Where to buy LED flashlights in New York City?
wylbur37
numerous websites that sell them, of different types and sizes.
But here in New York City, I have yet to find a retail store that
sells them. Radio Shack, for example, sells actual LEDs if you want to
make your own, but they don't seem to sell ready-made LED flashlights.
Does anyone know of some retail stores in the New York City area that
sell LED flashlights?
Jerry G.
Montreal, I have seen a few types in the Radio Shack stores. Apparently, I
am told that they are not yet selling as well as the conventional type. I am
told that one of the disadvantages are, is that they are still not as bright
as the light bulb type.
I bought a few keychain holders with one of these. It is good in the dark to
find the key-hole, or look for something that does not require a powerful
illumination.
--
Greetings,
Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================
"wylbur37" <wylbur3...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8028c236.04040...@posting.google.com...
Lewin A.R.W. Edwards
> sells them. Radio Shack, for example, sells actual LEDs if you want to
> make your own, but they don't seem to sell ready-made LED flashlights.
How big do you want them?? 99c stores sell keychain units in a variety
of colors (not white, though). Pathmark sells small white-LED keychain
units.
Dave VanHorn
> numerous websites that sell them, of different types and sizes.
>
> But here in New York City, I have yet to find a retail store that
> sells them.
Wal-Mart, Target, any camping store should carry them.
They're easy to find here in nowhere indiana..
The one I like, is usually at knife stores, the Inova X-5
White, Red, Green, Blue, or UV wavelengths available.
Michael
Another drawback is the painfully high price. And if you want the
ability to focus the beam, as can be done with a MagLite, you will be
disappointed with an LED light. No, although LED flashlights are OK for
some close-in work (e.g. finding a keyhole), they don't replace a
standard flashlight.
But as for finding in NYC, what's wrong with ordering from the web?
Jeff Wiseman
Michael wrote:
>
> Another drawback is the painfully high price.
Yes, but in many applications it can be more than justified.
> And if you want the
> ability to focus the beam, as can be done with a MagLite, you will be
> disappointed with an LED light. No, although LED flashlights are OK for
> some close-in work (e.g. finding a keyhole), they don't replace a
> standard flashlight.
Not true. For example, have a look at the following review on the EverLED--a regulated high intensity LED that is a direct drop in replacement for a normal "PR" type flashbulb and will work with anything from 1 to 6 cells. With a standard 2 cell flashlight it has nearly 3 times the throw and 3 times the total light output (these are different) of a standard bulb (not to mention that the batteries will last 4-7 times longer with it! Don't forget the cost of batteries). Notice that it also has a diffuse type dispersion pattern so it WILL focus with a Mag's adjustable lens.
http://flashlightreviews3.home.att.net/reviews/everled.htm
The problem it that even though there are many different types of LED based flashlites on the market, most of them at present are marketing gimmicks and just plain garbage. There are some that are truely innovative--a little expensive but comparable to the many other LED models out there and many of them aren't evwen sold in retail stores yet. There are some really good ones. ARC's most recent model (the ARC4+) is only about 3 inches long, fits in your pocket, and on its highest setting (it has 16), it is as bright as a tactical flashlight (much brighter than, say, a 6 D cell Maglight--it uses the new Luxeon star LED I believe).
I have an ARC AAA myself. It is almost as bright, more white, more evenly lit than a mini-Mag with 2 AA batteries in it. Furthermore, the ARC AAA uses only 1 AAA battery and will go for nearly 7 hours before starting to dim--the AA Mag will only last about 1.5 to 2 hours before dropping to that level. Furthermore, the LED is rated to last for 30,0000 hours or more. How many Mag-light bulbs at $4 apiece would you replace in that period of time?
For more information that is likely better than hearsay, check out the LED discussion groups at:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com
You'll be surprised at what is happening in flashlight land these days :-)
- Jeff
Bob Myers
"Jerry G." <jerr...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c561oa$653$1...@news.eusc.inter.net...
> I have seen them in some of the serious type camping stores. Here in
> Montreal, I have seen a few types in the Radio Shack stores. Apparently, I
> am told that they are not yet selling as well as the conventional type. I
am
> told that one of the disadvantages are, is that they are still not as
bright
> as the light bulb type.
I'm not so sure about that in the latest versions; I just got
one of these (as a freebie at a trade show, so I have no idea
what they'd cost) using a single LumiLeds white LED and
a 3V lithium battery. About the size of an "AA"-battery
Maglite, although stubbier and bit fatter - and this sucker is
BRIGHT. I haven't measured the light output, but the folks
from LumiLeds said that they're pushing into the 100-1000
lumens range with their LEDs. I can easily see a flashlight
using several of these LEDs as being more than
bright enough to replace my trusty 3-cell Maglite.
Bob M.
jakdedert
> "Jerry G." <jerr...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:c561oa$653$1...@news.eusc.inter.net...
>> I have seen them in some of the serious type camping stores. Here in
>> Montreal, I have seen a few types in the Radio Shack stores.
>> Apparently, I am told that they are not yet selling as well as the
>> conventional type. I am told that one of the disadvantages are, is
>> that they are still not as bright as the light bulb type.
>
> I'm not so sure about that in the latest versions; I just got
> one of these (as a freebie at a trade show, so I have no idea
> what they'd cost) using a single LumiLeds white LED and
> a 3V lithium battery. About the size of an "AA"-battery
> Maglite, although stubbier and bit fatter - and this sucker is
> BRIGHT. I haven't measured the light output, but the folks
> from LumiLeds said that they're pushing into the 100-1000
> lumens range with their LEDs. I can easily see a flashlight
> using several of these LEDs as being more than
> bright enough to replace my trusty 3-cell Maglite.
