LED Torches - are they any good ?.

[woodglass]

I'm thinking of buying an LED torch.

Are they any good?.

TIAA, woodglass....

[mike ring]

"woodglass" wrote in news:VJKdf.23173$ [e-mail]:

I think so...

I've got a 2-led head torch that has been a godsend for DIY; it's extremely bright for it's smsll size, and is adequate for walking outside in complete darkness, so if your streets aren't lit it would be fine. Batteries last for ages.

They don't, unless someone knows better, throw a decent beam.

mike

[Alan]

In message , woodglass wrote

Variable, depending on the LED(s) fitted.

There are some extremely bright LEDs now on the market and they are dropping in price rapidly. If you buy a torch fitted with a decent LED it will be okay.

I have two 'no brand' LED torches. One is next to useless and the other is great. The better torch was the cheapest - purchased from a pound shop.

[dg]

It depends.

There are the normal LED's, some higher brightness ones made by Nichia and some more intense ones known as Luxeon stars.

Generally the torches with a few normal LEDs are crap. So look for what type of LED is fitted

A Luxeon equiped torch can come with 1, 3, and 5 watt emitters and are really bright for the size.

I have a 5w Surefire which runs on 2 x 3v lithium batteries and is brighter than a 3D Maglight (but the size of an AA Maglite), and gives more of a flood of light. Another torch, the Inova T3 gives a tight spotlight which is good for over 100' away.

Have a look at the LED forum at

or the 'brights' forum at

A cheap UK supplier of high quality LED torches is

Look for units by Inova which are high quality and reasonablly priced. Surefire are relatively expensive but reliable for daily work use. The Nuwai Q3 is a great torch for the price.

There are some cheap Chinese Luxeons on ebay, but the quality varies a lot

dg

[mrcheerful]

Chinese supplied, off ebay, luxeon 3w is absolutely brilliant, I use it every day for work. Likewise a luxeon 3w headtorch from someone in uk.

The luxeon pocket torch comes from a trader called usebase, I have bought 6 off him (for friends that have seen my torch), fast delivery too, about 10 pounds delivered and uses aa batteries.

mrcheerful

[biggirlsblouse]

[mrcheerful]

the ebay supplier of the 3w luxeon pocket torch is utools (I got it wrong saying usebase).

they light up an entire garden, extremely good I find.

mrcheerful

[Séan Connolly]

I wonder why they have their feedback comments hidden ?

[Dave Fawthrop]

| "woodglass" wrote in | news:VJKdf.23173$ [e-mail]: | | > I'm thinking of buying an LED torch. | > | > Are they any good?.

As a family we have six

| I think so... | | I've got a 2-led head torch that has been a godsend for DIY; it's extremely | bright for it's smsll size, and is adequate for walking outside in complete | darkness, so if your streets aren't lit it would be fine. Batteries last | for ages.

My 3 LED head torch from Lidl is great for DIY under the house etc.

| They don't, unless someone knows better, throw a decent beam.

The beam from LED torches reaches 6-10ft

For a beam, I use my Maglight 4D

[dg]

Search ebay for ' MXDL ' . These are the most common 3w units.

I paid =A36.99 plus =A36 p&p from a Hong Kong supplier, and it is probably the best value torch I have bought. But the some others have reported varying shades of white and different beam patterns.

dg

[graham]

I've got one that has 12 white LEDS inside it.

The torch lights up the whole garden.

It runs on 3 AA batteries.

Graham

[mrcheerful]

I asked him that when I bought the last torches from him, he wouldn't tell me, just said there was no problem, however he sent the torches straight away. The first time I bought from him his feedback was public and good.

There are lots of others selling the same torches on ebay.

mrcheerful