Need a decent light for pizza delivery.

coldsolderjoint

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
Messages
411
Location
central, nj
Hi,

I deliver pizza and need a bright light to find house numbers and street names.

I've used the $19.99 spot lights from kmart and pepboys in the past, but they arent reliable at all, and I have bad luck with the rechargeables.

Being that I am in a car, I can use a car cord no problem.

I've found that the 100,000,000 candlepower lights are often too bright for my needs. I'm currently using a sure fire 6p, and this is like the minimum brightness I need, I would like something around 200-250 lumens.

Is a spot light the wrong choice for me?
 

Beretta1526

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 9, 2003
Messages
1,689
Location
SW Orlando
It depends on what part of Jersey you are delivering to... LOL

It really depends on which way you want to go with it. A spotlight is ideal, but I know that if you were to use a spotlight in say, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, or Summit, there may be a few calls to the PD complaining about it if you shine on the wrong house.

An M3 or M4 would serve you well, but then you're talking some big $$. I know that there are a few hanheld spotlights that are made to plug into your car that even have coiled cords and aren't so super-duper bright. I have one in my truck for just-in-case that's just a simple sealed beam light that I bought at Van Iderstine on 22 in Springfield. I think I may have paid $30 or so for it, but it's a decent little light. It's also got a shallow reflector for a great flood pattern rather than a giant laser.

Sporting goods places like Ray's in N Plainfield may have marine lights that may suit your needs as well.
 

zespectre

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
2,197
Location
Lost in NY
For this application I wasn't sure what to suggest until I finished my "3-way shootout". Now I'd have to say (if you have the $$$) that the Striker-VG would be perfect. It's not in the lumen range you mention but it is so concentrated that you get an astounding amount of throw.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/104699

I believe that someone is working on a CPF group buy of the Strikers so you might even get it cheaper.

A less expensive light that -might- work well for this application is the 2xC River Rock light. The optics focus it into a "full moon" with no real sidespill. Not so great for walking around but very nice when you need a tightly controlled beam (say for spotting house numbers without lighting up a whole neighborhood).

The River Rock lights are sold at target.
 
Last edited:

Beretta1526

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 9, 2003
Messages
1,689
Location
SW Orlando
An LED is not going to be enough power for this application. Ambient light and the distance to the front of the house is just too much for any LED application (except maybe for the Photon King). Keep in mind that he said his 6P is roughly the minimum of what would work.
 

zespectre

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
2,197
Location
Lost in NY
-------Begin Quote----------
An LED is not going to be enough power for this application. Ambient light and the distance to the front of the house is just too much for any LED application (except maybe for the Photon King). Keep in mind that he said his 6P is roughly the minimum of what would work.
-------End Quote----------

Two weeks ago I would have agreed with you BUT I did the shootout with the Striker-VG and while that light has it's weaknesses, throw isn't one of them!

The Surefire 6P is a strong light (especially with the P61 HOLA) but like a lot of surefire's stuff it spends a lot of it's lumens on a fairly wide beam so throw isn't quite what you might expect (excepting the turboheads of course). My Gerber LX 3.0 will actually out throw my 6P though the 6P will light up a lot more in the intervening terrain.
 

Beretta1526

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 9, 2003
Messages
1,689
Location
SW Orlando
coldsolderjoint said:
...I'm currently using a sure fire 6p, and this is like the minimum brightness I need, I would like something around 200-250 lumens...

I just had a thought...

You can get 105 or 200 Lumens out of your 6P by adding an A19 adapter and P90 or P91 LA. The P91 is 200 Lumens and would certainly work for your application, but you'll go through a set of batt's pretty quickly.

On second thought, something that plugs into your lighter would be best.

This one sells at Aid Auto for $5. It's just a simple sealed Quartz Halogen bulb:

aid-auto_1873_11772573


Here's one that Napa Auto sells for $15:

409922.jpg
 
Last edited:

coldsolderjoint

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
Messages
411
Location
central, nj
Lol, you can always count on CPF for 7 replies in one hour!

Thanks for all the help.

Of course, like any flashaholic, my wants and my wallet never agree (my family for that matter).

How much does that striker go for?

Lol, I have used those kind of auto parts store lights before, and they work pretty good.. sometimes almost too bright, but the ones ive seen seem to be of poor construction and die on me like within the week. I am going to check the voltage of my car's ciggerette lighter to be sure its not that, but im suspecting more along the lines of the bulbs not being like.. shock insulated. I do drop it (maybe 6" onto the carpet) every once in awhile.

