# Tips for effective flashlight use?



## selfbuilt (May 19, 2011)

It occurs to me that in all our discussions of the merits of different builds, outputs, interfaces, etc., we don't often discuss general handling issues that could have a big impact on how effective our flashlights use is. 

Sure, there are plenty of threads on the topic of flashlight/weapon combinations (which makes sense, given most of us only have two hands - well, plus one mouth usually ). But what about more general uses where you have found a certain approach that works remarkably well? I'll start with two examples that occur to me:

*Eye shine for spotting critters:*

I was taught this one by a field naturalist. With the light on low, hold the light at the level of your eyes, and track the center of the beam as you scan a night scene. Because of the angle, you will catch critters by the "eye shine" reflections off the tapetum lucidum at the back of their retinas (common in many vertebrates). Of course, this works when animals happen to be looking at you. 

This trick is remarkably effective, with relatively low powered lights (although throwier ones work best). Depending on what type of animal you are looking for, adjust the height of the beam center appropriately (i.e. tree branch level, gound level, bush, etc.). Apparently you can even distinguish some species by the color of the eye shine, but that's complicated by the angle and the source characteristics of the light used.

You will be amazed at what you find. I have surveyed a range of rainforest trees under high power with a traditional underhand grip and seen nothing (a lot of animals blend it petty well). But after switching to a lower output and scanning this way for eye shine, I picked up all sorts of things. Needless to say, a big clumsy human walking around shining a light attracts all sorts of attention - they will be looking at you, alright. 

Oh, and if you want to gross out friends and family, try this at night on your own back lawn (if you live in a suburban area). Detect tons of little diamond-like sparkles in the grass? Move in closer on one pair to find out what they are ... bet you never knew how many spiders there were in a typical subdevelopment. :laughing:

*Shadows are your friends when dropping things on the floor:*

We've all had the experience of dropping small objects on a floor where they blend in too well (small screws, pills, and granola bits come immediately to mind ). Want to find them a lot easier? Scan the surface with your flashlight parallel to the floor (i.e. horizontal, as if it were lying down on its side).

As long as the floor surface is fairly flat, you should spot the runaway object pretty quickly by the long shadow it leaves. I've got a heavily patterned area rug under my desk right now, and I know from experience how hard it is to spot things otherwise. But a quick sweep with my hand low to the ground picks up even the smallest item this way.

Those are my two best tips. Any others you would like to share?


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## angelofwar (May 19, 2011)

Have a flashlight with you in the day for finding things

I use a light even during the day to find things...i.e. a "Spotlight" approach. Something falls under a desk, trailer, whatever, even though I probably could find it with out a light, a light will make your search go A LOT faster...especially brightly colored objects, that lose there color as they lose the light around them. Can you find a red ball in a pitch black room? Or in the shadow of a wheel under a trailer even in broad day light, when a black shadow is cast over it? Flashlights are awesome for finding stuff in the day!


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## UberLumens (May 19, 2011)

Great tips

Taking the shine a light on the floor one step further:
-It will easily locate lost jewelry in the grass/woods etc. 
-Also great for cleaning up broken glass

also
let your wife hold the light when out walking and she wont complain of cold hands


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## parnass (May 19, 2011)

Good tips, selfbuilt. I use those techniques with success. 

I place the flashlight itself directly on the floor and shine it around when looking for lost items. If you turn off the room lights while placing the flashlight flat on a desk, table, or vanity, you will be able to see where you have forgotten to dust.


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## Mr Bigglow (May 19, 2011)

When navigating in the dark, brief flashes from your light will not only reveal details and otherwise invisible obstacles in the terrain (or interior) in front of you, but will also preserve your night vision, especially if you close one eye while the light is on. Also, this makes it hard for someone to locate you with any precision, if that is a concern (let's say for instance you're playing tag), and will greatly extend your battery life.


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## Helmut.G (May 19, 2011)

I find that using a flashlight for searching something in a messy room etc can also help you to mentally focus on the spotlighted area, finding things faster.


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## angelofwar (May 19, 2011)

Helmut.G said:


> I find that using a flashlight for searching something in a messy room etc can also help you to mentally focus on the spotlighted area, finding things faster.


 
That's was kinda what I was trying to describe in my post Helmut, but I couldn't find the words...Thanks for the awesome "description".


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## AlPal (May 19, 2011)

I just used your tip and scanned my floors using the flashlight. Your right- I found a ton of spiders. LOL.


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## ZMZ67 (May 19, 2011)

Pointing a flashlight at the ceiling indoors has a great room lighting effect as opposed to pointing the flashlight around the room.Indoor environments vary but this works very well in most homes and allows a light with a tightly focused beam to be more effective for indoor use.I realize this is well known on CPF but for the casual users and newcomers it may not be as obvious.Modern high output LED lights make this technique very effective.


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## angelofwar (May 19, 2011)

ZMZ67 said:


> Pointing a flashlight at the ceiling indoors has a great room lighting effect as opposed to pointing the flashlight around the room.Indoor environments vary but this works very well in most homes and allows a light with a tightly focused beam to be more effective for indoor use.I realize this is well known on CPF but for the casual users and newcomers it may not be as obvious.Modern high output LED lights make this technique very effective.


 
And this is even easier when placing the light in a heavy glass cup (the thinner the better, like a tall thick shot-glass), so it points at the ceiling (for lights with out tail-stand capabilty).


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## ZMZ67 (May 19, 2011)

angelofwar said:


> And this is even easier when placing the light in a heavy glass cup (the thinner the better, like a tall thick shot-glass), so it points at the ceiling (for lights with out tail-stand capabilty).


 
I have used cups,mugs and other methods in the past but using a tall shot glass never occured to me,great idea! :thumbsup:As an aside,glassware can often be found cheap at thrift stores if you are looking for a certain size.


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## Retinator (May 19, 2011)

In the woods when foliage is thick, start with a lower light to preserve night vision.
Never shine a bright light right below you.

In a wide open area, break out the monsters 

I find even long ranged birch trees (or anything light colored) can kill my night vision in the woods with a higher powered light.

And while I don't have any yet, why is no one preaching the use of headlights?


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## Burgess (May 19, 2011)

This is gonna' be a Great Thread ! ! !


Better make this one a Sticky.


lovecpf


My contribution:

Try using the *Lowest* brightness setting needed to accomplish yer' task.

That way, your eyes (pupils) will tend to remain Open (dilated).

Too much light simply makes the eyes "stop down", thus wasting the extra lumens.

Give it a try.


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## selfbuilt (May 19, 2011)

A lot of good tips. The ceiling bounce is of course a classic - and one many of us take for granted. Good to have it pointed out.

One more I would add on that theme - the value of a good diffuser. :thumbsup: My main light for taking the dog out in the backyard is an Eagletac T20C2-II XP-G R5 on general mode (~80 lumens or so), with the included screw-on bezel diffuser. Gives me plenty of light in a nice wide spill.

That said, I can also see how "follow the bouncing ball" (hotspot) is a good way to focus the mind and pay attention to what you are looking at (messy room or wilderness, take your pick).

But one that really speaks to me is:



Burgess said:


> Try using the *Lowest* brightness setting needed to accomplish yer' task.


 
When I think of the standard level of light I use for most evening tasks (e.g. dog walking, scanning the back yard, navigating the house with lights off, etc), I realize that I typically don't use more than 50-80 lumens max (often a lot less).

I was thinking about this during my recent testing of the Novatac Classic. Turning it on at night in max reminded me of just how bright 120 lumens actually is. The circuit is basically the same as my 2008 edition 120P, which I EDCed for a period of time. My default settings for that light at the time were single click = 0.3 lumens, double-click = 15 lumens, click-press = 85 lumens, and triple-click = beacon. I didn't use the 120 lumen mode, as I found 85 lumens bright enough, and prefered the better runtime.

Checking out my more recent EDCs and other general use lights, I find I still don't typically go up to 100 lumens (and always start them as low as I can, usually <1 lumen). Don't get me wrong - when something is going down, I love an 800 lumen thrower as much as the next guy.  But it is a good general principle to use as little light as possible.

Keep the good tips coming ... :wave:


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## mrlysle (May 20, 2011)

We have dogs, and light colored floors. Just standing and looking at the floor, it doesn't always look like there's dog hair on the floor. But I ALWAYS use my 170t clicky, and just lay it flat on the floor, and even the smallest dog hair casts a shadow. So after I run the sweeper, it;s easy to see places I've missed, by using my light flat on the floor. I just roll it around to cover the whole floor. It always amazes me how easy it is to miss spots if you don't use a light.


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## HotWire (May 20, 2011)

On my car I can check the power steering and brake fluid levels by shining a flashlight through the container. Quick and easy!


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## nbp (May 20, 2011)

Oh, and don't test the brightness of your new light by looking in the business end and switching it on.  I do it every time.


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## mvyrmnd (May 20, 2011)

My personal preference is for big, floody lights. My tip is when using said big floody light, the higher you hold it, the better. Try it for yourself  You'll see much further with the light held at your shoulder than at your waist. I'm sure there's a good reason for this, but I'm too tired to work it out right now


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## pblanch (May 20, 2011)

Ok this may be a bit over the top.

