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Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 12th 09, 07:09 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
SMS
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Posts: 9,477
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

I saw in the _Costco Connection_ that Costco.com is selling 360 lumen
Cree LED flashlights (3 C cells) for 2 for $80.

"http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&topnav=&brows e=&lang=en-US&s=1"

These flashlights also have a strobe mode.

3C barrels are a little long, but not unbearably so, and they can be
used with the TwoFish Cyclopblock (but not the Lockblock) or a homemade
C cell holder such as:
"http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/IMG_0303.JPG"
"http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/barbracketcree_small.jpg"

You can buy rechargeable NiMH C cells pretty cheaply these days.
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  #2  
Old June 12th 09, 10:45 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Chalo
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Posts: 5,093
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

SMS wrote:

I saw in the _Costco Connection_ that Costco.com is selling 360 lumen
Cree LED flashlights (3 C cells) for 2 for $80.

"http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&top..."


That looks like a decent form factor for zip-tying to a front rack
rail.

You can buy rechargeable NiMH C cells pretty cheaply these days.


You can also use adapter sleeves that fatten up a AA cell enough to
pass for a C.

http://www.amazon.com/C-sized-Adapte.../dp/B000855034
  #3  
Old June 12th 09, 02:27 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Pat[_16_]
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Posts: 32
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

Chalo wrote:
SMS wrote:

I saw in the _Costco Connection_ that Costco.com is selling 360 lumen
Cree LED flashlights (3 C cells) for 2 for $80.

"http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&top..."


That looks like a decent form factor for zip-tying to a front rack
rail.

You can buy rechargeable NiMH C cells pretty cheaply these days.


You can also use adapter sleeves that fatten up a AA cell enough to
pass for a C.


Costco sells those adapter sleeves as well.....


  #4  
Old June 12th 09, 02:36 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Peter Cole[_2_]
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Posts: 4,572
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

SMS wrote:
I saw in the _Costco Connection_ that Costco.com is selling 360 lumen
Cree LED flashlights (3 C cells) for 2 for $80.

"http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&topnav=&brows e=&lang=en-US&s=1"


These flashlights also have a strobe mode.

3C barrels are a little long, but not unbearably so, and they can be
used with the TwoFish Cyclopblock (but not the Lockblock) or a homemade
C cell holder such as:
"http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/IMG_0303.JPG"
"http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/barbracketcree_small.jpg"

You can buy rechargeable NiMH C cells pretty cheaply these days.


Something doesn't add up. The spec claims 10 hr run time on full.
Assuming 6 W-hr per C cell, that's 18 W-hr for 3, or 1.8 W for 10 hr. At
360 lm, that's 200 lm/W. Cree's absolute best LED (now only being
sampled) is 132 lm/W.

My guess is that they're running 3, 3 W LEDs, crude (if any) regulation,
so that the wattage drops off by a factor of at least 2 over the battery
discharge. Assuming a low bin chip, like the P4, at 80 lm/W, driving
each at 1.5W would give an initial 4.5 W for 360 lm. Realistically, 3 C
cells would last ~4 hr. The "96 hr" dim mode would have about 12 lm
total, useless for biking.

360 lm is pretty damn bright, equivalent to a 20W halogen. Half of that
is more than adequate for a bike light. 3 C cell form factor is pretty
clunky, even old school halogen lights weren't that heavy. I think a 2
AA light, (6 W-hr) driving a high bin single 3W LED (100 lm/W) for an
actual 2-3 hr run time @ 200 lm with real regulation, is a better fit
for a bike. It's also less than half the price, and you can buy in lots
of 1.

None of these flashlights are designed to be bike lights, so beam
pattern, water tightness and vibration resistance may or may not be
adequate out of the box. My assumption is a 3 LED head will have a
"floodier" beam, probably not ideal.


  #5  
Old June 12th 09, 03:47 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
SMS
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Posts: 9,477
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

Peter Cole wrote:

Something doesn't add up. The spec claims 10 hr run time on full.
Assuming 6 W-hr per C cell, that's 18 W-hr for 3, or 1.8 W for 10 hr. At
360 lm, that's 200 lm/W. Cree's absolute best LED (now only being
sampled) is 132 lm/W.


You're right. A similar flashlight from the same manufacturer that uses
4 C cells is rated at 3 hours full brightness, so two hours would be
more likely. Interesting the wording "fully charged" apparently implying
that they're expecting you to use NiMH batteries.

