# 3 Watt 1AA torch Super Bright LED Flashlight $1.48!



## goldenlight (Mar 28, 2010)

3 Watt 1AA torch Super Bright LED Flashlight

The ultimate 'lending' flashlight? That's assuming it even works, of course

They cost $1.48, shipped, from Hong Kong! They look, from the picture, to be a very close copy of the Fenix L1P

Here's the Ebay item number: 280442891750

It will take at least 2 weeks to get here; I'll put up a little review, providing that it actually works, when it arrives, of course. They don't even ship with a battery: that would probaby double the price, with the extra cost, and weight for shipping.

The curious thing is that the seller claims to have sold more than 6,000 of them, and he has a 99.5% positive feedback record, which if you are selling really cheap [email protected] from Hong Kong, is surprisingly good.

I remain skeptical, but for $1.48, my curiosity demanded to be satisfied.

If it works when it arrives, it will become my new 'loaner' flashlight, replacing the Minimag flashlights that I have been letting people borrow, often never to return.


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## LukeW (Mar 28, 2010)

Thanks for the heads up! I bought one just for a laugh. It probably won't work, but then I'll just take it apart for fun.

Thanks again.


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## mfm (Mar 28, 2010)

goldenlight said:


> The curious thing is that the seller claims to have sold more than 6,000 of them, and he has a 99.5% positive feedback record, which if you are selling really cheap [email protected] from Hong Kong, is surprisingly good.
> 
> I remain skeptical, but for $1.48, my curiosity demanded to be satisfied.


The seller doesn't claim anything, it is ebay reporting the actual number of sales. I bought from this seller a couple of times and had no problems. Half of the items ship from mainlaind China and not HK. Last time it took 8 days from Paypal payment to having the item in my mailbox.

I bought a similar light with the same LED from DX before, the first one flickered badly but I got a replacement that works. It's not super bright and certainly no 3W but not too bad. My grandmother is using it now for lighting up digital displays in a dark room.


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## jk037 (Mar 28, 2010)

I'm 99% certain that this light will be "3W" in the same way that DX SKU 14881 claims "3W" - i.e. it's nowhere close to 3W!

That said, the DX light was brighter than I expected and actually cost nearly $2 MORE than the eBay one... so I'm going to order a few for keeping in toolboxes/lending out/doing messy jobs on cars etc. For £0.99 a piece including P&P it doesn't matter if they get lost/broken/covered in oil, paint or cement! 

(BTW, I suspect this thread may be closed due to the eBay link; hope it doesn't as it's quite an interesting topic!  )


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## goldenlight (Mar 28, 2010)

jk037 said:


> (BTW, I suspect this thread may be closed due to the eBay link; hope it doesn't as it's quite an interesting topic!  )



[email protected]! I forgot about that! Sorry, moderators. I just got excited about my 'find'.


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## jk037 (Mar 28, 2010)

I wonder... since DX links aren't allowed, but posting the SKU is OK, would posting the eBay item number rather than the link be allowed?


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## goldenlight (Mar 28, 2010)

Double post...


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## bondr006 (Mar 28, 2010)

Cool light for $1.48. Will be looking forward to the review.


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## jk037 (Mar 28, 2010)

Thought this light looked a little familiar... have a look at SKU 2089 on DX, I'm almost certain that these lights are one and the same!

Which makes the fleabay light something of a bargain as DX are charging $4.28 for it; I just paid $5.77 (£3.98) for *four* of them!


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## kramer5150 (Mar 28, 2010)

I have a similar light... its OK for the $$. Keep your expectations low and you will be satisfied.

Moderator should probably mode this to the budget light forum.

:thumbsup:


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## CM2010 (Mar 28, 2010)

Just ordered 5 for less than a fiver.


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## kramer5150 (Mar 28, 2010)

I believe these are made by the same factory in China that makes the Home Depot special 2-pack that they were selling a year ago.

You can expect a high failure / DOA rate upon arrival.


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## McAllan (Mar 28, 2010)

Zooming in on the image of the front the LED looks like those 100 mA ones. Then overdrive it a bit and give it 1/2 w (~150 mA). Gives usable light, yes, but really don't expect anything other than that.
Consider "3 W" being the model name - not the power rating 3 watt :nana:


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## bondr006 (Mar 28, 2010)

Just ordered 5. For a buck a piece...what the heck. Right? Here's another one from the same vendor for .99¢. Ebay item# 260500365847


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## mcnair55 (Mar 28, 2010)

I have had 2 of these,one is brighter than the other and they eat Lithium up,work ok at night for a going to the loo light,not much use for anything else but for a £1 each they are ok.


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## jk037 (Apr 7, 2010)

The lights have now arrived, and I must say i'm impressed - both with the lights themselves, and with the 10 days between ordering them from China and having them arrive on my doormat here in England.  

First impressions are good ones: all four lights were individually bubble-wrapped, then placed inside a polythene bag and finally in a Jiffy bag. The black finish is decently smooth and even, some minor blemishes here and there but no dents or chips whatsoever.

