# Husky 3 watt LED Spotlight



## BlueBeam22 (Dec 25, 2008)

Here are my first impressions of the Husky 3 watt rechargeable LED spotlight from Home Depot.

I am really amazed by this light! It out throws the Husky 2D 4 watt by a large amount, and has a much brighter and tighter spot. The reason why is because the Husky LED Spotlight has a much larger and deeper reflector than the Husky 4 watt 2D. 
The Husky LED Spotlight surprisingly out throws my Coleman 530 lumen LED spotlight, and is the farthest throwing LED flashlight I have ever held. The beam is like a white laser.

The light itself is featherweight. It uses a rechargeable NIMH battery pack, and comes with both AC and DC adaptors.

Here are some pictures!

The light itself:








Its super deep reflector:









Here it is shining on a shed 50 yards away. It was not fully charged for this picture but you can still see how it has a brighter hotspot than the Husky 2D.






See my post here for beamshots of the Husky 2D and Coleman 530 lumen LED spotlight shining on the same shed. The Husky 3 watt LED Spotlight has the brightest hotspot and most throw. I will take more comparison beamshots of the Husky 3 watt LED spotlight, Husky 2D, and Coleman tonight.


I feel the Husky LED spotlight might turn out to be a great EDC due to its extreme light weight and small size, and I couldn't be more impressed by it.:thumbsup:


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## alfreddajero (Dec 25, 2008)

Nice review, i might have to check that out since mine's a Black and Decker incan........


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## Richie086 (Dec 25, 2008)

BlueBeam22 said:


> Here are my first impressions of the Husky 3 watt rechargeable LED spotlight from Home Depot.
> 
> I am really amazed by this light! It out throws the Husky 2D 4 watt by a large amount, and has a much brighter and tighter spot. The reason why is because the Husky LED Spotlight has a much larger and deeper reflector than the Husky 4 watt 2D.


 

Hi BlueBeam,

I did see that spotlight at HD and liked it due to it's nice compact size. I also like the fact it runs on NiMh batteries. 

I do have a question. Can you tell me what the approximate run time is on a fully charged battery? Depending on how long it runs will be the deciding factor as to whether I purchase it or not. Also, do you think this spotlight suffers from the same mis-alignment problems the Husky 2D has? Thanks.


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 25, 2008)

Richie086 said:


> Hi BlueBeam,
> 
> I did see that spotlight at HD and liked it due to it's nice compact size. I also like the fact it runs on NiMh batteries.
> 
> I do have a question. Can you tell me what the approximate run time is on a fully charged battery? Depending on how long it runs will be the deciding factor as to whether I purchase it or not. Also, do you think this spotlight suffers from the same mis-alignment problems the Husky 2D has? Thanks.


 
The light does not seem to suffer at all from the mis-alignment problem that the Husky 2 does. In the 3 watt LED spotlight there is virtually no room for the emitter to be off-center, so it is perfectly focused and puts a perfect little round pinspot of light on whatever it is shined at.

I will be taking more beamshots of it tonight, and will also let you know how good its runtime is.


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## Richie086 (Dec 25, 2008)

BlueBeam22 said:


> I will be taking more beamshots of it tonight, and will also let you know how good its runtime is.


 
Hi BlueBeam,

Thank you. I'm also suprised that Husky doesn't give an approximate runtime. Also, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think this spotlight can be placed on it's back sitting on a table for a ceiling bounce. Unless I'm mistaken, the back of the light may have been rounded. A great spotlight and one I'll be taking a second look at.


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 25, 2008)

Richie086 said:


> Hi BlueBeam,
> 
> Thank you. I'm also suprised that Husky doesn't give an approximate runtime. Also, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think this spotlight can be placed on it's back sitting on a table for a ceiling bounce. Unless I'm mistaken, the back of the light may have been rounded. A great spotlight and one I'll be taking a second look at.


 
I will have a report on its runtime later tonight. Here are some new beamshots I just went out and took, comparing the Husky 3 watt to my other LED throwers.


Task Force 2C 150 lumen "60X Brighter" LED flashlight:








Husky 2D 4 watt Tactical LED flashlight:











Coleman 530 lumen LED spotlight:







Husky 3 watt LED spotlight:







The Husky 3 watt LED spotlight and Coleman LED spotlight are very close, but the Husky seems to have a brighter hotspot and a tad more throw.

The Husky 3 watt LED spotlight actually can be placed on its back for a ceiling bounce. It is a little bit rounded but the handle helps support it. Speaking of ceiling bounces, my Husky LED spotlight beat my Husky 4 watt LED flashlight in the ceiling bounce test even though the LED spotlight is a watt less. The Husky 2D didn't have fresh batteries, but still seemed to be pretty close to full brightness.


