Run time with 2 good quality D cell batteries should be about 5-7 hours continuous, although we have a few 3watt LED 3 D cell flashlights and that we use infrequently and have only changed batteries in one of them in the last 3 years. The light is much whiter but is generally confined to a much narrower beam. The articles on the web show that D cells are rated for about 12000mah at 200ma. They don't suffer from the self discharge problem of rechargeables. AA NiMh has a rating of about 1800-2650mah but have a much lower internal resistance and can be recharged many times so I'm guess 2 AA NiMh would run for about 2-3 hours but if you didn't use them after a month or two would not last long at all. BTW I'm in for 2 sets. We'll see what we get...

andrelook wrote:The right way to say this is,

we could not have cared less or

We couldn't care less

That's English.. Nothing personal.. 1/2 the people who say this don't have a clue what they are really saying

He probably was using voice recognition and didn't proofread the post. It happens to me when I use my VR program and I have to proofread before I send a message. It never misspells, just uses the wrong, but properly spelled word, that sounds a bit like what I actually said.

andrelook wrote:The right way to say this is,

we could not have cared less or

We couldn't care less

That's English.. Nothing personal.. 1/2 the people who say this don't have a clue what they are really saying

t2000kw wrote:He probably was using voice recognition and didn't proofread the post. It happens to me when I use my VR program and I have to proofread before I send a message. It never misspells, just uses the wrong, but properly spelled word, that sounds a bit like what I actually said.

@t2000kw: You have way too much faith in others.

@andrelook: Although I am quite the grammar naz¡, I try to keep it to myself, and to not correct mistakes where correct grammar is irrelevant and unimportant. I would say that in this forum in general, and in t2000kw's post in particular, grammar correction is usually unnecessary. Unless someone who is critiquing others' grammar makes a mistake themselves; then they're open season. I have to say that you gave my quite a smile with your decision to correct t2000kw's misuse immediately after posting a comment yourself in which you misspelled the word "excellent." (In all caps, no less.)

If you look carefully at the images of the Brinkmann's and these flashlights, they are different. For example, look at the shape of the bezel around the lens. I don't think these are the same as the Brinkmann's.

Image of Brinkmann's

http://s3.amazonaws.com/wootsaleimages/Brinkmann_3_Watt_Luxeon_LED_Aluminum_Flashlight6vtDetail.jpg

Image of these

http://s3.amazonaws.com/wootsaleimages/3_Watt_Cree_LED_Aluminum_Flashlight_2-PackpwgDetail.jpg

waikng wrote:...

Make hotlinks for those:

Brinkmann

and:

Woot

msilverstone wrote:I too could care less. But, since I do not have enough time to figure out just how much I do care now, I will not care less.

Even if I should care less.

Even if I couldn't care less, I wouldn't

NightGhost wrote:Just out of curiosity, which have attacked you more often - wolves, wild-dogs or drunks?

Umm, NG? -- Can you guarantee this post is untraceable by the game wardens. I'm cool with the sheriff, but those Dept of Fish and Wildlife guys are way harsh!

FWIW - "most common" criteria is a trick question, because of the fact that wolves and drunks have wisely avoided direct confrontations. Now if we were growing hemp, like Humboldt County, we might have more of an issue with the 420 crowd, but ... that's another question entirely.

Back to the topic, much like Jimmy Carter, I apparently have a crazed rabbit problem. They terrify me so much, especially when they look at you and show their long, wicked teeth. Think of Mr. Chompers! So if I can just list the most common encounters:

Rabbits (more than a dozen, thank you for "freezing"),
raccoons (at least a dozen),
hawk (missed every time, but got feathers and saved the chicks),
and tied for last place, a bobcat and a wild dog.

I will mention I've tried to nail a beaver, but that requires a rifle and patience. They won't

The drunks and wolves? They just slink away at a warning shot. And possums, no sport. Just grab them by the tail and move them. Foxes, deer, skunks and coyotes are all long gun game for various reasons.

Umm -- should I do a spreadsheet?

One last comment -- none of these succumbed due to hand-to-hand wounds. None of the "tactical" features of either the Glock or the flashlight have been employed in close combat. Next time I slash a rabbit with a bezel or trigger guard I will let you know.

tpscan wrote:I disagree. I have both. I have 6 of the Serengeti light, sold two weeks ago and 8 of the Brinkman models sold last year, ones with the Luxeon 3-watt emitters.