A quick test using both ReCyko NiMh and Duracell alkaline cells shows the beam to be a little brighter than the "medium" modes of both my iTP A3 EOS and my 5-mode Akoray K-106. MUCH brighter than expected!  The beam is focused to a slightly tighter hotspot than the K-106 but has a very similar and impressively even spread of sidespill. The light has the purple tint that all super-cheap lights display, but this was entirely expected so really no cause for complaint.

The light is made up of an alumimium body and tailcap; the lens, emitter and driver board assembly is fitted into the end of the body with a spring-clip to hold it in place. I did try to remove this from one light but I don't think it's possible without destroying the body. The tailcap threads aren't particularly smooth but they are easy to loosen/tighten and don't feel loose. They were even supplied lubricated with some sort of transparent grease. The tailcap is sealed with a snug-fitting O-ring. 

The body of the light is made from fairly thin aluminium, which results in a very light weight (22 grams without lanyard or battery), yet it still feels pretty strong. I don't think the thin plastic lens would take much effort to crack, though.

The switch is a reverse clicky which has a nice positive action to it. Reliability will become apparent with use over the next few months.

The "3 watt" part of the eBay listing is obviously complete nonsense, so I tested the current and voltage at the battery to see just how much power the light actually draws.

Using a freshly-charged ReCyko NiMh AA cell, the light drew 660mA. The cell voltage had dropped from 1.41V open-circuit to 0.99V on load, resulting in a power consumption of 0.66W. Assuming that the driver is 75% efficient, the LED power output is approximately 0.5W.

Using a fresh Duracell alkaline AA, the current increased to 770mA whilst the voltage seemed to stabilise at 1.11V. This gives a power consumption of 0.85W on alkaline cells; assuming 75% driver efficiency as before, the LED power output is approximately 0.64W.

So the slightly higher voltage of an alkaline cell seems to benefit this particular driver more than the lower internal resistance of the NiMh cell. The 660mA current on NiMh corrseponds to a useful (theoretical) runtime of about 3 hours with a 2000mAh cell. 

Overall, these lights were something of a surprise. They comprehensively outperform my next cheapest light (another "3W" item, this time a AAA light costing $3.42 from DX), are better made than you'd ever expect for the price, and should offer enough runtime for most everyday flashlight uses. Of course, they don't compare to the Quarks, Nitecores or Fenixes of this world, but then again they *cost a mere 99 pence including international delivery*. 

I'm keeping one in each of my toolboxes and another in my second car. As the lights were so cheap they're ideal for any grubby or awkward jobs where an expensive light might be ruined by dirt, oil, concrete or just breakage.

I've now ordered another 16 (still have access to the original auction for a total cost of £0.97 per light - seller's current listing puts them at £1.26 which is still a steal) to give to friends and colleagues who still use the type of cheap 'n' nasty incandescents that drain a pair of D-cells in a few hours yet produce no more light than a Mag Solitaire :green:


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## LeifUK (Apr 13, 2010)

I received mine today, a couple of weeks after ordering. I expected junk since I paid £1 including shipping. What I got was a rather decent pocket torch. The build is nowhere near a Fenix or Quark, but it is typical of the lights you buy at a local DIY store for a lot more money. The anodising is fine, probably thin, and with some light scuffs, probably from where it rolled around in the parts bin during manufacture. There are a few minor nicks, the lamp glass is plastic, there is only one mode, and the head is fixed in place. The tail cap screws off and is slightly loose but it is okay. The tail switch works fine. It is probably splashproof, maybe not waterproof. The beam is quite nice, albeit with a purple tint, and about equal in brightness to the middle mode on my ITP A2, or the 3rd level on a Quark AA2 i.e. between 20 and 30 lumens OTF. So, not junk, not jewellery, but an amazingly cheap light ideal for leaving in the car, or someplace you might need one, bright enough for emergency use.


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## pushcart (Apr 21, 2010)

I ordered five of them to give away to co-workers. I received them only 12 days later. They feel solid and they all work. I agree with previous posts regarding brightness and tint. 

I feel a bit guilty. they're darn good for the money, but I would rather support a domestic mfr. - I wish Maglite would make an LED Solitaire....


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## [email protected] (Apr 22, 2010)

I picked up something that looks almost identical in a local dollar store (Cheap As Chips) for $4.00 AUD it's actually closer to 1w but I'm so happy with it I'm promoting it to daily EDC (identical to DX SKU 3760) :thumbsup:

Makes a great loner light


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## toughCookie (Apr 22, 2010)

pushcart said:


> I wish Maglite would make an LED Solitaire....


 
You can buy an upgrade for the mag solitarire from ebay from asia again (110495746427) not bad either, a big improvement from the old bulb


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## pushcart (Apr 23, 2010)

toughCookie said:


> You can buy an upgrade for the mag solitarire from ebay from asia again (110495746427) not bad either, a big improvement from the old bulb


.