Transillumination - if you have a splinter and you think you have gotten it all out get a flashlight with the smallest head/diameter and place it on the skin next (not over) to where the splinter was. The tissue will be illuminated pink and you will see any foreign objects clear as day. (Doesn't work with glass)


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## Xacto (May 20, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> *Eye shine for spotting critters:*
> *Shadows are your friends when dropping things on the floor:*
> […]


Just did this the other day from the balcony of my parents flat. There is a fox family in the bushes in front of their apartment complex. And the “Lost and found” technique, just like the “concentrate on the area in the spotlight” helped me quite a bit when looking for lost parts from my 1/72 scale model planes. I actually think that this is the reasin why the guys in the different CSI – tv shows use their flashlights even in well lit rooms. ;-) And of course because it makes them look busy.
I would like to add that one can easily check if stains etc. could be removed from clothing. A few days ago I managed to get some brown colored localantiseptic on a khaki colors shirt and my jeans. I immediately put some detergent on the stains themselves and let them soak in warm water and afterwards got both parts in the washing machine. When returned by my wife, I used the Thrunite Scorpion at full power too see if any stains had remained. Good thing was – everything got washed out.

Cheers
Thorsten


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## Solscud007 (May 20, 2011)

Im surprised no one has mentioned this. But I use my hand as a diffuser all the time. Or i choke down the light for night adapted vision. Depending on the light. Obviously I dont have to do that with my Titan T1A.

Also you dont have only to bounce light on a ceiling. You can do it to anything. When I was installing our new home PC, I "ceiling bounced" light under the desk the PC was under. I also like to use my hand to make cool lights warmer.


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## parnass (May 20, 2011)

Under the right conditions, you can use a flashlight pressed against a sealed envelope to see (and read) the contents. But, don't snoop. :devil:


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## Phaserburn (May 20, 2011)

When going over uneven terrain, raise your flashlight to shoulder level, as close to even with your eyes as possible. This will remove shadows from the scene directly before you, making things look clearer where you are walking. Floody lights are infinitely more useable for this than throwers.

Have a small, single cell, led type light in your pocket as backup. This is a variation on the "carry extra batts" theme.


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## StarHalo (May 20, 2011)

Soda Lantern: If you happen to have a cup of your favorite beverage from a convenience store/fast food place, you can set your light emitter-down on the lid and the entire cup emits light smoothly and evenly. A great way to light your path and carry a drink at the same time, and can be especially eye-catching with a bright-colored drink, like Mountain Dew..

I'll also agree with Hotwire that you can check the fluid levels of any container by shining your light in/on it; I use that trick frequently with laundry detergent.

And thanks to modern high-power emitters, you can pre-screen any enveloped piece of mail by setting your light on high, pressing it directly against the envelope, and observing the opposite side. It doesn't matter how thick the paper is or how much interior masking it has, a power LED will cut right through..


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## ZMZ67 (May 20, 2011)

StarHalo said:


> Soda Lantern: If you happen to have a cup of your favorite beverage from a convenience store/fast food place, you can set your light emitter-down on the lid and the entire cup emits light smoothly and evenly. A great way to light your path and carry a drink at the same time, and can be especially eye-catching with a bright-colored drink, like Mountain Dew..
> 
> I'll also agree with Hotwire that you can check the fluid levels of any container by shining your light in/on it; I use that trick frequently with laundry detergent.
> 
> And thanks to modern high-power emitters, you can pre-screen any enveloped piece of mail by setting your light on high, pressing it directly against the envelope, and observing the opposite side. It doesn't matter how thick the paper is or how much interior masking it has, a power LED will cut right through..


 
Empty plastic pop/water bottles often fit snug on the end of flashlights like the Quark 1X123 and other lights of similar diameter for use as a diffuser.


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## KiwiMark (May 21, 2011)

If you go camping then always take a light with VERY low output, when you need to pee at 3am the last thing your night adapted eyes want is the glare of a high powered light! My Jetbeam Jet-IIIM has a very low minimum output or my Quark AA with Olight diffuser is another option, moonmode + diffuser = no harsh hotspot to hurt my eyes or ruin my night vision.


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## CR123 (May 22, 2011)

mvyrmnd said:


> My tip is when using said big floody light, the higher you hold it, the better. Try it for yourself. You'll see much further with the light held at your shoulder than at your waist. I'm sure there's a good reason for this, but I'm too tired to work it out right now


 
I notice that too. Probably, you get more light reflected back up off the _ground_ that way. It could also shorten shadows cast by medium-height brush and such.

My favorite trick though is the light along a flat surface (floor etc). I use that all the time to find stuff.


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## Launch Mini (May 22, 2011)

I find that a warm light works great when a flood pattern is needed, ie close up vision and a cool emitter when throw is more important.
I have the same lights with both emitters and change them when my needs change.
My warm SPY tends to be my inside light as it doesn't overpower my eyes, and the cool versions for walking the dogs.


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## PoliceScannerMan (May 23, 2011)

As a general rule, CPFers have a lot of lights. 

So it is important you choose the right light before heading out. Taking a few moments before heading out and you can save some frustration. 

Think about the activities you will be doing and then choose the right light for that day. If you are going to work indoors all day, then a floody light may be a better choice than a thrower. If your going to a movie, a light with moon mode may be better than a 200 lumen single level light. Etc, etc, etc.

You'll get more pleasure out of your flashlight hobby when you have the right light for the job. :thumbsup:


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## angelofwar (May 23, 2011)

Well said PSM! I like to think that the near perfect combo, for only EDC'ing 2 lights is an L2 and an LX2! My L2 is one of my most EDC'ed lights.


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## CheepSteal (May 24, 2011)

In larger body 18650 lights, if you're using two CR123A batteries, you can tape the batteries together with duct tape/electrical tape to keep them from rattling and also carry some emergency electrical tape! Also could use that extra space to place a piece of paper with your details on it, in case you lose the light (heard this from other CPF'ers).

Not sure if this is effective "use", but if your lithium-running light starts hissing and getting hot, throw it somewhere safe and run!


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## Helmut.G (May 24, 2011)

CheepSteal said:


> In larger body 18650 lights, if you're using two CR123A batteries, you can tape the batteries together with duct tape/electrical tape to keep them from rattling and also carry some emergency electrical tape! Also could use that extra space to place a piece of paper with your details on it, in case you lose the light (heard this from other CPF'ers).
> 
> Not sure if this is effective "use", but if your lithium-running light starts hissing and getting hot, throw it somewhere safe and run!


three very good suggestions :thumbsup:, and the tape is a great idea, but I always use 18650 so no space, and I always carry some tape anyway


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## Cataract (May 24, 2011)

I try to EDC lights that can take the same batteries, this way I can exchange the batteries if need be. I also try to have a backup that can fill in a slightly different role than my main EDC, so I cover as many uses as possible, but don't necessarily have to switch the batteries when one of them goes dead.

How come no one has mentioned the golden rule? (I call it the rule of 3)

2 = 1 and 1 = none. Carry at least 3 lights for critical situations.


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## TyJo (May 24, 2011)

Great thread and great posts. We all get the oil changed in our cars (hopefully), and perform regular maintenance as needed . Quality LED lights can last a lifetime, but they should be maintained. Occasional inspection of contacts, threads, o-rings, batteries, etc. can keep your light in tip-top shape. A quick clean and lube can make a light good as new and help it perform like the day you got it, especially when it's regularly exposed to harsh conditions (rain, dusty pockets, etc.).


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## JohnnyLunar (May 24, 2011)

One of the best and most useful mods I've done to a flashlight was to slip the green cap from a Blistex lip balm tube over the bezel of my Maratac AAA. When the light is on low (1.8 lumens) it is the most perfect little glowing amount of diffused green light you can imagine. It makes a great house light for pitch-black hallway night ops, and would probably be a great map reading light when trying to remain discreet outdoors.

Another use for flashlights I've discovered recently is as a makeshift camera flash for taking cell phone camera pictures. I hold the phone in one hand, and use the flashlight in the other hand, with my arm outstretched as high as possible over my head, pointing the flashlight down at the photo subject. It may look goofy for the second or two I'm taking the picture, but it really brightens up cell phone pictures when in dark lighting. Obviously, a warm colored floody light in a mode somewhere between 15-50 lumens works best for this application.

I occasionally use a cool white led flashlight to scan the corners of my ceilings in my house to see old spider webs. They show up well in cool white light.

On multi-mode lights where low doesn't come on first, if I need low, I'll cycle through modes with the light against my thigh until I get to low. Then I'll slowly lift the light up (to be sure I'm in low). This is especially important in a movie theatre, dim restaurant, etc. where a light blasting on in high mode first would be embarrassing.

Using a warm colored led, or better yet, an incandescent light, to check the color and "doneness" of meat on an outdoor grill at night is much better than using a cool led.

Using a Streamlight Super Tac to scan the perimeter of a resort community golf course from about 200 yards away at night is a good way to get angry shouts from people on the other side as they sit on their porches.


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## gcbryan (May 25, 2011)

I use my ITP A3 with a string made into a loop and attached to the A3 through the little end ring (threw away the keychain) using a hitch to secure the loop. So basically I have the light on a necklace.