I totally agree (and have--previously--in this forum). I used mini-mags at
work for years. In the last five years, my flashlight of choice is my
three-AA C. Crane flashlight. There's just no comparison. If you want a
focused beam, a mini-mag is just not the ticket, anyway. It doesn't have
enough oomph to get farther than ten feet or so, and only emits a really
powerful beam for a matter of minutes before starting to dim--and that's
only with a new bulb--as the bulb itself starts to 'silver up' like an old
radio tube before you know it. Drop it while illuminated, and you're
fumbling around in the dark for the spare bulb (unless you've already used
it, then you're SOL). I can juggle, drop, kick or use my flashlight for a
hammer, if I'm so inclined. "Takes a lickin' and...."
My flashlight provides sustained high output for 100 hours on a set of AA's
(and will remain useful for 50 hours past that point). I *never* have to
replace the 'bulbs.' They're as bright as the day it was delivered, five
years ago.
I think that eventually, LED's are going to almost completely overtake the
market in just a few years.
jak
this bit-@connect-2.co.uk R.Lewis
I would have thought that the CRI of white leds is so poor that they would
be of little use in photography - or do the cameras do something clever when
using these light sources?
Unknown
>I'm not so sure about that in the latest versions; I just got
>one of these (as a freebie at a trade show, so I have no idea
>what they'd cost) using a single LumiLeds white LED and
>a 3V lithium battery.
Does it look like
http://store.yahoo.com/flashlight/arclshstandard.html ?? If so,
that's a pretty pricey tradeshow handout! 8*) I've got one with a
screw-on cap and a belt holster that fits a spare battery, and it goes
everywhere with me. Really nice!
--
William Smith
ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com
Jim Yanik
news:4076D0EC...@earthlink.net:
UH,could you please set your news agent to 80 character line length,the
standard for UseNet?
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
the Wiz
There are some VERY bright LED flashlights available, at appreciably higher
prices than the "keyhole" lights. Technology Associates http://www.techass.com
has a broad selection of lights, including a drop-in replacement for the bulb in
the MiniMag lights.
Can't report on how bright they really are (yet), the one I ordered will be
delivered next week ;-)
The primary value of LED flashlights is their long battery life and (almost)
eternal LED life.
More about me: http://www.jecarter.com/
VB3/VB6/C/PowerBasic source code: http://www.jecarter.com/programs.html
Freeware for the Palm with NS Basic source code: http://nsb.jecarter.com
Drivers for Pablo graphics tablet and JamCam cameras: http://home.earthlink.net/~mwbt/
johnecarter at@at mindspring dot.dot com. Fix the obvious to reply by email.
Ken Weitzel
R.Lewis wrote:
Some, or perhaps now most, of the top of the line scanners
use them for a light source in place of those short lived
cold cathode flourescents...
Take care.
Ken
Ken Weitzel
Dave VanHorn wrote:
WalMart, at least here in Canada, even offers them as
replacement auto bulbs - plug in replacements for
brake lights, back up, turn signals, etc. A little
pricey, but probably reasonable pay back when you
toss in the safety factor of no burnt out brake lights,
etc.
Take care.
Ken
Jerry G.
I am going to shop around again, if this is the case. A few months back, I
was not as impressed as with a conventional lamp.
I was reading an article about a year ago, that was explaining that in a few
more years, we will be able to have our homes lit on LED technology.
I am now seeing more and more new models of automobiles using LEDs for the
rear lights.
--
Greetings,
Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================
"Bob Myers" <nospam...@address.invalid> wrote in message
news:o2Ddc.2753$zZ4....@news.cpqcorp.net...
Jerry G.
But, what would be the practical use for a UV LED type flashlight? I found
the power level to also be very low.
--
Greetings,
Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
=========================================
WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
=========================================
"Dave VanHorn" <dvan...@cedar.net> wrote in message
news:AIWdnUqWYq_...@comcast.com...
Franc Zabkar
put finger to keyboard and composed:
>Jeff Wiseman <wise...@earthlink.net> wrote in
>news:4076D0EC...@earthlink.net:
>
>
>
>
>UH,could you please set your news agent to 80 character line length,the
>standard for UseNet?
Wouldn't a line length of 72 characters be better, as it would allow
for additional quote characters, especially during long threads?
- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 's' from my address when replying by email.
this bit-@connect-2.co.uk R.Lewis
"Ken Weitzel" <kwei...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:mAJdc.63595$oR5.7310@pd7tw3no...
I can appreciate that, within certain limits, the CRI of the lightsource
doesn't matter in a scanner since it is always the same lightsource and can
be compensated for.
In a camera how does it know that the lightsource is a led, what type of
led, and how does it compensate for what is a very poor CRI.
Or are (most of) the cameras users just not bothered?
Jeff Wiseman
Franc Zabkar wrote:
>
> On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 02:27:08 +0000 (UTC), Jim Yanik <jya...@abuse.gov>
> put finger to keyboard and composed:
>
> >Jeff Wiseman <wise...@earthlink.net> wrote in
> >news:4076D0EC...@earthlink.net:
> >
> >UH,could you please set your news agent to 80 character line length,the
> >standard for UseNet?
>
> Wouldn't a line length of 72 characters be better, as it would allow
> for additional quote characters, especially during long threads?
