LED Flashlights

If you want to go down this rabbithole you could run over to candlepowerforums and read up for a while.

I lost several days there when the first flashlight mod that could start fires was posted. I suspect it's even worse now.

There's only some much standing in my yard at night waving a light around that I can justify.

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I just bought the Bell and Howell Tac Light.and tac lighter.They are as seen on tv stuff but the tac light is actually pretty damn good.The lighter is usb charged and has an elect arc that lights anytime .For 20 odd dollars it was a good purchase believe it or not.https://www.infinitepowersolutions.com/tac-light/ if in the future they fail I will be sure to come back and bitch,lol.They supposedly have a lifetime warranty and the light is cree.
 
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This is interesting flashlight and stun gun.
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A hint on those batteries. Most laptop battery packs use the same cells in series/parallel. When the run time gets down those battery cells are still fine for use in these flashlights. Will charge in the light or the standard chargers that come with the lights. Keep several spares laying around and a couple in my lunch tote for my work flashlight. This LED tech is getting serious. That stun gun probably uses a flat pack battery, some serious power in that package.
 
What in earth is that? It looks serious, almost military, ammo-case extreme.

Homebrew. I put some LED lights on my motorcycle and had this one left over from my beam pattern experimentation. So, figured I'd make something from it.

It is indeed an ammo can and in it I plan to put a 12V sealed battery to run the light. I think it's about 3500 lumens, something like that, anyway.
 
Spent years over on Candlepower forums back when you had to mod flashlights to have a bright one (I was MrLight there also). I left there when you could buy a bright flashlight for $5 anywhere. I carry a Fenix LD09 that can use lithium 14500 cell (my choice) as well as standard AAs. Probably have another hundred lights lying around.
 
I have not had a flashlight yet that doesn't have to be fussed with to make the battery contact. Mr. Light, what's your suggestion for a compact, yet powerful LED flashlight?
 
I have not had a flashlight yet that doesn't have to be fussed with to make the battery contact. Mr. Light, what's your suggestion for a compact, yet powerful LED flashlight?

I had that issue w/ Chinese LED lights I purchased ~5 years ago and finally tossed them. Although the battery contacts in the lights looked fine, they needed scraping once in awhile in order to work. I tried battery post dielectric grease which worked for a much longer interval but eventually the problem returned. I've not had it on Chinese made ones from the last 2-3 years though. I am not not sure now if it was the flashlight or the rechargeable batteries that were oxidizing though. I still use dielectric grease on ones that sit idle as in my car. It may be a placebo but this works well for the cable industry, most grease coax fittings with the same stuff.
 
I bought the Energizer 900 lumen (yours is rated at 1100 lumen) as my first foray into the world of "real" LED flashlights (save for the harbor freight freebies I have everywhere). I am impressed! It blows all of my old maglights to pieces.
 
I have not had a flashlight yet that doesn't have to be fussed with to make the battery contact. Mr. Light, what's your suggestion for a compact, yet powerful LED flashlight?

What cells do you want to use?

My own personal EDC light is a Sunwayman V11R. I use 16350s in it but with an optional extension tube you can run AA as well.

Whether that will work for you depends on your priorities. I like the V11R because it's small and the variable brightness means I can read in a dark room without bothering anyone, but it goes well bright enough for site surveys etc. It's also cheap enough ($40 usually) that I won't cry too hard if it gets lost or damaged. I do wish it had a high CRI emitter but that's not necessary for my needs.
 
blows all of my old maglights to pieces.

My first "real" light was a Bianchi B-Lite I got as a Christmas gift in the late 70s. A 3C and I added a krypton bulb. Then I got a 3D then 4D Maglite for our cars also w/ Kryptons. And finally a Maglite Solitaire & (2) 2AA minis. Must have been $300 into all that and my new Thrunite roasts the big ones and the cheapie SK68s the small. Great example of old tech giving way to new, better, and cheaper tech.
 
My first "real" light was a Bianchi B-Lite I got as a Christmas gift in the late 70s. A 3C and I added a krypton bulb. Then I got a 3D then 4D Maglite for our cars also w/ Kryptons. And finally a Maglite Solitaire & (2) 2AA minis. Must have been $300 into all that and my new Thrunite roasts the big ones and the cheapie SK68s the small. Great example of old tech giving way to new, better, and cheaper tech.

I shudder to think how much money I have in all my maglites... I have one of the 5D, probably 7 of the 3D, several 2AA and 1AAA models. Not to mention all the ones I have lost or given away! I still carry the 5D when I walk my dog. Not because its a great light, it's a great club, lol.
 
Yep I have had Fenix TK70 2,200 Luman with 4 10,000 milliamp D cell Tenergy rechargeable batteries since 2012 and Olight flashlights also.... I've educated many people by showing how bright the new flashlight technology is compared to the old Maglite

I used to prefer the Krypton bulb output (true color) but some of the Cree are so close I don't even notice any longer. If I need an instrument to quantify that it's irrelevant.

Battery life too. I can take AAs that don't even light a filament bulb flashlight but do provide usable output in an LED one. That's a big deal.
 
I picked this one up last fall at Ocean State, our local blow-it-out overstock store. It was under $6 and I should have bought several. Next time I went back they were out.

Great construction, neo mag in base, belt clip w/ keyhole slot, takes 3x AA & COB LED w/ 3 modes, bright, medium, & red strobe. I keep it in my car -

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I have not had a flashlight yet that doesn't have to be fussed with to make the battery contact. Mr. Light, what's your suggestion for a compact, yet powerful LED flashlight?
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Slightly delayed response... I'm sure there are many, but I've never had a problem with Fenix. Surprised if you have had contact problems with anything other than flat top 18650 cells? I use my Fenix LD09 every day and never had an error. I don't use alkaline cells in any lights due to losing too many to leaky cells. I do like the option of using AAs in my Fenix LD09 in a pinch. I have dozens of 18650 based lights but don't use them frequently enough to have any real favorites. Solarforce seemed like a bargain, but Fenix are higher quality.
 
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