I don't use that light unless a necklace makes sense...backup light while camping/hiking or for carrying out the garbage at night.

However my favorite use is when soaking in the tub after coming home from the climbing gym. I turn off all the light to make the bathroom pitch black and hang the necklace from the adjustment knob on the side of the showerhead. I put the light on low (2 lumens).

It's relaxing to have all the lights off except the 2 lumens from the A3 and the lighting effect is dramatic since it casts long shadows from the fixtures. It shines straight down to where the water is coming in from the tub faucet. I guess it's my version of candles around the tub (but much more manly of course)!

Carrying that light on a necklace allows you to drop it under your shirt for most of the time and you don't even know you have it. I was climbing outside when I thought I'd be down from the mountain well before sunset and didn't bring my headlamp. I was wrong however and got caught after dark until I remember I had my A3 around my neck and tucked into my shirt. It was just enough to get me through the woods and to the car.

A3 on a necklace...that's my tip


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## Cataract (May 25, 2011)

For those who miss having a low low on their lights, you can easily simulate it by using electric tape and punching a small hole in the center - about 1/16th. This does not modify the beam profile -provided you are centered enough, but sure diminishes the amount of light coming out by a lot. 

I you have a lens adaptor from which you can remove the lens, you can make your own lenses and diffuser. I use the plastic from old CD cases. Colored ones can give a nice tint and transparent ones can be sanded with 400 grit paper and make excellent diffusers. To cut the plastic to the right size, take the original lens and draw the circle on the plastic with a permanent marker. Next, cut it out with regular cutters; the plastic will always break towards the inside of the cutter. Once that is cut out, the long part is to shape that into a nice circle of the right size with sand paper or an abrasive sponge (works best). I made one in green with a 1/16th opening and get a real nice night vision preserving adaptor.

Oh, I also made an adaptor to get rid of spill and keep the spot and pretty much all the throw: I used a wand diffuser and cut the tip - you need to experiment a bit and cut until you find the right length that works for you. The next step it to paint it. You will most likely have realistic Saturn rings unless you paint the inside as well.


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## CheepSteal (May 25, 2011)

I recently posted on here saying you should put a slip of paper with your contact details on it inside your lights, ironically, i got lazy and did not do this for my Preon II which I just bought.
I lost that very light today 
My new tip: Don't procrastinate things, secure your light NOW, not soon or later, prevention is always the best cure.


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## CheepSteal (May 25, 2011)

I recently posted on here saying you should put a slip of paper with your contact details on it inside your lights, ironically, i got lazy and did not do this for my Preon II which I just bought.
I lost that very light today 
My new tip: Don't procrastinate things, secure your light NOW, not soon or later, prevention is always the best cure.


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## oronocova (May 25, 2011)

On the subject of eye shine it does help to hold the flashlight at eye level. It also helps to use a lower output level because many animals are skiddish and will look away or move away from a brighter light. I have noticed a lower level doesn't spook them as easy. I haven't noticed this with deer, and if you ever hit one in a car you'd probably agree  But I have noticed it with foxes for instance.


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## Justin Case (May 25, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> *Eye shine for spotting critters:*
> 
> I was taught this one by a field naturalist. Hold the light at the level of your eyes, and track the center of the beam as you scan a night scene. Because of the angle, you will catch "eye shine" reflections off the retinas of any critter with eyes (who happens to be looking at you, of course).


 
Eyeshine is also known as retroreflection. Same phenomenon as in street signs. In animals, it is reflected light off of the tapetum lucidum, not the retina. Otherwise, humans would also show eyeshine, but they don't because they don't have a tapetum lucidum.


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## Justin Case (May 25, 2011)

Mr Bigglow said:


> When navigating in the dark, brief flashes from your light will not only reveal details and otherwise invisible obstacles in the terrain (or interior) in front of you, but will also preserve your night vision, especially if you close one eye while the light is on. Also, this makes it hard for someone to locate you with any precision, if that is a concern (let's say for instance you're playing tag), and will greatly extend your battery life.


 


ZMZ67 said:


> Pointing a flashlight at the ceiling indoors has a great room lighting effect as opposed to pointing the flashlight around the room.Indoor environments vary but this works very well in most homes and allows a light with a tightly focused beam to be more effective for indoor use.I realize this is well known on CPF but for the casual users and newcomers it may not be as obvious.Modern high output LED lights make this technique very effective.


 
The combination of brief flashes with angled, bounced lighting can make it harder for someone to figure out where you are as you move through a structure. And by angling the central beam away from your direct gaze, you prevent dazzling your own vision with bounce-back from the bright hot spot. And, the ceiling or wall bounce can provide lots of relatively uniform illumination over a large room volume.

However, if you know what to look for, you can still determine fairly easily the forward progress of the person who is moving/searching through the structure.


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## Nicrod (May 25, 2011)

CheepSteal said:


> I recently posted on here saying you should put a slip of paper with your contact details on it inside your lights, ironically, i got lazy and did not do this for my Preon II which I just bought.
> I lost that very light today
> My new tip: Don't procrastinate things, secure your light NOW, not soon or later, prevention is always the best cure.


 
Man I'm sorry for ur loss!! But u gave me a wonderful idea that I'm going to use. That is providing the person who finds the light doesn't fall In love so much as to not want to return the light!! And wouldn't it be funny if the person who finds one of our high-tech lights turns into a total flashaholic from finding it!' lol


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## CheepSteal (May 25, 2011)

Nicrod said:


> Man I'm sorry for ur loss!! But u gave me a wonderful idea that I'm going to use. That is providing the person who finds the light doesn't fall In love so much as to not want to return the light!! And wouldn't it be funny if the person who finds one of our high-tech lights turns into a total flashaholic from finding it!' lol


Thank you for the condolences!  I'm glad this thread is helping you, it sure is helping me and giving great advice. I hope whoever finds my Preon becomes a flashaholic, it would actually make it worthwhile!


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## Ninja (May 26, 2011)

After all these years , I lost my 1st torch - Fenix L0D 4 edc ... Thinking (now hoping) they will start a collection as well 8>)


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## Glock27 (May 26, 2011)

Use rechargeable batteries and never leave home with <90% charge. You don't have to run cells all the way down before popping them in the charger. I've found I use my lights orders of magnitude more after I ditched primaries.

G27


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## Nicrod (May 26, 2011)

Ninja said:


> After all these years , I lost my 1st torch - Fenix L0D 4 edc ... Thinking (now hoping) they will start a collection as well 8>)


 
Or if not start a collection at least use the thing and love and if they didn't edc a light before maybe they would now. I know I would:thumbsup: I havnt lost a light 
Yet. But I did leave my chrome fisher space pen bullet in an olive garden booth.
Lucky for whoever sat there after me.


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## oronocova (May 26, 2011)

I might steal the idea about putting your contact details inside the light.

With all the different battery combinations and different levels of output lights offer I have often thought it would be a good idea to keep a piece of paper with this information inside the light as well. You know... expected runtimes on each supported battery type for that light. That way in an emergency situation you could decide how best to use your battery supply and light output for a maximum illumination/runtime ratio. Plus it could save you from forgetting what voltage the light will accept etc...


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## CheepSteal (May 26, 2011)

oronocova said:


> I might steal the idea about putting your contact details inside the light.
> 
> With all the different battery combinations and different levels of output lights offer I have often thought it would be a good idea to keep a piece of paper with this information inside the light as well. You know... expected runtimes on each supported battery type for that light. That way in an emergency situation you could decide how best to use your battery supply and light output for a maximum illumination/runtime ratio. Plus it could save you from forgetting what voltage the light will accept etc...


 
That's a great idea too, to put the expected runtimes and voltage/battery types on the piece of paper. Would be great considering the amount of lights some guys on CPF have... 
I just wanna give credit to the guy who I borrowed the paper idea from. Sorry I don't know your name!
Oh, and I'm not sure if this has been mentioned; If you use a CR123 light as your primary, stock up on batteries in case of an emergency. You never know when the power might go out and you can't recharge those 18650's!


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## angelofwar (May 26, 2011)

^^^DITTO^^^ I have at least 82 unused (3.25 volt) SF CR123's, and about 72 semi-used (between 3.24-2.85 volts)...not to mention my 48'ish Surefires are all loaded with cells.

For a "spill killer" (like the Lazer Brite tubes), place a small bit a electrical tape over the lip of the light, stopping the spill from getting out the side of the light. A piece of black tubing that's has a dull finish on the inside that can slip over the front end of the light will also work better than electrical, but may take a little longer to get having to buy and search for the right size tubing. The electrical tape is an ad hoc version and can work in a jif. This makes a nice stealth light even better by reducing the spill, there by reducing your light signature.


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## cowboydelux (May 26, 2011)

i use the ceiling bounce a lot as well as the floor shadow to find dropped parts. The most useful thing i use my light for is to use it as a "pad" for my hands to push roll pins in useing the body of my light to push with. What ive learned over the years is lights arnt just for seeing, we use them to signal each other while hunting, two flashes means "something is headed your way" ect... i have also used my surefire e2d led defender to prop a window open. LOL,, my point is, a well built flash light is the best "multitool" anyone can have. At work ppl always joke with me about my light clipped to my back pocket that i must be planning for power outages ect, But i also bet my light gets loaned tp someone at work at least everyday because im the only one to have one. The same applies to my pocket knife, space pen, and multitool also


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## Darvis (May 26, 2011)

Heavy rain and fog often reflect bright light right back into your eyes. 