Whoa!
Sorry guys. I had set it for a very long length to email some big
URLs to some folks and I forgot to set it back. I normally use 65
since it allows for a couple of forwards.
- Jeff
Jeff Wiseman
with correction. Sorry all.
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
news:4076D0EC...@earthlink.net...
> Michael wrote:
> > Another drawback is the painfully high price.
> Yes, but in many applications it can be more than justified.
> > And if you want the
> > ability to focus the beam, as can be done with a MagLite, you will
be
> > disappointed with an LED light. No, although LED flashlights are OK
for
> > some close-in work (e.g. finding a keyhole), they don't replace a
> > standard flashlight.
> Not true. For example, have a look at the following review on the
EverLED--a regulated high intensity LED that is a direct drop in
replacement for a normal "PR" type flashbulb and will work with anything
from 1 to 6 cells. With a standard 2 cell flashlight it has nearly 3
times the throw and 3 times the total light output (these are different)
of a standard bulb (not to mention that the batteries will last 4-7
times longer with it! Don't forget the cost of batteries). Notice that
it also has a diffuse type dispersion pattern so it WILL focus with a
Mag's adjustable lens.
>
> http://flashlightreviews3.home.att.net/reviews/everled.htm
I agree on some points, disagree on others. The lifetime of the LED is
much greater, saving bulb replacement. But the Luxeon Star takes 350
mA, and it will eat up batteries just as fast as a regular bulb. You
say 4 to 7 times longer, but it may be a lot less than that. And it's
$40, which is much more than a good maglite costs.
> The problem it that even though there are many different types of LED
based flashlites on the market, most of them at present are marketing
gimmicks and just plain garbage. There are some that are truely
innovative--a little expensive but comparable to the many other LED
models out there and many of them aren't evwen sold in retail stores
yet. There are some really good ones. ARC's most recent model (the
ARC4+) is only about 3 inches long, fits in your pocket, and on its
highest setting (it has 16), it is as bright as a tactical flashlight
(much brighter than, say, a 6 D cell Maglight--it uses the new Luxeon
star LED I believe).
The sacrifice many small flashlights make is they use lithium batteris,
which are smaller and lighter than alkalines, but cost more per wat of
power. So if you're a heavy user, you will pay much more. The cheapest
is to get rechargeable C or D cells, and carry a spare charged set. I
haven't yet seen a drop-in rechargeable replacement for a lithium cell
such as the CR-123.
> I have an ARC AAA myself. It is almost as bright, more white, more
evenly lit than a mini-Mag with 2 AA batteries in it. Furthermore, the
ARC AAA uses
I have both, right in my hand, and I don't believe what you're saying.
The Arc AAA is only a single LED, the AA cell mini maglite has much more
light output.
only 1 AAA battery and will go for nearly 7 hours before starting to
dim--the AA Mag will only last about 1.5 to 2 hours before dropping to
that level.
That's because the maglite's regular bulb puts out more light and uses
more power.
> Furthermore, the LED is rated to last for 30,0000 hours or more. How
many
> Mag-light bulbs at $4 apiece would you replace in that period of time?
That's the main advantage of LEDs, they last longer. And they don't
change to yellowish amber light when the batteries get weak.
> For more information that is likely better than hearsay, check out the
LED discussion groups at:
Yeah, hearsay, that's what I call much of your information. :-O
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
DOrcy has some good LED flashlight buys in OSH, and other retail stores.
Check out their website. http://www.dorcy.com/led%20new.htm
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
> "wylbur37" <wylbur3...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
The problem with Inova is they use a much more expensive lithium
battery.
See URL http://www.inovalight.com/site.html?X5-ov
Anthony Fremont
> I have seen some UV LED flashlights. To me, these are a sort of
novelty.
> But, what would be the practical use for a UV LED type flashlight? I
found
> the power level to also be very low.
Checking "invisible" stamps (cover charge paid or over/under 21) at
night clubs for example. Also useful for illuminating the strip in
American paper money. No lap-dancing stripper should be without one.
;-)
FIXTEL
Dave VanHorn
> The problem with Inova is they use a much more expensive lithium
> battery.
> See URL http://www.inovalight.com/site.html?X5-ov
I pay less than $2 per cell on Ebay.
Ken Weitzel
R.Lewis wrote:
Hi...
Those new scanners (I don't have one yet) have 3 seperate
light sources.... one R, one G, and one B, so that the
light source can be made any temp you might want.
In the case of the cameras, the entry level ones just
default to a bright sunny day and leave it up to you
to compensate with post processing.
The mid levels have a few pre-determined choices,
like sunny, cloudy, incandescent, flourescent, etc
from which you may choose.
The top of the line cameras allow you to use
an 18% gray card to set with.
Take care.
Ken
jakdedert
If you enclose URL's in < > , they won't get broken up in transmission.
For instance, the URL of Terra Servers aerial of my late mom's house:
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/addressimage.aspx?t=1&s=10&alon=-90.43268133&alat=37.78217836&w=1&ref=A%7c115+N+Alexander+Ave%2c+Farmington%2c+MO+63640&Lon=-90.43259830923333&Lat=37.7822978377
jak
"Jeff Wiseman" <wise...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:4078550A...@earthlink.net...
jakdedert
"Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"" <NOS...@dslextreme.com> wrote
in message news:107gnaj...@corp.supernews.com...
<snip>
> That's the main advantage of LEDs, they last longer. And they don't
> change to yellowish amber light when the batteries get weak.