Thanks, I didn't know that


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## sol-leks (Apr 26, 2010)

I just got one of these in the mail and am quite happy with it. It is not as good as my other favorite cheapo light, the cj-1w from golden gadgets, which I believe is the same as DX sku 4977, but it is still a very nice light for a buck. It might actually be a little bright than the CJ-1W or maybe just more focused. The one I received does not have as solid a feel to it as the CJ and the beam profile is a little weird because it has a pretty nice beam but then a corona outside of that which is just wasted. It has a decent switch though and the one I received had a perfectly cool white tint.

I will definitely be buying more of these to give out to friends.


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## goldenlight (Apr 26, 2010)

The one I got has a very bluish beam. But as others have said, for the money, it's a very decent flashlight. Light, small, runs on a single AA cell, and completely disposable!

I used mine last night while working on my car. If I dropped it, or it got really greasy I simply wouldn't care.

I'm going to order several more, as they represent a very good value.

Can you imagine the impact these would have had, if they had showed up in 2001? About the time the first Arc-AAA's were shipping?

They could easily have sold for $50 to $100/ea! 

Hmm... now I know what to put in my time machine, when I take it out for it's first trip! A few cartons full of these, and I could retire, wealthy!


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## Tally-ho (Apr 27, 2010)

bondr006 said:


> Ebay item# 260500365847



When I do a search in ebay with this number, it returns this message:

_Unfortunately, access to this particular item has been blocked due to legal restrictions in some countries. We are blocking your viewing in an effort to prevent restricted items from being displayed. Regrettably, in some cases, we may prevent users from accessing items that are not within the scope of said restrictions because of limitations of existing technology. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, and we hope you may find other items of interest on eBay._

:mecry:

EDIT: ooopsorry, it works with a search on "3 Watt 1AA torch Super Bright LED", the lowest price shipped ("buy it now") is $1.57...nice !


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## mfm (Apr 27, 2010)

I gave one of these to my grandma that is 90+ years old to lit up digital displays, but she decided to EDC it in her purse instead and she told me that it was useful for lighting things when it's dark, like in church.

It was supposed to replace a Led Lenser P7... but the led lenser is now delegated to light up a display in one room only.


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## sol-leks (Apr 27, 2010)

Tally-ho said:


> When I do a search in ebay with this number, it returns this message:
> 
> _Unfortunately, access to this particular item has been blocked due to legal restrictions in some countries. We are blocking your viewing in an effort to prevent restricted items from being displayed. Regrettably, in some cases, we may prevent users from accessing items that are not within the scope of said restrictions because of limitations of existing technology. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, and we hope you may find other items of interest on eBay._
> 
> ...



ebay item number 280442891750


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## goldenlight (Apr 27, 2010)

Tally-ho said:


> When I do a search in ebay with this number, it returns this message:
> 
> _Unfortunately, access to this particular item has been blocked due to legal restrictions in some countries. We are blocking your viewing in an effort to prevent restricted items from being displayed. Regrettably, in some cases, we may prevent users from accessing items that are not within the scope of said restrictions because of limitations of existing technology. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, and we hope you may find other items of interest on eBay._
> 
> ...



Here it is for $1 + $0.48 shipping. Save 9 cents each!!!

Ebay item # 280442891750


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## amigafan2003 (Apr 28, 2010)

Ordered 10 for gifts


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## sol-leks (Apr 28, 2010)

I'm going to do that too. I've already given all my friends those keychain fobs from DX, this will be a nice addition.


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## alpg88 (Apr 28, 2010)

like iirc d. trump said, sometimes you buy things, not cuz you need them, but cuz they are sold at wrong price.


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## RepProdigious (Apr 28, 2010)

This seller is gonna get rich! Im also gonna order a dozen! When anybody borrows it and comes to return it ill just tell em to keep it... Whats better than that?

Now all i need is some mighty cheap AA's


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## Tuikku (Apr 28, 2010)

jk037 said:


> A quick test using both ReCyko NiMh and Duracell alkaline cells shows the beam to be a little brighter than the "medium" modes of both my iTP A3 EOS


What the .... !!? 

I was reading this topic earlier. I was thinking they were those 5mm leds in these lights and expecting output to be somewhere near in the iTP _LOW_ -mode 

Any cheap-store in here could _easily_ sell a light of this "performance" for at least 7-15$!



Oh boy. Some of these and then those cheapest-you-can-get AA´s = perfect gifts that actually are usable :candle:

Thanks for the heads up!!


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## Tuikku (Apr 28, 2010)

Cheap AA´s, maybe a typo? 200362398200


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## walmartshopper (Apr 28, 2010)

Tuikku said:


> Cheap AA´s, maybe a typo? 200362398200



Shipping is $22.50.


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## XRAYBoY (Apr 29, 2010)

3W led! :green: Review of 280418532403,(same price,same seller,same led)


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## AnAppleSnail (Apr 29, 2010)

XRAYBoY said:


> 3W led! :green: Review of 280418532403,(same price,same seller,same led)


I got an LED very similar in appearance to that one. Rather, I got about 30 in a cheapie LED edison-socket bulb. They do ok, taking something like 40 mA on an 18650 on my table.