If you're a frequent camper like me and are annoyed by this effect, I've found that a lower level light held low does the trick. I hold the light in the classic overhand style grip except I make sure the business end is by the thumb side instead of by the pinky. Then, just hold your arm straight down by your side (almost classic security guard/maglight style, but I like to get that light LOW, hence I hold it straight down next to my pocket) and shine the light BELOW eye level, you should avoid the shine back and actually get some quality distance in the rain and fog.


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## selfbuilt (May 27, 2011)

Justin Case said:


> Eyeshine is also known as retroreflection. Same phenomenon as in street signs. In animals, it is reflected light off of the tapetum lucidum, not the retina. Otherwise, humans would also show eyeshine, but they don't because they don't have a tapetum lucidum.


Yes, good point, it is not the retina itself, but this additional layer (located at the back of the retina). I've clarified that sentence.


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## kelmo (May 27, 2011)

PoliceScannerMan said:


> As a general rule, CPFers have a lot of lights...Think about the activities you will be doing and then choose the right light for that day...You'll get more pleasure out of your flashlight hobby when you have the right light for the job. :thumbsup:



It's just the opposite for me PSM. I have so many cool lights and many with redundant features that I suffer from the "Paralysis of Analysis."

I simply cannot quickly decide what light(s) I will go forth and conquer with...


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## Tomcat! (May 29, 2011)

When vacuuming the house, I strap a Zerbralight H60 to the metal tool pipe below the flexible hose with a Twofish Lockblock to illuminate the floor I'm cleaning. The Lockblock allows the right angled H60 to face forward, and that all-flood beam lights up the floor really nicely. It's also very easy to change the angle of the beam by twisting the H60 up or down to see further ahead when cleaning under furniture. I used to use an H30 but found the run time too short. The H60 with an AW18650 is a much better combo, allowing you to keep the light on medium or high settings for longer.


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## Cataract (May 30, 2011)

A good strong headlamp with diffuser can help cleaning the walls and ceiling, if not available, I personally used a Fenix HP10 combined with the fenix Headband for a total of 3 powerful lights on my head and didn't need diffusion and I think this setup might actually have been more helpful, although I did not bother testing both options. I could see a very distinct line between clean and dirty walls and especially on the ceiling (well, after 7 years in the same appartment, it showed allright).


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## SaturnNyne (Jun 7, 2011)

This is a great thread, and one I'd considered making myself.





Darvis said:


> Heavy rain and fog often reflect bright light right back into your eyes.
> 
> If you're a frequent camper like me and are annoyed by this effect, I've found that a lower level light held low does the trick.


I'm surprised I didn't see this one mentioned earlier. This is a good tip, and one that applies not just in rain and fog but in any atmosphere with a little moisture in it, to some degree. A few years ago I did some experiments in a large field on the coast, comparing what I can see through the slightly misty air with a light held in different positions. What I found was that with a light held up around my eyes, in a standard "tacticalish" position, I could see eyes reflecting and a vague form around them, but I couldn't make out detail due to the backscatter. With the light held at arm's length, I was suddenly able to identify the creature as a deer. This has become a standard part of checking my surroundings when out in a wildernessy area: I hold the light by my eyes, scan for the eyes watching me, then hold the light out to try to determine what's observing me. Perhaps the effect is less dramatic in places with totally dry air... but I don't have any of that near where I live.

Light positioning is an important part of using a light effectively, and many of the tips in this thread reflect that. You want it horizontal and close to the surface when you're trying to cast large shadows, close to your eyes when looking for reflections, and far from the eyes when trying to minimize reflection.


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## selfbuilt (Jun 7, 2011)

SaturnNyne said:


> Light positioning is an important part of using a light effectively, and many of the tips in this thread reflect that. You want it horizontal and close to the surface when you're trying to cast large shadows, close to your eyes when looking for reflections, and far from the eyes when trying to minimize reflection.


Agreed. In fact, it's what I was thinking of when I started the thread (i.e. my original post presented two examples of light positioning for specific purposes). All the other issues of appropriate output level, beam pattern, etc. are at least as important. But those tend to get discussed a lot here, whereas hand-holding and positioning seem to get less attention.

I'm planning to develop background material on my www.flashlightreviews.ca website over the summer months, and will definitely use some of the excellent suggestions and ideas on positioning presented here. :thumbsup:


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## TyJo (Jun 7, 2011)

CheepSteal said:


> I recently posted on here saying you should put a slip of paper with your contact details on it inside your lights, ironically, i got lazy and did not do this for my Preon II which I just bought.
> I lost that very light today
> My new tip: Don't procrastinate things, secure your light NOW, not soon or later, prevention is always the best cure.


I lost my first light today.... luckily it was a Fenix E05, and not my HDS rotary. After I stopped retracing my steps I put paper with contact details in almost all of my lights, at least now they have a fighting chance to get back to me. I will also never rely on any type of mini carabiner again, everything is on mini split rings and attached to my cable ring.


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## selfbuilt (Jun 8, 2011)

TyJo said:


> I lost my first light today.... luckily it was a Fenix E05, and not my HDS rotary. After I stopped retracing my steps I put paper with contact details in almost all of my lights, at least now they have a fighting chance to get back to me.


The only problem is that these lights are so efficient, someone could use it for a couple of years before opening it to change the battery (and spot the note)! But I agree it's a good idea in principle - hope you get your light back.


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## CheepSteal (Jun 8, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> The only problem is that these lights are so efficient, someone could use it for a couple of years before opening it to change the battery (and spot the note)! But I agree it's a good idea in principle - hope you get your light back.


 
Let's just hope that they are curious enough to open it and see what battery it runs on. I know if I found something cool, I'd definitely take it apart and play with it!


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## Cataract (Jun 8, 2011)

Advice #62: keep your batteries low so if you lose your flashlight, the finder will not take years to open it up and find your old phone number.


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## Helmut.G (Jun 8, 2011)

CheepSteal said:


> Let's just hope that they are curious enough to open it and see what battery it runs on. I know if I found something cool, I'd definitely take it apart and play with it!


me too, but the average joe (or "otto normalverbraucher" [otto standard consumer] as we say in germany) definitely wouldn't.


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## CheepSteal (Jun 8, 2011)

I love #62!  
Helmut, I guess you are right though, most people are uninterested in our hobbies when we even talk about them, let alone sitting down to open the light they found..
As for flashlight tips, I found that if you have a sticky or tacky feeling clicky switch, put a small amount of grease/Nyogel into the boot cap and it will help it feel smoother when activating.


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## savumaki (Jun 8, 2011)

I was working on a pump the other day and wanted to see if there was sediment going thru the translucent output hose. My pocket light is a Quark 123 and shining the light thru the hose from the underside showed clearly that particles were in the water.
Great tips on here.


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## TyJo (Jun 8, 2011)

Cataract said:


> Advice #62: keep your batteries low so if you lose your flashlight, the finder will not take years to open it up and find your old phone number.


Hahaha. I agree the lights are so efficient that a normal person might just use it and never check the battery for years, hopefully if I ever lose one again a CPF member finds it or the person is curious enough to open the tube (and give me a call instead of keeping it).
I never realized that the beam angle in relation to your viewing angle can make such a difference.... I'll have to try it out sometime when there isn't city light everywhere.


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## Sparky's Magic (Jun 8, 2011)

+1 Closing one eye,
Try this, when out walking: When nearing lit areas close one eye, the one on the brighter side - open again, when back in the dark. This technique really preserves night vision.

The British Navy for years could not figure how Pirates would always spot the British Men o' War and 'run for it': What their lookouts did for an hour or so before going on watch was to cover one eye with a patch, (no shortage of those, either). :thumbsup:


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## amokkos (Jul 25, 2012)

This is a good thread. Thanks to selfbuilt for the initiative and to all the contributors for all the tips. I could only come up with a few more things

When running on primary(="one-time-use") batteries I am much more reluctant to use it (for all the "geeky" things we flashaholics do).
Buy rechargable batteries and a good charger for what ever flashlight you have (I know this is basic to all cpf members). 
It may seem as pretty basic tip but its a cost-effective tip 

Another tip for twisty lights: If you need to use your light very briefly with a low amount of output (eg. to check if/how your daughter is sleeping in a darkened room): tighten the head to the point just before it emits light. You can then use your thumb placed on top of the lens/head to press down. The result is a very low red-orange coloured light. 
There are variations to this: The amount of red-orange light than comes out is dependent on the thickness of the thumb part you are using. The lens can also be kept free and only press on the bezel ring - this will give the option to make a very brief flash (on-handed) with a twisty-light which is otherwise a bit more difficult to do by one-handed twisting.


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## reppans (Jul 25, 2012)

Nice bump, these are always great threads.