The Serengeti, at full power, is slightly brighter, with a similar beam width. However, the smaller flashlight (the Serengeti) does not have the total energy of the D-cell unit.
(3 * AAA-cells x 1.41 Wh = 4.23 Watt*Hours vs
2 D-cells x 20.83 Wh = 41.66 Watt*Hours, a 10-1 ratio).

The D-cell units will work for hours and days. Let it roll around in the back of the truck. It will be easy to find when you need it. It will last as long as you do. The smaller light works well when needed, but fills a niche focused more on convenience, than utility. Durable, but made for burglary, not day-long sieges.

Size can matter in other ways. When wearing gloves in cold weather, the smaller light is hard to grasp for long. The larger, 2-D cell really is more comfortable for long use or when gloved. I can tuck it under an arm when walking in the dark. I have used the butt of the D-cell light to break ice in watering troughs, de-ice padlock and to nudge a sticking door on a coop.

If an attacker does threaten, I know I have a choice. I could blind him with the light, bludgeon him with the case butt or spotlight him for proper targeting as I take a combat brace with the Glock resting on the barrel of the light.

OTOH -- when you need a handy, pocket-sized flash to find your keys, read a map or blind someone approaching on a lonely street corner, the small pocket flash is ideal.

If threatened I would not use the tiny "tactical" Serengeti as a bludgeon or fist weapon, but it also pairs sleekly with the Glock for targeting, for those at home in the more refined urban or suburban environment.

Each light has it's place. As I said, I have both. Both work well as lights or shooting accessories. Every citizen should carry the essentials appropriate to their environment.

BTW -- the Glock I usually carry is a compact frame model, built for the powerful, mad-bull-stopping 10mm round. But I also have the matching 0.40 caliber barrel for this Glock, chambered for the more economical, lighter recoil, FBI-lite round, more suited to the urban environment. Especially true when paired with hollow point ammo (vs metal jacketed) to prevent stray rounds penetrating walls. Either work well on wolves, wild-dogs or drunks. I recommend considering the combo for those comfy in both city and country environments.

Just a tip to the well-equipped but considerate citizen.

From a fellow gun owner: Your rant is disturbing. Perhaps its time for some counseling.

I'm in for 3 sets; w00t-w00t-w00t! :D

tpscan wrote:Umm, NG? -- Can you guarantee this post is untraceable by the game wardens. I'm cool with the sheriff, but those Dept of Fish and Wildlife guys are way harsh!

FWIW - "most common" criteria is a trick question, because of the fact that wolves and drunks have wisely avoided direct confrontations. Now if we were growing hemp, like Humboldt County, we might have more of an issue with the 420 crowd, but ... that's another question entirely.

Back to the topic, much like Jimmy Carter, I apparently have a crazed rabbit problem. They terrify me so much, especially when they look at you and show their long, wicked teeth. Think of Mr. Chompers! So if I can just list the most common encounters:

Rabbits (more than a dozen, thank you for "freezing"),
raccoons (at least a dozen),
hawk (missed every time, but got feathers and saved the chicks),
and tied for last place, a bobcat and a wild dog.

I will mention I've tried to nail a beaver, but that requires a rifle and patience. They won't

The drunks and wolves? They just slink away at a warning shot. And possums, no sport. Just grab them by the tail and move them. Foxes, deer, skunks and coyotes are all long gun game for various reasons.

Umm -- should I do a spreadsheet?

One last comment -- none of these succumbed due to hand-to-hand wounds. None of the "tactical" features of either the Glock or the flashlight have been employed in close combat. Next time I slash a rabbit with a bezel or trigger guard I will let you know.

Biting my tongue to stay away from the beaver comment.

Hogs are our problem.

j5 wrote:Good info overall, save for one glaring omission; what the hell do you look for? DX has a shirt-tonne of product.



eta: why is the "quote" bbcode broken?

One that meets the specs you didn't provide.

For example, input voltage range, output current desired, number of logical modes of operation (for example hi/low/strobe/SOS/off) flashlight body contact or solder lead contact power input, and the diameter of the inside of the flashlight head if flashlight body contact type.