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## sol-leks (Apr 29, 2010)

The light I received from this ebay seller is approximately the same brightness as my quark mini 123. Its hotspot and spill are actually brighter, but the quark mini 123 has more of both hotspot and spill. Still quite impressive for a dollar light, maybe I just got a particularly good one?

Actually the hotspot might be about the same on both, the lens on my quark was just really dirty. Regardless, they are putting out very similar amounts of light, just with different beam patterns.


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## SirJohn (Apr 29, 2010)

Just got mine. Aluminum is very thin and it does feel cheap in hand, almost plasticky. Unlubed threads but very smooth. It is nice that it comes with the lanyard/key chain. Led is faily bright. I would say that the 25-30 lumen estimate is correct. At least twice as bright as my coast mini tac and my F23 on low. Color is definitely tinted towards purple but not annoyingly so. If it felt less plasticky in hand it would be an absolutely fantastic gift light, sitll very good as is. Will get some more.

Edit: I just discovered a possible new use for these lights. I put in some AA alkalines that wouldn't power any of my other electronics anymore and it will still light up in a moon mode. Possible battery vampire here.


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## petergunn (Apr 29, 2010)

The lens, reflector and plastic pill are just stuffed in the front - no glue or anything. To take it apart you just knock it out from the back with a screwdriver (or something blunt).

That said they are well worth a buck. I replaced the led with a CREE P4 using the same driver and a homemade heatsink (3 dimes glued together - which fit perfectly), and an old 18.5mm reflector I had (out of an ultrafire C3).

Was maybe 30% brighter brighter but not worth the effort. If you want to upgrade you would have to replace at least the led + driver which would be ~$5+ for parts.

Not worth it when you can pick up a new Ultrafire C3 or Torch Light C78 for ~$10.

For a buck its good for a throwaway, for kids, or for keeping a spare alkaline for your real light in case it leaks.

-PG


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## Tally-ho (Apr 30, 2010)

sol-leks said:


> ebay item number 280442891750





goldenlight said:


> Here it is for $1 + $0.48 shipping. Save 9 cents each!!!
> 
> Ebay item # 280442891750



_Unfortunately, access to this particular item has been blocked due to legal restrictions in some countries. We are blocking your viewing in an effort to prevent restricted items from being displayed. Regrettably, in some cases, we may prevent users from accessing items that are not within the scope of said restrictions because of limitations of existing technology. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, and we hope you may find other items of interest on eBay._

Is this item # 280442891750 from the same seller as item # 260500365847 ?

I live in France and already seen this mesage with other items. Could you please send me (MP) a link to the seller's shop to see if it is this item that is blocked or all the shop of this seller. Thank you in advance.

(Goldenlight, tu es et/ou parles français ?).


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## sol-leks (Apr 30, 2010)

here is the link to the seller's ebay store:
http://stores.ebay.com/digitalzone88


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## Tally-ho (Apr 30, 2010)

Thanks.

OK, it is the same ebay-shop where I saw this flashlight:



Tally-ho said:


> EDIT: ooopsorry, it works with a search on "3 Watt 1AA torch Super Bright LED", the lowest price shipped ("buy it now") is $1.57...nice !



I do not see the _3w flashlight_ with the same item's number.
There is item:
# 260528337267 - 3 Watt 1AA torch Super Bright LED Flashlight Lamp light - $1.57 free shipping.
# 280418532403 - Mini 3W LED Handy Flashlight Torch For Sporting Camping - $1.79 free shipping.

I guess that the flashlight mentionned in this thread is the first one.


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## sb56637 (Apr 30, 2010)

Well this seller certainly looks legitimate. I have a Powerlight thread going on my site, and several users already have this $1.48 shipped light. It's not a Fenix, but it's also one of the cheapest items I have ever bought on the internet. The seller is actually responsive to emails and he shipped on the same day that I ordered. DX and KD could learn a thing or two from this seller...


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## petergunn (May 1, 2010)

Tally-ho said:


> ...
> 
> I do not see the _3w flashlight_ with the same item's number.
> There is item:
> ...



I bought # 280442891750 - its definitely the same light this thread is about.

Anyone have any thoughts about how the driver might be modded for higher currents to drive a P4?

-PG


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## Tuikku (May 1, 2010)

sb56637 said:


> The seller is actually responsive to emails and he shipped on the same day that I ordered. DX and KD could learn a thing or two from this seller...



I got also my order shipped the same day


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## petergunn (May 1, 2010)

XRAYBoY said:


> 3W led! :green: Review of 280418532403,(same price,same seller,same led)



The one mentioned in this review is not the same light - I have both.

This one has an inferior LED - much less bright and overall construction is not as good.

280442891750 is the one to get - just add a little glue to keep the lens in place and its pretty solid.

