# Streamlight TL-3 story



## ChocolateLab33 (Apr 21, 2006)

I received my new SL TL-3 on Thursday afternoon. Later on in the evening I took my two dogs for our nightly walk around 8 p.m. or so. I usually take them much earlier when I have to work but I'm off this week so we walk a little later when the sun is going down. I was going to take my HDS 85 with me but then I thought I just got a new toy and I might as well check it out. So I attached the lanyard to it and put it around my neck and off we went. Now, my babies like to walk through the park down the street from my house because it is a huge field in the middle of 2 small lakes and they enjoy sniffing everything. It was a bit dark but I decided to go that way anyway. When I reached the entrance to the park and walked a bit I smelled the very strong odor of marijuana. The smell was so strong it was like I was indoors. I began to scope out the park to see if I could tell where it was coming from and then I saw 4 kids standing about half way into the park along the fence. I grabbed my TL-3 and shined it right on them. They immediately started to panick and disperse in the opposite direction from me and I kept walking towards them (I was on a concrete path, they were in the field) and I blasted them again with the light and they all started running toward the 6 foot fence and they jumped the fence into someone's yard and they were gone! I was on my cell phone using my Bluetooth the entire time talking to one of my friends and when they hopped the fence like I was a cop or something we couldn't stop laughing.




They probably thought my Chocolate Lab was a police dog or something. My other dog is so small they probably couldn't even see her from that far away. 
The police department is programmed into my phone so if I had to I could call them within seconds. The kids were so far away I wasn't in any danger. This isn't the first time I've seen kids smoking pot in the park and the next time I'm going to call the police. 
The whole purpose of this story is to say that the SL TL-3 is a monster bright light with excellent throw and I'm glad I had it with me and I'm happy I got to scare the crap out of some dope heads. I wonder what they would think if they knew that they ran like hell from a girl out walking her dogs!


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## 2000xlt (Apr 21, 2006)

HAha thats a cool story, i was checking out a TL-3 on ebay last night and was wondering about it.


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## KevinL (Apr 21, 2006)

ChocolateLab33 said:


> I wonder what they would think if they knew that they ran like hell from a girl out walking her dogs!



Great job 

Seems that even in their dope-addled minds, it registered as "Police K-9 unit and officer calling for backup on radio" - BAD NEWS! 

Congratulations on the TL3. It's got good output, I am running a TL3 bulb in a MiniMag mod, it is bright but as always I am after more lumens.


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## lebox97 (Apr 21, 2006)

pop in a couple of AW's new 17500 cells and a carley 1499 bulb - and it becomes "almost" too bright! 
noticably brighter and whiter!


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## ChocolateLab33 (Apr 21, 2006)

*I'm using two 17500 cells and it rocks! :rock: *


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## jayflash (Apr 23, 2006)

So these kids sought out some privacy, weren't bothering anybody, weren't drinking & driving; why bust em? At least they weren't smoking cigarettes which will, eventually, kill them or at least cost society, big-time, for expensive medical treatment. Cigarettes, not marijuana, are the most easily obtained, most addictive product our political parties make money from.

The only reason pot is illegal is politics - it buys right wing & uninformed votes. 

I had the same fun in the state forrest that I frequent at night for walks with my yellow lab. I could hear kids in the dark, up ahead, and could smell pot so I let loose with my Scorpion & E1L. They took off running and I had a chuckle. I also had my cell phone with the ranger's number programmed in but what good would have come from reporting them? 

Some of the smartest, nicest, people will, occassionally, smoke pot and some of the meanest, dumbest jerks, don't.


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## ChocolateLab33 (Apr 24, 2006)

jayflash said:


> So these kids sought out some privacy, weren't bothering anybody, weren't drinking & driving; why bust em? At least they weren't smoking cigarettes which will, eventually, kill them or at least cost society, big-time, for expensive medical treatment. Cigarettes, not marijuana, are the most easily obtained, most addictive product our political parties make money from.
> 
> The only reason pot is illegal is politics - it buys right wing & uninformed votes.
> 
> ...


______________________________________________

Privacy, in the middle of a field in open view of everything and everyone??? I'de hardly call that being private. If people want to do drugs in the privacy of their own home, that's fine. Why bust them? It was just plain fun!!!


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## jayflash (Apr 24, 2006)

At least we can agree about loving labs. I hope you continue to enjoy many more outings with your flavorful, four-legged, big buddy.


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## ChocolateLab33 (Nov 12, 2006)

This is not a nail biter or anything like that but I was taking my dogs for a walk last night and it was already dark out and I decided to take my SL TL-3 with me. I don't usually take my TL-3, I usually have 2 pocket lights on me already like my JetBeam MKII and my JIL Intelli. I had the TL-3 around my neck outside my jacket. I was down my street crossing over to another sidewalk when a lady came out of a house and got into her car very quickly, put it in reverse and started to back up without looking. I reached up and put my TL-3 beam right into her car and it lit up the inside like the sun!!! She slammed on the brakes, I passed by and she opened her window and apologized for almost hitting us. I told her I only shined the light so she would see us. Guess what, she saw us! That TL-3 kicks some major a$$.