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## Richie086 (Dec 25, 2008)

BlueBeam22 said:


> The Husky 3 watt LED spotlight actually can be placed on its back for a ceiling bounce. It is a little bit rounded but the handle helps support it. Speaking of ceiling bounces, my Husky LED spotlight beat my Husky 4 watt LED flashlight in the ceiling bounce test even though the LED spotlight is a watt less. The Husky 2D didn't have fresh batteries, but still seemed to be pretty close to full brightness.


 

This is great. For $19.99, I think I'll grab one tomorrow. Thank you.


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 25, 2008)

Richie086 said:


> This is great. For $19.99, I think I'll grab one tomorrow. Thank you.


 
You're welcome. I know you will really love it!

I did a runtime test on the Husky LED spotlight tonight, and it stayed at full brightness for almost 20 minutes before dimming. After 30 minutes of continuous use it was still at 75% brightness, so I then turned it off and plugged it in. 

I am really happy now about what runtime it has, and look forward to your impressions of it. It was able to put a noticeable spot of light on some lower level clouds which was extremely impressive. The beam is like a perfect parallel laser that goes up into the sky forever. I estimate its beam has a range of easily 500+ yards.


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## Showolf (Dec 26, 2008)

This light rocks! I may have to grab one myself now... :devil:

For its size it seems to unleash some great light, and BRIGHT!


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 26, 2008)

Showolf said:


> This light rocks! I may have to grab one myself now... :devil:
> 
> For its size it seems to unleash some great light, and BRIGHT!


 
It sure is bright, and the hotspot is amazing! I have never been as impressed before by ANY other LED flashlight or spotlight as much as I am by the Husky 3 watt LED Spotlight!


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## VegasF6 (Dec 26, 2008)

I found a Harbor Freight version of this a few days before Christmas. I had planned to buy it and install a new led. However, the HF version is the same price but is listed as a 1 watt emitter so I am glad I didn't buy it now after seeing your thread.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=65350

Now, the next question is how do you become a "super flash-a-holic?"


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 26, 2008)

Here is a beamshot of the Husky LED spotlight illuminating an upper exterior wall of my house, this shows what a super bright hotspot it has. The hotspot is so bright that it actually hurts to look at shining on the ceiling or nearby walls indoors.











VegasF6 said:


> I found a Harbor Freight version of this a few days before Christmas. I had planned to buy it and install a new led. However, the HF version is the same price but is listed as a 1 watt emitter so I am glad I didn't buy it now after seeing your thread.
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=65350
> 
> Now, the next question is how do you become a "super flash-a-holic?"


 

The "super flashaholic" is a custom user title. I am pretty sure that anyone who decides to buy this light will be very impressed by its throw. It might just be one of the best LED throwers currently on the market. I will test the Husky LED spotlight against my 3 and 5 million candlepower spotlights tonight to see how it does against them in throw, as it seems pretty close.


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## ledaholic (Dec 26, 2008)

I picked one up today, not quite as impressed as some others. Batteries, 400ma- thats right, 400ma nimh AA size. Charged it up, didn't go 5 minutes before dimming. Maybe I got a dud. Think I'll stick some eneloops in it and maybe a different emitter.


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## Sadsack (Dec 26, 2008)

I picked one up a couple a weeks ago and I too think it's a great little spotlight. It's featherlight and has a nice tight beam. Rides real nice on top of the dash in the truck. Great for finding trailer numbers.:thumbsup:


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 26, 2008)

I have an update for this thread:

I just bought new alkaline D batteries and put them in the Husky 2D to compare it to the Husky LED spotlight. The Husky 2D was slightly brighter than it was before, but the LED spotlight still lit the room up much brighter in the ceiling bounce test and had a much brighter hotspot than the Husky 2D. I am amazed at the output and intensity of the Husky LED Spotlight at only 3 watts!
I am guessing that the reason why the Husky 3 watt LED spotlight puts out more light than the Husky 4 watt 2D is because the 3 watt spotlight runs from a 3.6V source and the Husky 2D only a 3V source.

Here is a beamshot of it lighting up the side of my house from around 50 yards away:







ledaholic said:


> I picked one up today, not quite as impressed as some others. Batteries, 400ma- thats right, 400ma nimh AA size. Charged it up, didn't go 5 minutes before dimming. Maybe I got a dud. Think I'll stick some eneloops in it and maybe a different emitter.


 
That is not good that it only lasted 5 minutes before dimming. It sounds like you got a defective one and I suggest you return it and get another one or get the Husky 2D 4 watt Tactical.



Sadsack said:


> I picked one up a couple a weeks ago and I too think it's a great little spotlight. It's featherlight and has a nice tight beam. Rides real nice on top of the dash in the truck. Great for finding trailer numbers.:thumbsup:


 
I like how lightweight it is too! The lanyard makes it a perfect carry light to take on a walk.