-PG


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## AlexLED (May 1, 2010)

petergunn said:


> 280442891750 is the one to get - just add a little glue to keep the lens in place and its pretty solid.
> 
> -PG



Thanks for pointing out, just ordered 3 pcs. 

I'll post a short review once I get them.


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## Tuikku (May 1, 2010)

AlexLED said:


> Thanks for pointing out, just ordered 3 pcs.
> 
> I'll post a short review once I get them.



Also ordered 10 earlier


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## petergunn (May 1, 2010)

Tuikku said:


> Also ordered 10 earlier



I ordered 3 first time, then another 6 once I found out how decent they were for the price. If I could figure out how to boost the current without replacing the who driver I would be in for another 20+ as hosts for old recycled CREE leds - its trivial to make a snug heat-sink by gluing a few dimes together.

For a buck the quality is exceptional - they even greased the threads 



SirJohn said:


> J...I just discovered a possible new use for these lights. I put in some AA alkalines that wouldn't power any of my other electronics anymore and it will still light up in a moon mode. Possible battery vampire here.



I just tried a couple of spent alkalines from a Wii remote - totally dead wouldn't even light the leds on the Wii-mote. The flashlight lights up maybe around 50% brightness - pretty decent for a moon mode. Makes me wonder how long run-time on a full battery would be. :thinking:

-PG


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## Tempsho (May 1, 2010)

I just ordered 4 of them as well. They should be in next week.

It makes you wonder how the heck its possible to make a profit on something selling for $1 !!!


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## petergunn (May 2, 2010)

petergunn said:


> ...I just tried a couple of spent alkalines from a Wii remote - totally dead wouldn't even light the leds on the Wii-mote. The flashlight lights up maybe around 50% brightness - pretty decent for a moon mode. Makes me wonder how long run-time on a full battery would be. :thinking:



Its still going 24hr later - very dim now though - maybe just enough to read if your eyes have adjusted to darkness. I think a new battery will run for days before it goes off completely.

BTW I picked up a 10pack of Brinkman 6-led flashlights for $9.99 at Homedepot today - thats $0.99 each  - cheap nasty plastic body, 5mm leds, but has 26mm glass lens and comes with 30x AAA batteries included! I think the $1.48 ebay light is much better due to the form factor and aluminum body, but it does show you can buy flashlights significantly cheaper locally with batteries included. 

I'll probably end up dismantling them all for parts tho :devil:

-PG


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## SirJohn (May 3, 2010)

Check out ebay item 260578271082. It sort of looks like the same light but with a 2AA extension tube for $2.49 shipped. If the emitter is crappier on this extended version, perhaps the extension will fit on the $1.48 version. I'm debating whether to throw away $2.50 right now.


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## goldenlight (May 3, 2010)

I ordered one.

When it shows up, I'll give a report on it.


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## Fallingwater (May 3, 2010)

I have the DX version of this. Actually, I reviewed it. I wasn't very impressed. The light engine still works (it's a souped-up joule thief type circuit), but it's stupidly easy to cross-thread and no longer turns on after that happened.

Edit: actually mine is officially a 1W, but I'd be surprised if there was any difference (other than the clicky switch).


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## sol-leks (May 3, 2010)

I just got the powerlight HX from dealextreme (sku.2089), and its a nice light but not as good a deal as this guy for a dollar. The led is bigger so the hotspot is a bit bigger, but overall brightness is a bit lower. The body is exactly the same as this 1 dollar light.


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## lunchboxtheman (May 6, 2010)

I just got mine in the mail about 20 minutes ago. Overall, I'm very pleased considering the price ($1.48 shipped).

It's not a surefire, that's for certain, but it's still not bad. The aluminum is a little thin, and as a result the battery doesn't fit snugly in the tube and rattles around a little bit if you knock it around.

The beam is actually not that bad. I figured that with a smooth reflector the hotspot would be pretty ugly. In all honesty though, it's not terrible (don't get me wrong though, it's nothing compared to a _real_ flashlight).

The threads were actually greased which was a pleasant surprise. The threads themselves, however, are rough compared to the silky smooth threads of a Quark or similar. There is an O ring at the tailcap, but it's pretty loose and I wouldn't bet that it's water proof, only splash proof as others have said.

The head is slightly textured with some shallow circular grooves that add basically no grip whatsoever (they even feel more slick:thinking.

All in all, for less than the price of a glass of soda at dinner you can't go wrong with this little light.


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## jk037 (May 7, 2010)

Of the 20 I ordered, not one was faulty. Result! 

I have found a flaw with the design though: the pill is held in the body by some sort of wire grip ring, which with certain varieties of AA cell can prevent the battery positive terminal from making contact with the contact pad in the light.

(Some AA cells have a "flatter" positive terminal than others and it's these that don't always work.)


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## Tuikku (May 7, 2010)

Arrived today!

Some were just a bit scratchy, beam is not perfectly round from edges, threads are a bit loose, clicky switch could have a better feel...

But what the ... I´m complaining!
Its a light for 1,08€ - Shipped! What a deal!

