On Dec 19, 8:12*am, Andy wrote:
Andy comments:

* I'l like to present something here that is of general interest.

The LED flashlights that one gets for free from Harbor Freight
have 9 LEDs , in paralled, run by three AAA cells with no
current limiting resistor.
* The current draw is in the neighborhood of 160 ma.....

* I fabricated a piece that can be inserted into the back
of the flashlight without modification of the original unit.

* It is a *piece of double sided G-10 board, approx the size
of a dime, with the copper trimmed slighly away from the edges to
keep *copper on each side from shorting to the case of the light.
A small notch is cut, and a 100 ohm resistor is inserted so that
the current will flow from one side, thru the resistor, to the
other side.

* *The "coin" is then inserted into the BACK of the flashlight
and the *back cap screwed back on...

* *This effectively inserts a 100 ohm resistor between the negative
terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the flashlite
--- a current limiting resistor....

* * The resultant current is 16 mils (approx) to the nine LED
array, total.....

* * The light output decreases, but still puts out enough to
read by, or find one's way in the dark. My guess is about
1/3 or the original, by eyeball only......

* * The batteries are no longer working into a short circuit, but
only supplying about 1/10 of the original current, and should last at
least
10 times a *long as before....

* *If one wants to restore full brightness, one has only to remove
the "coin" insert....

* *I've done this with about a dozen LED flashlights that I keep
in the car, house, pocket, garage, etc.... It works well..

* *Give it a try. If you have a more simply, or more innovative way
to accomplish this, *I'd be most interested in learning about it...

* * * * * * * * Andy in Eureka, *Texas * * *P.E.

Great idea! I'd use a 25 - 50 ohm resistor to get more brightness and
still have longer life than the original. My experience always seems
to be the battery self-destructs after a couple of years before I use
the light enough to drain the battery from actual use.