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## ledaholic (Dec 27, 2008)

Well, I installed a set of Eneloops. Much better now. I think I see a few more mods to this light in the future. There's plenty of room inside for 18650s and controllers. Maybe a P7 or even a MC E :naughty:


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## VegasF6 (Dec 27, 2008)

ledaholic said:


> I picked one up today, not quite as impressed as some others. Batteries, 400ma- thats right, 400ma nimh AA size. Charged it up, didn't go 5 minutes before dimming. Maybe I got a dud. Think I'll stick some eneloops in it and maybe a different emitter.


 

Maybe I will try the Harbor Freight model after all. It has a 5AH 6V SLA in it. Seems like a better buy for 20$ if going to do an emitter upgrade anyhow.


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 29, 2008)

Another comparison between the Husky 3 watt LED Spotlight and Husky 4 watt 2D Tactical LED Flashlight:

First, the lights:







The base of the plant they are shining at is about 15 yards away.

Next, the Husky 2D 4 watt:






Finally, the Husky 3 watt LED Spotlight:








The Husky 3 watt LED Spotlight has a much brighter hotspot than the Husky 2D and quite a bit more throw. I like both lights equally and feel they are unbeatable at their price point.


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## Showolf (Dec 29, 2008)

It's clearly brighter! 

That HIDEOUS HUSKY got owned right there............ :devil:


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 29, 2008)

Showolf said:


> It's clearly brighter!
> 
> That HIDEOUS HUSKY got owned right there............ :devil:


 
+1

The 3 watt LED spotlight sure does stomp all over the Husky 2D IMO. I tested both of them tonight against each other on some far away trees, and the Husky LED Spotlight put a considerably brighter and more concentrated spot than the Husky 2D. I am still amazed by how far the the Husky LED Spotlight throws!:thumbsup:


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2008)

Showolf said:


> That HIDEOUS HUSKY got owned right there




*+1* on the hideous Alien artifact looking device! :devil:

They're not really marketing that 'thing' as TACTICAL are they BlueBeam22? :green:


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 29, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> *+1* on the hideous Alien artifact looking device! :devil:
> 
> They're not really marketing that 'thing' as TACTICAL are they BlueBeam22? :green:


 
They do market it as a "Tactical" light, lol. It sure does fall short in looks compared to the 3 watt LED spotlight. 
I really like the appearance and feel of the 3 watt LED spotlight, and IMHO it is superior to the Husky 2D in all ways except runtime.


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 29, 2008)

Here is my latest and best comparison yet between the Husky 2D 4 watt and Husky 3 watt LED spotlight.


I was standing out at the end of my front yard to take these. The lights are aimed just above the window of the second story of my house, which is 30 yards away.



Control:









Husky 2D 4 watt:








Husky 3 watt LED spotlight:








Off topic and just for fun, here is the Mega Illuminator:









Finally, here is a hotspot comparison between the Husky 2D and Husky LED spotlight. The Husky 2D is shining on the right side of the shed, and the Husky LED spotlight is shining on the left. The shed is 50 yards away.


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## Showolf (Dec 30, 2008)

I'm sold on that little HUSKY 3 WATT WARRIOR! :bow:

It has one of the best hotspots I've seen, and I like the fact that it is lightweight too... I am recommending this light to my security supervisor! They're perfect for use in our patrol vehicles, and the performance speaks for itself in those photos...................


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 30, 2008)

Showolf said:


> I'm sold on that little HUSKY 3 WATT WARRIOR! :bow:
> 
> It has one of the best hotspots I've seen, and I like the fact that it is lightweight too... I am recommending this light to my security supervisor! They're perfect for use in our patrol vehicles, and the performance speaks for itself in those photos...................


 
I agree! It has the brightest and most amazing hotspot I have ever seen from any LED flashlight or spotlight. It could also be very useful in a vehicle since it has a car charger.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 1, 2009)

Little late to this thread...

Thanks bluebeam!! 400 mah NiMH!!! LOL I didn't know they even made them that low. Definite candidate for some mods. Perhaps some 18650s in parallel and a high current driver:devil:. Maybe you could get a Seoul P7 to throw a tighter beam than any of the DX hand-helds.

How hard is it to take apart?
Is it all screws and bolts or glue and epoxy?
How well heatsinked is the emitter?
Does anyone know the home depot item number?

thanks!!


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## BlueBeam22 (Jan 1, 2009)

Hello Kramer5150! :wave:

I am very sorry, I don't know the answers to most of your questions. The light has 2 screws in the handle and 2 unusual hexagonal shaped screws holding in the battery compartment.

I will check the item number of it next time I go to Home Depot.


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## Cydonia (Jan 1, 2009)

What LED is in it - Cree P4? Going to an R2 and popping in 3 Eneloops would make hell of a difference. I'm more interested in the inside guts of this light... how much room is in there for superior battery packs / heatsinks / leds etc., 

Thanks for bringing this light to everyones attention!