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## cheapo (Nov 12, 2006)

jayflash said:


> So these kids sought out some privacy, weren't bothering anybody, weren't drinking & driving; why bust em? At least they weren't smoking cigarettes which will, eventually, kill them or at least cost society, big-time, for expensive medical treatment. Cigarettes, not marijuana, are the most easily obtained, most addictive product our political parties make money from.
> 
> The only reason pot is illegal is politics - it buys right wing & uninformed votes.
> 
> ...



uhh... i dont think so.... the whole reason for turning them in is because they are breaking the law... doesnt matter where, doesnt matter if the law "isnt fair".... ITS THE LAW! so if someone wants to break it, that someone needs to be aware that reprocussions WILL FOLLOW.

-David


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## Monocrom (Nov 12, 2006)

ChocolateLab33 said:


> It was just plain fun!!!


 
Sounds like a bit of mean-spirited fun.

I'm the last person to take the side of a pot-head, but they didn't threaten you or try to attack you. So what was the point of lighting them up, except to get a cheap laugh?

Humiliating a pot-Head is like taking candy from a baby.... Far too easy, that it's not even worth it.


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## Mikeg23 (Nov 13, 2006)

cheapo said:


> uhh... i dont think so.... the whole reason for turning them in is because they are breaking the law... doesnt matter where, doesnt matter if the law "isnt fair".... ITS THE LAW! so if someone wants to break it, that someone needs to be aware that reprocussions WILL FOLLOW.
> 
> -David


I can partly agree with your statement, if a person wants to break the law they should be aware that, if caught, repercussions may follow. However to blindly say that you should turn them in because it is the law and that's all that matters is silly. Use your own judgment and know that many of our countries laws are ridiculous and unconstitutional.

I also have to disagree with jayflash. While smoking tobacco is detrimental to ones physical health, smoking marijuana is detrimental to ones mental health. I know a bunch of former classmates that are burnt out/spaced out even though they don’t smoke anymore.

Glad you had fun, but I probably would have simply avoided them. In most cases a paranoid pot head would run though there is still that small chance they would become confrontational.


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## wacbzz (Nov 13, 2006)

cheapo said:


> uhh... i dont think so.... the whole reason for turning them in is because they are breaking the law... doesnt matter where, doesnt matter if the law "isnt fair".... ITS THE LAW! so if someone wants to break it, that someone needs to be aware that reprocussions WILL FOLLOW.-David


God, I hope you don't ever go over the speed limit while ChocolateLab33 is around...she'll probably blind you while feeling like she really helped out society, call the cops and you'll just have to pay the consequences because you were "breaking the law." :whoopin:


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## Scott112 (Nov 13, 2006)

Great story, ChocolateLab33. If my wife & I find somebody smoking dope in the park where we take our children to play, getting lit up by a flashlight will be the least of their worries. If they want to go smoke dope or sniff paint thinner in the privacy of their own homes, then fine by me. But not in a public park - at least not in my neighborhood.


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## Bloodnut (Nov 13, 2006)

Soooo many comments come to mind. I'll just say, it's called "dope" for a reason. Ya'll have a nice day.


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## Archangel (Nov 13, 2006)

Maybe we can get this back on track... After putting the Carley H1499BF (diffused) bulb in my TL-3 i got me a new jacket light. Run-time is only 35min, but the beam coming out of this thing is nothing short of amazing. A perfectly-positioned stock bulb will technically throw further (I know because i have one), but for general use, i'd only choose the latter if i felt i might need the extra 25min.


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## Monocrom (Nov 13, 2006)

Archangel said:


> Maybe we can get this back on track...


 
 Not sure that the topic got off track. A Streamlight TL-3 was used in a specific incident. The replies have mostly centered around the incident, rather than the light.


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## Archangel (Nov 13, 2006)

This is in the Incan forum, not the Cafe. I definitely think the latter is a better place to discuss the motive behind using one of the best pocket throwers on the planet. Here we discuss things like how it gets the attention of kids, ladies and skunks. (There's one that lives down the hill from me who likes to visit now and again. He doesn't react as strongly as humans, but it's enough to make him shamble away.)


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## cheapo (Nov 13, 2006)

wacbzz said:


> God, I hope you don't ever go over the speed limit while ChocolateLab33 is around...she'll probably blind you while feeling like she really helped out society, call the cops and you'll just have to pay the consequences because you were "breaking the law." :whoopin:



LOL!... .very true, but if i did break the speed limit, i would do so at my own risk.