Items to keep in your wallet:
- piece of reusable scotch tape taped to a plastic card... for a lens diffuser
- piece of tin foil to use AAA batts in a AA light (ball-up on negative terminal & wrap batt in a couple of dollar bills for spacers)
- a white business card for use as a lantern, bounce diffuser, and 90-degree angle reflector (with aluminum foil tape, or using the two items above). clicky


Hands-free use:
- I hold my light in my left hand between my ring and pinky fingers, when curled up in a fist position. This leaves the three primary fingers free and available, or put another way, it leaves me with 1 and 3/4ths hands-free.
- Clip the light to your shirt collar just under the ear, weight resting on the collar bone. For T-shirts, add a half twist and tuck the tail under the collar. clicky


Signaling/momentary work-around using a light that has a reverse clicky & loose/tight bezel adjustment - turn on and back off just a hair from the tight bezel position to your low mode, then using your thumb press on the head sideways for momentary/signaling. Also good for quickly cycling through modes on twisties like the 4sevens and Eagletacs that need 6 cycles to access the strobes.


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## djozz (Jul 25, 2012)

A camping tip when playing cards with friends:
Put your small EDC-light beam-up inside a glass that is longer than the light, fill 1/20th with milk, the rest with water, put it on the middle of the table.
Looks coziest of course with warmwhite leds (and you all trust your lights to be waterproof, right?)
-djozz-


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## m.nadz (Jul 25, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> *Shadows are your friends when dropping things on the floor:*






HotWire said:


> On my car I can check the power steering and brake fluid levels by shining a flashlight through the container. Quick and easy!



My beater E2L does these two things every day at work.


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## TornroT (Dec 5, 2012)

Get a lot of inexpensive 1xAA twistys. Fill 'em up with Lithiums. Put them _everywhere_.

I have iTP A2's all around the place, for all my family; beside every bed, on every keychain, at every entrance, in every vehicle... We get a lot of electricity outages and live in some seriously dark woods, so I like to know there's always a light nearby. Most often than not, when you _really_ need a light, is when you didn't plan for it. These are the emergency and occasionally used lights. Lights we use regularly are of course loaded with Eneloops.


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## TornroT (Dec 5, 2012)

For non-flashaholics and noobs: Stick to AA batteries. Get a truckload of rechargeable Sanyo Eneloops and a Maha MH-C9000 charger. (Use Lithium primaries in seldom used flashlights.)


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## TEEJ (Dec 5, 2012)

If you want to use a thrower to create diffused light when the ceiling's are too high for practical bounce, tail stand the light, and place a glass of water on the lens. The light makes the water appear to glow, radiating diffuse light.

You can substitute your beverage of choice if you want a different tint, etc.


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## El Camino (Dec 5, 2012)

Tactical Vacuum Cleaner: When using the wand extension, you can hold a bright light parallel to the vacuum cleaner wand. If it's small enough you can hold the light and the tube with one hand. This helps you see spider webs in the ceiling corners, etc.

Get some inexpensive lights for loaners. Sometimes people "forget" to return them. I usually keep a cheap (as in $2) multi-LED light in my desk drawer at work for this reason.

Every now and them, go dim. Take a walk at night with an old or low powered incan light. It helps you keep night vision and helps remind you how bright newer lights are. Of course, you can have a brighter one with you just in case. In addition: If you are outside at night (say in a rural area or at the beach) sit or stand still for a while (say 5-10 minutes) and close your eyes. Open your eyes, but leave the light off. You may be surprised by what you can see in the dark.

Maglite Diffusers: You can upgrade the C/D and AA lenses with glass ones, but you can also use fine sand paper on the old plastic lenses to make diffusers. These work well with the roll preventers, which can also hold colored lenses. You now have a diffuser lens to go with them.


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## tam17 (Dec 5, 2012)

Having a multi-mode flashlight with memory function and not willing to be blinded by Turbo or Disco mode next time when you turn it on (this usually happens when least desired)?

Press the front end of flashlight against the palm of your free hand and turn on. Skin and tissues are translucent just enough to let you see the reddish glow and not get dazzled. You can now cycle through the modes and select the proper one while preserving NAV.

Cheers


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## eh4 (Dec 5, 2012)

TornroT said:


> Get a lot of inexpensive 1xAA twistys. Fill 'em up with Lithiums. Put them everywhere.
> 
> I have iTP A2's all around the place, for all my family; beside every bed, on every keychain, at every entrance, in every vehicle... We get a lot of electricity outages and live in some seriously dark woods, so I like to know there's always a light nearby. Most often than not, when you really need a light, is when you didn't plan for it. These are the emergency and occasionally used lights. Lights we use regularly are of course loaded with Eneloops.



You just gave me an idea, wrap the cheap twisties with some GITD tape and station them near lights that are typically on.


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## eh4 (Dec 5, 2012)

SaturnNyne said:


> This is a great thread, and one I'd considered making myself.
> 
> I'm surprised I didn't see this one mentioned earlier. This is a good tip, and one that applies not just in rain and fog but in any atmosphere with a little moisture in it, to some degree. A few years ago I did some experiments in a large field on the coast, comparing what I can see through the slightly misty air with a light held in different positions. What I found was that with a light held up around my eyes, in a standard "tacticalish" position, I could see eyes reflecting and a vague form around them, but I couldn't make out detail due to the backscatter. With the light held at arm's length, I was suddenly able to identify the creature as a deer. This has become a standard part of checking my surroundings when out in a wildernessy area: I hold the light by my eyes, scan for the eyes watching me, then hold the light out to try to determine what's observing me. Perhaps the effect is less dramatic in places with totally dry air... but I don't have any of that near where I live.
> 
> Light positioning is an important part of using a light effectively, and many of the tips in this thread reflect that. You want it horizontal and close to the surface when you're trying to cast large shadows, close to your eyes when looking for reflections, and far from the eyes when trying to minimize reflection.



Same phenomena I believe, whether it's the reflective balls in street sign paint, or the reflective layer at the back of a nocturnal animal's eyes (spiders and moths show up well too), or the tiny balls of water in a fog.


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## eh4 (Dec 5, 2012)

Sparky's Magic said:


> +1 Closing one eye,
> Try this, when out walking: When nearing lit areas close one eye, the one on the brighter side - open again, when back in the dark. This technique really preserves night vision.
> 
> The British Navy for years could not figure how Pirates would always spot the British Men o' War and 'run for it': What their lookouts did for an hour or so before going on watch was to cover one eye with a patch, (no shortage of those, either). :thumbsup:



THAT is priceless. I might just start sporting an eye patch now, once the sun is over the yard arm anyway.


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## eh4 (Dec 5, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> It occurs to me that in all our discussions of the merits of different builds, outputs, interfaces, etc., we don't often discuss general handling issues that could have a big impact on how effective our flashlights use is.
> 
> Sure, there are plenty of threads on the topic of flashlight/weapon combinations (which makes sense, given most of us only have two hands - well, plus one mouth usually ). But what about more general uses where you have found a certain approach that works remarkably well? I'll start with two examples that occur to me:
> 
> ...



Great opening. This thread should get stickied, and cleaned up... Like for instance my four exuberant posts should be one post. 
This thread and " What Happened In The Last "X" Years" are two (of many) of the best threads IMHO.


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## naiter (Dec 5, 2012)

I like the thread, kinda turned into "the many uses of flashlights"

just about everything is a diffuser of some sort, for so many different situations. 

No one mentioned lightweight lights tied to the dog collars. Good light shows with multiple dogs playing fetch. 

I've started mixing hobbies. two colors of reflective tape on each end of a toy helicopter are more fun for me at night then the day. daytime at max altitude it turns into a dark spot in the sky, night i can still tell which way its pointing from the two colors reflected back.


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## whiteoakjoe (Dec 5, 2012)

I was taught the (flash and move) tactic in the police academy and always liked it. A quick flash of high output to the face of someone, while you close your eyes. Then side step once or twice. You can do this in a way that does not seem all that offensive, but buys you time to asess them and the level of threat that they represent. As you have saved your adapted vision and taken away their night vision.


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## Gregozedobe (Dec 6, 2012)

TornroT said:


> Get a lot of inexpensive 1xAA twistys. Fill 'em up with Lithiums. Put them _everywhere_.
> 
> I have iTP A2's all around the place, for all my family; beside every bed, on every keychain, at every entrance, in every vehicle... We get a lot of electricity outages and live in some seriously dark woods, so I like to know there's always a light nearby. Most often than not, when you _really_ need a light, is when you didn't plan for it. These are the emergency and occasionally used lights. Lights we use regularly are of course loaded with Eneloops.





eh4 said:


> You just gave me an idea, wrap the cheap twisties with some GITD tape and station them near lights that are typically on.



My version of this is to put PALights in all the strategic locations I can find. The always on "Locator-Glow" shines 24/7 (much better than tritium or GITD after a few hours without light). When there is a power failure we can use the PALight to locate our more "serious" lights (the ones with rechargeable batteries). I feed mine the old 9V batteries out of our smoke alarms, and test them each month when I am going around testing my smoke alarms (to make sure neither item has flat batteries).


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## Quiksilver (Dec 6, 2012)

I used mine tonight in the park to spot a large spider which had strung its web at head height. Had I not spotted it with the light, I would have had a poisonous spider crawling around my head and neck, down my shirt.

Paid for itself right there.