Im usually pretty careful with shinning the lights, the area i live in sucks with house numbers.. i suspect from my limited history investigation this is caused because originally, the area was a vaction spot with summer bungalows, and it grow in spurts. After awhile, you get to know the range of numbers, and I'll usually start by trying to light up mailboxes, and then if that doesnt work, ill go to the area around the front doors, I try not to shine in windows. Unless of course for those customers who seem to become deaf after they place their order. ( you get to know them) and in that case.. ill shine it in the window.. helps me get the orders out faster rather then me standing on their door step for 10 minutes.

Every once in a while, some customers will be partaking of some questionable "herbs" and then when they see a bright light they get all paranoid thinking its the cops. My manager tells me once in a while that these customers call up and hes like well if you had your house number lit up there would be no problem. If someone was to call the cops, they would probably be pretty cool about it as long as we werent shining into windows for no reason on purpose. We do have the light up car toppers so its not like people don't know who we are.

I had investigated the possibility of the p61 or the 9p hong kong converstion on ebay.. but then as you say.. the increased cost of lithiums..

by the time you get done with the adapter ($9 shipped), and a p91 ($32 shipped).. im almost half way to a m@gcharger or ultra stinger.. which dont have the cost of lithiums, and as a increased benefit of having the second light incase the first one fails. also they are upgradeable using the 1185.

my goal is to keep the 6p in my backpocket for when I go to the house and leave the thrower (spotlight or traditional flashlight) in the car. I usually suprise people when I light up the price take with my 6p.. they think the light is in the heatwave bag.

I guess any way I cut it, its going to cost me about a hundo.. can i write off flashlights on my taxes as a work related expense? :help:
 

JasonC8301

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 13, 2001
Messages
1,218
Location
NYC
Tigerlight 8 inch FBOP with Gen4 lamp and premium battery pack.

No need to worry about batteries becaues its rechargable. What part of central NJ are you in?

Jason
 

Beretta1526

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 9, 2003
Messages
1,689
Location
SW Orlando
If you are itemizing your taxes, the light is a write off if you buy it for work exclusively. :)

If you are even thinking about a MagCharger, seriously consider a Tigerlight FBOP. Since The People's Republic of New Jersey doesn't like civilians running around with dangerous toxins, the Tigerlight Gold isn't recommended though. The Tigerlight is a really solid light that will take some pretty good abuse and it's got a great beam and is only 8" long. Also, the Tigerlight comes with the house and car chargers, although you will probably get several days' use out of it before it would need a charge.

EDIT: I see I was beat by mere seconds with the same suggestion, and a question I was going to ask... (I lived in Central/North Central Jersey for 18 years).
 
Last edited:

JasonC8301

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 13, 2001
Messages
1,218
Location
NYC
Beretta1526 - Beat you to it :)

If its possibly meet up and compare some incandescent lights. I find LED's wash out outdoors after a certain distance (depending on power.) Then again in a part of Montgomery Twnship/Belle MEad, there are no street lights at night and the Tigerlight might be over kill.
 

coldsolderjoint

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
Messages
411
Location
central, nj
I live in Laurence Harbor. Its actually old bridge township, but I deliver in holmdel, hazlet, union beach, keyport, parts of aberdeen, and laurence harbor

I do like the tigerlight, and I would get it without the pepper spray option, im not trained in the use, and with my luck.. id set the thing off in my car.. :ohgeez:

two things that would keep me away from the TG is the cost, but more then that, the placement of the switch.. just seems weird to have it on the end.

I was using the g2 (i said 6p before, but i guess its the same light) again tonight.. and im growing more convinced that one of the big spot lights is overkill.. The flood of the p60 is just about the right width, would just like a bit more throw and brighter.
 

AlexGT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Messages
3,651
Location
Houston, Texas
This is just the thing for you a 1000W tank spotlight, ROFL!!!! I couldn't resist!, On a more serious side, have you seen the brinkman led and halogen spotlight? it sells at walmart might be just what u need.

lol imagine this shining at your house!!!! :ohgeez: :crackup:
VSS3_07_23_05_As.jpg
 

metalhed

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
671
Location
Washington State
I kind of disagree with the notion that the light from LEDs 'washes out'.