MAybe it's worth a try since Costco lets you return costco.com stuff to
any store.
  #6  
Old June 12th 09, 08:31 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
DennisTheBald
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Posts: 341
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

On Jun 12, 4:45*am, Chalo wrote:
SMS wrote:

I saw in the _Costco Connection_ that Costco.com is selling 360 lumen
Cree LED flashlights (3 C cells) for 2 for $80.


"http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&top..."


That looks like a decent form factor for zip-tying to a front rack
rail.

You can buy rechargeable NiMH C cells pretty cheaply these days.


You can also use adapter sleeves that fatten up a AA cell enough to
pass for a C.

http://www.amazon.com/C-sized-Adapte.../dp/B000855034


a chunk of inner tube will serve you better than zip-ties.
  #7  
Old June 12th 09, 09:24 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Ted
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Posts: 86
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

I bought a Task Force a year or so ago and am quite disappointed as it
flickers so much. Even not on the bike it is only on half of the
time. I have stuffed tin foil against the battery contacts. It will
flicker bright and dim or on and off. Not very useful on my bike.
Jiggling or slapping it seems to change the light; that is if it is
bright that might make it dim or if it is dim or off that will make it
brighter.

Anyone else with this problem? Does the Costco one act the same way?

Ted.
  #8  
Old June 12th 09, 10:09 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Peter Cole[_2_]
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Posts: 4,572
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

Ted wrote:
I bought a Task Force a year or so ago and am quite disappointed as it
flickers so much. Even not on the bike it is only on half of the
time. I have stuffed tin foil against the battery contacts. It will
flicker bright and dim or on and off. Not very useful on my bike.
Jiggling or slapping it seems to change the light; that is if it is
bright that might make it dim or if it is dim or off that will make it
brighter.

Anyone else with this problem? Does the Costco one act the same way?

Ted.


That's always a possible flaw in using a flashlight for a bike light --
they may not handle the vibration well. It's worse with the new
"multi-mode" ones because when the current is interrupted, rather than
just flicker, they switch modes. I have one that does that, but only
with a particular set of batteries, so I haven't bothered to mess with
it. I think part of the problem is different battery chemistries and/or
makes aren't quite the same dimensionally, causing some to have too
loose a fit. It could be some other contact, or even the switch. I'm not
sure aluminum always has a reliable contact resistance.
  #9  
Old June 13th 09, 08:53 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
ZBicyclist
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Posts: 342
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

Ted wrote:
I bought a Task Force a year or so ago and am quite disappointed
as it
flickers so much. Even not on the bike it is only on half of the
time. I have stuffed tin foil against the battery contacts. It
will
flicker bright and dim or on and off. Not very useful on my bike.
Jiggling or slapping it seems to change the light; that is if it
is
bright that might make it dim or if it is dim or off that will
make it
brighter.

Anyone else with this problem? Does the Costco one act the same
way?


I have two of the Task Force (Loew's) and they have this problem a
bit even without using them as bike lights. It occurs rarely and is
only a slight nuisance in normal flashlight use using alkaline
batteries. I can see where it would be a big pain on a bike light,
which is why I decided not to use them as such.

Perhaps it was you who alerted me to this possibility via a
newsgroup post some months ago.


  #10  
Old June 14th 09, 12:48 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
SMS
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Posts: 9,477
Default Costco outshining the Lowe's Task Force Cree LED flashlight?

ZBicyclist wrote:
Ted wrote:
I bought a Task Force a year or so ago and am quite disappointed
as it
flickers so much. Even not on the bike it is only on half of the
time. I have stuffed tin foil against the battery contacts. It
will
flicker bright and dim or on and off. Not very useful on my bike.
Jiggling or slapping it seems to change the light; that is if it
is
bright that might make it dim or if it is dim or off that will
make it
brighter.

Anyone else with this problem? Does the Costco one act the same
way?


I have two of the Task Force (Loew's) and they have this problem a
bit even without using them as bike lights. It occurs rarely and is
only a slight nuisance in normal flashlight use using alkaline
batteries. I can see where it would be a big pain on a bike light,
which is why I decided not to use them as such.


I have four of them, and these problems are easy to solve.

First, they made the barrel a bit too large diameter to accommodate
off-spec C cells. So using a sheet of paper rolled around the batteries
will stop any rattling.

Second, unlike a Duracell alkaline battery, where the there is a large
surface area for the + contact which includes the button and the
surrounding area, the NiMH cells have only the actual button as a
contact. If you don't modify the spring contact in the flashlight, at
the + end, the contact will be intermittent or non-existent. I cut the
end off of a steel hollow wall anchor, leaving a couple of millimeters
of the shaft, and inserted that into the spring contact. Don't use a
penny or a washer, as you need for the contact to stay in place in the
center of the spring.
 




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