loss.


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## reppans (Apr 2, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Totally agree and id totally want my light to be able to run multiple batterys types, hence my AA/14500 requierment. Id prob run it on the rechargable as an edc and use AAs in a pinch. * Id love a light that could take 18650s/14500s/AAs if it doesnt break the bank. *



I'd like to find one too, although that's a tough combo. Closest I've managed is a 16650 Quark that'll also run on any cell that fits in the tube (w/ DIY spacers), or larger cell without the tube in a lantern mode.


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## Rider57 (Apr 2, 2015)

In my experience with LiPos (lithium polymer batterys) a rule of thumb charging amperage was mah/1000. Where a 5000mah battery could be charged at 5.amps. This 3400 18650 should in theory be able to take a charge at 3.4amps, the light its self discharges it (on high) from 2.8-3.0 amps, and if it can be safely discharged at that rate it should be able to be safely charged at that rate. 

Or am i complete wrong here?


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## thedoc007 (Apr 2, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> In my experience with LiPos (lithium polymer batterys) a rule of thumb charging amperage was mah/1000. Where a 5000mah battery could be charged at 5.amps. This 3400 18650 should in theory be able to take a charge at 3.4amps, the light its self discharges it (on high) from 2.8-3.0 amps, and if it can be safely discharged at that rate it should be able to be safely charged at that rate.
> 
> Or am i complete wrong here?



As I said, the .3C charge recommendation for the NCR18650B is straight from the manufacturer (Panasonic). These are not my numbers. If you want to exceed recommended charge speeds, that is up to you, but if you do you can't expect to get the rated capacity or longevity out of the cell. EDIT: I looked up the info on the NCR18650B again. Either I remembered it wrong, or they spec has changed. The datasheet now lists .5C as the max charge rate, not .3C. This translates to 1700mA charge current. Either way, charging at over two amps is beyond spec. 

Furthermore, some high-drain cells can take more than your rule of thumb would estimate. The Samsung 20R standard charge (according to Samsung) is .5C, but their own spec for rapid charge is a full 2C, or four amps, and that is for a 2000mAh cell.

When a rule of thumb falls short on both ends of the spectrum, I'd say you need to junk it. Your opinion may differ.

References:
http://industrial.panasonic.com/lecs/www-data/pdf2/ACA4000/ACA4000CJ425.pdf
http://www.datasheet-pdf.com/datasheet/Samsung/799163/INR18650-20R.pdf.html


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## Rider57 (Apr 2, 2015)

This rule of thumb applys only to lithium polymer batterys and not lithium ions, LiPos are a bit different as you can charge them (some) all the way up to a 10c (mah/1000 x 10) the rule of thumb of mah/1000 indeed applys to all lipos as its the most basic charge rate. If the battery is 1000mah then it can discharge at 1amp hour therefore it is safe to assume it can charge at 1a/hr thus the rule of thumb. 

Thank you for looking up the max charge current now knowing the safe charge limit is 1.7amps i can safely charge them on my 1.2 amp ports. I only wanted to know if itwas safe at 2.1 amps in case i wanted/needed to do a fast charge. I also didnt own any . 5amp wall chargers so wanted to know if i had to go out and get one before charging this battery again. 

Iwill not be charging over the manufacturers charge recommendation, i know enough about batterys to know this not only partially charges them it shortens life span, run time and wont balance the cell properly. Im staying well below the1.7a limit 

Again thanks


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## Rider57 (Apr 2, 2015)

Having some issues with my SK68, seller lied about country it shiped from. Posting said US but is actually in hong kong so ill probably order another one from a true US seller

In the mean time i need a good battery. Idk if i should go unprotected orprotected, also should i go with a <3.0amps or not. Here are my options. Keep in mind this battery is going in the sk68 and any future lights i might buy. I also dont think the sk has lvc. 










Im ordering from this company as its the same one i got my M1 and 18650 from, fast shipping as its in the us but if there is a better option please do let me know


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## radiopej (Apr 3, 2015)

I'm curious, what charger did you buy?

The Sipik clones are fun little lights to leave around the place. I don't entirely depend on them though. Whenever I order a couple, at least 1 doesn't work right. Then another dies without really being used. Add in crappy battery life and the fact that they don't really put out the levels of light claimed and they lose a little value. Still, pretty bright for a few dollars.

You're better off with 1 Eagletac D25A Clicky than 3 Sipiks. Better modes, small light and so much more functional. Eventually adding a li-ion makes it insane too.

I find an Olight i3S gives better performance from a single AAA than a Sipik does from one AA, so if you're looking for a daily use light you're better off buying the better one.

For a camping light, one of the single 18650s will be great. If you want to use it as a house light that gets left in a cupboard, use CR123. Solarforce flashlight bodies with a nice drop in work great and are quite affordable.


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## Rider57 (Apr 3, 2015)

I dont know what to believe anymore, reviews and testimonies of the sk68/cree q5 lights are split 50/50, one thing ive noticed most agree on is they are bright on a 1450 and are great value for the price paid, even one here said hes had one a year with no problem. The sk will be my beater light at work. Id like to get the D25A but i cant see myself paying $40 for something im going to destroy at work. 

Ill see how it goes with that one at work and go from there. The still unresolved problem is which AA/14500 light i wanna get for home camping dutys. Currently im between these 2.

 



Im not quite sure if the HPi can handle a 14500, it doesnt say specifically but it does rate the run time on one so im guessing it does. The mini cree uses 2 AAs so no 14500s. I cant seam to find anymore under $20

In any case which of the above batterys should i get for any 1AA light? 

Charger is the xstar mc1


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## ven (Apr 3, 2015)

For camping,i would look into something a little more substantial,i have Sipik clone or not........who knows???? still works but would never rely on it for "proper use".

Sipik yes for fun,maybe modding,playing with etc,but not for any jobs/work/uses that you need a light to be dependent on.

I would still favour a light like the Fenix e25,not much over budget,nice light,simple UI and 2xAA so reasonable run times of what you need camping.

The Thrunite T10 alloy version is a single AA light,nicely made,3 mode,0.2lm/20lm/169lm iirc,comes in NW or CW and around the $25 mark.........
In the middle




















And as mentioned,the i3s makes an excellent edc back up,be it on your keys or in pocket. Simple twisty UI and mine took some battering over time............never let me down and being an AAA its easy to carry without knowing its there.


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## Phlogiston (Apr 5, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Got a question: Can i charge my panasonic 3400mah 18650 at 2.1amps, charger says . 5a in but not sure if this is max or minimum requierment
> 
> Heres what ill be plugging it into, first slot is 2.1 amps the other 3 are 1.2 amps. I dont own a . 5amp usb wall charger.



If you mean, "can I plug my 0.5A USB battery charger into a 2.1A or 1.2A USB power supply," then the answer is "yes, you can." The charger will only draw what it needs from the power supply.


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## Rider57 (Apr 5, 2015)

Quick update, got my sk68 and im very very impressed. Almost 3 hrs on the cheapest AAs i could find (8 pack for 99 cents) zoom and is pretty bright. Id say in the 100 lumen range. This light will definitely replace my 9 led 3AAA el cheapos. Im ordering a couple of 14500s for it though im not sure if i need the protected ones or not. I dont know if this light has lvc and cant find any info on this at all. 

My guess is it doesnt as it runs on alkies. If anyone knows please let me know


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## RetroTechie (Apr 5, 2015)

Definitely get *protected* 14500's for this purpose, I'd say. Specs on these lights are often unreliable. For example a red SK68 clone I got from DX, specs say "1x AA or 14500" (the latter commonly supposed to mean 14500 _Li-ion_). But then one line above it, same spec says: "Working Voltage 1.2~1.5 V". So which is it, 1.5V max, or 14500 Li-ion supported? I'm not gonna bother / risk it to try...

