What do you look for, and what would you like to see in an LED light?

Spark

Spark

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Just curious, I've got my own requirements, but I'd like to see some of yours.

For example, do you require it to be waterproof? Constant-on, or momentary, or both? Does size matter? Do you care what kind of battery it uses?

Spark

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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com

Insert witty quip here
 
Here's what I'd like:
-amber or white light
-constant on and flash switch
-waterproof
-uses AAA batteries that can be changed out without the need for tools
-bulb section fully encased at the sides
-high-impact plastic body
-no bigger than a UKE AAA light (the side-by-side battery kind)

The UKE AAA (side-by-side) light actually comes close. Only problem is that the LED bulb option comes in red only.

-Greg
 
I would like to see a 7 LED flashlight running on 3 D's. And since the LED's last a lifetime it would be nice if the flashlight had a high quality aluminum body. Waterproof would be nice too. The head of the flashlight could be the same size like the body, since the LED's don't need a reflector. The Led's should be protected by a removable ring, a front lens shield wouldn't be necessary. The flashlight should have some anti-rolling device and a lanyard attachment. It should have some sort of base to put it upright so that you could use it for room illumunation after you took the protective head off the LED's.
 
Here's what I'd like:
-white light
-constant on and flash switch
-waterproof
-uses AAA batteries
-bulb section fully encased at the sides
-aluminum or titanium body
-no bigger than a UKE AAA light (the side-by-side battery kind)
 
Spark,
Here's a set-up that I bet would appeal to a wide cross section of folks, but especially to the hard core backpacking/hiking crowd:

-3 bulb LED arrangement so it's bright enough that you could stay on trail if forced to move at night.

-a titanium body would be a nice option, but a good polycarb would be lighter (very important), almost as rugged, and probably cost a lot less to produce.

-Waterproof with double o-ring seals. I find "twist-action" on/off switches to be well suited to these waterproof lights. Not always the easiest to activate, but they cut way down on the accidental activation/battery discharge.

-I wouldn't mind seeing the flashlight operate off of AA batteries. AAs show a good compromise between size and power/longevity, are readily available almost anywhere, and this size gives the backpackers the option of going with the Eveready lithium AA batteries which weigh about half of their alkaline counterparts.

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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
AA batteries and waterproof.
Number of LEDs and cells would vary with the application.
4 AAs (2 high, 2 wide - like the Princeton Tec) with at least 4 bright white LEDs would be a very nice setup. If someone would modify the head of a Tec 40, I would be set. http://www.ptsportlights.com/entry.html
 
I would also like something in the 3 AAA size. I know CCrane is working on a 3 LED unit using 3 AAA's all side by side (triangle shaped), but they haven't released it yet. It is called the mini trek and it is at http://www.ccrane.com/mini_trek_light.asp
I have had mine on order for over 9 months now.

Ralf, it sounds like you are talking about the CCrane Trek 7, 7 LED's and uses 3 C cells. It is waterproof, and the brightest LED light out there (except the HDS $300+). I wish it had a single led on mode, then all 7.

Maybe a Streamlight stylus made in a side by side configuration. I hope Streamlight or Surefire gets more in to LED lights.

Brock - http://www.uwgb.edu/nevermab/led.htm
 
Brock, I looked into the Trek 7 and found it to be closest to my ideal. The problem is you can't turn it on with one hand
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and it's plastic. The perfect big LED light would be a mixture of a Maglite 3 D and the Trek 7.

The HDS action light is really really cool, but is a kind of awkward for a hand held flashlight. Let's hope they'll come out with a LED module for Maglites.
 
Ralf, if you have a 3cell Maglight, you can convert to LEDs right now. You can also do it with any Maglight that has more than 3cells, since all you need is a 4.5volt source (so that means putting in dummy cells for anything over 3cells). You can check out the LED bulbs at http://theledlight.com/ledbulbs.html
 
Steelwolf.... I tried installing a 3-LED PR-Base bulb into my MAG 4C flashlight and one of the 3 leds pfftt while the other 2 surviving leds were very hot. I should have replaced one of the batteries with a 'dummy cell' to use a LED bulb with my 4C MAG.

For my LED light I'd like a

1. 3AA version of CCrane's 3-led mini-trek light.
2. 14-LED 3C or 3D flashlight (the size of TREK-7) with lo (3 leds) medium (7 leds), and high (14 leds) mode of light.

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2d_edge
AKTI Member # A001059
My Knives Photos


[This message has been edited by 2d_edge (edited 10-04-2000).]
 
Brock,
Is the cylinder below the black Mini Trek in the picture a shroud for the lens? Looks like a cool deal.

-Greg
 
Steelwolf, guess what? That's exactly what I did
smile.gif
I have one of these 3LED flange base lamps in my 3D Maglite. What I first noticed was that the reflector makes an uneven lightbeam. So I carefully cut the front ring of the reflector and got rid of the rest. You still need that front ring, otherwise the flashlight head wouldn't be tight enough. Now the beam is very even without any darker spots (that always bothered me with the incandescent bulbs). Other advantages, there is no need for focusing and the light is always perfectly white.

Two things could be improved. The head could be much smaller, since there is no need for a reflector and the 3LED bulb is tiny and doesn't generate heat. Then I'm always thinking if you can run 7 LED's on 3 C's why not have a 7 LED array for the 3D Maglites?

Still waiting for that HDS module... Imagine a 4 or 6D with a 25 LED array!!!

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is that LED's don't throw the light as far as a conventioinal flashlight does. On the other hand they illuminate a much wider area.
 
Greg, as far as I can tell the shroud will come with the light, which is great since I don't like lights spilling out to the sides all the time. But it is nice when you want an area light. It should be an intresting light to say the least.

Brock
 
I like that 3-AAA light from CCrane also. It might very well be my answer to Spark's question, what would you like to see in an LED light!

Anyone have any theoretical estimates on how bright the 3-AAA light should be compared to CCrane's 1-AA(lithium) light? thanks

Joe
 
I tend to be pessimistic when it comes to how bright I think a light will be. That way I will like it even more if it is better than I thought. If I had to bet I would say it will be very close to the Photon brightness or slightly brighter. I was told 6 months ago is had 3 of the 4800 MCD Nicha LED's in it. Those are the same ones as are in the Lightwave 2000. If that is true it will be brighter than the photon (crossing my fingers). Either way it will use standard easily replaceable batteries, and be hopefully waterproof.

Brock
 
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