I have a 2D Mag with the TerraLux 3 Watt (regulated), and it might suit your needs well.

It focuses very tightly for illuminating address and signs, but like a original Mag, it still un-focuses (which will be less likely to disturb the 'tweakers' on your route, especially as you approach a house). I would think the throw would be good for at least 200 feet, even in city light.

Keeps you using non-rechargeables, like you mentioned in your first post (and you can always find D cells). Use the C cell Mag host if you want a smaller size light...still great runtime. And at about $50-$60 bucks, it's not a huge loss if it's stolen or lost.

The output is not quite that of the P60, but the operating cost would be way less.

Just an idea...
 

That_Guy

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Messages
310
Location
Canberra, Australia
AlexGT said:
This is just the thing for you a 1000W tank spotlight, ROFL!!!! I couldn't resist!, On a more serious side, have you seen the brinkman led and halogen spotlight? it sells at walmart might be just what u need.

lol imagine this shining at your house!!!! :ohgeez: :crackup:
http://www.spacesearch.com/images/anvss/VSS3_07_23_05_As.jpg
That's nice, but it's a little heavy IMO. I would use the Sleeper. 600W, ~20Klum. Then you could warm the pizzas if they get cold!
 

coldsolderjoint

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
Messages
411
Location
central, nj
well, if i got the tank light, i could upgrade the suspension in my saturn..

and then if they dont answer the door, i could set their house on fire from 50 feet away! haha. j/k

I didnt see the halogen/led spot light. I tend to stay out of walmart, but Ill go look on my next day off, its a just cause for flashaholism.

I have the nexgen 750 sammie from the shop in my mini mag.. and the throw is amazing for a mini mag.. i beleave that is a 1 watt led..

so the terralux would be approximatley three times as bright?

ill take my sammie along with me next time i work at the pizza place and see how that performs. I wont expect much, but i could try some real world tests with the "washout factor"

i do have some d cell mags hanging around (hosts).. so a hotwire mod might be in order, idk. this process requires a lot of thinking. lol

what if i could rig a 12 volt coil cord into a modified sf tail cap, and come up with some kind of 9 volt regulator to run a p91.. itd be unique, but probably not the best use of funds.. lets say $32 for the bulb, about $5 or so for the wire, and im not sure about the regulator circuit.. itd deffinatley have to be heatsinked. How much current does a p91 bulb draw? efficiency could be debateable as I wouldnt really be using it while the car is off.
 

InfidelCastro

Banned
Joined
Jun 23, 2003
Messages
2,266
Location
USA
coldsolderjoint said:
Hi,

I deliver pizza and need a bright light to find house numbers and street names.

I've used the $19.99 spot lights from kmart and pepboys in the past, but they arent reliable at all, and I have bad luck with the rechargeables.

Being that I am in a car, I can use a car cord no problem.

I've found that the 100,000,000 candlepower lights are often too bright for my needs. I'm currently using a sure fire 6p, and this is like the minimum brightness I need, I would like something around 200-250 lumens.

Is a spot light the wrong choice for me?


I use either a 2C Mag or 2D mag with a xenon Dorcy or Magnumstar bulb. I have a 1MCP spotlight, but I wouldn't want to light up anyone's house with it..
 

WhiteHot

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Messages
207
If you dont go the corded route, you may want to consider a 2C mag with a H1499 (group buy going on now) on some protected 18650's (or 3x 123's). Super thrower and has a tight beam so it wont be really annoying to others. Not too expensive either since you dont really need a new reflector. A glass lens would be nice but isnt necessary (i think). Nice and compact too for the passenger seat of your saturn.
 

Beretta1526

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 9, 2003
Messages
1,689
Location
SW Orlando
Look at it this way... the only way you're going to get any sort of throw out of an LED is to put it in a big reflector, and even then the beam is going to be very tight. If you are delivering, you need something with a little more broad beam so you don't run off the road or hit a parked car while trying to see a number. I have quite a bit of experience with LED's and can certainly tell you that an LED is going to wash out or just not make the mark.

For reference (LED's), not all LuxIII's are 3x brighter than a LuxI. EX: The difference between a Q-bin and a U-bin is close to 3x the luminous flux, but U-bin LuxIII's aren't that easy to come by without paying a premium and you could conceivably have a U-bin that is 4x Lu of a Q-bin, or conversely, you can have a U-bin that's only 2.2x Lu of the Q-bin.
 
Top