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## BlueBeam22 (Jan 1, 2009)

Cydonia said:


> What LED is in it - Cree P4? Going to an R2 and popping in 3 Eneloops would make hell of a difference. I'm more interested in the inside guts of this light... how much room is in there for superior battery packs / heatsinks / leds etc.,
> 
> Thanks for bringing this light to everyones attention!


 
It is a CREE XR-E for sure, it might be a P4. The light is perfect for upgrading due to the fact that its reflector is so smooth and colossal in size and depth. I agree that it might give this light a HUGE boost in performance to swap in an R2. 


There is a thread *HERE* by a person who upgraded the light, and it has good pictures of it taken apart.


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## ledaholic (Jan 1, 2009)

kramer5150 said:


> Little late to this thread...
> 
> Thanks bluebeam!! 400 mah NiMH!!! LOL I didn't know they even made them that low. Definite candidate for some mods. Perhaps some 18650s in parallel and a high current driver:devil:. Maybe you could get a Seoul P7 to throw a tighter beam than any of the DX hand-helds.
> 
> ...



I'm looking for a MC-E on a serial board. I have a driver and I think I can fit 6 18650s in there without too much trouble. I didn't know they made 400s in AA size either, what a joke. It is real easy to open, about 7 screws I think, lots of room inside for modding.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 2, 2009)

wow, LOTS of room in there. Relocate one of those inner walls and you could go the 3-D route. Plenty of reserve current on tap. Although weight would be a bit much for a pistol grip. Better work on those bicep curls!!

Gonna swing by HD tomorrow.

Could you power an MC-E off the stock driver instead of an XR-E R2 bin?... in an attempt to keep emitter temps down by dissipating the same amount of power across 4 dies? How much do you think the larger MC-E die area flood-out the beam?

Do you guys think its a boost circuit in there?... running direct drive when Vin is at or above emitter Vf, and boosting Vin when it drops below Vf?

Buy low mod high everyone!!!


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## ledaholic (Jan 2, 2009)

I believe the entire circuit board in there is for battery maintenance only. I didn't spend a lot of time looking but I don't remember anything that looked like a driver circuit. More than likely it is just using a current limiting resistor.


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## copperfox (Jan 2, 2009)

I'd love to see pictures of the inside. Subscribed.


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## Richie086 (Jan 2, 2009)

Hi BlueBeam22,

I purchased one of these spotlights. I read the instructions about charging it. Even though this had pretty much dead batteries, the charge LED seems to light for only a few seconds and then goes out. According to the instructions, the red charging LED turning off indicates the battery is fully charged. However, the beam is weak and the hot spot seems a bit blurry and not as defined as I thought it should. Is all this normal or are the NiMh batteries just bad in this one. I also decided to just let it charge the 8 hours the instructions say to do even thought the charge LED is not lit.


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## ledaholic (Jan 2, 2009)

I opened it back up, took some pictures and looked at the board again. It is direct drive through a .22 ohm resistor. I'll get the pics posted shortly. I also stippled my reflector, much more useful beam to my likeing.





The 3 AA battery on the left.





The .22 ohm limiting resistor is in the middle of all the red wires on the left. The rest of the stuff is for battery maintenance.

Took some measurements, Voltage at the emitter - 3.63 volts. Current at the emitter - 1.04 amps.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 2, 2009)

My thoughts...

I just picked mine up this afternoon. Unfortunately it was a dud, and it did exactly as richie086 describes^^. Plug in the charger and the red LED lights up for 5 seconds and fades. I took it apart to inspect the circuit inside and perhaps isolate a bum cell, but the battery pack is double layer heat shrinked and can't be accessed for cell diagnosis :candle:. So I took it back and exchanged it for a good one.

_NOW _I remember where I have seen ~500 NiMh AA cells :green::green:, they are used in cordless telephones, and thats (unfortunately) what this light appears to come with OEM. ITS GOTTA GO!! There's no excuse for a Cree XR-E light _this size_ to run for only ~25 minutes:sick2::green:

This light has been charging for 4.5 hours and the charge LED just went out indicating a full charge. Richie086, just take it back.... its not supposed to operate like what you are seeing. My advice to anyone purchasing this light form Home depot... bring your knife with you so you can cut open the blister-pack and plug it into your cig lighter. Give it 5 minutes charge time in the parking lot. If the charge indicator LED dims in 10 seconds march right back in and exchange it for a good one. The light needs a good ~4 hours to recharge out of the box.

I'm actually not bummed at all that its direct drive. Its like there are 2 separate circuits, one for charging and the other (just a resistor+emitter) for discharging. Clearly they skimped on the DC-DC half of the circuit, but I think that can have its advantages. Just bypass the resistor and add a good DC-DC circuit in place of the resistor to power the LED... Oooh, good DC-DC regulation, without loosing the charge circuit:thumbsup:. I was worried the DC-DC regulation would be integrated into the same circuit board as the charge circuit, like almost all consumer electronics now days. Thankfully its not, and theres enough room inside to fit a really good DC circuit.

