# Stanley HID spotlights, same thing?



## dj_spanky_1505 (Nov 26, 2009)

I have the chance to buy a Stanley HID spotlight. I am choosing between two of them. One is labeled as a "Stanley HID0109 HID Spotlight" and the other is labeled as "Stanley HID 3000 Spotlight". I'm not sure, but I think these two might be the same thing (because they look the same and appear to have the same characteristics)


Also, if you could just tell me any more about these lights I would appreciate it. I'm pretty new to the world of HID flashlights, however I have replaced the headlights in my car to HID's, so I know some of the lingo used.

One more thing, I don't see how many candlepower these produce. Does somebody know that?


Thanks for the help,
Joe


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## Link Archer VI (Nov 26, 2009)

I think there's only one Stanley HID spotlight, so it's probably the same.


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## BVH (Nov 26, 2009)

Start here:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/225844

All you ever need to know about the Stanley HID


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## StarHalo (Nov 26, 2009)

The Stanley HID is sold as the "HID 3000" with the product code "HID0109".

The above thread(s) covers pretty much everything about the light itself. If your question is about the basic operation/theory of HID lighting, it's a bulb with gas in a tiny chamber only a few millimeters in size that has an electrode at each end; when a strong current is sent through the electrodes, it creates a very small and very intensely bright open electrical/plasma arc, which is ideal for making a long-throwing light source.

We don't measure in candlepower because it can be deceiving, we instead use lumens. A common household 60 watt/equivalent bulb is ~700 lumens, a door-mounted spotlight on a police cruiser is ~1000 lumens, the Stanley HID is ~3000 lumens.


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## BlueBeam22 (Nov 27, 2009)

+1 to everything stated by StarHalo above. :thumbsup: Also, BVH's link goes to a very informative and useful thread about the Stanley.

The Stanley HID will be a lot brighter than any halogen spotlight rated in candlepower. Candlepower ratings are usually grossly inflated on rechargeable spotlights, and even your best throwing halogen spotlight will only produce less than one million true candlepower, whereas it might be rated at 20 million. Halogen spotlights are usually rated from 1 million all the way up to 25 million candlepower, but the Stanley will still be brighter than all of them. This is where candlepower ratings become completely useless, and lumen values determined by specifications are the only real way to determine performance. Reflector size is another factor, but not as important when it comes to practical use. The brightest halogens will generally produce no more than 2500 lumens.

Candlepower, if used properly to rate lights, should measure concentration (a.k.a. lux) at the brightest point of a light's beam as soon as it reaches its own minimum distance at which final and complete beam collimation occurs, and at any distance beyond that. Halogen spotlights with extremely high candlepower ratings (as exaggerated and overrated as they are) might out throw the Stanley due to their larger reflectors with relatively vast surface area, but they will not be as bright in overall output. Unfortunately, halogen spotlights are arbitrarily assigned falsely high ratings that have no reflection on reality and cannot be taken seriously, and will never be commensurate from brand to brand.

Regarding the "HID3000" vs. "HID0109", it is exactly as stated above by StarHalo; both refer to the same light. It sounds like a minor packaging/labeling change or difference.

On another note, I would like to mention that StarHalo did an excellent job of explaining why HID lights perform so well, and how they produce light. HID bulbs will always give a significant amount more throw than a halogen bulb of similar output when using the exact same reflector or similar sized reflectors. My Stanley HID's reflector is only a little over 4'', however it has no problem out throwing my 7'' reflectored 10 million candlepower halogen spotlight. My SunForce 25 million candlepower HID spotlight out throws my 15, 17.5 and 20+ million candlepower halogen spotlights with ease, even though all three of those halogens have larger reflectors than the SunForce. The SunForce has an 8'' reflector, the same output as the Stanley, but just more throw.

I am pretty sure the SunForce 25 million candlepower HID spotlight is really the longest throwing rechargeable light you can get behind higher wattage HID lights and short arc xenon lights, as well as the Ti Mega which is just about equal in throw. Short arc lights will throw even better than standard metal halide HID lamps such as the ones used in the Stanley and SunForce due to their smaller arc size and higher surface brightness, which equates to far superior focus ability. This in turn is how standard metal halide lamps beat incandescents.

Regarding the Stanley's true candlepower output, I estimate that it is somewhat over 1/2 a million true candlepower. If it were to be rated using the bogus system, I would say it would be a relative 12 or 13 million going by the power of the many halogen spotlights I have used. 

I highly recommend you get the Stanley HID. You will be truly impressed.


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## jungatheart (Nov 30, 2009)

I just preordered one of these at amazon.com for $70 and free shipping, no tax. Thanks for all your information.


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## jungatheart (Dec 11, 2009)

Just got mine from Amazon and it took 1 hour, 45 minutes to charge it up to green so Amazon must be selling newly manufactured ones. Not dark yet, can't wait.


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## Patriot (Dec 11, 2009)

jungatheart said:


> Just got mine from Amazon and it took 1 hour, 45 minutes to charge it up to green so Amazon must be selling newly manufactured ones. Not dark yet, can't wait.




Congratulations on your new light. The Stanley has been the standing ultimate value for CPFers since it was announced. I'm sure you'll be very pleased with it's performance. Have fun!


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## BlueBeam22 (Dec 11, 2009)

Patriot said:


> The Stanley has been the standing ultimate value for CPFers since it was announced.


 
+1 on what a top value light the Stanley is. I would even say that it is truly the best value of any light currently on the market, as there is simply no other light that can beat or even match its kind of performance at its price point.


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