Even if specs are unambiguous, don't be surprised if they don't match the light you've got. One thing I'd take for certain: if 14500's / Li-ion support isn't mentioned in the specs, it's a safe bet it isn't supported ('cause if it would be, sellers would be *sure* to mention it as that increases buyer's value of the light  ).

To make sure, you'd have to measure V <-> current draw (to determine linear or switching driver). Or disassemble the light & identify the specific driver used. Otherwise it's just a crapshoot with these lights, trial and error. And that's why I'd use a protected 14500, *if* you try: a failing driver or LED may start to work as a wire, which could quickly turn nasty with a good 14500 cell. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is: order the exact same part# some weeks or months apart, and you might just get lights with different drivers in them. That sucks, but goes along with the ultra-cheap territory these lights are in. That said: from what I've seen they're pretty modding-friendly.


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## Rider57 (Apr 6, 2015)

Your absolutly right im definitely getting a protected one. 

I checked the specs of the one i got and if the are to be trusted i should be good. It says AA and 14500s with an operating voltage of 2.8-4.2. Ill risk a short and try a lithium ion in it. 

Heres what ill do for maximum safety. 

Ill do it outside in a well ventilated area, upwind from the light to avoid fumes if it pops. Googles, face shield and gloves. Then ill tape a wire to the bottom of the battery and pop it in the porch, then tape another wire to the threads of the torch and the threads on the tail cap. Finally ill connect the negative wire to the tail cap spring and turn it on. 

Using a protected ion ofcourse. Worst case scenario the battery shorts and vents. Having the tail cap off will prevent itfrom building pressure and exploding. 

From reviews and a bit of research ive read that they indeed can handle 14500s but im nottaking my chances. 

The14500s im getting are primarly for the coast hpi im getting. Couldnt find a better light for the price asked. Wish it had heatsinks though ive read it gets quiet warm with lions. So this will be purely for curiosity

If im doing something wrong please let me know. 

Ps. What mods do people do to these? 

One i did on the fly was use the convoy m1 reflector on the sk68 and man did it improve it 10 fold ha ha ha

Also thinking of getting this charger, its $6 for just the charger and $13 for the charger and a 2600mah 18650s.... Im ify on those 18650s though its real cheap What do you guys think?


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## Str8stroke (Apr 6, 2015)

That is a great little charger. I have had several. Hard to beat for the $$. Just to error on caution, I keep a small desk fan on mine while charging. I can't remember the difference it made in cell and charger temps, but it was a pretty big difference. Heat kills electronics. 

I am not sure about doing all that safety stuff when you try out the 14500. Perhaps I am a bit more of a Rambo. I would just go for it! lol But if you go for it and get hurt, I can't be held legally liable.  

Besides, I am not that sure wearing *Googles* is going to help much.


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## Rider57 (Apr 6, 2015)

So wait exactly how hot does this get if your having to use a fan? My current charger doesnt even get warm. 

What about nitecore batterys? Im sure they are rebranded somethings, question is which ones, chinese - - - - fires or name brand.

Goggles are shooting range certified so im guessing if they can stop a casing they can stop a tail cap 

I just realized i put googles ha ha yeah that wouldnt help

I also just found out the $5.99-12.99 is batterys only the charger is out of stock and is $17.99 alone, i knew this was too good to be true big big bummer.


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## ven (Apr 7, 2015)

The 3100 and 3400 nitecores are panasonic inside,so very good. Not sure on the 2300 and 2600mah nitecore cells,could be sanyo............again not sure on that. I await to be informed on that one.


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## RetroTechie (Apr 7, 2015)

Update: also disassembled the pill on mine. Easy peasy! 



Rider57 said:


> Ps. What mods do people do to these?


Dunno, but a LED or driver swap is straightforward. Disassembly of my red specimen goes as follows:

1) You hold the knurled ring on top of the light (the part that zooms in & out), and unscrew the very top ring (the smooth, crenelated part). Looking into the lense, that's counter-clockwise. You might have to use a rubber band or something to get a good grip. When uscrewed, ring + lense comes off, and you see how small the LED itself is.

2) Underneath is an aluminium ring with 2 notches in it. Find something to apply force onto those notches (eg. pincers, or a bent paperclip + pliers), and unscrew. Again, counter-clockwise. Then you have the pill in hand, you can pop of the knurled outer ring, look into the empty tube, and have access to all o-rings.

Pill:

3) There's a white plastic retainer ring on that notched alu ring. I used a pocket knife to pop it out, and off comes a thin aluminium ring, LED board (not glued or anything), and a transparent plastic washer on top of that. LED (or -board) is easily exchanged @ that point.

4) Driver board can simply be popped out of the pill. When loose, there's only 2 wires (red + black) connecting it to the LED board. So even easier to exchange than the LED.

Edit 2: silly me: 1.5V -> LED voltage needs a DC-DC boost converter (which needs a coil), so a coil on the driver board doesn't say whether it supports >2V. Maybe I'll google a bit to see if I can identify the driver...

There may be some _slight_ differences, but it will be similar for other Sipik SK68 clones.


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## Rider57 (Apr 9, 2015)

I did a water test today(to the sk68), under running water and dunked in a glass. It survived both but the dunk did expose a key weakness. The top "tactical" bezel has no o ring. Which means it very slowly lets in water. No big deal i can fix that. I need it to be semi water proof as it gets very dirty at work and i need to rinse it off or atleast wipe it off with a sponge. Also its nice to know if i drop it in a sink or tube it will survive. 

I did take what im guessing is the pill out and did not see the 2 notches. I suspect they are under the reflector. Ill take it completly apart when i have time and use instant gasket to seal it properly. Unless directed otherwise 

Really liking this little light although ill admit it could do with a bit more power. Run time isnt bad im getting 2 days per 10 cents worth of AA (i get 8 AAs for a dollar) no not energizer or panasonics lol. 

Over all great light to introduce me to edcs. Looking forward to learning more and getting better torches. Thank you all for the info so far. Ill have many more question in the near future.

The very very cheap AAs for those of you wondering. Remember the amount of time i use this light at work i get 2 full days per AA with a bit of battery left for home use. So itcosts me $2 a month to run 



And a beam shot of the 9 led it replaced


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## Grijon (Apr 9, 2015)

Cool stuff, Rider57; thanks for sharing!


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## ven (Apr 9, 2015)

Grijon said:


> Cool stuff, Rider57; thanks for sharing!




+1


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## Rider57 (Apr 14, 2015)

Many updates

Got my Coast hpi a few days ago and both me and my gf agree it is not as good as the sk68. Might be "higher" quality but the lense sucks(dark spot in center and rings everywhere) , switch sucks(has a nice function but the switch itself is about 1.5x 1.5mm so if you miss the center you miss it all together) , and only works fully zoomed in or fully out. Anything in between is ugly, dark and useless. Also has noticeably less lumens than the sk68 on the same batterys (my elcheapos) 

Very nice and useful on flood (more than the 68 as expected) and some what ok zoomed in although not very bright and very ringy

Run times for both are still up in the air. I was at the 2 hour 45 min mark when i accidentally turned one off. It then refused to turn back on so i stopped the test. Still not bad. 

We also werent too fond of the tint, a bit on the warmer side. Over all very torn by this light i want to like it but find myself favoring the sk68 more. 

Sk68 $3.50 shipped
Coast hpi $9.99 shipped

Def not worth the extra 7

Got my Nitecore 14500 today! 

And woah! Big big difference. Turned the sk in to a monster. Also really boosted my thoughts on the hpi. Still sucks if not fully zoomed in or out but flood and spot are way better now. My only concern is the lack of heat sinking on the hpi, the sk68 stays much cooler longer because of this( no my sk68 didnt blow up with the 14500 lol) i know run times sucks but the brightness is worth it. Plus its nothing a 3 mode switch mod wont fix.

Also my gf found this, quarter for size. Anyone know where to find these batterys?