>
It's the 'main' advantage, yes; but not the only one by any means. Drop
your maglite when it's turned on and see what happens...or take two
maglites, turn one on for an hour or so. Then replace the cells and compare
the light output with a brand-new maglite. The bulbs silver up pretty
quickly, diminishing the output appreciably.
The only way to get full output from a mini mag is to have new cells, a
brand new bulb, and a well-polished reflector (and be careful not to drop
it)...none of which are requirements for a decent LED flashlight.
jak
jakdedert
URL stays intact. As you can see (and click) below, there are no "<>"
visible, but I put them there, and made the link 'clickable.' You just
can't see them.
jak
"jakdedert" <jde...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:y71ec.6402$Yw5....@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
ch...@nospam.com
Speaking of strippers... Forensics people use UV lights to look for
'male bodily fluids'. Cat urine also shows up under UV.
I have seen pens on eBay whose ink only shows up under UV. Suggested
uses were marking items sent in for repair to ensure you got the same
unit back. Marking properly so it could later be identified (thief
wouldn't see markings). Lots of other uses I can think of, too.
-Chris
Jeff Wiseman
browser won't break a URL anyway so I've been wasting my time all
along :-)
Thanks again!
- Jeff
Jeff Wiseman
Well the EverLED also has regulation built in as well. On the
larger D cell maglites It can go for well over 20 hours before
starting to really dim. This is because it's using more of the
battery. A regular bulb will show much more dimming prior to that
even with more life left in the batteries. "dead" batteries with
a regular bulb can be put into a light with the everled and they
can then still produce significant light.
You're right though, it's a bit more than just the LED. The
EverLED only needs 1.5volts (a single cell) to light but can be
used in a 6 cell (9 volt) flashlight. Try putting a 6 cell bulb
into a 1 cell flashlight and with a fresh battery it still will
not be real usable.
BTW, I was also not sure if it was a Luxeon Star or one of
LumiLED's other products being used in the EverLED.
> > The problem it that even though there are many different types of LED
> > based flashlites on the market, most of them at present are marketing
> > gimmicks and just plain garbage. There are some that are truely
> > innovative--a little expensive but comparable to the many other LED
> > models out there and many of them aren't evwen sold in retail stores
> > yet. There are some really good ones. ARC's most recent model (the
> > ARC4+) is only about 3 inches long, fits in your pocket, and on its
> > highest setting (it has 16), it is as bright as a tactical flashlight
> > (much brighter than, say, a 6 D cell Maglight--it uses the new Luxeon
> > star LED I believe).
>
> The sacrifice many small flashlights make is they use lithium batteris,
> which are smaller and lighter than alkalines, but cost more per wat of
> power. So if you're a heavy user, you will pay much more. The cheapest
> is to get rechargeable C or D cells, and carry a spare charged set. I
> haven't yet seen a drop-in rechargeable replacement for a lithium cell
> such as the CR-123.
Yes, this is true, but using the CR-123 with LED technology can
help some. Also, Lithiums do NOT have the problem of alkalines or
any rechargables when used in freezing temperatures.
Even with rechargable batteries though, you'll need to change
them 4-7 times where some LEDs will only need it once. Also, with
the small CR-123 type lights and their high intensity outputs
aren't always useful. You can have too much light. That's why
things like the ARC4+ are intrguing since they can be turned way
down if desired. Although you only get about 30 minutes at top
intensity, it can be extended to over 20 hours on the lower settings.
> > I have an ARC AAA myself. It is almost as bright, more white, more
> > evenly lit than a mini-Mag with 2 AA batteries in it. Furthermore, the
> > ARC AAA uses
>
> I have both, right in my hand, and I don't believe what you're saying.
> The Arc AAA is only a single LED, the AA cell mini maglite has much more
> light output.
I do stand corrected. You are absolutely right in that a fresh AA
minimag with a new unsilvered bulb IS brighter than the ARC AAA
at first. But if you turn them both on and leave them on for,
say, 3 hours or more it won't be. The usable light from the
minimag is gone and you'll have a few more hours of usable light
from the ARC. If you leave the minimag on when it's batteries are
run down, this is one of the things that accelerates the
silvering of the bulb so if you leave both on for, say 10 hours
continues, the ARC will need a single new AAA battery whereas the
mag will need two new AA's and a new bulb if it's to work as well
as it did 10 hours earlier.
However, the light from the ARC is whiter and more even than the
minimag at any setting. In general, I PERSONALLY have found that
the overall performance of the ARC over the minimag has resulted
in my minimag being left unused a lot of the time. YMMV
I shouldn't have misrepresented the total output of the AA
minimag that way though. Thanks for correcting me.
> > Furthermore, the LED is rated to last for 30,0000 hours or more. How
> > many
> > Mag-light bulbs at $4 apiece would you replace in that period of time?
>
> That's the main advantage of LEDs, they last longer. And they don't
> change to yellowish amber light when the batteries get weak.
Yes, in part. Also though is the fact that as the batteries wear
out and their Voltage drops, the usable light from the
incandescent drops much faster. For example, I had a nearly
"dead" battery in a Maglite Solitare (the single AAA version).
The mag would only barely glow. I take that battery and put it
into my ARC AAA and it lites up as bright as with a new battery.
I was able to get another couple hours of light out of the
maglite's "dead" battery. And the output of the Solitare when
fresh with new batterys and bulb is about the same as the ARC
(although I prefer the evenness and color of the ARC for reading).