Dont get me wrong, a direct drive circuit has its merits too. With 3x C, D or sub-C NiMh cells it should be very bright for a long time... just don't over drive it with 4 cells....:candle:

Anyhow... I'm gonna play around with it stock for a few days, and research DC driver circuits. Actually I would be VERY surprised if its as bright as my Surefires with regulated cree R2 modules. Definitely some mod potential here... I think.


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## BlueBeam22 (Jan 2, 2009)

Richie086 said:


> Hi BlueBeam22,
> 
> I purchased one of these spotlights. I read the instructions about charging it. Even though this had pretty much dead batteries, the charge LED seems to light for only a few seconds and then goes out. According to the instructions, the red charging LED turning off indicates the battery is fully charged. However, the beam is weak and the hot spot seems a bit blurry and not as defined as I thought it should. Is all this normal or are the NiMh batteries just bad in this one. I also decided to just let it charge the 8 hours the instructions say to do even thought the charge LED is not lit.


 
Sorry to hear about that.

Like kramer5150 said, you got a defective one and need to take it back for an exchange. The red light should stay on when you plug it in. When I first got mine, the red light stayed on for a full hour of charging before shutting off. They seem to come partially charged.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm using panasonic 2300mah cells. 3 cells in series parallel'd with another 3, for 4600 mah total. I wanted to use Tenergy C cells, but after trimming the battery tray I saw how brittle the plastic is on this light. I am a clutz and drop my lights frequently so, I went with standard AA cells, keeping the stock battery frame in tact. I will add some foam padding too.

Waiting for the shoe goo to dry, so here are some pics:thumbsup:





cut & trim to fit the extra cells.




OEM battery is on the right




OEM heatsink, this will be replaced when I get the R2 emitter




Switch can be easily replaced




Did some ceiling bounce comparisons last night. Its just a little bit brighter than my Romisen RC-N3-Q5, and not quite as bright as my P60-R2 modules. Its hard to tell though because the husky LED is more yellow than the pale white R2-WC tints, so I think the tinted color might be making it appear less bright.


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## Lighthearted1 (Jan 3, 2009)

*BlueBeam22 comparison*

Hi BlueBeam22,

You remember me from the Dorcy Industrial Xenon flashlight discussion. I mentioned the Husky 4 watt 2D in that post. I see that you bought one of those, and this 3 watt Husky spotlight as well since I last posted.
It is nice to know about this one too, but I am shocked at the weak batteries in the stock light. Under 25 minutes? What fool decided that?
The mods seem not too hard to get better batteries in there. I wonder how the charging circuit will work with the new batteries? How much longer will the recharge take at 4600 mah? Will the recharged indicator light be accurate?

The true intent of this post is to ask you to *compare* your *Husky* *LED* spotlight with the *Dorcy* *Xenon* you have. Please post beamshots when you are able. I still intend to boost the volts to the xenon bulb by +1.2V as mentioned, but have been unable to make the time yet.

Thanks for all the great beamshots you have posted to date.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 3, 2009)

That would be an interesting comparison.

I have no clue how well it will respond to the total 4600 mah. The cells were pretty depleted prior to charging, I am going to guess they were down to their last ~15%. FWIW, the pathetic OEM 400 mah cells needed about 4 hours to charge. They probably get those for dirt cheap, since they make them by the millions for cordless phones.

I am using a 12V 500 mah wall wart adapter to charge it. Thats the same value as the car cig lighter plug that it came with. For some strange reason the OEM wall-wart is only 7.5 Volts. I am also going to wire up a deans plug so I can charge it at a higher rate with my Tekin BC112C.

I also have some extra DX7882 driver boards laying around I want to try using. I should have plenty of cell capacity to run the emitter at ~1.2A. I'll need to upgrade the heatsink though.


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## BlueBeam22 (Jan 4, 2009)

*Re: BlueBeam22 comparison*



Lighthearted1 said:


> Hi BlueBeam22,
> 
> You remember me from the Dorcy Industrial Xenon flashlight discussion. I mentioned the Husky 4 watt 2D in that post. I see that you bought one of those, and this 3 watt Husky spotlight as well since I last posted.
> It is nice to know about this one too, but I am shocked at the weak batteries in the stock light. Under 25 minutes? What fool decided that?
> ...


 

Hello Lighthearted1,

The Dorcy Industrial Xenon Lantern still has a much brighter hotspot and a lot more throw than the Husky 3 watt LED spotlight, and both lights out throw the Husky 2D.

Here is a beamshot comparing to two lights you asked about. The shed is 50 yards away and this is a zoomed in shot. Husky LED spotlight left and Dorcy Industrial Xenon right:


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## kramer5150 (Jan 4, 2009)

Just an update.