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## reppans (Dec 6, 2012)

whiteoakjoe said:


> I was taught the (flash and move) tactic in the police academy and always liked it. A quick flash of high output to the face of someone, while you close your eyes. Then side step once or twice. You can do this in a way that does not seem all that offensive, but buys you time to asess them and the level of threat that they represent. As you have saved your adapted vision and taken away their night vision.



Great tactical use idea... love it.


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## El Camino (Dec 6, 2012)

I saw a guy duct tape a couple of flashlights to the front of his busted up car. I guess that counts.


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## eh4 (Dec 6, 2012)

Duct tape and flashlights go very well together, but what doesn't go well with duct tape?

Taping or tying a light to a stick has been handy a few times when looking for things on the ground - like the idea above of attaching a light to the vacuum cleaner.
It's a neat trick for outside with a floody light.


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## dc38 (Dec 6, 2012)

most newer houses have entrances or room dividers with protruding ceiling partitions. these contain steel shim things to reinforce the corners of walls. i used this after sandy in conjunction with magnets, lanyards, paperclips and diffusers to have makeshift overhead lighting. eye and waist level lighting throws everything out of perspective indoors...and its glaring.


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## mbw_151 (Dec 13, 2012)

A flashlight with a warm tint and a narrow beam with little to no spill works best in fog, heavy rain and snow. The Malkoff M60 drop ins with a neutral or warm tint are great for this. E1L/E2L/L1/L2/LX2 are good but better with a warmer emitter.

Get a headlamp. I can't tell you how many campers/hikers I've convinced by lending them a good headlamp for a trial. Sometimes it's hard to get the thing back.


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## Pretbek (Dec 14, 2012)

These tips are great. I hope this thread stays active for a long time.


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## tam17 (Dec 14, 2012)

When trying to see over the greater distance in fog, smoke, dust, rain or snow, hold the flashlight overhand with your arm fully extended upwards, i.e. never hold the flashlight near the head or in the eye level. In my experience, this helps minimize the "wall of light" effect (being dazzled by reflection from tiny particles or droplets suspended in the air). Of course narrower beam works best, as mbw_151 said.

Hope this hasn't been already posted.

Cheers


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## eh4 (Dec 14, 2012)

It's a good tip tam17 and deserves to be repeated even if it was mentioned before.
Beyond tips, we could establish principles.
For instance, the same phenomena that let's us see the reflected eyes of nocturnal animals also blinds us in mist/fog. Simple enough but neat to understand.
Angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.


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## Justin Case (Dec 14, 2012)

Actually, the phenomenon with nocturnal animal eyes is retroreflection (same as with reflective roadway signs). Angle of incidence does still equal angle of reflection, but if the reflector were a simple planar surface, reflection back to the source would occur only at zero incidence. That's not the case with a retroreflector. I don't think that fog is retroreflective. It is a multiple scatterer.


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## eh4 (Dec 14, 2012)

Right, but with fog/mist each drop of water is like one of the little glass beads in the paint of a reflective street sign. Either the water droplets will reflect most of the light back right to the light's origin or the experience of seeing better in fog with offset lighting is a placebo.


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## Justin Case (Dec 14, 2012)

No, fog does not act as a retroreflector. It produces multiple scattering. That's a different phenomenon. If you angle the light in a fog, the reflection does not come directly back to the source. If it did, then moving the beam angle slightly would not help.


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## moldyoldy (Dec 15, 2012)

mrlysle said:


> We have dogs, and light colored floors. Just standing and looking at the floor, it doesn't always look like there's dog hair on the floor. But I ALWAYS use my 170t clicky, and just lay it flat on the floor, and even the smallest dog hair casts a shadow. So after I run the sweeper, it;s easy to see places I've missed, by using my light flat on the floor. I just roll it around to cover the whole floor. It always amazes me how easy it is to miss spots if you don't use a light.



+1. With 3 cats in the house - 2 from daughter traveling - a floody light laid on the floor reflects from all the cat hairs and litter crumbs very well. Even my wife started using flashlights when vacuuming around their litter box and beyond. Play around with the lumen output - it makes a difference.


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## El Camino (Dec 15, 2012)

When using a lanyard, I like to hold the light in such a way that the lanyard goes over the web of my hand and then down around my wrist. If the lanyard is at the right length, I can still grab it if I drop it. A quick upward flick of the hand can put it back in position. Takes practice, but try it.


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## Justin Case (Dec 16, 2012)

This is what I use for a lanyard for my SureFire 6P.


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## Gregozedobe (Dec 17, 2012)

Don't use a headlamp if there are lots of flying insects around that are attracted to light - blighters keep flying into your eyes.


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## davidwestonh (Dec 18, 2012)

Cataract said:


> How come no one has mentioned the golden rule? (I call it the rule of 3)
> 
> 2 = 1 and 1 = none. Carry at least 3 lights for critical situations.


I thought that was the Total Recall Theorem


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## davidwestonh (Dec 18, 2012)

oronocova said:


> On the subject of eye shine it does help to hold the flashlight at eye level. It also helps to use a lower output level because many animals are skiddish and will look away or move away from a brighter light. I have noticed a lower level doesn't spook them as easy. I haven't noticed this with deer, and if you ever hit one in a car you'd probably agree  But I have noticed it with foxes for instance.


I stand on my back deck and the deer and rabbits just stare into the LEDs .
i point the surefire a2 at the rabbits and they zoom off.
if I had a second a2 and taped them to the ends of a paperback book and pointed at the deer I wonder if they would run also.


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## tam17 (Dec 22, 2012)

If you find OEM diffusers too bulky, store diffuser film patches inside the battery tube. If you prefer self-adhesive type (d-c-fix or similar), prepare both 1- and 2-layer version (the latter makes the mule out of your ordinary flashlight).

Cheers


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## Cereal_Killer (Jun 22, 2013)

I learned a little flashlight trick from the auto glass guy today so I dug up this old thread finally getting to add a useful tip of my own-

if you've lent your teenage child the car, or your looking at one to possibly buy, set a flashlight lens down on the windshield (or any glass) and any chips/cracks will shine. For larger windows you should shine the light from a few different spots to really make sure. 

I had him out replacing the back quarter glass on our van and he noticed the flashlight I was carrying during he middle of the day and we ended up in a nice flashlight discussion after he pulled out a pair of solarforce L2's.


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## ledmitter_nli (Jun 22, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> A lot of good tips. <snip>
> 
> That said, I can also see how "follow the bouncing ball" (hotspot) is a good way to focus the mind and pay attention to what you are looking at (messy room or wilderness, take your pick).
> 
> <snip>



I think the bouncing ball of a hot-spotty light is a distraction. Your search is more frenetic with hand movements and your eyes are darting around to keep inside the spot. If you have enough lumens and a floodier smooth beam, you can search with slower broader sweeps. It's like having a light on a steady cam  It's much more comfortable on the eyes because there's so much less movement.


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## nicknapp (Jun 22, 2013)

There are tons of great suggestions on here and I use most of them almost daily. Here's my contribution.

Not sure how recommended this is (I sure my dentist would not approve), but I often hold my lights in my mouth when I need both hands. Very easy to do with my preon 2 but also reasonable with any light that have a tailcap larger than the body (such as my e2dlu). I also cut an end off of the rubber hand grip for my Quark qt2l-x and put it on the tail end of the light to give me something soft to bite on when I really need to hold it.

Edit: I forgot to mention that with the Preon 2 it is possible to switch modes by soft pressing the tailcap with your tongue (you can even turn the light on adn off if you have a strong tongue)


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## Norm (Jun 22, 2013)

If you ever drop a pill on the floor, hold you light at an acute angle to the floor and your dropped pill will be easily seen along with dust and other detritus.

Norm


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## Wiggle (Jul 25, 2013)

If you haven't dusted/swept in a while, be careful where you aim that nice new thrower when testing it out.

When walking, if you come across other walkers, aim the light down and way from them or use a finger to block the spill light from hitting their eyes if you don't want to move your hot spot.

Always keep your light charged before going out. Especially on lights without battery meters, that way you can be sure what kind of runtime you can expect out of the light once you need it.

When walking, a lower position is good to hold the light as the shadows will more clearly make bumps and dips in the path be noticeable versus holding at eye level which makes things look flatter.

If you have a new light which is intended to be a "user", try to drop it quickly and get that first mark on it so that you will not continue to baby it forever.

For a bedside light, some kind of GITD indication can be very helpful to finding it in the middle of the night.


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## jamie.91 (Jul 26, 2013)

My favourite use for a light a work is checking the fluid level in a container, transparent containers get mucky eg header tanks when the engine has not had anti freeze in it, or if your lights bright enough it even works with some opaque containers.

I know you can just remove the lid but sometimes it's better to not disturb the. System, especially if its hot!

Depending on the tint light is great for examining body work, for dents, scratches or identifying if a panel has been previously painted


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## AnAppleSnail (Sep 23, 2013)

When walking with a light that just can't shine the hotspot ahead AND light your feet, do this:

Hold the light 'handshake' style. Extend your thumb over the top of the bezel so that it sticks down over the bezel into the light beam (It feels like you're giving a thumbs up, or a hitchiker's thumb). Your thumb will reflect light that would have gone into the sky down to your feet, giving you a diffuse light to see trip hazards with.