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## Whiskers (Apr 14, 2015)

It’s going to be difficult if not impossible to meet those specs with that budget in a reliable brand. I recommended the Fenix LD12. These are the specs copied from the manufacture’s website:


The Fenix LD12 has a maximum brightness of 125 lumens from the Cree XP-G2 R5 LED and is powered by one AA battery. The LD12 features a side switch, allowing the user to easily change mode via a dedicated button. When the light is on a short press of the side button changes brightness level and pressing and holding enters strobe mode.

The LD12 also has a forward click tail switch to turn the light on and off with momentary function.

Brightness Levels: Using one Ni-mh AA battery

Turbo: 125 lumens - 2 hour 20 minute runtime

High: 65 lumens - 4 hour 45 minute runtime

Mid: 30 lumens - 10 hour 15 minute runtime

Low: 3 lumens - 100 hour runtime

Strobe: 125 Lumens

SOS: 65 Lumens

Beam distance of up to 87 meters, waterproof to 2 meters submersible and impact resistant to drops from 1 meter.


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## ven (Apr 14, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Also my gf found this, quarter for size. Anyone know where to find these batterys?




I have a coast light that takes AAAAs,maybe one of those........

Coast A9 on left, takes 3xAAAA


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## ven (Apr 14, 2015)

As a side note,staying cooler for longer usually means less or no heat sinking at all. The idea is to remove the heat and basically get it to the body,away from potentially damaging the led/driver..........which will happen if left on too long. Soon as it starts to get to a point of very warm,shut off ..........and thats decent lights. 

So within reason,the heat sink is doing its job efficiently if the light gets warm when on high output(general comment as so many variations,from paste to solid copper heat sink etc and both).

Its not really a thought on budget lights..........when i say budget,i refer to $5 type lights


Good fun though


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## FRITZHID (Apr 14, 2015)

I rip AAAAs out of 9v batts.


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## Rider57 (Apr 14, 2015)

Wasnt a quad A although i wish it had been, its a small proprietary 3v lion battery called a br435 0.2amps and 50mah for $6 lol

I ment the sk stays cooler longer as in the heatsink is doing its job properly. The hpi has no outer heatsink and gets notably hotter faster. An almost worryingly high temperature. Where the sk will get warm then just stay warm, the heatsink doing its job and venting excess heat. The hpi just gets hotter and hotter. The hpi pill might be better at transfering heat to the body but all that is useless if the body itself cant bleed this extra heat away. I dont want my flashlight using my cardiovascular system as its own water cooling system. 


"It’s going to be difficult if not impossible to meet those specs with that budget in a reliable brand."

From what ive been seeing this could not be further from the truth. It is true if you only include the top manufacturers. But now i see many other over looked ones that are just as good. 

Casenpoint: my very cheap no name brand 9 led AAA lights have been through hell and back and have lasted me many many years and probably many more to come. But you wouldnt consider them reliable because they arent name brand when in fact thats exactly what they have been, reliable. From many peoples testimonies the Coast hpi and to some extent the SK68 are very reliable lights, folks have had them for many years with no issue. I plan on dropping an xml2 A1 and a nice 3 mode driver to make mine even more reliable. When all is said and done ill have an awesome light for under $20

SK68 host, xml2 A1 with a 3 mode, better orings with instant gasket, solid pill replacement with thermal gel to increase contact to body AA or 14500 light all under $20

So when you say it is impossible i honestly dont see why or how. There are an infinite number of reliable possibilities outside the top 5 manufacturers


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## Rider57 (Apr 20, 2015)

Been surfing the "noobs/beginner must haves" and seen that the most popular suggestion is a multimeter/volatge checker so i picked one up. Having only ever owed rechargeable nihm and Lipo batterys i had no experience with Lions. Imagine my surprise when i saw my lion 14500 at 2.9v (lipos are never ment to go below 3.2 and i figured lions where the same) some quick researched yeilded starnge results. Some people say even though the cut off is 2.8 you should never discharge them below 3.0, others say2.8 is fine. 

So what is a safe terminal voltage for both 14500 and 18650s?
I ran my nitecore 14500 (panasonic 750mah cell) down to 2.75 before it cut out (protected) is this ok? 

I run an unprotected 18650 panasonic in my convoy m1 as the light has a protection circuit (and wont fit a protected 3400mah battery) and ive never ran it under 3.0v so im wondering whats safe on that too. 

Any advice is greatly appreciated


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## thedoc007 (Apr 20, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> So what is a safe terminal voltage for both 14500 and 18650s?
> I ran my nitecore 14500 (panasonic 750mah cell) down to 2.75 before it cut out (protected) is this ok?
> 
> I run an unprotected 18650 panasonic in my convoy m1 as the light has a protection circuit (and wont fit a protected 3400mah battery) and ive never ran it under 3.0v so im wondering whats safe on that too.
> ...



I don't think I've ever seen a lithium-ion cell rated for less than 2.75 volts minimum. But not all cells are the same. Same are rated down to 2.5 volts, others are a bit higher. HKJ is a member who has done a LOT of very comprehensive testing, and he discharges to 2.8 volts. He says that that has never caused apparent damage to a cell, while discharging to 2.5 volts has on occasion. You also need to remember that li-ions don't like being at either end of their voltage range for long, especially at the low end. If you discharge to the minimum recommended voltage, and then leave it there, it is VERY bad for the cell. If you charge it immediately after the cutoff, it is not nearly as problematic.

The capacity left at 3.0 volts is very small anyway...less than one percent! Low voltage cutoff is there as a safety measure, but ideally you shouldn't depend solely on that. After all, a protection circuit can fail. And since it is typically more fragile than the cell itself, it isn't that rare. A hard drop might not damage your light...but the protection circuit might not survive, and there isn't any obvious sign it has stopped working. My personal recommendation, therefore, is to keep your standard (nominal) 3.7 volt cells at or above three volts. Most lights have very notable dimming or stepdown before that point...when output takes a nosedive, time to swap cells and get the low ones charging.


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## metlhelth (Apr 20, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> I ment the sk stays cooler longer as in the heatsink is doing its job properly. The hpi has no outer heatsink and gets notably hotter faster. An almost worryingly high temperature. Where the sk will get warm then just stay warm, the heatsink doing its job and venting excess heat. The hpi just gets hotter and hotter. The hpi pill might be better at transfering heat to the body but all that is useless if the body itself cant bleed this extra heat away. I dont want my flashlight using my cardiovascular system as its own water cooling system.
> 
> 
> "It’s going to be difficult if not impossible to meet those specs with that budget in a reliable brand."
> ...



unfortunately you did not cheat thermodynamics, if the heat doesnt reach the surface of the light, it cannot radiate out into the open air. If your light isnt getting hot, it is truly burning up inside. my olight m22 has the most aggressive heat sinks of any light and it gets painfully hot.

also your caseinpoints. 
noone here would have recommended the coast for the reasons you stated above, poor light quality and i owned a coast for a minute. i dropped it on asphalt and it looked like i threw it off a cliff, deep deep gouges in surface. 
sk68 is a decent lil light but no where near as bright as the specs you requested. Also i carried that in my pocket a couple times and it always unscrewed and completely fell apart in my pocket. besides you heavily modified that light, something noone would expect a noob/beginner to do. and worse a 14500 battery pushing an xml or xml2 would last 20 minutes, maybe. again not reliable unless you set it way below your >300lm spec. better battery life if you modded an sk98. the sk68's 18650 xml big brother. the wobbly looseness is bigger too
and your 9 led light? what did you get 20lm? a bit less than 300.
the m1 sounds like a probable case in point. 18650 battery pushing 700ish lms. budgetlightforums guys seem to like it, but on amazon us and uk there are zero reviews. a very bad sign.
the m1 and sk68 should be good throwaway lights for your work site. i loved my sk68 until i got better, much much better.