The 4600 mah cells finally finished charging. Some time overnight the charge completed and the charge LED indicator was off this morning at 8:30:thumbsup:. I would guess it needs a good 12-20 hours, using the OEM included wall wart charger. (I used the OEM wall wart and not the extra 12V one I mentioned above, for fear of a melt down) I took the light apart and the cells were cold to the touch so they do not appear to be damaged from an over-charge.

I couldn't resist the Cree R2-WC that came with my DX:14442. So I went ahead and pulled the R2 emitter from that drop in and swapped it into the Husky. This was my first attempt at resoldering an emitter onto a star. It went PERFECTLY, using the hot stove to reflow solder. Fortunately the husky emitter star is not epoxied to the heatsink, it just uses 3 screws to remove. I think a heatsink upgrade and DC-DC circuit addition is next on my list. Its been in the mid 30's here lately so I don't think I have to worry about overheating the emitter so long as I am careful.

I have no idea what color BIN came OEM with the Husky, but its DEFINITELY a lot whiter tint now. The hot spot is no where near as yellow-teal-green colored as the OEM emitter.

I'll post some performance comments later tonight after I have had a chance to play with it some more. Thus far this has been a GREAT DIY project... and THANKS BlueBeam22 for the heads-up on this $19 gem!! This is my first attempt at a CPF mod and I am happy with the result.

PS BlueBeam, if I am thread jacking please let me know and I will post a separate thread in the DIY/mod section... I might just go ahead and do that anyways when I am all finished.


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## BlueBeam22 (Jan 4, 2009)

Kramer5150,

That is great you installed an R2 in the Husky! I look forward to hearing how it throws compared to before.

I do not feel you are hijacking this thread at all. :thumbsup: Please feel free to keep posting your updates on this mod and I look forward to them.


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## VegasF6 (Jan 4, 2009)

Kramer, I haven't looked over your previous posts. Would you say you are very knowledgeable about battery technology? IMHO you might want to do a little research about charging nimh in parallel like that, if you are planning on those batteries lasting. 

Another option might be to rewire that pack in series, and get another charger and driver, maybe a Kennan or something. But at that point, you have pretty much thrown away the entire original light.

Or, perhaps you could come up with some clever way to leave them in parallel but split the pack so that you can charge it in 2 segments. Maybe one of those on board right angle plugs that has a normally closed switch in it. When you plug the charger into it, they open the switch for the charging circuit. Or, something more creative, I dunno.

If you were already aware of these issues, then my apoligies.


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## VegasF6 (Jan 4, 2009)

Just for anyone to look at, here is an interesting example of a failed series/parallel nimh pack. 

So much time here is spent on the dangers of lithiums, it is easy to forget the potential energy in other chemistrys. Even two shorted out 9V alkalines can potentially be dangerous.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 4, 2009)

Thanks for the head up!!! I would consider myself moderately knowledgeable with battery recharging. Most of my knowledge stemming from my involvement club racing RC cars, where 7.2V charge currents typically are in the ~5 amp range.

I am kind of hoping the low charge current of the OEM setup will not  the cells. I am definitely going to have to monitor charge voltage though if I ever use my tekin charger at higher currents. Back in the 80s, before peak detecting chargers I used to manually monitor battery voltage and temperature with a DMM and... my hand.

I am leaning towards a 3xSC setup though. Something in the ~3500mah range. 4600mah is excessive, and takes too long to charge on the OEM setup. This panasonic 6AA setup is temporary. I like what the other member did with the 3x eneloops.

But thanks again for the heads up:thumbsup: I wish I had some battery diagnostic tools where I could match cells better.


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## ledaholic (Jan 5, 2009)

kramer5150 said:


> Just an update.
> 
> I couldn't resist the Cree R2-WC that came with my DX:14442. So I went ahead and pulled the R2 emitter from that drop in and swapped it into the Husky. This was my first attempt at resoldering an emitter onto a star. It went PERFECTLY, using the hot stove to reflow solder. Fortunately the husky emitter star is not epoxied to the heatsink, it just uses 3 screws to remove. I think a heatsink upgrade and DC-DC circuit addition is next on my list. Its been in the mid 30's here lately so I don't think I have to worry about overheating the emitter so long as I am careful.



As long as you only did an emitter swap, it will not make any more heat than the other LED. If you increase the drive level, then you will need more heatsink.


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## VegasF6 (Jan 5, 2009)

But, since it isn't CC driven, just a simple resistor, the emitter swap probably did change the drive level. VF is bound to be different and even 1/10th of a volt can make a difference. 

So, does it appear any brighter with the R2?


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## kramer5150 (Jan 5, 2009)

VegasF6 said:


> But, since it isn't CC driven, just a simple resistor, the emitter swap probably did change the drive level. VF is bound to be different and even 1/10th of a volt can make a difference.
> 
> So, does it appear any brighter with the R2?