LEDs can not only draw a battery down slower for a given light
output, that can be made to draw them down FURTHER using up more
of the battery before it needs to be disposed of.
> > For more information that is likely better than hearsay, check out the
> LED discussion groups at:
>
> Yeah, hearsay, that's what I call much of your information. :-O
I have a 3Dmaglite with an EverLED, a minmag, a mag solitare, and
an ARC AAA as well as a handlful of other incandescents. I've
experimented a lot and have done my share of research on these.
With the exception of the output mistake that I made and that you
corrected for me, I wouldn't really call it hearsay. However,
there certainly is a lot of it out there.
Again, although I'm not an active member of the forums, I would
encourage anyone interested in these topics to explore the URL:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com
There are some guys there that are very much into the hobby who
are using some very decent methods of doing comparisons on issues
such as these. Check out the reviews forum at:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=UBB16
There are some interesting collectings of output vs throw and
runtime plots for many different flashlights.
- Jeff
Jeff Wiseman
Check out Surefire's website (www.surefire.com). You can get them
there by the box for as low as $1.25 each.
- Jeff
Don Klipstein
>LED flashlights seem to be getting more popular these days. There are
>numerous websites that sell them, of different types and sizes.
>
>But here in New York City, I have yet to find a retail store that
>sells them. Radio Shack, for example, sells actual LEDs if you want to
>make your own, but they don't seem to sell ready-made LED flashlights.
>
>Does anyone know of some retail stores in the New York City area that
>sell LED flashlights?
I can say for Philadelphia, especially its suburbs:
Target sells a few LED models by Dorcy.
Sears and a few hardware stores have a Dorcy LED model or two.
The availability gets much better with mail-order and web retailers such
as Brookstone.
I have seen a couple LED "keychain lights" at K-Mart and Rite Aid.
Please check out a major LED, LED product, and LED flashlight review
site - http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm
This site mentions dozens of LED flashlights and where to get most of
them - mostly other than stores that you can walk into.
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com, http://www.misty.com/~don/ledx.html)
Don Klipstein
>I have seen them in some of the serious type camping stores. Here in
>Montreal, I have seen a few types in the Radio Shack stores. Apparently, I
>am told that they are not yet selling as well as the conventional type. I am
>told that one of the disadvantages are, is that they are still not as bright
>as the light bulb type.
Ones as bright as conventional ones can be made and are available, but
they cost more.
I have a darker suspicion: Many retail-available flashlight brands
(Mag is a notable exception) are brands of battery manufacturers. Many
retailers sell batteries. And when batteries weaken, an incandescent bulb
greatly loses efficiency while LEDs tend to have much lesser to sometimes
no loss of efficiency from being underpowered. LEDs will give you enough
light to see by from batteries too weak to make an incandescent flashlight
bulb outshine a cigarette. Also, when batteries get weak incandescent
bulbs have less resistance (continue to drain the batteries heavily)
while LEDs have increased resistance (effectively go into "energy
conservation mode"). And the manufacturers and retailers that are
reluctant to sell LED flashlights make a lot more money from selling
batteries than from selling flashlights.
Note that the somewhat common Eveready LED light takes batteries of a
size that I don't see their conventional flashlights using.
Don Klipstein
>Hi Bob,
>
>I am going to shop around again, if this is the case. A few months back, I
>was not as impressed as with a conventional lamp.
>
>I was reading an article about a year ago, that was explaining that in a few
>more years, we will be able to have our homes lit on LED technology.
I think that was optimistic. LEDs have only advanced about half as fast
as computers have throughout the past few decades. I expect that a decade
from now, fluorescents will be more economical than LEDs for general room
lighting.
>I am now seeing more and more new models of automobiles using LEDs for the
>rear lights.
It is easier for colored LEDs to outperform colored lights with
incandescent lamps than to have white LEDs outperform uncolored
incandescent lamps. LEDs are normally good at being specialists at
producing light of one particular color or another, while making colored
light from an incandescent requires having a filter that blocks some of
the light.
Don Klipstein
>
>WalMart, at least here in Canada, even offers them as
>replacement auto bulbs - plug in replacements for
>brake lights, back up, turn signals, etc. A little
>pricey, but probably reasonable pay back when you
>toss in the safety factor of no burnt out brake lights,
>etc.
BEWARE - they probably do not produce the required amount of light, and
especially probably do not produce the required amount of light into every
direction/angle at which a legal requirement is specified.
Even at auto parts stores such as Pep Boys, I see on display for sale
bulbs that are obviously illegal. The more honest of the illegal
fashionable bulbs/lamps/lights have disclaimers along the lines of:
* "Check local laws before using" (usually means unlawful for use on all
public roads under any municipal and/or county and/or state
jurisdiction of most to all of the 50 US "states").
* "For off-road use only" (illegal to use or maybe even have operational
on your vehicle while your vehicle is on a public road anywhere or at
least in most locations of the USA)
In my state, "off-road" lights on street-legal vehicles must be either
(maybe both) be covered or otherwise rendered unusable in a way that
requires someone to be outside the vehicle to restore usability, in
addition to requiring being disconnected and not just by a switch within
reach of a seated vehicle occupant (I heard that plugs and jacks are OK,
possibly even if in the reach of a driver in the driver's seat, but this
is hearsay).
* "Racing" - as in legal on a race track but not on a public road. Ever
notice that real race cars lack "racing lights"?
