Flashlights? (Read 21230 times)

2ahavvaii

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #40 on: October 13, 2017, 11:27:59 AM »
I've been buying a lot more stuff on eBay lately, particularly for lights.  I just bought an X300 Ultra for a long gun.  I'm getting sick of Amazon's buy, then wait maybe 7-14 days to ship.  While I'm still more wary of counterfeit stuff on eBay, I've found more than a few legit/solid sellers. 

Cost of shipping is a huge pet peeve for me.  With any vendor really.  Midway USA used to have some ridiculous shipping costs, so I stopped even browsing there beyond price checks.  I've heard they have cleaned that up some, but I still don't really shop there.

mainly need to look for sellers that are in the business of selling that particular item and check their feedback.  If they're hawking fakes, people will out them as fraudsters.  Those ebay sellers a lot of times are actually mainland dealers without a dedicated website.

RE: midway - Not sure about cleaining up their shipping prices, it's still super expensive unless you wait for their random "free shipping" events, which actually costs $10 to hawaii.  I currently have a few hundred $ of stuff that is waiting on the shipping discount.   Overall their prices tend to be better than a lot of the other retailers like cabelas or wherever. 

 Product Total $333.92
Shipping Total $31.99

    Base Shipping $21.99
    AK/HI/US Territory $10.00

oldfart

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #41 on: October 09, 2018, 01:12:57 PM »
Another one of my better flashlights bit the dust.
Thanks to Duracell.
What, Me Worry?

changemyoil66

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #42 on: October 09, 2018, 01:24:30 PM »
Another one of my better flashlights bit the dust.
Thanks to Duracell.

For lights that I don't use often enough to change periodically, I don't leave the batts in.  So for my lantern, I leave them next to it.

My EDC, I change every other month, or when it gets dimmer.

oldfart

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #43 on: October 09, 2018, 01:36:58 PM »
For lights that I don't use often enough to change periodically, I don't leave the batts in.  So for my lantern, I leave them next to it.

My EDC, I change every other month, or when it gets dimmer.
===========
 This was my "bump-in-the-night" flashlight.
 Almost never gets used, but better frickin' work when I need it.
 
 I just got another LI-ON flashlight in the mail today. It will be replacing the ruined light.
 It runs on 18650.
What, Me Worry?

Bushido

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #44 on: October 12, 2018, 07:49:15 PM »
Another one of my better flashlights bit the dust.
Thanks to Duracell.

Try Lithium batteries instead of alkaline. Cost a little more but way better.

hvybarrels

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #45 on: October 13, 2018, 12:22:28 AM »
If you leave Duracells or any other kind of battery in a slow-discharge situation they will eventually run out of juice and start leaking. Better flashlights limit slow discharge, but it's up to you to rotate their batteries every few months. I've wasted a lot of batteries on junk flashlights and headlamps until I learned better and got rid of them.
“Wars happen when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolutions happen when you figure it out for yourselves.”

hvybarrels

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #46 on: October 13, 2018, 12:23:24 AM »
I got my lights on ebay and had some luck. Biggest trick is not getting counterfeit lithium batteries because some of them don't have the limiter chip that keeps them from exploding like a Galaxy Note strapped to a hoverboard in the trunk of a Tesla. Panasonics are a solid brand as long as you get the real deal. Last ones I got were the Panasonic NCR18650B 18650 3400mAh 3.7v Protected Button Top and they work great with the various UltraFire lights that are out there. I ended up buying the lights, batteries, and charger all from different stores in a game of mix and match to get better prices. Sometimes I go months without charging and they still have plenty of juice.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2018, 12:32:19 AM by hvybarrels »
“Wars happen when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolutions happen when you figure it out for yourselves.”

drck1000

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #47 on: October 13, 2018, 02:23:18 PM »
mainly need to look for sellers that are in the business of selling that particular item and check their feedback.  If they're hawking fakes, people will out them as fraudsters.  Those ebay sellers a lot of times are actually mainland dealers without a dedicated website.

RE: midway - Not sure about cleaining up their shipping prices, it's still super expensive unless you wait for their random "free shipping" events, which actually costs $10 to hawaii.  I currently have a few hundred $ of stuff that is waiting on the shipping discount.   Overall their prices tend to be better than a lot of the other retailers like cabelas or wherever. 

 Product Total $333.92
Shipping Total $31.99

    Base Shipping $21.99
    AK/HI/US Territory $10.00
Yeah. I tend to go with the power sellers and those that have eBay storefronts. Avoid the lower feedback ones, even if the prices are better. Usually the sellers I choose aren’t that much higher than the questionable lower sellers anyways.

Midway also shafted is when I was staff on another gun forum. They offered to sponsor and we put their ads up and they never lived up to their end of the deal. So F Mr. Potterfield.

drck1000

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #48 on: October 13, 2018, 02:25:39 PM »
Another one of my better flashlights bit the dust.
Thanks to Duracell.
Sadly, I’ve lost many a old school Maglights like that. Most of my lights are now are CR123. I still have a few on alkaline, but yeah, need to watch those for leakage.  At least until I can rotate out to lithium batteries.

RSN172

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #49 on: October 16, 2018, 12:49:18 PM »
I only use flashlights that take 18650 batteries.

changemyoil66

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #50 on: October 16, 2018, 01:20:39 PM »
Sadly, I’ve lost many a old school Maglights like that. Most of my lights are now are CR123. I still have a few on alkaline, but yeah, need to watch those for leakage.  At least until I can rotate out to lithium batteries.

Maglights are lights of the past.  Tech now is way better so they can make a smaller light that's brighter.  I remember when cops used to carry Maglights.  Damn thing was bigger than the billy on their belts and way heavier.

I remember 1 Halloween my friend dressed as a cop.  Maglight, shades, and mustache.  He would tell people on the Waikiki strip who were just standing around to "keep moving" while shining the light in their face.  And all night people moved.  Was super entertaining.

oldfart

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #51 on: October 16, 2018, 01:23:57 PM »
I only use flashlights that take 18650 batteries.
...
About 8 to 10 years ago when LED lights started getting brighter, I bought some lights that took 3AAA batteries in a cluster.
The lights are still pretty good but those 3 battery clusters keep giving me leakage headaches. Ref my post from 10/9.
So I googled the topic and discovered that there is a 18500 battery which should be just the right size to replace those 3AAA clusters.
I ordered a few to try out and they should be arriving in a couple of days.
What, Me Worry?

oldfart

Re: Flashlights?
« Reply #52 on: October 20, 2018, 12:00:53 PM »
got the 18500 lion batteries to replace the 3AAA bat clusters.
Same diameter as 18650 but 15mm shorter.
You might need to make a little spacer to hit the contact...minor stuff.
No more Duracell leaks!
The ah rating claim is 1600 mah which could be bs,
What, Me Worry?