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## Rider57 (Apr 20, 2015)

thedoc007 said:


> I don't think I've ever seen a lithium-ion cell rated for less than 2.75 volts minimum. But not all cells are the same. Same are rated down to 2.5 volts, others are a bit higher. HKJ is a member who has done a LOT of very comprehensive testing, and he discharges to 2.8 volts. He says that that has never caused apparent damage to a cell, while discharging to 2.5 volts has on occasion. You also need to remember that li-ions don't like being at either end of their voltage range for long, especially at the low end. If you discharge to the minimum recommended voltage, and then leave it there, it is VERY bad for the cell. If you charge it immediately after the cutoff, it is not nearly as problematic.
> 
> The capacity left at 3.0 volts is very small anyway...less than one percent! Low voltage cutoff is there as a safety measure, but ideally you shouldn't depend solely on that. After all, a protection circuit can fail. And since it is typically more fragile than the cell itself, it isn't that rare. A hard drop might not damage your light...but the protection circuit might not survive, and there isn't any obvious sign it has stopped working. My personal recommendation, therefore, is to keep your standard (nominal) 3.7 volt cells at or above three volts. Most lights have very notable dimming or stepdown before that point...when output takes a nosedive, time to swap cells and get the low ones charging.



Thank you very much for that. 

Quick question, does this apply to both my 14500 and 18650?


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## thedoc007 (Apr 20, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Thank you very much for that.
> 
> Quick question, does this apply to both my 14500 and 18650?



You are welcome. And yes, it applies to pretty much any size of cell. The chemistry determines safe voltage limits, not the size...so it should apply reasonably well (with some variation, as mentioned earlier) to anything from 10280 to 32650, as long as it has the most common LiCo chemical makeup.


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## thedoc007 (Apr 20, 2015)

metlhelth said:


> the m1 sounds like a probable case in point. 18650 battery pushing 700ish lms. budgetlightforums guys seem to like it, but on amazon us and uk there are zero reviews. a very bad sign.
> the m1 and sk68 should be good throwaway lights for your work site. i loved my sk68 until i got better, much much better.



Are you talking about the Convoy M1? I pretty much agree with you on the Sipik lights (if you get a good one, it might be reasonably reliable, but you can't depend on it...I've had several, and the failure rate is well over fifty percent in the first year, and the machining is sub-par).

The Convoy M1 is in a totally different league. It is quite well made...better than quite a few lights in the $50-100 range. Convoy does no marketing to speak of...they put their money into the lights! And since they are a "budget" brand, they don't charge a hefty premium for the name.


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## metlhelth (Apr 21, 2015)

thedoc007 said:


> Are you talking about the Convoy M1? I pretty much agree with you on the Sipik lights (if you get a good one, it might be reasonably reliable, but you can't depend on it...I've had several, and the failure rate is well over fifty percent in the first year, and the machining is sub-par).
> 
> The Convoy M1 is in a totally different league. It is quite well made...better than quite a few lights in the $50-100 range. Convoy does no marketing to speak of...they put their money into the lights! And since they are a "budget" brand, they don't charge a hefty premium for the name.



He mentioned the Convoy M1 in some earlier posts, and i admitted that was probably the one exception to the "you cant get that for next to nothing rule". Seems to me besides rugged frames and hard coatings (oh it has a scratch, boohoo), the main difference between the cheap and expensive lights is the heat conduction and the high power driver boards. The $5 XML light at 1200 lms is actually 100 and the 3000 mAh battery at $4 is actually 290 mAh. you think my god why does this battery cost $19 when the other one is 4? well...

Many modes, high output with high efficiency boards. those are expensive to R&D and build. and you can't simply rest on a good light, mag light did that for decades. Old things have no value, every year you need to redo your whole line to the newest led, oh new electronic switches. I could see them panic when theyre building the XML lights at a fever pitch when the XML2 came out. All the popular models had to come with the mark II to higher brightness and the loss of all the mark I's they havent sold yet. And dont forget marketing, with marketing controlling design (sure its powerful and reliable but is it sexy?) we're all here to make money. By staying off the r&d and marketing treadmill, Convoy made a good light at a low price, that no one respects. They should do a thrunite and pay off some youtube reviewers, oops marketing treadmill, hehe.

Yes double the quality comes at 3 to 6 times the price. I say its worth the extra cost, unless you have a tendency to lose or break things.


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## Rider57 (Apr 21, 2015)

Many modes, high output with high efficiency boards. those are expensive to R&D and build. and you can't simply rest on a good light, mag light did that for decades. Old things have no value, every year you need to redo your whole line to the newest led, oh new electronic switches. I could see them panic when theyre building the XML lights at a fever pitch when the XML2 came out. All the popular models had to come with the mark II to higher brightness and the loss of all the mark I's they havent sold yet. And dont forget marketing, with marketing controlling design (sure its powerful and reliable but is it sexy?) we're all here to make money. By staying off the r&d and marketing treadmill, Convoy made a good light at a low price, that no one respects. They should do a thrunite and pay off some youtube reviewers, oops marketing treadmill, hehe.

This is actually the best explanation of why the top manufacturers charge such a premium ive read so far. Not just a "because quality" answer so thank you very much for this. 

I knew the sk was a low quality light when i got it but not nearly as bad as some people made it out to be. 

As my first ever light was the convoy i guess i started on a sheltered path as i got a great light that punches above its weight for very cheap ($40 for the light a panasonic 3400 and a charger) then finding out this light is one of very few that offer that level of quality at that pricerange was a bit baffling. 

Nonetheless i have learned alot from everyone here and i thank all of you for it. My quest for convoy like quality and price continues. 

My next purchase will probably be the convoy c8 (thrower) and then in the near future a "quality" AA/14500 work light. Although ive just seen an sk68 with an xml t6 A1 and 3 mode driver for $7 that seams very tempting.

I fear if i keep hanging out with you guys my light collection will grow uncontrollably, im up to 4 now and even my gf has an sk on a 14500 now lol


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## Rider57 (Jun 2, 2015)

Im back with a little less of a noob stench on me. After having owned my torches for a while now i now feel i have a better understanding of what makes a good light good. 

So why am i here... Well im in the market for a good light and after much searching came upon the Nitecore MH20, i know its a good light i just wanted to know if there was others of similiar features and functions at around the same price range ($70-$90)

Reasons i want it: modes and interface, voltage readout, size and brightness. 

One thing i cant find is an MH20 in a cool/white tint, all i seam to find is neutral or warm tints. I like my convoys 1A tint and would like something similiar. 

Second reason im here is im in the market for AA Eneloops. Found a bunch, the xx pros are rated at 4000mah and seamed a tad high, wanted to know how trustworthy/accurate these claims are. Id definitely want to get the highest mah i can afford just dont want to pay for inflated numbers. 

Any help is appreciated


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## HighZenBurg (Jun 2, 2015)

I still have that noob stench behind the ears, and don't have a ton of experience with all the different possibilities of lights but fwiw...
I was deciding between a Nitecore mh12 and mh20. After days of research and reading many different threads, as well as looking at various other manufactorures, I went with the mh12 and absolutely love it. The deciding factor for me was its tactical application and with the Fenix rail mount, which I liked better than the Nitecore mount, I'm extremely happy with my choice. That being said, I can't imagine you not being happy with the mh20 if it has the specs you're looking for. I really like Nitecore and MH20 is in my sights and I will get one at some point.
Who knew this flashlight obsession could be so... well obsessing. Good luck.


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## Rider57 (Jun 2, 2015)

When you say the deciding factor was its tactifulness, you mean the 1" head diameter and the accessories that are out for it(remote switch and lense covers)?

Also whats is the tint on yours, assuming its using the same xm-l2 U2. If you have a pic can you post it?


