Posted: 4/29/2013 7:32:56 PM EDT
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Not really a DIY question, but don't want to GD it, so here goes.
We've got half a half a dozen mag lights positioned around the house and in the cars, have for decades. Flashlight tech has changed so much though that I'm looking at retiring them. Made the mistake of buying 3 smaller and much brighter lights from Optics Planet, pretty much based on price and reviews. What mistake you say? Well, 2 0f 3 of the Fenix pieces-o-shit have failed in the past 6 months; one the brightness is no longer adjustable, the other must be the switch because it just won't light at all. At around $30 each it's pissing me off. Anyway, any advice from experience on brand of flashlight for home/car use? Don't want to break the bank but want them to be both bright and reliable. |
you can send the Fenix's to me. i can always use parts.  truth be told, fenix, 4 sevens, quarks(sp?) are pretty much the best ones out there. i know there are a few more but for the life of me i cant remember them right now. solar force if you want to switch up batteries.
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I'm actually a little surprised you have killed fenixes. Fenii? Fenu? Whatever. I've got a little of everything around the house; Maglite, Surefire, Fenix, and $3-in-the-checkout-lane things.
I keep the Fenix in my daily carry stuff, a Surefire rides on my hunting gear and my AR, there's a 4-D Maglite in the truck, a handful of AA maglites here and there... the list goes on. For general use though, I'd take a look at the Maglite XL50; nice and compact and very bright. |
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I agree with the OP that FENIX is a POS. Mine failed after very little use. I was so disgusted with the product I did not bother to try warranty (shipping costs, down time, etc).
OP, the best value was to buy a CREE LED to replace the bulb in my Maglight. Look into doing that. It's less expensive than replacing the entire light. The light is brighter, whiter and battery life is crazy long. If you want new lights, get the smaller Surefires. They are excellent! |
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Take a look at this LED conversion for your D cell Maglite:
Malkoff Devices |
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Quoted: just got one of these from work. Very impressive. I'm actually a little surprised you have killed fenixes. Fenii? Fenu? Whatever. I've got a little of everything around the house; Maglite, Surefire, Fenix, and $3-in-the-checkout-lane things. I keep the Fenix in my daily carry stuff, a Surefire rides on my hunting gear and my AR, there's a 4-D Maglite in the truck, a handful of AA maglites here and there... the list goes on. For general use though, I'd take a look at the Maglite XL50; nice and compact and very bright. to the OP..post your question here and Kevin will help you. Great folks (him and his dad). I buy my surefire gear from him. |
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You said with one Fenix the brightness is no longer adjustable.... you mean you can no longer get full brightness? That will happen when the battery is half gone. Pop in a new battery and the full range is available again.
I have at least three Fenix's and all have been 100%. |
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Quoted:
If the maglights are still functional, why retire them? Technology may be old, but do you need 500 lumens to find the fuse panel? For me, the main reason to go LED for a home flashlight is the hugely extended battery life they yield. Of course, you won't get that if you buy one that puts out six billion lumens, but if you stay down in the reasonable range, ... |
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This, Gene makes awesome stuff |
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Quoted: You got forgeries.Not really a DIY question, but don't want to GD it, so here goes. We've got half a half a dozen mag lights positioned around the house and in the cars, have for decades. Flashlight tech has changed so much though that I'm looking at retiring them. Made the mistake of buying 3 smaller and much brighter lights from Optics Planet, pretty much based on price and reviews. What mistake you say? Well, 2 0f 3 of the Fenix pieces-o-shit have failed in the past 6 months; one the brightness is no longer adjustable, the other must be the switch because it just won't light at all. At around $30 each it's pissing me off. Anyway, any advice from experience on brand of flashlight for home/car use? Don't want to break the bank but want them to be both bright and reliable. Just go to your local department store or wally world, find the flashlight section, and pick up a dozen LED el cheapo lights. They range from 1 dollar up to about 12 each. Then use two at every place you want them. Light technology has indeed come a long way, to the point you can get so many reasonably long lasting lights for the price of ONE Mag light that there's no longer any point in getting decent ones. Plus, that way, if other members of the household lose them, put them somewhere else, etc. it's not a big deal.
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I have to wonder, the Fenix failures... it's not out of the question for the Chinese to pirate/copy/counterfeit even their own countrymen's stuff...
And yes, the Maglight bodies still have a great deal of value, and it's hard to beat the sheer mAh of the larger cells like C's and D's. If Malkoff devices heads are too pricey for you, there are other conversion heads out there that aren't as expensive, but are still quite good. I'd recommend reading up or doing some searching at candlepowerforums.com |
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Quoted:
I have to wonder, the Fenix failures... it's not out of the question for the Chinese to pirate/copy/counterfeit even their own countrymen's stuff...
My failed Fenix light was purchased directly from the Fenix web site. I would not buy another Fenix unless I was after a cheapo, "throw-away". Thin aluminum body, limited life electronics, gimmicky features,... not for me. Fenix built a fan base by cutting prices on LED lights and offering "features" that were perceived as adding value. They have a loyal fan base. I am not one of them. |
| ive got a couple fen-i that are all very good, but do have issues that crop up. Tail caps have been known to fail, once the batteries start to drain the lights start to go fairly wonky. that said, I daily carry a L1T and love it. just change the battery every 6 months or so and I know its reliable. I did kill a bigger nicer E20 with leaking duracells. that was my night stand light, may not replace it with another Fenix. Overall if you get them for a good enough price then they are good lights. |