Brighter on nimh than my iTP A3 on nimh on Medium setting, but not as bright as iTP on high = you really can use this to actually see something 
No donuts in beam.
A lot brighter than my previous car backup light, 2x AA incan "Ansmann", plastic light which I got free when I bought something. I bet this does far better also with runtime 

Aluminium body is really thin and no glass lens. Well, at least it is really lightweight. It even has a quick release lanyard, it can tailstand too!


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## Tuikku (May 7, 2010)

Has anyone burned any yet with 14500? :naughty:


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## Tuikku (May 7, 2010)

Tested runtime a bit.
Runned it with "1800mah" Nimh (actual cap 1050mah) For 2 hours.
After 2h, output matched iTP A3 LOW -mode or even less.
Battery voltage after test was 1,20V.




BTW: 9/10 worked, one just blinked


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## goldenlight (May 7, 2010)

I've been waiting for a report of one that's DOA. It was inevitable, given the unbelievably low cost factor.

I also figured it wouldn't have a very good run-time, for the same cost related reason.

But AA batteries are really cheap, purchased in bulk. 

Putting a good NiMH battery in one of these lights will triple the value, or more!

I've been giving flashlights away as gifts for years, but a LOT of people are going to be getting one of these. With a AA battery, it's still less than $2!


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## Tuikku (May 7, 2010)

That glass is not BTW straight.
Some lights have it like (>==
Most of them have it )>==


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## sb56637 (May 8, 2010)

petergunn said:


> Its still going 24hr later - very dim now though - maybe just enough to read if your eyes have adjusted to darkness. I think a new battery will run for days before it goes off completely.
> 
> -PG



Whoooeee that is great news for a runtime fanatic like me. I can't wait for mine to arrive, but I am halfway considering buying 10 more even before I receive them.... ;-)


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## petergunn (May 8, 2010)

sb56637 said:


> Whoooeee that is great news for a runtime fanatic like me. I can't wait for mine to arrive, but I am halfway considering buying 10 more even before I receive them.... ;-)



I caved and bought 15 more (~$1.44 each) - just too good a deal to pass up when you consider the other garbage below $5. There is nothing comparable at even twice this price, and the deal wont last forever.

-PG


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## senecaripple (May 8, 2010)

if this wasnt such a great deal. i'd just not use my ebay acct since it was hacked 4 years ago.
got 10.


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## lol666 (May 11, 2010)

Maybe i buy some of em'...Its not the cheap [email protected]& i thought it was


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## vasp1 (May 11, 2010)

Ordered mine on 23rd Apr - Received today - for only 99p it's very good indeed. I would say it's slightly brighter than the low setting on the ITP A1 but with a whiter tint.

I've been tracking this thread for a while but haven't read everything so I may have missed the answer to my question. Has anybody tried it with a 14500?

The only other thing I've bought recently for 99p is a cheese and pickle sandwich from Tesco.


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## petergunn (May 11, 2010)

vasp1 said:


> ... Has anybody tried it with a 14500?



I did - works but doesn't look much brighter. Probably not a good idea as there is effectively no heat sinking.

-PG


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## Tuikku (May 12, 2010)

Only three left, friends have liked those. Some wanted to know the price, after hearing most didn´t believe...

Maybe ordering 10 more would be a good idea!


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## ky70 (May 12, 2010)

sb56637 said:


> The seller is actually responsive to emails and he shipped on the same day that I ordered. DX and KD could learn a thing or two from this seller...


 
You can say that again. I ordered 4 lights (2 different) and a case for my Iphone from this vendor yesterday...and it all shipped yesterday. In contrast, my last 2 orders from KD shipped after 2weeks and 4 weeks, respectively.


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## Nil Einne (May 12, 2010)

Am I right 6000+ (I presume means less then 7000) had sold in early April and now just over a month later 10240 have sold, i.e. 4000 in one month?


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## residue (May 12, 2010)

ordered and received five. one of them has a tempermental switch. quality and beam are acceptable for the price. my biggest complaint is the smell of the rubber in the tail.


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## goldenlight (May 12, 2010)

Nil Einne said:


> Am I right 6000+ (I presume means less then 7000) had sold in early April and now just over a month later 10240 have sold, i.e. 4000 in one month?



I'm sure that's right. That's how they make money: huge volume! They probably had 100,000 made all at once, and some are sold through different outlets than Ebay. Not much profit per light, but if you sell 100,000 of them...!


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## sb56637 (May 12, 2010)

Oh no! They just raised the shipping cost from $0.48 to $0.57.


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## smokeychris (May 13, 2010)

I orderen one @ 1.24 euro incl shipping! Now thats a real bargain!:nana::nana::nana::nana::nana:


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## sol-leks (May 13, 2010)

smokeychris said:


> I orderen one @ 1.24 euro incl shipping! Now thats a real bargain!:nana::nana::nana::nana::nana:



Especially considering how the euro is doing right now.... :sigh:


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## stangster (May 13, 2010)

sb56637 said:


> Oh no! They just raised the shipping cost from $0.48 to $0.57.