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## HighZenBurg (Jun 2, 2015)

I wanted something I could use on my Mossberg 500 in addition to having a bright light for whatever (outdoor, camping etc). I like the narrower profile and I really liked the mount for it (the one for Fenix PD35 I think). I have been looking at a Streamlight, but after seeing this I thought It would be a better all-around light with more uses and it was about $50 less. I don't have much to compare it to, YET, but the light seems very white to me, at least compared to my other lights which are nowhere near as nice (Led lensers ) I really like the wide uniform beam it puts out. 
I have a few Solarforce lights coming tomorrow or the next day, so I'll have more to compare it to. I will also try and take some decent photos and post them here when I can. I tried posting a photo on another thread but it didn't allow me to. Maybe that's because I'm using the app.
In the meantime, you may find this helpful, if you haven't already seen it:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?400210-*New*-Nitecore-MH20/page3


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## thedoc007 (Jun 2, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Second reason im here is im in the market for AA Eneloops. Found a bunch, the xx pros are rated at 4000mah and seamed a tad high, wanted to know how trustworthy/accurate these claims are. Id definitely want to get the highest mah i can afford just dont want to pay for inflated numbers.



Not at ALL accurate. AA Eneloops top up at 2550 mAh - anything significantly higher than that is a blatant lie, designed to fool people who don't know any better. GUARANTEED to either be fakes (most likely) or to simply be vastly overrated (less likely, since sellers who are willing to lie are also far less likely to deliver genuine goods).


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## magellan (Jun 2, 2015)

Welcome back.

I don't think anyone has mentioned this as a possibility, but since you're willing to venture into 14500 AA size lithiums, at slightly thicker but half the length, a 3.0V CR2 primary battery in a light like the 4Sevens Quark Mini MLR2 will give you 216 lumens on high in a much smaller light. You'd be sacrificing size for runtime vs. the 14500, but I like the small size since I carry lots of sh*t in my pockets. Although not officially rated for it, I and other CPF members have used 3.7V 15270 rechargeable cells without ill effect on the light although I'm careful not to run on high too long as it does heat up faster. 

The extra 0.7V produces a noticeably brighter high, and might be close to the 300 lumens you're looking for. Unfortunately at $39.00 the light is over your original budget, but as others here have commented, $20 is pretty tight given what you're looking for. It might be worth a look. It's a twisty and I don't know how you feel about twist lights. Anyway here's the 4Sevens webpage in case you're interested in more information:

http://www.4sevens-store.com/Quark+Mini+MLR2+Gen+2?pid=1727

I also have several Convoy lights which others have mentioned here and I like them too.


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## WarRaven (Jun 4, 2015)

Check out the Fenix PD35 or UC35 too.
Quality feel, fit, finish, good warranty. 

They feel good, good as lights that I paid a lot more for prior.
I've 4/7s, Quarks, Sunwayman, Fenix, Maglite, Pelican and Surefire.
Fenix are my favorite of my selection. Jmtc.
The exotic lights are out of my reach and would be my focus instead of the applicator of light as a tool. 

Have a great one.


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 4, 2015)

@Highzenburg thanks for the response and the link very helpful, if the tint is the same as the ones on there i might just like it

@Thedoc007, do you have a reputable dealer you can share? I know the 4ah were too good to be true but even clone 2550mah could really be 1500mah cells inside. How can i tell whats a clone and whats not? 

@magellan i think you read an old post of mine, i already own a few 14500s and 18650s so for now ill stick with flashlights that use those, although i just picked up a light that uses 26650 so i might pick one up for better run times. Btw my budget is now $100 ha ha ha dam these are addicting

@warraven, that uc35 is nice, really nice but some how i think i prefer the mh20 just a little bit more. My second midrange light just might be that one or the pd35

So cheapest ive found it is $69 w/o battery, ill be purchasing 2 3400 panasonic separate for and $16, good deal or can i find cheaper?


----------



## WarRaven (Jun 4, 2015)

Nice.
I went PD35 first, now I'm thinking a UC35 would be a better edc for me an PD35 for around house.
Looking forward to your posts after you settle into this further.

Have a great one.


----------



## thedoc007 (Jun 4, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> @Thedoc007, do you have a reputable dealer you can share? I know the 4ah were too good to be true but even clone 2550mah could really be 1500mah cells inside. How can i tell whats a clone and whats not?



I've purchased Eneloops from Amazon with no problems. (I actually tested them back when I had a BC700.) It isn't rocket science...most of the fakes are priced much lower than genuine cells. With cells/batteries, generally you get what you pay for. Expect to pay $3-5 per battery for AA size, depending on how good you are at comparison shopping and what shippers are convenient for you.


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 4, 2015)

Even at $5 a pop its cheaper than buying one time use batterys so im ok with that ill start looking for some tonight and prob order the MH20 tonight too.


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## Rider57 (Jun 8, 2015)

The nitecore MH20 should be here tomorrow or tuesday, cant wait to compare it to the M1 and finally have my hands on a nice quality light. 

Heres what my original $20 budget ended up as.....


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 10, 2015)

Left to right; SK68, MH20, Convoy M1


Finally got my hands on a high end light. First impressions wow! Second impressions hmm, the switch is very... Clicky and the area is very small so it feels sharp under finger. 




Far as i can tell that little black dot in the center is the switch. To full click it on, you have to press down directly on top of it, where half clicks can be pressed almost anywhere in that circle. Reminds me of the reverse click switch on the Coast HPI. Is this the norm for these Nitecore switches? 

Also will not work with flat top batterys(not really a big issue). This thing does get warm quick. I havent run it long so cant say how warm and when the step down kicks in though, ill prob test that out on the weekend so far those are the only downsides i see. They arent a deal breaker at all though its def my best light hands down, im very impressed. 

U. I. Is very user friendly once i figured it out and the features are awesome. Very happy camper right now, love the tint too


----------



## WarRaven (Jun 10, 2015)

Right on Rider.
That's how it all starts, innocently.

Anyhow, nice light I think, I be a bit jelly.
It looks like a gateway light to me, good luck with that.
I want one too.

Have a great day.


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 11, 2015)

Thanks WarRaven

Ive had a little more time with the MH20 and man is it versatile. The instant ultro low is perfect for middle of the night walk abouts and the turbo mode is awesome. Not really a true thrower though. More of a mid range one. In fact the M1 and the MH20 have about the same reach and beam profile. The MH20 does have a slightly more focused beam though, but not by much. (smooth vs orange peel) but very very similar. 

Questions;

Any 14500s have a higher mah rating than my nitecore 750mah? (in true mah ratings of course) 

Buying eneloops, heres what i know, pros are 2550mah and are for high drain devices(dont do well in low drain ones) would this affect light with a low mode? 

Regular eneloops are 2100mah and work well in both high and low drain devices. Prices are similar so which ones are better for my lights?

Edit: this light uses the xml2 u2 led, is the "U2" the tint?


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## kensington (Jun 12, 2015)

Go to Costco for a blister pack of Eneloops with a 4 bay wall charger (ok to throw in a bag or as a backup) includes, 10 - AA's and 4 - AAA's on sle for $25 I believe, $29 when not on sale.

Speaking of Nitecore's I have recently become a huge fan of their Explorer series as I have been looking for good AA torches to keep in bags. I am in love with the EA11 and EA41. The EA11 will take a 14500 and put out 900 lumens, says Nitecore. The EA41 takes 4 AA's and supposedly puts out over a thousand lumens. 



Both extremely compact and well built
Utilize a 2 button system, on side near head, for power on/off and mode change
Hold down power button from off for instant low mode, 1 lumen (?)
Hold down mode button from off for instant turbo mode
Memory mode
Voltage meter
Hold down power and mode button for lockout
EA11 has a red LED with a few modes
EA11 clip is reversible

35'ish for the EA11 and EA21 (I just ordered it last night) and 45'ish for the EA41 coming over on the slow boat from China which must have recently been upgraded as I have gotten product in less than 2 weeks the past couple of months. 

Needed to pick up some user friendly AA's as these lights will be in the hands of people who do not want to know what kind of batteries are in them.

As far as a charger I picked up a Maha MH-C9000 over 8 years ago and it is still going strong in keeping fresh Eneloops that are probably 6 years old, definitely worth the money in my eyes. I use a Nitecore D4 for my Lithium rechargeables.

I am not a pro or expert, just an average/below average user.


