Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:35:19 -0500, "Steve W."
wrote:

Wes wrote:
Rich Grise wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:
Q: How long do 2AA maglite batteries last with a 3W Luxeon in 'em?

About an hour?

I have a LED maglight, it starts acting like there is corrosion or something when the
batter drops. Tap it, lights up and goes out.

Then I have a Coleman LED light, it stays on forever but it dims over the whole time. When
the batteries are fresh, it out clases my maglight.

Since I'm dreaming, I'd like to have a LED light that near the end of battery life gives
blink codes by muting the led on how close you are getting to lights out.

Wes
I have a "few" lights around. At least 4 Mag lights in 3D size, a couple
in 2D, about 6 of the 2AA mini mags all with LED conversion and switch
style tailcaps. 4 Coleman 2AA LED, A couple Brinkman 2D LED units (they
get traffic duty a LOT as the director cones fit them well and they are
BRIGHT) Plus at least 3 Surefire lights. One is the older Xenon bulb and
is on a shotgun, another is the new LED unit that also strobes and
changes colors to disorient the target. The last is mounted on my fire
helmet.

Out of them all the Surefires have the lowest battery life. They are
also putting out a LOT of light from a tiny package.
Next in line are the LED mini mags. With a new set of good batteries
they will run about 1 hour before they start to dim and at 2 hours they
are about as good as a candle.
3 cell mags are the next on the list, they start to dim and die at about
2 hours.
The 2D Brinkmans last a LONG time. one set of batteries will go 4 plus
hours before you have to swap them out. I keep them loaded with lithium
so they will be ready as needed and not have dead batteries just from
sitting around.
The 2AA Colemans last a long time as well. Like Wes says with new batts
they are VERY bright and they are small and handy. Plus if you dab a
coating of sealer over the switch and dab some thick grease on the
threads they will work underwater down to about 20 feet. Found that out
when a diver showed me that he uses one a lot.

That's downright lousy battery mileage, Steve. I seldom find a reason
for spotlight brightness and like the longer mileage I get from the
single LED in my minimag. I only use it for ten minutes at a time and
get years on one set. Dunno how long it'll burn in one go. Anyone?
NiteIze conversion 2AA minimaglite.

--
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
-- Margaret Lee Runbeck

Depends on what you expect from the light. Mine get serious abuse and
use so I change out batteries at the first hint of possible problems.
The thought of being in a burning building at 02:00 and having a light
fail because of a dead battery is not comforting, neither is standing in
moving traffic and having your director wand die during those nice dark
winter nights when the snow is falling and you can't see 10 feet...

The house lights on the other hand usually get new ones when the ones
inside drop off the green scale on my tester.


--
Steve W.