Jeez, that's almost 20%! The nerve...


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## Tuikku (May 13, 2010)

Ordered 10 more while still available.


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## Ecolang (May 13, 2010)

goldenlight said:


> I've been waiting for a report of one that's DOA. It was inevitable, given the unbelievably low cost factor.



Not DOA but I got one that's too short to get the tailcap back on the threads with an AA in it. It "works" in that it emits light, but it isn't actually usable. Got another one that's just fine.


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## boomhauer (May 13, 2010)

Just ordered 7 for giveaways and such. Maybe I'll get lucky.


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## amigafan2003 (May 14, 2010)

Recd my 10 - all working - quite impressed for the price. One actually seems to be a cool white tint rather than the slightly blue of the others so I'm keeping that one for myself 

Gifted three to next doors kids and they think they're great


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## SirJohn (May 14, 2010)

On the other side of the coin, this cheap flashlight is delivered like a "bulk" product, meaning no retail packaging. No retail packaging means a much smaller environmental footprint. No paper, no enormous plastic bubble package. Plus, consider that most of these flashlights are being gifted to people who otherwise would have just bought a crapo, cheap incan at the local walmart at some point anyway. This will probably last longer than those and use fewer batteries and bulbs or the incan will get thrown away when the bulb burns out, because the replacement bulb costs more than what the flashlight cost (I used to buy those $1 AA incans for kids at Wal-mart before I knew any better and guess where they are now). Not to mention, those incans are bigger and thus use more material to make.


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## amigafan2003 (May 14, 2010)

@ chenko

Sorry to be blunt but I really couldn't give two hoots. :sigh: 

However, I do respect your opinion and your right to voice such conerns.


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## Zatoichi (May 14, 2010)

... but think of all the pollution the avoided by skipping research and development!


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## Omicron (May 14, 2010)

amigafan2003 said:


> @ chenko
> 
> Sorry to be blunt but I really couldn't give two hoots. :sigh:
> 
> ...


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## Gregozedobe (May 14, 2010)

I received 16 yesterday, I had to fiddle a bit with a couple to get them going (poor connections ?), but now they are all going and ready to give away (except a couple that had nicer beams that I'll put in the glovebox of our two vehicles)) 

Seller despatched very quickly.


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## amigafan2003 (May 14, 2010)

> And therein lies the problem.


 
And what problem is that exactly?


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## petergunn (May 14, 2010)

Omicron said:


> amigafan2003 said:
> 
> 
> > @ chenko
> ...



chenko is obviously trolling here, but I suspect he's also quite young (probably recently watched Avatar). IMHO flashlights are irrelevant to environmental pollution on the grande scale of things(especially $1 reusable flashlights that are compatible with long life rechargeable batteries). The effort would be better focused towards people that use large numbers of primary batteries in the Batteries sub-forum, or better still go troll another website altogether (i.e. google peak oil and Deepwater Horizon).

Just my $0.02 worth (cant believe I actually responded )

-PG


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## spexmaniac (May 14, 2010)

Just received two this morning, both work ok, can't beleive what good value they are, I don't think they'll become my edc just yet though ;-)


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## amigafan2003 (May 14, 2010)

I've given one to each of my sons (3 yrs and 2 yrs old). If they trash them I don't care for a dollar!


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## petergunn (May 14, 2010)

amigafan2003 said:


> I've given one to each of my sons (3 yrs and 2 yrs old). If they trash them I don't care for a dollar!



I have a 5yr old and 2yr old myself  (and I had an Amiga in the 90s 

Although these lights are pretty solid (for the price) there is nothing but pressure holding in the lens, pill and spring. You may want to add a little clear epoxy to the lens before letting them run riot. At a buck the lights are disposable but the kids cost a lot more.

-PG


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## ky70 (May 14, 2010)

amigafan2003 said:


> I've given one to each of my sons (3 yrs and 2 yrs old). If they trash them I don't care for a dollar!


 
Since I've already overwhelmed my kids with multiple cheap flashlights of their own, these will going to nieces and nephews.


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## SixM (May 14, 2010)

Well I couldn't resist the the deal everyone is posting so I ordered 10 of these: 280442891750
And 5 of these: 260500365847

Has anyone tried the latter item? I haven't seen anything on these, but for the price I'll try a few out and see I guess.
I'll be passing these out to family to replace the Fauxtons I passed out last summer.


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## petergunn (May 14, 2010)

SixM said:


> ...
> 
> And 5 of these: 260500365847
> 
> Has anyone tried the latter item?



I bought 3 of those before I saw the other ones. These ones dont compare - much less bright, poor machining, loose fitting threads, 2 broke with little or no use. What you'd expect for a $1 light. Head does unscrew tho.

-PG


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## chenko (May 15, 2010)

I'm sorry I was misinterpreted, I'm not a troll nor I have ever been, and to say the truth I found calling me like that was unpolite (also, I wouldn't find comfortable to use that kind of tone with such a low post count). I just reported that post, mods will deal with that. Have fun with the non-DOA lights.