That's just a start,a but it should let you pick something... except you won't be likely to find any $2 driver boards that fit the body of a D cell light, unless it is an entire driver pill integrating the heatsink, reflector, driver board and spring all in one unit. This latter option still requires measuring flashlight head depth and diameter to pick one that fits, though it is rare to find such modules for 2 x D cell operation, some exist but usually they are for 1 x or more Li-Ion cell operation.

Is the lens plastic?

Maccydo wrote:Run time with 2 good quality D cell batteries should be about 5-7 hours continuous, although we have a few 3watt LED 3 D cell flashlights and that we use infrequently and have only changed batteries in one of them in the last 3 years. The light is much whiter but is generally confined to a much narrower beam. The articles on the web show that D cells are rated for about 12000mah at 200ma.

That is the catch, "IF" this is actually driving the LED at 3W, you have far far higher current from the D alkalines than 200mA.

Back of napkin calc would be, 3W output as 2 x 1.2V input (alkaline cells will drop to this low voltage at such high current levels) plus a driver that is at most roughly 90% efficient (very unlikely, in this grade of light they tend to be at most 80% efficient if that for boost circuits but let's use 90%) is:

3W/(2.4V * 0.9) = 1.4A

Even the mighty sized D cell alkaline won't be anywhere near 12000mA at 1.4A discharge rate.

They don't suffer from the self discharge problem of rechargeables.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Mr. LSD, aka Sanyo Eneloop ;)

AA NiMh has a rating of about 1800-2650mah but have a much lower internal resistance and can be recharged many times so I'm guess 2 AA NiMh would run for about 2-3 hours but if you didn't use them after a month or two would not last long at all. BTW I'm in for 2 sets. We'll see what we get...

We really can't guess. It may have a boost driver (but has anyone actually proved this with a teardown and measurements?) but don't know the actual drive current used. That they write 3W LED, doesn't necessarily mean it is being driven at 3W as that is just the max rating under normal heatsinking conditions. "Most" 3W LED flashlights are not actually driven at 3W, especially the generic ones that use boost circuits like you often see at certain Hong Kong bulk sales sites having initials like DX or KD.

Also, and I admit I am too lazy to hunt down info since I don't know if it even exists, without knowing what bin and model of Cree LED this uses, it doesn't seem likely to be running at the full 3W with only 120 lumens spec'd.

What a great deal, I am in for a set also!

frebitz wrote:From a fellow gun owner: Your rant is disturbing. Perhaps its time for some counseling.

Thanks for the tip, frebitz!

Had the counseling and it worked out great! Where do you think I got tip about Lone Wolf Distributors (See www.lonewolfdist.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=500&CAT=56) and the 40 cal refit barrel for use in urban environments?

But I will keep going. Each visit my range scores have gone up. I have started recommending counseling to all my NRA buddies. If three more guys sign up for sessions, our counselor is going to give me a new laser sight for the Glock!

In for a pair of deals; two I'll keep (I collect flashlights) and two I'll give away. Incidentally, the best bedside light is a 1920s-era flashlight with a large convex lens; it throws a nice big soft glow, not a bright spot that will blind anyone groggy with sleep.

per dealnews:
Victorinox Swiss Army 2W LED Flashlight for $10 + $6 s&h, more
REI-OUTLET offers the Victorinox Swiss Army 2-Watt LED Flashlight (pictured), model no. V3AMR, for $9.93. Shipping adds $5.99, or choose free site to store shipping. Even with shipping, that's $20 off and the lowest total price we could find. Sales tax is added where applicable. Deal ends March 4.
REI-OUTLET also offers the Victorinox Swiss Army 5.8-Watt LED Flashlight, model no. V2CMR, for $19.93. Shipping adds $5.99, or choose free site to store shipping. Even with shipping, that's another price low, this time by $13.

johnmasonsmith wrote:I bought two of these off woot about a year ago. I love them, and they are super awesome. Do they are simple very bright flashlights! I leave one in my tackle box and one in my tool box. They are practically indestructible and I still have the original batteries from the time I bought them even though I used them both quite a bit.

Well now you've got me wondering... Do they are simple very bright flashlights?(!)

tpscan wrote:I disagree. I have both. I have 6 of the Serengeti light, sold two weeks ago and 8 of the Brinkman models sold last year, ones with the Luxeon 3-watt emitters.

