# Harbor Freight HID Beamshots



## jmccalip (Sep 28, 2006)

The bugs kinda got in the way, so I made 'em part of the picture. 

Anyway, it's my first HID, and my first time taking pictures. So let's see how they turned out.

:candle:





























Moth art! :laughing:


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## elgarak (Sep 28, 2006)

Whoa! Nice!

Actually, the bugs look kinda cool.

What exposure time did you use?


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## jmccalip (Sep 29, 2006)

Thanks!

The first three, I used 3sec. 
The fourth was 8sec. 
The first bug picture is 8sec 
The second bug picture is 3sec.


That's how it looks it real life(minus the bug ones, lol), any less and it's too dark.


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## mtbkndad (Sep 29, 2006)

Nice shots, 

I like the way the front of the Harbor Freight glows orange.

Take Care,
mtbkndad :wave:


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## Jefff (Sep 29, 2006)

Very cool pics .. What do these things go for? If ya don't mind me asking


Thanks 

Jeff


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## powernoodle (Sep 29, 2006)

Link

Any idea if replacement parts are available - bulb, battery?

peace


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## havand (Sep 29, 2006)

Does anyone make diffusers for HIDs? I want to get one and while having the AMAZING spot is awesome, it would be nice to have a ridiculous area light too.


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## dimlight (Sep 30, 2006)

whats the run time a charge.


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## jmccalip (Sep 30, 2006)

I'd say about 80min.


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## supersharpshoot (Sep 30, 2006)

how far away is the tree from the torch?


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## ShortArc (Sep 30, 2006)

Powernoodle, the manual for the light list parts individually but does have a disclaimer to the effect that “some parts may not be available individually”. Either Harbor Freight of Chicago Electric (maybe they are the same) should be able to answer that question definitively. 

Havand, I never seen a diffuser for this light. It really was designed for throw and boy does it throw!


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## jmccalip (Sep 30, 2006)

supersharpshoot said:


> how far away is the tree from the torch?



I'd guess about 150 yards.


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## PhotonWrangler (Sep 30, 2006)

Is the bug strobing effect caused by the PWM rate of the lamp's power supply? It's kinda cool.


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## Archangel (Sep 30, 2006)

I think that's due to the wings.


PhotonWrangler said:


> Is the bug strobing effect caused by the PWM rate of the lamp's power supply? It's kinda cool.


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## tanasit (Sep 30, 2006)

I use a semi-transparent plastic container and place it a foot in front of my Amondotech Hid sitting on the ground, so that I can play tennis a good hour beyond the sun set.

Anyway, some glass shop will cut a round piece of bath room glass for you but you have to figure the way to attach it in front. Almost see thru glass pane will work best while the other may block too much light output.

For small led flashlight like the Fenix P1, I cover the front with the cap from the water bottle, works great and free.
See it here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/128724



havand said:


> Does anyone make diffusers for HIDs? I want to get one and while having the AMAZING spot is awesome, it would be nice to have a ridiculous area light too.


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## Pumaman (Sep 30, 2006)

great shots! thanks!


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## jmccalip (Oct 1, 2006)

I had just opened the whole spotlight up, and was installing a new on/off switch and I wanted to see if it still worked. So I went out on the golf course (for only 5min) to test it, and a guy yelled from the other side, "Turn off that light or I'll call the police!". It was only 10:00PM and I wasn't shining in below tree level, just up into the air to admire the beam. I could understand if I was shining it into his window, but it was nowhere near close. How does he live with cars going by??? :huh2:

Same paranoid neighbors that yell at me for taking a walk on the golf course paths in the evenings(which EVERYONE does). Bet when the power goes out, he'll be thinking of "that" light. :laughing:


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## oregonshooter (Oct 1, 2006)

The 4th picture looks like art.  I can hear the silence in it. Very cool!


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## glockboy (Oct 1, 2006)

Yell back "I am the police".  


jmccalip said:


> a guy yelled from the other side, "Turn off that light or I'll call the police"


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## jmccalip (Oct 1, 2006)

There's the trouble maker. :thumbsdow






Hey, glockboy. Let's say we both go out there and light up the course, seeing as I live in Missouri City. :lolsign:


What's your zip code? Just curious.


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## glockboy (Oct 1, 2006)

Sping Branch, but I'm not going out there, I think he can reach us with an AR15.


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## Lips (Oct 1, 2006)

I love this light!







.


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## LGCubana (Oct 1, 2006)

havand said:


> Does anyone make diffusers for HIDs? I want to get one and while having the AMAZING spot is awesome, it would be nice to have a ridiculous area light too.


 
I'm ASSuming that you have a Harbor Freight (AKA Costco HID) unit.

Get the equivalent Thor with a Halogen bulb. 
Take the plastic "lense" & uniformally (but heavily) scuff it with a low grit sandpaper.
Edited to add
I was shocked to find out the Thor 15mcp is glass
& you'll get an extra battery out of it as well.


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## windstrings (Oct 2, 2006)

elgarak said:


> Whoa! Nice!
> 
> Actually, the bugs look kinda cool.
> 
> What exposure time did you use?



I bet those bugs will be blind for several days!

Nice shots.. crystal clear!


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## jmccalip (Oct 2, 2006)

Thanks


More:














It's too bad I don't have any other spotlights to compare. I could always buy more!


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## leprechaun414 (Oct 5, 2006)

Great beamshots. Do you know if you can run this light while plugged into either the wall or the car?


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## Archangel (Oct 5, 2006)

You can run it from DC, but not AC.