As for safety - in my experience, most cars have redundant bulbs for
brake and backup and tail lights and rear turn signal lights.
The "Driver Manual" for my state recommends frequent checking that one's
car has all bulbs working and to immediately replace any that are not
working. I have heard that in my state and in a neighboring one, a burnt
out bulb having a legally required function can get you a ticket that can
be negated by having the bulb replaced by a professional mechanic
giving you a receipt within 24 hours after the time on the ticket.
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
Don Klipstein
>
>"wylbur37" <wylbur3...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:8028c236.04040...@posting.google.com...
>> numerous websites that sell them, of different types and sizes.
>>
>> But here in New York City, I have yet to find a retail store that
>> sells them. Radio Shack, for example, sells actual LEDs if you want to
>> make your own, but they don't seem to sell ready-made LED flashlights.
>>
>> Does anyone know of some retail stores in the New York City area that
>> sell LED flashlights?
>
>be of little use in photography - or do the cameras do something clever when
>using these light sources?
The usual white LEDs have CRI anywhere from 75 to 85, much better than
the much-maligned and traditional, stil somewhat popular "Cool White"
fluorescents that typically rate a 62.
Also note that digital cameras largely avoid a problem that most films
have with most non-daylight non-incandescent non-xenon white light: Many
white light sources (other than incandescent and xenon) are to some extent
or another optimized for human eyeballs, which do not see the various
wavelengths of red visible light as equally as most films do. So a lot of
white artifical light sources look less red to film than to human vision.
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com, http://www.misty.com/~don/dschtech.html)
Don Klipstein
>
>Some, or perhaps now most, of the top of the line scanners
>use them for a light source in place of those short lived
>cold cathode flourescents...
Cold cathode fluorescent is actually a longlife technology. Also there
is no significant life expectancy penalty for frequent starts. These
things outlast hot cathode fluorescents!
The compromise of cold cathode fluorescents is that they are a little
less efficient than hot cathode fluorescents, along with some efficiency
compromise from having their diameter usually smaller than optimum for
maximum efficiency from fluorescents.
NOTE - smaller diameter raises the voltage drop, which mitigates the
efficiency-reducing factors of short lamp length and/or high "cathode
fall" (as in "cold cathode").
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
Unknown
>BTW, I was also not sure if it was a Luxeon Star or one of
>LumiLED's other products being used in the EverLED.
It's an edge-emitter Luxeon Star.
--
William Smith
ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com
Unknown
Uranium Glass marbles really flouresce well with that source!
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
[snip]
Again, I don't believe you one bit. Ya know, if you continue to distort
the truth, your believability will be seriously compromised. Like my
mother used to say, "I told you a million times not to exaggerate!"
> I was able to get another couple hours of light out of the maglite's
> "dead" battery. And the output of the Solitare when fresh with new
> batterys and bulb is about the same as the ARC (although I prefer the
> evenness and color of the ARC for reading).
> LEDs can not only draw a battery down slower for a given light
> output, that can be made to draw them down FURTHER using up more of
> the battery before it needs to be disposed of.
But the LED does not put out the same amount of light at lower battery
voltages, as you seem to imply. This is a given, and of course there is
a point where the LED's output is no longer adequate. Just for grins,
I've put old batteries into both my ARC AAA and into my Dorcy single AAA
cell flashlight, and let them run down the battery. When the voltage is
so low, the light output is seriously reduced. Try it yourself.
I built a few of the circuits shown here
http://elm-chan.org/works/led1/report_e.html
except I didn't use the D1 diode or C1, I used the LED itself as the
diode. It's a very simple circuit. These depend a lot on the
transistor's gain and low Vce(sat). I've had one that barely worked at
.55V, but that's not realistic because the light is barely visible. At
.8V it puts out somewhat more light but nowhere near what it puts out
with a fresh cell. So I can "run down" a supposedly dead AA or AAA cell
with this circuit, but the light output is much less than adequate at
low voltages.
As for CPF, I find that most of what they are doing involves using the
Maxim or LT chips, and they seem to be stuck on using the CR-123 lithium
cells. Well, that's not the most economical, and I'm one who, like you,
would rather run down some AA cells. They're on sale for 25 cents or
less (alkalines), and you can't beat them for economy. See
www.cheapbatteries.com for some real cheap batteries.
> - Jeff
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
Same for www.cheapbatteries.com. But you can get AA alkaline cells for
a lot cheaper, a whole lot cheaper.
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
> My kids got some "invisible ink" diaries with UV LED lights. My
> Uranium Glass marbles really flouresce well with that source!
You have Uranium marbles? Now I _know_ you've lost your marbles! ;-)
Dave VanHorn
"Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"" <NOS...@dslextreme.com> wrote
in message news:c5est4$6mdtv$5...@hades.csu.net...
Uranium glass. It's greenish, aka "vaseline glass".
Unknown
Yeah, they are a lot of fun, they flouresce very brightly under UV
light, and nearly double the background count on my dosimeter when I
leave it lying on them. I don't exactly leave them lying around where
kids can put them in thier mouths, but they are a lot safer than a lot
of the other stuff around here...
Google for uranium glass or vaseline glass sometime.
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
"the Wiz" <lo...@message.body> wrote in message
news:uqne70l8dhr6disfd...@4ax.com...
[snip]
> There are some VERY bright LED flashlights available, at appreciably
higher
> prices than the "keyhole" lights. Technology Associates
http://www.techass.com
> has a broad selection of lights, including a drop-in replacement for
the bulb in
> the MiniMag lights.