The Serengeti, at full power, is slightly brighter, with a similar beam width. However, the smaller flashlight (the Serengeti) does not have the total energy of the D-cell unit.
(3 * AAA-cells x 1.41 Wh = 4.23 Watt*Hours vs
2 D-cells x 20.83 Wh = 41.66 Watt*Hours, a 10-1 ratio).

The D-cell units will work for hours and days. Let it roll around in the back of the truck. It will be easy to find when you need it. It will last as long as you do. The smaller light works well when needed, but fills a niche focused more on convenience, than utility. Durable, but made for burglary, not day-long sieges.

Size can matter in other ways. When wearing gloves in cold weather, the smaller light is hard to grasp for long. The larger, 2-D cell really is more comfortable for long use or when gloved. I can tuck it under an arm when walking in the dark. I have used the butt of the D-cell light to break ice in watering troughs, de-ice padlock and to nudge a sticking door on a coop.

If an attacker does threaten, I know I have a choice. I could blind him with the light, bludgeon him with the case butt or spotlight him for proper targeting as I take a combat brace with the Glock resting on the barrel of the light.

OTOH -- when you need a handy, pocket-sized flash to find your keys, read a map or blind someone approaching on a lonely street corner, the small pocket flash is ideal.

If threatened I would not use the tiny "tactical" Serengeti as a bludgeon or fist weapon, but it also pairs sleekly with the Glock for targeting, for those at home in the more refined urban or suburban environment.

Each light has it's place. As I said, I have both. Both work well as lights or shooting accessories. Every citizen should carry the essentials appropriate to their environment.

BTW -- the Glock I usually carry is a compact frame model, built for the powerful, mad-bull-stopping 10mm round. But I also have the matching 0.40 caliber barrel for this Glock, chambered for the more economical, lighter recoil, FBI-lite round, more suited to the urban environment. Especially true when paired with hollow point ammo (vs metal jacketed) to prevent stray rounds penetrating walls. Either work well on wolves, wild-dogs or drunks. I recommend considering the combo for those comfy in both city and country environments.

Just a tip to the well-equipped but considerate citizen.

Do you live in a town that was taken over by Zombies? Get the UV version-it works well against vampires, and you can bludgeon them before they burst into flames.

In for 3 sets! One for each car and a couple around the house! If these are even close to the Brinkmann's I will be happy!

andrelook wrote:EXCELLANT POST - changed my mind about buying the lights

Sure seems like there were alot of DOA Brinkman units in the prior sales. Hope these are better quality.....

bobdotorg wrote:If these are CREE LEDs they're at least two generations old (40 lumens / watt). The newest CREE XM-L emitters put out over 100 lumens per watt:
http://www.cree.com/products/xlamp_xml.asp

...and when have we seen the latest and greatest technology sold at discount here on Woot?????

bobhobard wrote:Do you live in a town that was taken over by Zombies? Get the UV version-it works well against vampires, and you can bludgeon them before they burst into flames.

Oh NO! If you read all the posts on this topic, you'd see that I live in the country. A rural area, not a town. Zombies are not an issue out here. They are a lot like possums, dumb and slow. So out here they are the bottom of the food chain, just above road-kill. Turkey vultures, coyotes and just about anything else with an appetite and little compunction take a bite out of crime and keep the zombie population in check.

I may have to check out the UV version. Just the other day, I found a bat hanging above my screened in porch door. And if you watched True Blood, you know what a major issue vampire control has become in rural areas.

BrokeDave wrote:One that meets the specs you didn't provide.

For example, input voltage range, output current desired, number of logical modes of operation (for example hi/low/strobe/SOS/off) flashlight body contact or solder lead contact power input, and the diameter of the inside of the flashlight head if flashlight body contact type.

That's just a start,a but it should let you pick something... except you won't be likely to find any $2 driver boards that fit the body of a D cell light, unless it is an entire driver pill integrating the heatsink, reflector, driver board and spring all in one unit. This latter option still requires measuring flashlight head depth and diameter to pick one that fits, though it is rare to find such modules for 2 x D cell operation, some exist but usually they are for 1 x or more Li-Ion cell operation.