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## postalguy (Oct 5, 2006)

Love those sky beamshots. 

Curious how the beam just seems to suddenly end. My laser does the same thing. Would that be from lack of reflecting particles in the air at that altitude?


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## Mike89 (Oct 11, 2006)

Yep that is one bright god dam light! I'd love to have one.


Here is a link comparing a lot of lights and this one holds its own quite nicely (I think it out performs all of them for a pure spot, even the Polarian which costs about $1500.00). 


http://home.earthlink.net/~kenshiro2/hid2/35comp.html


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## windstrings (Oct 11, 2006)

The pics look overexposed to give the beam a laser blast look like that.

The reason I say is because it almost looks like a daylight shot from the looks of the sky and surrouding areas that are also very bright due to the timed exposure?

Is this the way it really looked outside?....
or was it much darker?


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## jmccalip (Oct 12, 2006)

Ok, those last pics were takin on a 30sec shutter. They were not tampered in photoshop, but that long shutter was what did it. The first pictures are actually what the light looks like at night, maybe a bit more blue. Sorry I forgot to mention it, they were my "fun" pictures.


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## windstrings (Oct 12, 2006)

Still quite nice.. thanks


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## adirondackdestroyer (Oct 12, 2006)

Is the Harbor Freight brigher than the Amondotech Illuminator? What are the pros/cons of each light, and why is one better than the other? I know that the HF is quite a bit larger than the AI, so that might be a downfall on its side.


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## mtbkndad (Oct 12, 2006)

adirondackdestroyer said:


> Is the Harbor Freight brigher than the Amondotech Illuminator? What are the pros/cons of each light, and why is one better than the other? I know that the HF is quite a bit larger than the AI, so that might be a downfall on its side.



Here is a bunch of info for you to read. The Illuminator was originally known as the 3152.
The beamshots on the first page are with the original Illuminator prototype I had and it had a 6000K bulb. The 4200K bulb of the production Illuminators performs much better. Scan through the pages of the thread and you will see a photo comparison of the two bulbs.

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=104545&page=1&pp=30

Take Care,
mtbkndad :wave:


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## adirondackdestroyer (Oct 12, 2006)

mtbkndad said:


> Here is a bunch of info for you to read. The Illuminator was originally known as the 3152.
> The beamshots on the first page are with the original Illuminator prototype I had and it had a 6000K bulb. The 4200K bulb of the production Illuminators performs much better. Scan through the pages of the thread and you will see a photo comparison of the two bulbs.
> 
> http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=104545&page=1&pp=30
> ...


 


Thanks alot for the reply. I had no idea the Costco was THAT much bigger than the AI!!! It looks to be almost twice the size and weighs 1.5 times more as well. 

I have no real use for a light like this, but man I really want a super power HID spotlight. The best thing I have is my $5 1 million CP spotlight from Radioshack, and I think that thing has huge throw. :laughing:


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## Mike89 (Oct 13, 2006)

Heh heh, I have no real use for it either but man I'd sure like to have one anyway. For bragging rights if nothing else or to scare the crap out of my neighbors!


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## zfreak (Sep 24, 2007)

Simply amazing...


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## Steve CS (Sep 24, 2007)

What bulb is in this light?


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## zfreak (Sep 25, 2007)

Steve CS said:


> What bulb is in this light?



The original HID bulb... I believe it's a re-based D1R or something like that, correct?


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## ez78 (Sep 26, 2007)

I think it is H7 base bulb. Looks like it in the manual. Those are used in Sam's Club and Illuminator too.

EDIT: Actually on second look there are some differences when compared to H7 base according to picures...


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## zfreak (Sep 29, 2007)

ez78 said:


> I think it is H7 base bulb. Looks like it in the manual. Those are used in Sam's Club and Illuminator too.
> 
> EDIT: Actually on second look there are some differences when compared to H7 base according to picures...


 

eh, so what is it?


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## ez78 (Sep 29, 2007)

zfreak, 

Not sure about the bulb, I don't own that light was just looking at pictures. I would buy it but shipping to my country would cost about $70.


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## Rubycon (Oct 1, 2007)

The last exposure says 30" (EXIF).

More than likely it was pitch dark minus the HID. :devil:


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## Patriot (Oct 2, 2007)

Those are truly outstandingly beautiful shots!!! I'm just jelous that I've never taken a beamshot that cool or interesting. Fantastic job and congratulations on your first HID purchase. I've saved those pics to my files too. Thank you


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## Patriot (Oct 2, 2007)

ez78 said:


> I think it is H7 base bulb. Looks like it in the manual. Those are used in Sam's Club and Illuminator too.
> 
> EDIT: Actually on second look there are some differences when compared to H7 base according to picures...


 
It does look very similar to an H7 HID conversion though. I'm looking at mine right now and it does look like an H7 base. You've really got me curious now.


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## zfreak (Oct 2, 2007)

regardless, if you guys are wanting one, you'd better buy one soon, as harbon freight has them on closeout (i.e. almost gone...they have a new model now, the sams club model, but overpriced.)


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## nightbeam (Oct 12, 2007)

can I ask the guy who has the harbor freight, what plug/charging system has it got ?

Im have orderd one, but im in the uk and think i might need to buy a stepdown addapter ?


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## zfreak (Oct 12, 2007)

nightbeam said:


> can I ask the guy who has the harbor freight, what plug/charging system has it got ?
> 
> Im have orderd one, but im in the uk and think i might need to buy a stepdown addapter ?


 

It has the US 110/120 AC and 12vDC chargers. They are both included, and both attached to the light.


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