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## Rider57 (Jun 12, 2015)

35 for the EA11? Ive only seen them above $50. But then again i only buy from US sellers. I want to get one to replace my SK68. Where did you get yours from? Link? 

I havent checked out the EA21but i will as soon as i get home

Thanks for the info


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## Rider57 (Jun 20, 2015)

Got a question for those with a Nitecore MH20 or similar light with a step down, when exactly is it supposed to kick in? I tried testing this but the whole light got so hot i chickend out and turn it off, it was almost too hot to touch. 

I was on turbo mode

Battery was an unprotected genuine panasonic 3400 mah 18650.

Can it be mine is faulty or is the heat transfer that amazing that the whole light warms up that quickly? 

If so has anyone gotten it to thermal out and step down?

Edit: highest temp i recorded was 120 degrees Fahrenheit on the body

Battery temp was 110


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## thedoc007 (Jun 20, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Got a question for those with a Nitecore MH20 or similar light with a step down, when exactly is it supposed to kick in? I tried testing this but the whole light got so hot i chickend out and turn it off, it was almost too hot to touch.
> 
> Battery was an unprotected genuine panasonic 3400 mah 18650.
> 
> ...



That isn't very hot, really, given that many lights and cells are rated for use at 60C, or about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You didn't say how long you ran it before it got to that temp, so it is hard to say whether it is normal or not. 

Furthermore, the MH20 has thermal regulation. It isn't an instantaneous stepdown...it gradually decreases output as it gets hot, to maintain a safe temperature, or conversely, it can increase output again if you cool it. So unless you have a way to measure output, you probably won't be able to notice any decrease in brightness...since the human eye is good at adjusting to what light is available, gradual dimming is very difficult to detect.


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## Rider57 (Jun 20, 2015)

Thanks doc, i had no idea it was gradual. I though it was a step down from turbo to high, them medium if needed. Now that you mention it i guess it was thermal regulating, because it never went above 120. If thats the case im even more impressed now. 

Light was on turbo for between 3-5 mins

Ive never ran a light on high this long so it was a first for me, kinda freaked out when it didnt step down. Didnt even cross my mind that its gradual so thank you for putting my mind at ease


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## thedoc007 (Jun 20, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> Thanks doc, i had no idea it was gradual. I though it was a step down from turbo to high, them medium if needed. Now that you mention it i guess it was thermal regulating, because it never went above 120. If thats the case im even more impressed now.
> 
> Light was on turbo for between 3-5 mins
> 
> Ive never ran a light on high this long so it was a first for me, kinda freaked out when it didnt step down. Didnt even cross my mind that its gradual so thank you for putting my mind at ease



Happy I could help! It does seem like a very capable light, especially for the size.


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## Rider57 (Jun 23, 2015)

Have some questions for the outdoorsy ones. 

Im going on an 8 day camping trip mid August and i need to sort out my light situation. There is no power sources out there what so ever. Input is greatly appreciated! 

My gear:
Convoy M1 
Nitecore MH20
SK68 x 2
Coast HPI
Ultrafire xml t6 zoomy
GE 350lm lantern
18650 x2
14500 x2
AA/AAA tons
16watt solar panel charger
4000mah power bank x2
2500mah power bank

Ive never been away from home with my lights for that long so i dont know how many useful days ill get out of them. Heres my problem. My main (home) charger uses a power cord so i cant run it on the solar panel as its usb out only. The one charger i can use can only charge one battery at a time. So the question is do i buy more 18650s? A second usb charger? A bigger power bank to charge the ones i do have during the day off the panel and at night on the power bank? 

For those with critter experience, how do bears, mountain lions and deer react to your bright lights? I know how to safely deal with all 3 just dont know about shinning bright lights at them to keep them in sight as we move away. 

Also whats the best way to maintain my night vision while using my lights on the higher modes (to scan long distances) close one eye like a pirate and atleast maintain night vision in one eye?


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 24, 2015)

Any advice on camping with rechargeable torches in general?


----------



## reppans (Jun 24, 2015)

JMHO....

Use dim modes - batteries last forever (bring the solar for back-up only), attracts less bugs, retains your night vision, and the lower contrast will be much easier on the eyes for extended use. What's a dim mode? Sit in complete darkness for 3 full minutes and then try using the lowest mode that is comfortable for the task at hand.

Retain as much night vision as possible - you'll be able see better outside of the light's beam, sense movement at the very least, and it's a much nicer outdoor experience.

Use floody lights mounted on aftermarket headbands (I like Malkoff's) or headlamps - floody beams keeps contrast low and you'll need your hands. Also keeps your lumens on subject, not thrown all over the place like a lantern. 

Scanning for animals - use dim modes with the light positioned just in front of your nose, and try to light up the animals eyes (which stands much out better if you don't lighting up the foreground, trees, bushes etc with a bright mode). If they're out there, trust me, they will be staring directly at you. For distance, use brighter modes and hold the light high above your head so the spill hits the foreground as far out as possible. If being attacked (lol) use the FBI technique holding the light high and away from you - this will make you appear bigger and provide a decoy for the sharp claws and teeth . 

Have fun


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## Badbeams3 (Jun 24, 2015)

I would take some pepper spray just in case. 

Myself, I never end up without my car around to use to charge things. I have a clip on to the battery thingy with a cigarette lighter female end. I use that as my car lighter shuts down when the ignition is turned off. So for me recharging is not any concern.

I usually over think the amount of time I will actually use my lights...end up going home without ever recharging, most my time is spent enjoying a fire. Might use them for a short walk down a trail...and mostly to hunt down firewood. I use the middle and high settings, almost never the highest modes. Reason is...I don't like walking into spider webs and there always seems to be plenty around waiting just for me.

The MH20 is at the top of my desire list. Along with a TN36. I prefer lights with plenty of power in the spill and wide. And I think the MH20 might provide that. I wish the switch did not have that sharp center under the switch...afraid it might poke a hole thru the outer covering over time and use. But other than that, it sounds like a great little light.


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## Rider57 (Jun 24, 2015)

@ reppans, thanks for the reply and the advice. One concern though, the solar panel will attract less bugs? Contrast? 

Good tip about that FBI technique, was doing a little research and found that same advice in multiple sites, i will be learning the proper technique. Im thinking jurassic park trex technique as last case scenario ha ha, hold above head, get their attention throw it left and run right lol. 

Holding the light high above my head to scan further is a great tip, thanks, never thought about avoiding the spill as well. 

@ badbeams3, you avoid higher settings to avoid spider webs? Can you explain this? 

As for the MH20s switch, although it does have a small surface area i dont think it will be ripping through the rubber any time soon. Although i can see this happening under extended heavy use. Specially if one is doing full presses(from off to turbo or off to last mode) i personally use the half press 90% of the time. During a half press i cant even feel the switch. Its the full press that makes the small surface area of the button apparent. Even so i think it should hold up fine and if it doesnt the 5year/limited life time warranty should cover that. 

Heres the switch


Thanks for the tips guys

PS : after much research, the people of the interwebs seam to all agree that bright lights will not deter critters


----------



## FRITZHID (Jun 24, 2015)

Idk, my maxabeam in seizure mode has sent a few critters skittering off.


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## WarRaven (Jun 24, 2015)

FRITZHID said:


> Idk, my maxabeam in seizure mode has sent a few critters skittering off.


Likely on fire or at least smoking around edges.


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## Rider57 (Jun 24, 2015)

Lol, too funny

By critters i ment bears and mountain lions. Racoons, cayotes and apossoms can all be dealt with easy with a light to blind them and a swift round house kick if need be. 

From all ive read light to nit deter bears or mountain lions. 