Well, gosh. Hmmm....Let me see.......Maybe, just maybe, and this is a bit of a reach, I'd be interested in something that fits whatever specs this thing has. Would that be a logical assumption? Considering you now don't think there's a $2 driver that could be used on this flashlight, perhaps the original post is less helpful than initially thought?

I want my tracking number! I need it for flashlight tag during Spring Break :-D

smithdude74701 wrote:I want my tracking number! I need it for flashlight tag during Spring Break :-D

smithdude -- you should know by now, you can get your tracking number by opening your account info. The tracking number shows on your receipt.

BTW -- Today is Wed, 9 March and my flashlights arrived. They are not an unlabeled copy of the Brinkman flashlight. As some suspected, they are an unbranded knockoff. The boxes look like Harbor Freight/Chinese manufacture knockoffs.

This flashlight is not as heavy as the Brinkman, it is a lighter gauge material. Still sturdy but not Mag Lite sturdy. If you want to use it for head bashing you will need to use some caution or you may end up denting your flashlight as well as the target skull.

However it throws a very powerful beam. The reflector is very deep and concentrates the light quite a bit. I compared it to the Brinkmans that I have, as well as the 3 watt 140 lumen Serengeti. The light from this flashlight was even brighter with an intense hotspot. Later tonight I'll check it out in the rain.

Got mine today and was surprised at the tight focus of the beam. Excellent for longer distances. They may not be as heavy-duty as the Brinkmann, but with the D batteries they do have some heft. Happy.

Got mine yesterday, and I think this is simply the best value flashlight I've seen. Very powerful throw (relatively small hotspot is perhaps 10' diameter at 600' distance, but good for distance illumination). The fill light (the dimmer corona) is quite powerful indoors, much more so than my other lights.

This light clearly has a boost circuit of some sort. I also do not think that this is terribly old technology (my guess is a CREE XP-G, clearly not an MC-E multi-die led, nor is it the new XM-L, and it's clearly more powerful and much cooler than my XR-E based Fenix). The light stays very cool and did not significantly increase the battery temperature even after letting my kids play with it for a couple hours.

Slightly smaller in length and diameter than a 2-D Mag-Lite, but similar construction and operation. This would make a great gift for a homeowner (really anyone who might think that Mags are "great" lights) - simple, appears durable, easy to use, and easy to feed.

If they show up on the woot-off, I'll buy 3 more (wish I had ordered 6 instead of 2).

I do wonder about battery life with alkalines (though I've already got a couple hours' burn time), and 2/3-D rechargeables would probably cost more than 7 or 8 of these lights...

the 6 that I ordered showed up today. Maybe I'm crazy but I was thinking they were supposed to come with a set of batteries? Can anyone else confirm or deny?

Just got my 6. Right off the bat, I am very impressed by the build. Seem to be quite rugged and I will agree the beam is very tight and BRIGHT. Going to have fun tonight playing in the backyard. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more of these. Would make great gifts to family.

Got mine today, one of the few things in the past while where i feel i got my moneys worth.

The paper that comes with it says made in China, Powerful Flashlight item #AC11296A and has a Cree Q3

The threads seem about as smooth as they are worth, but work okay. Just probably want to be careful not to strip them as they can be a little gritty.


Should do well in my car for peeking around under the hood in the dark! Will keep one on nightstand as a nightstick!

Got my two flashlights today. Previous comments are pretty much spot on. They are very, very bright. They are knockoffs, though. Pretty good for the cars. No regrets.

I don't know if anyone posted it yet or not, but the spec sheet that came with the lights say that it has a Cree Q3 emitter. The lens and reflector are plastic.

@ $10/light shipped, these are pretty nice. I'll keep an eye out for them and grab a few more if they show up again.

One was DOA. In the process of an RMA to get my money back.

Edit: Nevermind. If you take some tiny needle nose pliers and grab onto the indents around the CREE star and screw the module down clockwise, it'll make better contact and come back to life. RMA no longer needed.

One of my top ten favorite purchases this decade. Awesome light. Now my dog and I take late night walks at night. And the weight with the D batteries makes it a great weapon.

After several weeks of using these lights, my only regret is that I didn't get more. Very bright for the money, seems to be well made, good quality beam. I'm hoping they come up again.

Fixed focus, water resistant, NOT waterproof, durable, and very bright. Nice but would be better if you could focus and if they were waterproof.