> Can't report on how bright they really are (yet), the one I ordered
will be
> delivered next week ;-)
I think I like my Opalec Newbeam better. I bought a pair of Opalec
Newbeams last year and I've been using them regularly since. They have
three LEDs instead of just one, but are more expensive ($27). These
only fit later models of the Mini Maglite - check out their website.
http://www.opalec.com/products.html
New lower price, see http://www.pocketlights.com/opalec.asp
> The primary value of LED flashlights is their long battery life and
(almost)
> eternal LED life.
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
> Hi Bob,
>
> I am going to shop around again, if this is the case. A few months
back, I
> was not as impressed as with a conventional lamp.
>
> I was reading an article about a year ago, that was explaining that in
a few
> more years, we will be able to have our homes lit on LED technology.
>
the
> rear lights.
What puzzles me is that far fewer auto makers have replaced
incandescents than have truck and bus makers. It seems as tho almost
all buses and trucks have LEDs in their taillights, but few later model
autos do. I know the new Toyota Prius has some LEDs, but not all, in
the taillights.
Maybe trucks and autos use them because of the reliability and low
maintenance. Auto makers probably don't because they're not as cheap as
incandescents.
> --
>
> Greetings,
>
> Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
> =========================================
> WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
> Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
> =========================================
>
>
> "Bob Myers" <nospam...@address.invalid> wrote in message
> news:o2Ddc.2753$zZ4....@news.cpqcorp.net...
>
> "Jerry G." <jerr...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:c561oa$653$1...@news.eusc.inter.net...
> > I have seen them in some of the serious type camping stores. Here in
> > Montreal, I have seen a few types in the Radio Shack stores.
Apparently, I
> > am told that they are not yet selling as well as the conventional
type. I
> am
> > told that one of the disadvantages are, is that they are still not
as
> bright
> > as the light bulb type.
>
> I'm not so sure about that in the latest versions; I just got
> one of these (as a freebie at a trade show, so I have no idea
> what they'd cost) using a single LumiLeds white LED and
> a 3V lithium battery. About the size of an "AA"-battery
> Maglite, although stubbier and bit fatter - and this sucker is
> BRIGHT. I haven't measured the light output, but the folks
> from LumiLeds said that they're pushing into the 100-1000
> lumens range with their LEDs. I can easily see a flashlight
> using several of these LEDs as being more than
> bright enough to replace my trusty 3-cell Maglite.
>
> Bob M.
> >
> > I bought a few keychain holders with one of these. It is good in the
dark
> to
> > find the key-hole, or look for something that does not require a
powerful
> > illumination.
> >
> > --
> >
> > Greetings,
> >
> > Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
> > =========================================
> > WebPage http://www.zoom-one.com
> > Electronics http://www.zoom-one.com/electron.htm
> > =========================================
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
>>William P.N. Smith wrote:
So if you're required to wear a dosimiter, do the higher than average
readings make people edgy and curious as to how you're approaching the
'glow-in-the-dark' stage???
Bob Myers
<William P.N. Smith> wrote in message
news:duae701i3gcdof9hl...@4ax.com...
> "Bob Myers" <nospam...@address.invalid> wrote:
> >I'm not so sure about that in the latest versions; I just got
> >one of these (as a freebie at a trade show, so I have no idea
> >what they'd cost) using a single LumiLeds white LED and
> >a 3V lithium battery.
>
> http://store.yahoo.com/flashlight/arclshstandard.html ?? If so,
> that's a pretty pricey tradeshow handout! 8*) I've got one with a
> screw-on cap and a belt holster that fits a spare battery, and it goes
> everywhere with me. Really nice!
No; I wouldn't trust this one to be that well-sealed
against the elements, for one thing. But I was pleasantly
surprised by the construction of this thing, given that it
was a freebie!
Bob M.
Unknown
>William P.N. Smith wrote:
>> "Watson A.Name \"Watt Sun - the Dark Remover\""
>> Yeah, they are a lot of fun, they flouresce very brightly under UV
>> light, and nearly double the background count on my dosimeter
>So if you're required to wear a dosimiter, do the higher than average
>readings make people edgy and curious as to how you're approaching the
>'glow-in-the-dark' stage???
If I were required to wear the dosimeter, the marbles would add about
10 percent of the allowable WHO allowable limits, which is to say
they'd never notice. Only folks who don't know anything about
radiation get wierded out by my marbles, the sources in their smoke
detectors, plane flights, airport X-ray machines, etc. I'm not
required to wear a dosimeter, it's a fun toy. [Besides, after the
dirty bomb goes off, they'll be hard to come by, so I stocked up
early. 8*]
Jim Yanik
> If I were required to wear the dosimeter, the marbles would add about
> 10 percent of the allowable WHO allowable limits, which is to say
> they'd never notice. Only folks who don't know anything about
> radiation get wierded out by my marbles, the sources in their smoke
> detectors, plane flights, airport X-ray machines, etc. I'm not
> required to wear a dosimeter, it's a fun toy. [Besides, after the
> dirty bomb goes off, they'll be hard to come by, so I stocked up
> early. 8*]
>
Some old pottery glazes used uranium,too.So,if you have old dinnerware or
old pottery,or old glassware,you might have uranium in it.It's not really
much of a problem,though.No big deal,just don't serve acidic foods in the
dinnerware,it leaches out some of the uranium.Or relate it to "display
only" status.