Further comments :twothumbs

OEM Stock:
Ceiling bounce comparing it to my various other lights puts it right at the level of the Romisen RC-N3-Q5 powered by an RCR123 cell. While comparing the two in various rooms in the house I could not tell a difference in lumen output between the two lights. Although the Husky had a slightly more green tint. So I'd estimate the stock husky to be in the ~135 Lumen neighborhood. Doesn't sound like much, BUT its a very tight/throwey beam... that out throws all my other lights despite being lower in lumen output.

R2-WC + extra capacity batteries:
MUCH better. Ceiling bounce comparisons blow away the RC-N3-Q5. The increase in ceiling bounce brightness is "slight but noticeable". The whiter WC color tint also further increases the perception of brightness. Comparing it to my brighter lights (6P/11836 & M2/17593) also is favorable. The modded husky is just a hair brighter than either. My understanding is the 11836 is about 175L out the front, so based on that, the modded husky is pushing around 190-200 Lumens.

Outdoors the difference is substantial. The husky completely obliterates any of my other lights in throw distance, and the R2-WC really extends its range. The whiter WC tint also cuts through the darkness even at 150-200 yards. I am out the $12 I spent on the 14442 module, but I think its an investment worth making. I will try and get some beam-shots tonight.


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## f22shift (Jan 5, 2009)

can this run sraight off cig charger?


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## kramer5150 (Jan 5, 2009)

f22shift said:


> can this run sraight off cig charger?



Nope... car jack is for recharge only


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## kramer5150 (Jan 7, 2009)

Some beamshots from tonights walk. All pics at fixed ISO-100

Control shot





Husky R2-WC, Concrete block at 80 feet





6P-DX11836, Concrete block at 80 feet





Husky R2-WC, Tree behind concrete block at 120 feet





6P-DX11836, Tree behind concrete block at 120 feet





Control Shot, Tree at 220 feet





Husky R2-WC, Tree at 220 feet





6P-DX11836, Tree at 220 feet





Control Shot, Tree trunk / garbage at 53 feet





HuskyR2-WC, Tree trunk / garbage at 53 feet





6P-DX11836, Tree trunk / garbage at 53 feet





Control Shot, Bathroom at 150 feet





Husky R2-WC, Bathroom at 150 feet





6P-DX11836, Bathroom at 150 feet





Control Shot, Building at 430 feet





Husky R2-WC, Building at 430 feet





6P-DX11836, Building at 430 feet





Husky R2-WC, white wall





6P-DX11836, white wall





Both on a wall, to my surprise the husky has a lot more flood to the side. I noticed this wight away. With a DIY diffuser it would make a great area flood light.


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## BlueBeam22 (Jan 7, 2009)

Wow Kramer5150, amazing beamshots! Your Husky R2 definitely has a much brighter and whiter beam than it does stock, and blows mine away. Thank you for your effort taking and posting the great beamshots!

Here is a beamshot I took recently. The Coleman 530 lumen LED spotlight is shining on the right of the shed, and the Husky LED Spotlight on the left. Notice how the Husky as a smaller, brighter, and more concentrated hotspot. The difference in hotspot brightness/throw is extremely subtle between these two lights, and the Coleman has a lot more overall output, but the Husky LED Spotlight just seems to have a tiny bit more lux due to its huge reflector.


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## dexter49 (Jan 13, 2009)

Richie086 said:


> Hi BlueBeam,
> 
> I did see that spotlight at HD and liked it due to it's nice compact size. I also like the fact it runs on NiMh batteries.
> 
> I do have a question. Can you tell me what the approximate run time is on a fully charged battery? Depending on how long it runs will be the deciding factor as to whether I purchase it or not. Also, do you think this spotlight suffers from the same mis-alignment problems the Husky 2D has? Thanks.



Bought one yesterday. The instruction sheet shows a 30 minute run time for a "fully charged" battery (3.6v, 400maH).


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## dexter49 (Jan 13, 2009)

kramer5150 said:


> Little late to this thread...
> 
> Thanks bluebeam!! 400 mah NiMH!!! LOL I didn't know they even made them that low. Definite candidate for some mods. Perhaps some 18650s in parallel and a high current driver:devil:. Maybe you could get a Seoul P7 to throw a tighter beam than any of the DX hand-helds.
> 
> ...



To take apart, remove two allen head screws to get back off. Can now see inside, but can't remove the battery pack or anything else.
Now carefully pry off the rubber bezal around the head, then remove two small phillips head screws to remove the front plastic and reflector/led module. Remove 5 more phillips head screws to separate the body.


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## dexter49 (Jan 13, 2009)

kramer5150 said:


> Nope... car jack is for recharge only



I would disagree, if the instruction sheet is accurate. It says:

"Do not attempt to use spotlight while charging directly from AC outlet. Doing so may cause damage to battery and AC charger.

12-volt DC charger/adapter operates from a cigarette lighter receptacle for charging battery in spotlight only while vehicle engine is running or continuous corded operation with or without battery.

For DC Charger/Adapter - Battery charges only while vehicle engine is running."