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## WWWW (Oct 3, 2013)

I don't have any tip for this time, the one that is common practice in my house is shooting the light up when the power is down. I still need to give a try the light sweep for searching stuff on the ground, never thought about it. Thanks you all for the great tips.


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## FourBin Labs (Oct 10, 2013)

This is another version of holding the light at your hip (low). Not only is this useful in fog, this also works well if you want to see through a screen door or anything else that may send light back at your eyes. The screen will light up where the light is passing through it. By holding the light lower, you create a triangle between the light source, the object on the other side of the screen that you want to see, and your eyes. The light returning to your eyes will not be taking the same path that the light leaving the flashlight is. This way you are not trying to see through a lit up screen. This effect is more noticeable on lights designed for throw more than lights designed for flood.


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## jotero77 (Oct 12, 2013)

When ever I need a fast and cheap defuser for my E1B backup I just grab the cap off a water bottle. Just snap it on the head and there you go cheap and easy.







jotero77


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## Jakeyb (Oct 12, 2013)

You can always put a piece of scotch tape on your lens to act as a diffuser. It peels off really easily also.


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## gravelmonkey (Oct 12, 2013)

Turn it on before use, and point it in the right direction... :nana:

I've not read the _whole_ thread so I apologise if that 'joke' has been said or my tips have been covered already:

1) Wrap a ~3cm wide by 20-30cm long strip of duct-tape around the body of an AA or AAA light if you're going camping, makes it much nicer to 'teeth hold' and you always have duct-tape to hand.

2) Similar to finding small items on the floor tips- I shine a light parallel to the surface of a wall I'm decorating to make sure I've not missed any bits when filling or sanding.

3) Place ceiling-bounced lights higher than eye-level to prevent glare.

4) (Pretty sure EVERYONE here does this already) Organise your rechargeable cells, it's easier to keep track of charged/empty and ensure you don't grab an empty as you're heading out the door or swap in an empty if you're in the field.

5) Works with 6P sized lights and larger: Tuck the light under your arm so it illuminates your hands to illuminate what you're working on.


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## FourBin Labs (Oct 13, 2013)

gravelmonkey said:


> 4) (Pretty sure EVERYONE here does this already) Organise your rechargeable cells, it's easier to keep track of charged/empty and ensure you don't grab an empty as you're heading out the door or swap in an empty if you're in the field.



I don't actually think that was mentioned yet. Good to mention it.

I have labeled all of my 18650 cells. I have pared them So I have 1A & 1B, 2A & 2B, 3A... you get the idea. Every light get's two cells so I swap between A&B but always have the same light take the same set number (except in an emergency where I just need more juice). This also help me remember how many cycles a cell set has. I know if the cell set was assigned to an EDC light that it has had many more cycles than a set that get's used to one of my aux lights.


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## Razzle (Oct 20, 2013)

Norm said:


> If you ever drop a pill on the floor, hold you light at an acute angle to the floor and your dropped pill will be easily seen along with dust and other detritus.
> 
> Norm




This.

I am ALWAYS dropping my prescription pills, and it truly worries me, with two hungry dogs around. Never thought about using illumination.......I will now!


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## unattended (Oct 23, 2013)

nicknapp said:


> ...I often hold my lights in my mouth ...



regarding that "technique" i also use very often - my tip: 

titanium lights are way more comfortable to the teeth than anodised aluminium lights


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## Torchguy (Oct 26, 2013)

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned mosquito hunting. I'm one of those unfortunate people who are extremely popular with the little blood suckers, and they really can ruin a good night's sleep. I find that shining a flashlight around the room picks them up quickly, on the walls or ceilings - or even while flying!

To see them while they're airborne I hold the light away from my body, and look where the beam is passing through the air rather than where it is striking a surface. Anything flying in the beam becomes a bright spot against a dim background - impossible to miss.

Once I have a mozzie in my sights I track it until it lands. If I keep it in the hotspot of the beam, it can't tell how close I am.

Oh, and I use a flashlight on low power if I need light after I have opened the windows - it doesn't seem to attract mozzies the way a light-bulb does.


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## davesc (Oct 27, 2013)

I just bought a couple UV flashights. Inova X5 and the Streamlight Night Com. I guess they would attract insects...like a bug zapper with the UV light would? 


I am out in the woods a lot. Hunting, etc. Here's a few of the critters eyes I have learned to identify with a light at night.
possum=orangish
gators=red
deer=yellow
bear=red
owls=redish
spiders=green
raccoons=yellow
whipporwill=red, (you will only see one eye at a time by the way they sit)
dogs/cats=greenish yellow
coyotes=greenish yellow


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## N_N_R (Oct 27, 2013)

Lol, a really cool thread. 

The idea with duct tape around the upper body of the flashlight for a more convenient "teeth hold" is perfect, I do it all the time.

When using as ceiling bounce, to prevent it from glaring into your eyes, you can not only put it above eye level, but you can also put it in a wider glass so that the flashlight leans to the "glass wall" away from you and still points upwards.

I use my i3/i3s / other smaller lights with clips or on a necklace this way: clipped to my neckline or just hanging from my neck on a lanyard, turned on. This way they illuminate my path, hanging from top and shining down, and I still have my hands free. 

With small twisties you can almost twist the light to an on position, but still leave it off. Then using your thumb you can just lightly press the head until it makes contact and shines. This way you'll have a much more fast accessible momentary on in a twisty. 

Put improvised diffusers of different colours (like different plastic caps from chap sticks or bottles) on your (mainly AAA) lights. When you shine them, you get nice... Christmas lamps decorations without risking power outage or accidental fire 

Hey, in extremely cold conditions, when heat is more important than light, perhaps you could use your lights to warm your hands a little. Turn it on on high and wait for the flashlight body to get warm/hot. I love doing that when my hands are cold, lol.


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## FourBin Labs (Oct 28, 2013)

N_N_R said:


> The idea with duct tape around the upper body of the flashlight for a more convenient "teeth hold" is perfect, I do it all the time.


Gaff tape also works very well for this, and is less likely to leave residue when removed from a light.




N_N_R said:


> When using as ceiling bounce, to prevent it from glaring into your eyes, you can not only put it above eye level, but you can also put it in a wider glass so that the flashlight leans to the "glass wall" away from you and still points upwards.


I've used lampshades over a light before. This helps a lot with lights that are at or just a bit below eye level. It diffuses light that would hit your eyes, but most of the light still shines directly out the top on to the ceiling.



N_N_R said:


> Hey, in extremely cold conditions, when heat is more important than light, perhaps you could use your lights to warm your hands a little. Turn it on on high and wait for the flashlight body to get warm/hot. I love doing that when my hands are cold, lol.



Did this yesterday while working outside for several hours on a cold morning. Actually stuck my light inside of my leather glove. Works fairly well, but sill had a bit of trouble getting the heat all the way down to my fingers.


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## Dirtbasher (Oct 28, 2013)

Flashlight cooking tip when camping
Use a NW light when cooking steak or chops, it shows the "cooked" colour compared to a cool white emitter.


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## FourBin Labs (Oct 30, 2013)

Catalog your lights.

I started a spread sheet this week with the following organization

ID section:
Brand / Name / Color / Serial # (If applicable)

Technical Info:
Battery Type(s) / Voltage Range / Emitter Type

Usage Info:
Lumens (each mode) / Runtime (each mode) / Lux (on highest mode) / Max Distance

Addition Notes Section

The idea here being that you have a quick reference if you ever need to pick a light for any particular application.

Which light has the farthest throw?
Which light has the best run time?
What battery combinations can I put in this light without damaging it?
etc.


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## D6859 (Nov 7, 2013)

Use a balloon to make a diffuser. This tip is by TurboBB in: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...FFUSER-IDEAS&p=3276614&viewfull=1#post3276614 : "Adjust the air in the balloon to control the light diffusion. I'd imagine if you used a long and skinny one, it'll be very close in profile to the conical diffusers but this works great for casting 360 spherical wall of light."
You can find balloons with different colours. I've found yellow, red and white most useful.

Someone posted the duct tape tip already. Use strip wide enough (1 cm is not enough) and do not let the flashlight drop when holding it in your mouth. I almost broke a tooth. 

Winter is coming here in Finland. I'll start testing different NiMHs and try to figure out tips for usage in cold.


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## D6859 (Nov 8, 2013)

Remembered one now. Sometimes I use my Olight S15 with the clip reversed and attached to the screen of my laptop to light the keyboard when it's too dark to see it (e.g. now travelling in a car). My laptop is small and I am not used to the keyboard but it has thin screen so I'm able to attach the clip. The tip might work only on some (small) flashlights and thin screens. Disclaimer: be careful not to scratch your webcam.


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## dss_777 (Nov 8, 2013)

Use a label maker to mark which drop-in is in a specific host. Description/specs, in small type, and stick it to the head. Easier to keep track of what is where, and allows comparing lights if you've got multiples with different specs.

Sorry if this has already been mentioned.


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## piglet (Nov 17, 2013)

If it's a blackout, and it's still light outside - find your flashlight and batteries while it's really easy. 

