Dorcy 41 3245 Aluminum Flashlight Electronics Other

Dorcy 41 3245 Aluminum Flashlight Electronics Other

Dorcy 41-1218 Led Penlight

The Dorcy 2AAA-Battery 5MM LED Pen Light features sturdy aluminum construction and a lightweight design that won’t weigh you down. The handy metal clip allows you to take it with you anyplace and the tail cap push button switch is commodious and easy to use.

Dorcy 41 3245 Aluminum Flashlight Electronics Other Image

Dorcy 41 3245 Aluminum Flashlight Electronics Other Picture

Dorcy 41 3245 Aluminum Flashlight Electronics Other Pic

Dorcy 41 3245 Aluminum Flashlight Electronics Other Image

Most helpful client reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Wimpy light with ZERO regulation
By NLee the Engineer
I have antecedently purchased the Energizer Aluminum Pen LED Flashlight(PLED23AE) and liked it very much. But I am curious in regards to this Dorcy 41-1218 2AAA-Battery 5MM LED Pen Light mainly because, according to another reviewer, it is supposed to be “better than the Energizer version”. After testing the two pen lights side by side, my conclusion is the finish opposite.

In terms of mechanical construction, the Dorcy and Energizer pen lights are very similar. Their tail caps and on/off switches have the same flimsy feeling. But I have no difficultnesses with either version, anyway.

When powered by two fresh alkaline AAA cells (2x 1.6V), the light developed by Dorcy pen light is significantly dimmer than that by Energizer pen light. But at least it is marginally serviceable for indoor illumination purposes. However, when powered by two rechargeable NiMH cells (2x 1.2V), the Dorcy gives out such a wimpy light that it is fundamentally useless. (See my Images for luminance comparisons).

The reason becomes clear when I disassembled both pen lights. The Energizer holds a power module to boost lower battery voltage to drive it is LED. That’s why it may carry on to shine even when the combined battery voltage falls to 1V. The Dorcy, on the other hand, has no power regulator at all. Its LED is driven directly by the two AAA cells, and so the current is very sensible to battery voltage. At 3.1-3.2V (two fresh alkaline cells), the LED current is around 30mA, so it is light is acceptable. When the battery voltage decreases to 2.6V, the LED current drops to only 2mA, and it is light is scarcely visible.

On the package of the Dorcy pen light it proudly advertises “NICHIA Super Bright LED”. However, those Nichia 5mm LEDs are sorted into ‘bins’ based on brightness, and priced accordingly. Depending on which bin you get, the luminance may vary by a ratio of 3 to 1. Judging by the performance of my pen light, Dorcy is in all likelihood buying from the bargain-basement bin. Furthermore, as I have shown in my testing, even a good LED can not do it is occupation when it is improperly driven.

In summary, I’m appalled by the exceedingly cheap design of this Dorcy LED pen light. It pales in comparison to the Energizer 2xAAA pen light. Even the Rayovac BRSLEDPEN-B LED Pen Light, powered by just one AAA cell, may invent more brilliant and more consistent light. The Rayovac is also more compact, and available at lower cost.

2 of 2 persons found the following review helpful.
Good size & light output. Unfortunately, the unit’s front cap many times necessitated “fiddling” with to get the flashlight to light
By Reader
This LED flashlight is nicely priced, has good light output and fit comfortably in my pocket. Initially I used it almost every day for a number of weeks and the batteries held up well. However, after a few weeks of use the light-on function proved rather inconsistent. I often necessitated to turn the metal cap at the bulb end until the suitable internal contact was finished so the light came on. Even when ultimately turned on, the light was often times dim without further fiddling, and it oftentimes turned itself off so the front cap necessitated readjustment to again turn the unit on. I cleaned the front internal contact with an eraser, but this did not eliminate the problem.

It may be that my sample is an outlier-exception, and other folks will not find a similar problem. However, the design of the contact at the bulb end does seems to have the potential to mis-function as occurred with my unit.

Bottom line: Nice price, size, and adequate for the purpose output but, at least with my copy, an inconsistent light-on function.

2 of 2 humans found the following review helpful.
Pretty good, better than the Energizer version
By A
First let me say what was wrong with a dissimilar flashlight, so one might be grateful for the vantages of this model.

I primary purchased the Energizer penlight. It was bright enough, but the screw threads on the tailcap were so little the thing scarcely holds together. Assembling it after altering batteries is kind of a mushy procedure which most times results in crossed threads. Another problem was the extended LED. These little pre-focused 5mm LEDs have a bright ring projected sideways, so flashlights with the LED sticking out have this bright ring around a darker flood area, which annoys me. Extended LEDs are also less lasting if dropped.

The Dorcy has a more or less thicker body, which might be what allows the deeper and more prominent screw threads. The tailcap is still plastic, but screwing it on is a much more convinced process. The LED is recessed into the nose cap, reducing the weird outer ring somewhat (it’s still there, but much less visible). The Dorcy likewise has a better clicker button. The energizer just scarcely clicks on at the very bottom of it is range, while the Dorcy button has a more satisfying click.

The only problem I found with the Dorcy was the pocket clip. It wasn’t slid into place carefully, and I had to remove it and do it myself. Not too huge of a deal.

Both flashlights have a good 5mm LED. The Dorcy advertises it as a Nichia brand LED, and it sure seems like it. I can’t do not forget if the Energizer did. Both are when it comes to as bright, but the Dorcy is a somewhat whiter color. There are galore generic penlights out there with mystery LEDs which are only with regards to half as bright.

Update:
Energizer sent me a coupon to buy a substitute due to the tailcap problem, and the new unit is even more magnificent than the Dorcy flashlight. However, the screw threads are only somewhat bettered and the button is still weird.

See all 8 client reviews…