-David


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## cheapo (Nov 13, 2006)

Mikeg23 said:


> I can partly agree with your statement, if a person wants to break the law they should be aware that, if caught, repercussions may follow. However to blindly say that you should turn them in because it is the law and that's all that matters is silly. Use your own judgment and know that many of our countries laws are ridiculous and unconstitutional.
> .




well, now, personally, i dont want pot heads around my neighborhood... i wouldnt want any of my friends or family to go down there and be offered drugs.... if it were in my hands, i turn em in, for if they dont get punished, then what is stopping them from continuing to practice drug use?? Also, think of the drug users' families.... their families do not want to have drug addict sons... they would want you to tell them about it.... so that they can get them help.

thats my opinion on this issue as of now... it'll probably change next week 

-David


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## TigerhawkT3 (Nov 13, 2006)

Darn you all! I ordered a TL-3 because of this thread. I just couldn't resist 200 throwy lumens for $55 (at Amazon). I have zero need for this light, but it sounds too cool.


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## jayflash (Nov 13, 2006)

A TL-3 with 17500 LiIons & the Litho 123, Carley gassed, 1499, reservoir tipped photon shooter is almost as much fun as rollin' a dube...and NOT inhaling.


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## Brighteyez (Nov 13, 2006)

Be careful what you do with it though. You live in a larger urban envirionment and even though it's one of the safest large metropolitan areas in the country, a group of kids or gangsters might not hesitate to take you apart or put that TL-3 in an uncomfortable location if you go shining it around like some kind of tough guy.



TigerhawkT3 said:


> Darn you all! I ordered a TL-3 because of this thread. I just couldn't resist 200 throwy lumens for $55 (at Amazon). I have zero need for this light, but it sounds too cool.


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## TigerhawkT3 (Nov 13, 2006)

No worries, Brighteyez - I make sure my light usage is all nice and proper!  My first real use of it will probably be at a pier, the next time my buddies drag me night fishing.

I have knives, lights, and lasers (well, just one Class IIIb greenie, actually), and I'm careful with all of them! 

Thanks for your concern - good advice is always appreciated!:goodjob:


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## bxstylez (Nov 13, 2006)

TigerhawkT3:

u wont be disappointed by this light

i suggest putting in 2x protected 17500 cells
fits perfectly without any modifications and maintains constant amp draw

upgrade to the bi-pin carley 1499 bulbs like i did recently, and you'll get bright white light, with almost double the lumens


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## TigerhawkT3 (Nov 13, 2006)

Where do I find those things? Can the lithiums be found in AW's thread?

How does the bulb affect the TL-3's beam pattern? Does the TL-3 have a bi-pin socket, or does it need anything extra?

I've heard that some of those Carley bulbs are pretty hard to find. Is the 1499 readily available from anywhere?


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## bxstylez (Nov 13, 2006)

i use AW's protected 17500's
he's very fast in shipping..... i highly recommend him

as for the beam pattern, thats easily fixed by rotating the head, just as u would with the maglite's

the carley bulbs, unfortunately, are pretty hard to find
i posted a thread in the wtb section, and luckily someone sold me (2) bulbs at $10 shipped
so yeah, definitely look around or try contacting 'litho'


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## Archangel (Nov 13, 2006)

I think the current run of the Carley bulbs is sold out, but look around for litho's thread just in case. The TL-3 takes a bi-pin bulb (and comes with a spare). The Carley bulbs are a very nice bonus, but run it off of two li-ion and you won't be disappointed.


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## TigerhawkT3 (Nov 13, 2006)

What are the differences between the CL1499 and H1499?

I'm upgrading a light that hasn't even shipped yet... wow.


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## Lucero (Nov 14, 2006)

TigerhawkT3 said:


> What are the differences between the CL1499 and H1499?


 Whiter, brighter, longer life. I also use the H1499 and AW's protected 17500s. Good stuff. 
The TL-3 is one of the best bang / buck lights available straight out of the box. It lights up to the end of our short residential block and did pretty well on a recent offroad night ride on a bike with another light mounted to my helmet.

*Lucero*


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## light_emitting_dude (Nov 14, 2006)

I plan to do the Minimag Auroralite hotwire mod with the tl-3 bulb. I assume the carley 1499 bulb would work with this mod also? Just waiting patiently for lighthound to get some more kits in. Got everything else tho....batts, charger, spacers, miminag.


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## TigerhawkT3 (Nov 16, 2006)

The bi-pin wires for the CL1499 look really long. Do they have to be cut down to size to fit the TL-3?


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## Archangel (Nov 16, 2006)

Yeah. Just use the stock bulb as a guide. I used my Micra, so you don't need anything fancy.


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## TigerhawkT3 (Nov 16, 2006)

Archangel said:


> Yeah. Just use the stock bulb as a guide. I used my Micra, so you don't need anything fancy.


Ah - excellent. Thanks, Archangel.


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