Ive shone my light(mh20 on turbo) at alley cats from 10-15 feet, they stood there squinted and did nothing, some walked away after a few minutes, didnt seam to be bother too much by it


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## Badbeams3 (Jun 24, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> @ reppans, thanks for the reply and the advice. One concern though, the solar panel will attract less bugs? Contrast?
> 
> Good tip about that FBI technique, was doing a little research and found that same advice in multiple sites, i will be learning the proper technique. Im thinking jurassic park trex technique as last case scenario ha ha, hold above head, get their attention throw it left and run right lol.
> 
> ...




I don't use "turbo" cause of the shorter batt run time. But I do not use the lower settings like the other poster...mid and hi most of the time. Shows spider webs well (hopefully).


----------



## reppans (Jun 24, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> @ reppans, thanks for the reply and the advice. One concern though, the solar panel will attract less bugs? Contrast?



No, I meant dim modes attract less bugs and reduce contrast (against the black of the night). Bright modes and high lux hotspots are like watching a bright TV, or surfing on a smartphone at max screen brightness, in the pitch black... I just can't take it for long.


----------



## Grijon (Jun 25, 2015)

FRITZHID said:


> Idk, my maxabeam in seizure mode has sent a few critters skittering off.


:twothumbs



WarRaven said:


> Likely on fire or at least smoking around edges.


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## more_vampires (Jun 25, 2015)

reppans said:


> No, I meant dim modes attract less bugs and reduce contrast (against the black of the night). Bright modes and high lux hotspots are like watching a bright TV, or surfing on a smartphone at max screen brightness, in the pitch black... I just can't take it for long.



A relative of mine worked on a tug boat. He was telling me of their searchlight. Apparently, it put out enough heat to fry bugs out of the air if they flew too close to the lens. He had to sweep stacks of crispies in the morning. I think I need one.


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## Rider57 (Jun 25, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> A relative of mine worked on a tug boat. He was telling me of their searchlight. Apparently, it put out enough heat to fry bugs out of the air if they flew too close to the lens. He had to sweep stacks of crispies in the morning. I think I need one.



This screams forest fire hazard to me ha ha, more of a light duty flame thrower at that point


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## WarRaven (Jun 25, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> This screams forest fire hazard to me ha ha, more of a light duty flame thrower at that point


Particle accelerator, comes with 15000 hp tug boat.


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## FRITZHID (Jun 25, 2015)

Vss-3 should do the trick.


----------



## WarRaven (Jun 25, 2015)

FRITZHID said:


> Vss-3 should do the trick.



That is intense I'm guessing. 
Mount that on the floor of box of old pick up, add a solenoid to the gate handle to drop gate and make jerky out of tail gaters.

Got sunglasses?


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## Rider57 (Jun 25, 2015)

WarRaven said:


> That is intense I'm guessing.
> Mount that on the floor of box of old pick up, add a solenoid to the gate handle to drop gate and make jerky out of tail gaters.
> 
> Got sunglasses?



1000 times YES! 
And those who insist on having their trucks/suv high beams on all the time. Many a time have i wanted to pull my torch out and point it at them on turbo, see how they like it


----------



## FRITZHID (Jun 25, 2015)

Here's a nice thread.... 
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/92396




WarRaven said:


> That is intense I'm guessing.
> Mount that on the floor of box of old pick up, add a solenoid to the gate handle to drop gate and make jerky out of tail gaters.
> 
> Got sunglasses?



I have a friend that lives in a rural area, he installed xenon strobes into his reverse light housings, he'd pulse them a few times at tailgaters and high beam assholes. He's only gotten a few tickets from it. (I'm not advocating this)
I can only imagine that a 5 mile beam shooting out the *** end of your truck will attract unwanted attention!


----------



## WarRaven (Jun 25, 2015)

FRITZHID said:


> Here's a nice thread....
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/92396
> 
> 
> ...


Tank light, yup that's going to be interesting read, thank you.

Forgot sorry, them stobe B/Us, crazy good, definitely nuts too lol. 
Did you get pictures of set up by chance or is it stock looking on the outside?


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 25, 2015)

First off holy crack of lighting batman! I didnt even know those existed that is beyong impressive, little big for an edc but still dayum! 

Second what is this? Powerline?



Btw if i saw this in my neighbors yard id have so many thoughts running through my head, ufo?, are they being beamed up? Does one of them have a super power? Should i be holding a large knife?


----------



## FRITZHID (Jun 25, 2015)

WarRaven said:


> Tank light, yup that's going to be interesting read, thank you.
> 
> Forgot sorry, them stobe B/Us, crazy good, definitely nuts too lol.
> Did you get pictures of set up by chance or is it stock looking on the outside?



No, was almost 15 yrs ago that I hung with him. Was a stock looking trans am.



Rider57 said:


> First off holy crack of lighting batman! I didnt even know those existed that is beyong impressive, little big for an edc but still dayum!
> 
> Second what is this? Powerline?



You'd have to ask the OP. 
Could be a flaming moth.....


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## WarRaven (Jun 25, 2015)

+1
"Should I be holding a large knife"

+1
"Flaming moths."
That tricked my mind's eye for a second, 
"never heard of them Flaming moths before"
err wait a minute..lol

+1
"Sweeping the crunchies off the deck every morning"

Each one made me chuckle, thank you.


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 29, 2015)

This is not an xml t6 correct? Been trying to google some info on it but cant find anything useful


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## FRITZHID (Jun 29, 2015)

Looks like an xm-l2 to me.


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## Rider57 (Jun 29, 2015)

Shouldnt it say cree xml on it?


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## more_vampires (Jun 29, 2015)

It's common for the star to say something other than the name of the LED designation. Noctigon, etc.

It would make more sense to tag the star with the led type, but there I go again being reasonable.


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 29, 2015)

Hmm, so how can i know if its a genuine T6?


----------



## more_vampires (Jun 29, 2015)

Vinh posted a great picture close-up of a bunch of LEDs. I tried a search for it, but didn't come up with it or I'd have posted a link.

In any case, I was going to say "search engine" under images for a picture of a Cree T6 LED. Bing, google, whatever. Then I realized that the front page results were mostly wrong! :head desk:

Oh well...


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 29, 2015)

Yeah i tried searching for it but the results were wonky at best, even google scholar came up short, i did find the pdf file for the emitter but it doesnt say if its a T6 or not. Also says "normal operation lumens @220... Wierd probably wrong too



This claims the color @ 8000 but mine is more of a neutral white


----------



## KeepingItLight (Jun 29, 2015)

Rider57 said:


> This is not an xml t6 correct? Been trying to google some info on it but cant find anything useful



Not sure if this is relevant, but I recently read on BLF about a Chinese knock-off of the XM-L that is being sold by all the usual e-vendors in China. It is often represented as being the real thing. Many sellers who have been informed about the issue continue to insist that the products they sell do have genuine XM-L emitters, even as their customers demonstrate that they do not.


----------



## Rider57 (Jun 29, 2015)

This might just be the case, if it does turn out to be a fake im only out $4 and it will give me a chance to put a real T6 in there and improove the UI, along with some better heatsinking. Will be good practice and im sure you guys can help me with that. 

I guess for now ill need a Cree xml t6, thermal grease, and a better driver, probably 3 mode no strobe or sos.


----------



## Rider57 (Jul 1, 2015)

So i got sick and tired of my cheapo zoomie light starting up on what ever dam mode it pleased so i looked around. Found a quick easy mod that allows it to always start on high with in 2 seconds (for my light anyway some take longer) worked great for me! Now it always starts off on high, no more blinding myself with strobe. 

(cell phone quality pics ahead) 

Heres the light in question. 



Heres the pill, i only had to remove the star to access the chip below. 





. 

All i did was draw a pencil line, with a No. 2 graphite pencil, across this chip in turn shorting it out to erase its next mode memory charge



Did one line across it and put some regular school glue on top of it to seal the graphite in and stop it from falling off. Worked out perfect. 

Bonus: was messing about and put the Convoys M1s reflector in it and it surprised me how well it focused the beam, very very similar to the M1s profile. Might try and find a reflector that fits better just for kicks


----------



## more_vampires (Jul 2, 2015)

Wow, graphite pencil mod. Takes me back to unlocking AMD cpus in the late 1990s-early2000s.