If your flashlight has a step down, and it's been on for a while, turn it off and back on again for more light.


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## MethylEthyl (Nov 28, 2013)

Quark Tip:

Many complain that Quarks with tactical (proud) tailcaps can not tailstand. Foursevens ships Quarks with a rubber handgrip. Cut one end of the handgrip off, and you now have a one inch section of rubber that is Quark diameter. Slide this over your tailcap and down.

This provides 3 advantages:
-Slide rubber piece back in order to tailstand the light.
-Put flashlight in mouth comfortably
-Move rubber piece to the front of the light and slide to reduce spill angle.


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## piglet (Jan 1, 2014)

You can make a sipik 68 tailstand by unscrewing the bezel and using it as a stand. Might as well leave the lens in place to stop you having to look for it later. 

Perhaps the best application of this would make it easier to give out 'sacrificial' flashlights during a blackout.


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## tino79 (Nov 30, 2014)

This tip is not from me, I read it somewhere in taschenlampen-forum.de If you have a mosquito bite and it hurts. Put a bright flashlight with the light emitting site on it and power on the turbo mode. The heat will destroy the toxic and the pain will stop. It is the same principle than this tools for mosquito bites with an heating point on it.


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## Duramarks (Dec 1, 2014)

This has already been mentioned a few times, but I don't think anyone said electrical tape yet. I use electrical tape around the end of a few of my black flashlighs. With the tape and the flashlight both being black you can't really tell that the tape is there from the looks of it.


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## Ryp (Dec 1, 2014)

jotero77 said:


> When ever I need a fast and cheap defuser I just grab the cap off a water bottle. Just snap it on the head and there you go cheap and easy.



This is the exact same water bottle cap I use for my Nitecore P12. It literally snaps onto the light like it was made for it. I have tried other caps and they do not fit.


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## campingnut (Dec 17, 2014)

I use my wife's label maker and place a label on all of my rechargeables that states, "if found please call...". Since I only use rechargeables, my lights always have my contact info in case I loose a light.


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## 5S8Zh5 (Dec 18, 2014)

I've found that ease of clip use is a big deal in my EDC choices. The ability to one hand draw and one hand store is a must. That means the clip must be pliant enough, and the tip must curve upward enough to slide onto the pocket fabric on the first try.

list your lights






_


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## ninjaboigt (Jan 1, 2015)

MethylEthyl said:


> Quark Tip:
> 
> Many complain that Quarks with tactical (proud) tailcaps can not tailstand. Foursevens ships Quarks with a rubber handgrip. Cut one end of the handgrip off, and you now have a one inch section of rubber that is Quark diameter. Slide this over your tailcap and down.
> 
> ...




Very nice tip! mine are just sitting in a draw.


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## LeafSamurai (Jan 2, 2015)

Interesting tips here. Thanks 


Sent from my iPad using Candlepowerforums


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## zipplet (Nov 11, 2015)

Here are some flashlight tips more on the side towards preparedness / battery usage:

*Standby flashlights
*
Many of us have several lights fueled up at any time, but how many of them have fresh fuel, ready for a power outage or other emergency situation?

Choose a few of your lights that you don't mind using only occasionally to be standby lights - 3-5 would be ideal. These should be quality lights you would be happy to rely on if you did not have your EDC (or it was broken). For some of you, shelf queens might make good standby lights. If you have trouble selecting them additional criteria for me are lights that are single cell (AA, AAA or 18650) and have variable brightness levels. Lights with very high parasitic drain should be locked out however a little bit of parasitic drain is fine.

Leave a fully charged cell in each standby light and place them in a dedicated place. Don't scatter them about, perhaps select 2 locations. Every month or so swap your EDC with one of these and use it until the battery runs out. Then recharge the cell and place the light back into the standby pile. Other than that, try to avoid using lights from this pile unless your EDC/primary lights are out of action or it is an emergency.

This ensures that you have a set of "grab and go" lights that will always work when required, have a fresh charge, and that the batteries get cycled reasonably regularly. Secondary cells work better for this because ideally you will use the light every month or so to ensure it still functions correctly. If you use primary cells this could get expensive.


*Weekly EDC battery topup (mostly 18650 lights)*

If your EDC light uses a lithium-ion battery, get in the habit of checking the power level every weekend. Once you are below about 60% charge top up the cell. You will be confident knowing that you always have at least half a tank ready to go if the unknown strikes at the worst moment. This works better for lights that use a high capacity 18650 cell, as even half a charge would be plenty for most power outage situations.

If the cell is around 80% or so, I usually wont top it up as I want to increase the lifetime of the lithium-ion cell a little bit. However if bad weather is rolling in, you might want to top them off anyway 


*USB "desk lamps" / plug in lights*

If you have any USB power banks, buy a couple of USB lights for them. Make sure to get at least one long-running laptop keyboard style light (good for reading/playing cards) and one high power one.

The low power ones sometimes draw as little as 20-50mA @ 5V. If you are already using the power bank to charge a device such as a mobile phone, you won't lose much power by plugging the low power light into the power bank at the same time to get some useable light for the table too (this assumes you have a power bank with 2+ USB outlets).

The high power ones tend to be a small plug-only lamp without a cable and sometimes get quite hot, perhaps also heating up the power bank. If you get a long USB extension cord, you can suspend it like a pendant light providing area lighting and keeping the heat away from the power source.


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## seery (Dec 12, 2015)

Overhead flood light. 

Tie one end of 550 paracord (or Mason's string) to a rock. 
Throw it up over a high branch in a tree.
Then untie from rock and re-tie to tailcap end of light. 
Hoist the light high up into the tree. 
Then tie other end around the tree trunk or lower branch to secure it. 

Makes for a beautiful on-site temporary overhead light. 

Works great for:
- Lighting up a campsite. 
- Lighting up your spot while fishing the riverbanks. 
- Lighting up a picnic table for dinner and cards.
- Lighting up an area to clean wild game. 
- And whatever else requires make-shift overhead lighting.


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## KeepingItLight (Dec 12, 2015)

seery said:


> Overhead flood light.
> 
> Tie one end of 550 paracord (or Mason's string) to a rock.
> Throw it up over a high branch in a tree.



For the past month or so, I have been visualizing this. It seems like it would be an improvement over a centrally-positioned lantern. Most lanterns have too much glare when they sit between you and the thing you are looking at.

My idea is to use a zoomie set to flood. You could also string a "clothes line" between two trees, and hang a couple of lights at just the right places.


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## seery (Dec 12, 2015)

KeepingItLight said:


> For the past month or so, I have been visualizing this. It seems like it would be an improvement over a centrally-positioned lantern...
> 
> My idea is to use a zoomie set to flood. You could also string a "clothes line" between two trees, and hang a couple of lights at just the right places.


Great idea on the high clothes line approach. I'll have to give that a try when I need light in an open area that's between accessible trees.


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## blah9 (Dec 13, 2015)

These are both great ideas! Thank you for sharing! I think I generally prefer a headlamp but I'll have to give something like that a shot next time we're camping in a group and want to prepare some food or relax in a group with common light.


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## jrgold (Apr 3, 2020)

Resurrecting this thread out of shelter in place boredom lol. 


Attach a flashlight by pocket clip to the top of an empty milk jug for a diffused globe lantern

Use your pointer and ring finger to completely cover a lens, and turn your flashlight on at about 200 lumens (low enough not to burn your fingers) to create a moonlight red light mode

A high output flashlight like a d4v2 will put out enough heat to soften your butter on toast!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bykfixer (Apr 4, 2020)

Good bump. 
Milk jug idea is gold. 
Yes pun intended.


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## xxo (Apr 4, 2020)

The plastic milk jug trick is even better if you fill it with water....gives off a real nice glow. I like to bring a gallon milk jug type water bottles camping so that I can use it as a lantern.


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## jrgold (Apr 4, 2020)

bykfixer said:


> Good bump.
> Milk jug idea is gold.
> Yes pun intended.



[emoji16]



xxo said:


> The plastic milk jug trick is even better if you fill it with water....gives off a real nice glow. I like to bring a gallon milk jug type water bottles camping so that I can use it as a lantern.



Now you got me wanting to try some whiskey for some ambiance


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## Burgess (Apr 4, 2020)

Laugh Out Loud !

Yes !
I do this with Liquid Pine Sol cleaner !

Nice WARM tint !


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## bykfixer (Apr 5, 2020)

Tried it this morning to see if light could actually pass through my wifes coffee. 
Nope. None.


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## rrego (Apr 6, 2020)

mrlysle said:


> We have dogs, and light colored floors. Just standing and looking at the floor, it doesn't always look like there's dog hair on the floor. But I ALWAYS use my 170t clicky, and just lay it flat on the floor, and even the smallest dog hair casts a shadow. So after I run the sweeper, it;s easy to see places I've missed, by using my light flat on the floor. I just roll it around to cover the whole floor. It always amazes me how easy it is to miss spots if you don't use a light.



Ever since I saw this tip way back, it has come in handy, from locating the kids' LEGOs, crumbs on floor, flashlight parts that have fallen when doing maintenance, RC maintenance and other random stuff that cannot be seen easily from above. Awesome tip.


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