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## Richie086 (Jan 13, 2009)

dexter49 said:


> Bought one yesterday. The instruction sheet shows a 30 minute run time for a "fully charged" battery (3.6v, 400maH).


 

Hi Dexter,

Thanks for the information. 

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a good working Husky 3 watt at either of the two Home Depot stores in my area. In fact, I've returned two of them so far. 

The last one I purchased APPEARED to not charge correctly, meaning the red charging LED would turn off within seconds of plugging it in even though the battery was virtually discharged and the spotlight barely illuminated. In spite of that, I did leave it charging the entire night and to my surprise, it fully charged without the red LED illuminated. So perhaps some just have a defect in the red charging LED circuit that allows the red LED to turn off but charging does take place.

Besides those problems, both did have a very blurry hot spot and spill, which still made them unacceptable for me. If they get a new display of them in, I may try picking up a third one, but between the trips back and forth to these Home Depot stores to get two good Husky 4 watt flashlights, which I have, and now trying to get a good 3 watt, I'm just getting tired of the trips back and forth and disappointment. 

I may just spend $100.00 instead and get another type of flashlight I've had my eye on for a while since it uses Li-ion's, the SolarForce 1200 lumen Xenon. It uses three 18650 rechargeable Li-ion batteries that are included for 30 watts of power. For that price, it also comes with the 18650 international charger & car charger. I'm sure the way SolarForce measures lumens, it's 1,200 emitter lumens. I'm hoping the real world output will be about 800+ lumens.


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## dexter49 (Jan 13, 2009)

Richie086 said:


> Hi Dexter,
> 
> Thanks for the information.
> 
> ...



When I first plugged mine in, the red LED also went out within minutes. Since the unit had been in my car trunk and both it and the battery pack would have been very cold, I just ignored it. Let it charge overnight and it was much brighter than what it produced coming right out of the package.

At some point, I intend to put a meter inline to see what the charger is doing. Since the instructions also say:

"Allow the spotlight to charge for at least 8 hours. Do not allow to charge more than 12 hours."

I am expecting that the charger doesn't really shut down in any way and that the red led may just be a simple voltage detector that senses (not too well, perhaps) the battery pack voltage. My plan is to replace the supplied 400 maH nimh batteries with LSD nimh batteries for better performance, and also modify it so that I can replace the LSD nimh batteries by removing only the rear plate.

It also looks like the LED/heatsik module attaches to the reflector with two or three screws, so I expect that it might be easy to fine-adjust the centering of the LED. Haven't actually tried this yet.

The price at my local HD store by the way is $14.97, not $19.+ as reported somewhere in this thread.


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## Richie086 (Jan 13, 2009)

dexter49 said:


> It also looks like the LED/heatsik module attaches to the reflector with two or three screws, so I expect that it might be easy to fine-adjust the centering of the LED. Haven't actually tried this yet.
> 
> The price at my local HD store by the way is $14.97, not $19.+ as reported somewhere in this thread.


 

Hey Dexter,

You know, I'm sure you're correct about being able to fine-adjust the centering point on the LED with the three screws. I was able to open up a Husky 4 watt, and not suprisingly, it had the exact same setup. I was able to adjust the 4 watt version with some trial and error and made difference for the better.

Lastly, if possible, please keep track of your upgrades, with photos and parts if possibe. If I know I can upgrade the Husky 3 watt with better parts, I'll go right out and get one myself and not have to worry if it has any defects.


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## MaStAViC (May 13, 2009)

I was at The Home Depot in San Jose, California, on Monday and saw that this item's price has dropped from $19.99 to $16.97. This is a nationwide price drop.

Hope this helps!
Victor


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## Bonky (Jun 6, 2009)

I have to say I don't think I agree with the OP that the 3w is that much better than the 4w. It is slightly brighter, with a better beam, but it's nowhere near the Coleman. Plus it's larger and has a MUCH shorter runtime than the 4w, stock.

From the pics it looks about 10-15% brighter than the 4w. Certainly not blowing it out of the water. And I have a feeling if you ran the 4w at 3.6v rather than ~3v it would be just as bright.


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## BlueBeam22 (Jun 7, 2009)

After acquiring more LED super throwers since buying the Husky 3W, I must agree that its runtime very poor and should be much longer for an LED light its size. 

It is my opinion and observation that the Husky 3W LED spotlight generates slightly higher lux/throw than the Coleman; however the Coleman is well over twice as bright and totally blows the Husky 3W away in terms of practicality and usefulness. :thumbsup:


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## thirple (Sep 4, 2009)

I got one from Home Depot in NC for $14 and change. My charge indicator light didn't come on until it was at half charge and it didn't go off. I charged it for 9 hrs. I'm not concerned with the light, but does anyone know how long to charge the next time? Is 1 hr. enough after the first run down? Thanks 

Thirple


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## GotMak (Dec 3, 2009)

Questions moved to new thread


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