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## petergunn (May 15, 2010)

chenko said:


> I'm sorry I was misinterpreted, I'm not a troll nor I have ever been...



Dude, you've seen your avatar right? 

-PG


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## bondr006 (May 15, 2010)

Why would you be so rude to a person who is concerned about the environment? Also, if you look at his country of origin...you would see that English is not his first language. What about his post would make you assume that he is a troll....or young for that matter? Your post and personal comments about chenko are not called for and are way out of line. This kind of behavior is not appreciated or tolerated here at CPF. This is a family oriented community where we treat each other with courtesy and respect. If you don't have something nice to say...DON'T say it. If you feel you must respond in a less than complimentary or insulting way....you can always pm the person.



petergunn said:


> chenko is obviously trolling here, but I suspect he's also quite young (probably recently watched Avatar). IMHO flashlights are irrelevant to environmental pollution on the grande scale of things(especially $1 reusable flashlights that are compatible with long life rechargeable batteries). The effort would be better focused towards people that use large numbers of primary batteries in the Batteries sub-forum, or better still go troll another website altogether (i.e. google peak oil and Deepwater Horizon).
> 
> Just my $0.02 worth (cant believe I actually responded )
> 
> -PG


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## petergunn (May 15, 2010)

bondr006 said:


> Why would you be so rude to a person who is concerned about the environment? Also, if you look at his country of origin...you would see that English is not his first language. What about his post would make you assume that he is a troll....or young for that matter? Your post and personal comments about chenko are not called for and are way out of line. This kind of behavior is not appreciated or tolerated here at CPF. This is a family oriented community where we treat each other with courtesy and respect. If you don't have something nice to say...DON'T say it. If you feel you must respond in a less than complimentary or insulting way....you can always pm the person.



Unlike this my posts were reasonably on topic and informative. The arguement that low priced flashlights are somehow environmentally unfriendly is without basis, in fact its more likely that there will be less wastage from budget lights sold in bulk packaging than full domestic retail as the economics demand minimal waste. 

There are many more effective outlets for for environmental activism and my intent was to direct Chenko in that direction. 



bondr006 said:


> ...What about his post would make you assume that he is a troll....or young for that matter? ...



To answer your question - I assumed he was young and trolling because

a) he posted an obtuse and moderately inflammatory post

b) he posts with a Troll avatar that is a character from a kids movie

That said. This discussion is getting increasingly off topic and I have reported your post and hope the moderators will now lock this thread. 

-PG


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## sugibdg (May 15, 2010)

Seem that Seller sells same light with different item number and much higher price. Check this item number 250585162851


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## boomhauer (May 15, 2010)

How about if we not lock the thread, and just stay on topic from here on out?

I'm hoping for a fast delivery of these units - a response from the seller took place within an hour of placing the order stating that it was processed and shipped.


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## petergunn (May 15, 2010)

boomhauer said:


> How about if we not lock the thread, and just stay on topic from here on out?
> 
> I'm hoping for a fast delivery of these units - a response from the seller took place within an hour of placing the order stating that it was processed and shipped.



I'm in NJ and the April 23rd order (shipping notification was same day) finally arrived yesterday - so about 3weeks end-to-end and that roughly matches my first shipment.

From earlier posts it looks like shipping to Europe may be faster.

-PG


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## bondr006 (May 15, 2010)

I ordered 5 of them back in March and had them by the middle of April. One of them came DOA, so I contacted the seller....and they sent out another one with no questions asked. I got it a couple of days ago and it works perfect. These lights are certainly worth a $1. Perfect for giving away, or letting the children play with. My 7 year old loves his...along with his SF E1L, NiteCore EZ CR2, and Fenix LOD CE....and assorted cheep squeezy key chain lights. He keeps them all under his pillow, and carries a different one every day. I'm so proud....


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## LeifUK (May 15, 2010)

chenko said:


> I think a 1$ flashlight that performs decently is one of the coolest things I can think of, but does any of you every think how much less a 1$ flashlight pollutes the world than, say, a 30$ flashlight? I'd say no less...
> 
> Plaease be kind, I don't want to be the "annoying green kid" so really take it with a grain of salt, but do you ever wonder about the impact of bulk-buying stuff (any sort of) that is going to be trashed in a matter of two years by most of its users, just for the fun of it? Didn't mean to be uncool, please just act as you feel, I only wanted to share a thought peacefully.



Frankly internet forums like this are all about consumerism, and buying for the sake of buying, so I doubt your comment will be welcomed. And these torches are sent airmail which is less than ideal. That said, I don't consider a small number of torches significant in the grand scheme of things. 

PS I would change hairdresser if I were you.


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## DM51 (May 15, 2010)

Ridiculous off-topic and argumentative interventions from chenko, Omicron and amigafan2003. 
 
Any more such nonsense from any of you three, and you will receive suspensions. You've wrecked this thread. It's closed.


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