Haven't thought about that hack in ages! Thanks for the trip down "memory hacker lane."


----------



## WarRaven (Jul 2, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> Wow, graphite pencil mod. Takes me back to unlocking AMD cpus in the late 1990s-early2000s.
> 
> Haven't thought about that hack in ages! Thanks for the trip down "memory hacker lane."


This was coppermine trick I used.
From 733 to 900 or 1200 something, forgot which been a while, and mostly stable lol.
I was glad to see slot A go away.
Edit, I want going to comment on them, but the ice was broken. ☺


----------



## more_vampires (Jul 2, 2015)

WarRaven said:


> Edit, I want going to comment on them, but the ice was broken. ☺



Gooooooooooldfinger! (wah wah WAH wah wah-wah-wah) His heart is cooooooooold! He loves only goooooooooooooooooooold!  

Nice thing about Slot A was a technique called "celery sandwich" by hardware hackers of the day. You basically put a cooler on both sides of the slot processor. The trick was safely getting contact. Going back to ZIF sockets prevented you from cooling the backside of the CPU, thus hampering OC-ing.

I think AMD and Intel did it on purpose because they were tired of people blasting an 800mhz cpu up to 1.6ghz.

Also, why drop a T6 in there? Seen the chatter about the new XPL high intensity? People are posting great results!


----------



## WarRaven (Jul 2, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> Gooooooooooldfinger! (wah wah WAH wah wah-wah-wah) His heart is cooooooooold! He loves only goooooooooooooooooooold!
> 
> Nice thing about Slot A was a technique called "celery sandwich" by hardware hackers of the day. You basically put a cooler on both sides of the slot processor. The trick was safely getting contact. Going back to ZIF sockets prevented you from cooling the backside of the CPU, thus hampering OC-ing.
> 
> ...


Dual heat sinks with quad fans, yup, slot A. +1
Was glad to get away, had a couple bad experiences with heavy daughter boards on 386dx.


----------



## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

Thought id share this;

Purchased a cheap $10 knife that came with a small AA light ($10 total for both) 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasnt as cheap as i was expecting. 3 piece body, nice tint, niceish beam. Was gonna give it away but now i just might keep it as a back up to the back up.


----------



## more_vampires (Jul 14, 2015)

Wow, Rider. With that torn down pic, you have just accomplished about 35%-40% of a mod. Sure you want the same emitter and driver in there when it goes back together...?

Is a nanjg 105c 3amp driver in your future?  $2.75 at illumination supply...


----------



## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> Wow, Rider. With that torn down pic, you have just accomplished about 35%-40% of a mod. Sure you want the same emitter and driver in there when it goes back together...?
> 
> Is a nanjg 105c 3amp driver in your future?  $2.75 at illumination supply...



Not sure if your serious but if you are im not sure i want to mod this light. The pill is small and probably wont do well at higher voltages. Unless the mod is to make it a tab brighter but vastly more efficient, or multiple mode, i wouldnt do it.


----------



## more_vampires (Jul 14, 2015)

Serious? Yep.

Step 1 is to find the amperage draw at the maximum brightness mode. From there, you can make a more educated guess about the next driver. (If you wanted one.) New driver = your heart's choice in modes and drive strength.

The pill being small is one thing, but you can thermally shim it to the body for better thermal path with aluminum or copper strips or foil.


----------



## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

Oh, ok

So im guessing id need to know the inside diameter of the pill, correct? 

Amp draw? Not sure i dont think i want more than 100 lumens from this, i want it to be efficient


----------



## more_vampires (Jul 14, 2015)

Measure the driver chip, usually it's millimeters.

Check amp draw by putting the light back together without tailcap. Set up the meter for amp measurements, usually you have to move one of the leads to another terminal on the meter. Place one lead on the bottom of the battery contact (battery in light) and touch a non-anodized part of the metal body. The light should light and your amperage draw should display on the meter.

Lights that are less aggressively driven COULD be more efficient, but this is not always the case. Let's say "usually."

Another step is to ID the emitter, there may be others more efficient if this is an efficiency build.

Might also CPF for "Joule Thief," might be right up your alley. It'll take some asking around to find one to buy, or get the schematics and try it yourself! 

Get it right and now you have yourself a $20-$50 light for next to nothing! 

EDIT: You might fix that slight ringiness to the beam by clear coat spray paint on the reflector.


----------



## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> Measure the driver chip, usually it's millimeters.
> 
> Check amp draw by putting the light back together without tailcap. Set up the meter for amp measurements, usually you have to move one of the leads to another terminal on the meter. Place one lead on the bottom of the battery contact (battery in light) and touch a non-anodized part of the metal body. The light should light and your amperage draw should display on the meter.
> 
> ...



Im getting . 38amps, so im guessing its . 40amps on a fresh AA

As for the diameter, im currently searching for something to measure it.


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## more_vampires (Jul 14, 2015)

If you don't have calipers, you might be able to trace it on a piece of paper, but that's not really precise.

A cheap ($15-$20) set of digital calipers is a great addition to a flashaholic's toolbox. You'll use them a lot if you even do a single mod.

.38 amps = 380 milliamps. That's a pretty conservative drive as-is. Betting a wquiles Joule Thief circuit (looks like there is room) would be the thing for max efficiency and battery vampirism. Some versions take an AAx1 down to or maybe even below .9v. A lot of crappy boost drivers give it up way sooner than that.

What do you get runtime? 45 minutes to an hour and a half? That's a pretty standard aax1 budget drive level, approximately. They don't use the more expensive wquiles circuit, though. Efficiency usually is bad on the cheapies.

Still, it opens you to the wonderous world of modding.


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## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

Might be a cheap fun mod so im in will try and mod my work light as well (sk68)

So cant post pics right now as photobucket is down for me but as far as i can tell the driver in this humvee light is 14mm, same as the sk68. In fact they seam to be very similiar. 

Run time; dont know yet testing it out as i type this... 45 mins so far still going strong. 

As far as what i want out of this light;
100~ lumens
AA
Decent run time - 2 hours would be nice
Bonus- red led

I have a pair of digital calipers just cant locate them


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## wjv (Jul 14, 2015)

>> Things that have killed my lights at work before in the past include:
>> Accidentally getting jack hammered



Not even going to ask!!!!


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## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

wjv said:


> >>
> 
> 
> 
> Not even going to ask!!!!



I asure you we werent drinking Jack Daniels holding hammers 


So run time is approaching the 2 hour mark... Hmmm how can we improve on that and stay above 100lumens


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## Rider57 (Jul 14, 2015)

Final results....... 
88 claimed lumens
4hrs 50mins run time

Dam! It might get brighter but i doubt ill be able improve the run time

Heres the driver, sk on the left for comparison, so def a 14mm


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## Rider57 (Jul 15, 2015)

On a side note, got the EA11 in today and wow is it bright! Its very very close to the MH20s 1000 lumens. It does get warm quick and run time sucks but dam is it bright! 



EA11 and MH20


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## WarRaven (Jul 15, 2015)

Grats on the new lights Rider57!

I'm jelly 👍


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## more_vampires (Jul 15, 2015)

..and so it continues! 3 lights become 30 and so on...


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## FRITZHID (Jul 15, 2015)

more_vampires said:


> ..and so it continues! 3 lights become 30 and so on...



Until ya go blind or broke, then one tends to get over the light fetish fairly quickly.


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## Rider57 (Jul 15, 2015)

Thanks guys

So now that i have a good AA light i need to increase its run time and versatility (EA11)

I need a P12 or EC20 body and tail cap, but where can i buy just these components. In fact this raises a good question, where do i buy nitecore replacement parts? I know they have a warranty but what if i just wanted extras. 

Id also like to have a 2 AA tube for the EA11, possible? 

Side question, in a pinch, is there anyway to run 18650 lights on AAs? 3 AAs 4.5v


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