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
"Dave VanHorn" <dvan...@cedar.net> wrote in message
news:04GdnTeKUMr...@comcast.com...
>
> > The problem with Inova is they use a much more expensive lithium
> > battery.
> > See URL http://www.inovalight.com/site.html?X5-ov
>
> I pay less than $2 per cell on Ebay.
Most people don't shop on Ebay, they buy their batteries at the grocery
store or worse yet, Radio Scrap. And they're _not_ cheap there!
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
> Dave VanHorn wrote:
I can buy a brick of AA alkalines for $.25 - $.30 each not on sale, and
even less when they're on sale. Hard to beat that for inexpensive
batteries, and everything seems to use AA cells.
What's bothering me is that very few flashlight makers have progressed
to designing their lights to use rechargeable cells. If more AA cell
sized flashlights would be designed to use Ni-MH cells, the world would
have a lot less batteries to trash, recycle, etc.
> - Jeff
Unknown
<NOS...@dslextreme.com> wrote:
>What's bothering me is that very few flashlight makers have progressed
>to designing their lights to use rechargeable cells. If more AA cell
>sized flashlights would be designed to use Ni-MH cells, the world would
>have a lot less batteries to trash, recycle, etc.
And a lot more dead flashlights sitting in drawers, cars, and other
places. Sure, if they get a lot of use, rechargable batteries are
nice, but they'll self-discharge to uselessness in a month or two. I
dunno how many flashlights I've got, but if I had to worry about
keeping their batteries charged I'd end up doing nothing else...
Watson A.Name - "Watt Sun, the Dark Remover"
news:ksos709p65qntlek9...@4ax.com...
I don't know about you, but it doesn't seem to be a problem for the
several cordless phones, cell phones and cordless tools I have. They
come with a cradle to put them in when not in use. Another way is like
the ones we have at work: there is a fold-out plug on the side of the
flashlight and it stays plugged into the wall when not in use.
This isn't rocket science, you know. The cost or a rechargeable
cordless phone, screwdriver or whatever might be in the $20 to $30
range, less on sale. The leap from a 900 MHz full duplex transceiver to
a simple light beam is a leap backwards in technology.
Dave VanHorn
> > I pay less than $2 per cell on Ebay.
>
> Most people don't shop on Ebay, they buy their batteries at the grocery
> store or worse yet, Radio Scrap. And they're _not_ cheap there!
Half the people you meet are below average intelligence. :)
Mjolinor
Hmmm, half the people you meet are average intelligence or below. :)
Mjolinor
"Mjolinor" <mjol...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:amwfc.80$O07.17@newsfe1-win...
What about:- Just under half the people you meet are below average
intelligence.
Half the average intelligence people you meet plus (half the people you meet
minus those of average intelligence) are below average intelligence.
Is that any good?
Unknown
>Half the average intelligence people you meet plus (half the people you meet
>minus those of average intelligence) are below average intelligence.
Half the people you meet are below the average intelligence of people
you meet. [I don't hang out in places (*) that represent a
statistical sample of intelligences]
(*) except for newsgroups, of course. 8*)
Jim Yanik
If you can find an $8.00 battery for $1.66 from an Internet source,why
would you buy from the more expensive place?
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
Jim Yanik
Those cordless phone batteries are intended for frequent use.
Flashlights mostly sit around for long periods before being used.
Those lithiums have a 10 year shelf life.
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
jakdedert
Go to your local Batteries Plus store and get fresh Duracell Procell AA's
for around half a buck apiece.
jak
Graham W
<William P.N. Smith> wrote in message
> "Mjolinor" <mjol...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Half the average intelligence people you meet plus (half the people you
meet
> >minus those of average intelligence) are below average intelligence.
>
> Half the people you meet are below the average intelligence of people
> you meet. [I don't hang out in places (*) that represent a
> statistical sample of intelligences]
>
> (*) except for newsgroups, of course. 8*)
Creep!
But did you know that most people have more fingers than the average?
--
Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
The average dude or dudette don't know there are places that sell 'em
for $1.66. All they see is Radio Scrap or Sav-On, which may be even
more expensive than RS, believe it or not.
Then there's this latest scam, the "Ultra" battery. Like, do you really
get double the capacity for double the price? I don't think so.
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
Right now, I'm doing my own rechargeable thing. I use Ni-MHs in much of
my stuff, and I see no problem with them sitting around, for four years
so far, with occasional use, and an occasional charge. Obviously
lithiums don't need anything for years, but then neither do alkalines
(the ones I've been getting lately have date codes of 2006, 2008 or later).
Watson A.Name "Watt Sun - the Dark Remover"
Never heerd of it. I'll have to see if there a store around here. I
doubt it, tho.
Nope. I checked their website, the closest store is 40 miles away, cost
me ten bucks for gas to get there and back. Forget it.
I can go to Fry's and get a brick of AA alkalines for $.25 to $.30 each.
Cheaper online, at such places as cheapbatteries.com.
> jak
ch...@nospam.com
I've found cheap, off-brand batteries simply don't last very long. A
bought a bunch of el-cheapos from Big-Lots and they lasted about 1/3
as long as name brand ones.
NiMH batteries don't handle the current draw of a incandescent
flashlight very well. The do seem to be a good match for LED
flashlights though.
Dave VanHorn
> NiMH batteries don't handle the current draw of a incandescent
> flashlight very well. The do seem to be a good match for LED
> flashlights though.
I think you have a different problem.. They power my thermal printer just
fine, with 10A pulse and 3A average draw.