I'm back again, this time looking for recommendations for a battery operated/rechargeable spotlight. Currently at work we are using Brinkmann QBeam 2M CP rechargeables for when we have to get out of the vehicle and walk into the horse fields. The light is adequate for this purpose, however, the batteries with this light lose their ability to hold a charge fairly quickly and I have been told that these lights and batteries will not be manufactured much longer. Does anyone have a suggestion for a rechargeable that will make at least as much light, not be too large or heavy since we must walk around fields with these lights, preferably have a similar handle style---and all this for under $100? Thanks.
Portable Spotlight Recommendations
- Thread starter khq0660
- Start date
Hoop
Enlightened
Glancing around, the "Stanley LEDLIS 10W Lithium Ion LED Rechargeable Spotlight" looks like a good option in that form factor. The only down side is that the low is advertised as 900 lumens which is too bright for up close work especially with night adjusted eyes. You could carry pocket flashlights or use a headlamp for up close work though, if you don't already.
Traditionally shaped LED flashlights are also much brighter than the Brinkmann you are replacing and the larger ones also project a beam quite far. They usually have several well spaced modes so they are useful for close up work as well as long range spotting. The new "Mag Instrument RL1019 MagCharger" has a street price of about $120, is pretty bright, and has a reasonable low mode. It also features an adjustable beam focus and a selectable function set.
Traditionally shaped LED flashlights are also much brighter than the Brinkmann you are replacing and the larger ones also project a beam quite far. They usually have several well spaced modes so they are useful for close up work as well as long range spotting. The new "Mag Instrument RL1019 MagCharger" has a street price of about $120, is pretty bright, and has a reasonable low mode. It also features an adjustable beam focus and a selectable function set.
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Timothybil
Flashlight Enthusiast
Look into the Streamlight Waypoint. It comes in two flavors. The one with the built-in Li-ion rechargeable is rated to run for five hours and comes with an AC charging cord. It sells for around $120 USD. The other flavor uses four C cells or a 12v power plug in your vehicle. It is rated for eight hours on high, and comes with the DC cord. You could use NiMH Cells for the rechargeable feature and have the best of both worlds. It sells for around $60 USD. Both are rated to throw almost 700 meters, which should give you an actual usable distance of about 500 yards.
I know that the OP of this thread purchased a Waypoint and is very pleased with his.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?387605-Portable-Hand-Held-Spotlight-Query
I know that the OP of this thread purchased a Waypoint and is very pleased with his.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?387605-Portable-Hand-Held-Spotlight-Query
Hoop
Enlightened
You really think so? I would say my 15,000 lumen 8" diameter LK14 barely pulls off 500 yards useable distance, and my SR-90 I'd say is good for 150 yards. I'd wager 500 yards is not realistic for the useability of the Waypoint, with its 210 lumen rating and a 3" reflector.
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Poppy
Flashaholic
I haven't seen any ACTUAL CP measurements of that light, so I don't really know which lights compare to it. Generally speaking million CP hand-held lights do not exist. I also do not know anything about walking around in horse fields, so with some additional clarification of your needs, I might be able to help.
How far do you need to see, and what is it that you are looking for/at?
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500 yards would be great. Further than that would be even better, though I figure that isn't possible with my weight and cost constraints. The beam also has to be wide enough for me to be able to locate horses in large, dark fields. Too narrow a beam and it's impossible to scan the field and find the horses. If I actually have to get right up in the face of a horse and look at them, I pull out my tiny pocket flashlight. When I'm in the vehicle, I'm using the Lightforce 240 Blitz Halogen, which is great, but sometimes the horses are either far enough away that I have to walk in closer to see them well enough, or I have hills or trees in the way and have to walk in. That's where the portable light comes in. With the QBeam I'm using, I have to get fairly close to see them really clearly, so something with a further usable throw would be great, as long as it wasn't too weighty, too costly, or with too short a battery life. Thanks.
You had a very similar thread in April of this year....and, in it, were a lot of recommendations and calculations to help you evaluate what would work.
It where you decided on that Blitz.
Again, to get ~ 10 - 15 lux on something (Enough to have a prayer of telling horses apart) ~ 500 meters away you'd need ~ 2.5 million cd to 3.75 million cd.
There is nothing that is hand held and not heavy, or, expensive, with broad beam...with over 2 million cd.
The BEST are closer to ~ 1 million, which would get you ~ 4 lux at 500 meters....not enough to tell one horse from another.
Maybe work backwards to see how close you could get?
What's your actual budget?
:D
I don't have an actual budget, but the farm balked at buying another $130 Blitz after the first got stolen. I'm thinking maybe under $60? I haven't gotten an exact figure from them. It's all very tricky. I realize you gave me the formulas for calculating how strong a light I need, but as I discovered, the advertised numbers on these lights have no basis in reality. I'm assuming that the supposed 2M CP advertised on the QBeam isn't even remotely accurate.
I don't expect a battery powered portable to match the Blitz I'm using when I'm in the vehicle. I bought my own Blitz to use when the farm wouldn't replace their stolen one. I had gotten spoiled being able to actually see something and couldn't go back to using the inferior lights the farm has. You put a thought in my head though. I'll pop over to the Lightforce site and see if they have an affordable portable light---whatever "affordable" is. I was laughing to myself last night thinking how to requesting equipment is like putting a request into a black box and out pops a reply of "granted" or "denied". I don't know how high a price they will agree to or even anything about the decision process they go through for these things.
Sometimes you need to do a ROI analysis for them. Something along the lines of comparing the costs to physically walk closer (Labor hours) vs SHINE closer (Capital costs), and the way that an initial capital cost is recouped by lower labor costs, and so forth.
:D
There is no increase in my pay if I have to walk out to see the horses over when I can see them from the truck. I imagine that if I don't do enough rounds of the farm sufficiently fast, they will tell me to walk and drive faster. Unfortunately we all set a precedent of sprinting around in timely fashion before the arrival of the Blitz.
LOL
Sabotaged yourself.
Consider an out of pocket expense the way you'd buy better boots, etc.
Poppy
Flashaholic
Yeah, I agree, it sounds like you are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
How much will a sprained ankle cost? To either you, or them? There are times though, that a person complains about how hot the office is where 6 people work and the boss won't buy an air conditioner. My first thought is... why not have everyone chip in $40 and buy one?
On some jobs, you are just expected to buy and carry your own tools. Good luck.
I don't know for sure, but THIS might give that blitz a run for its money. I don't know if Vinh is still making it, but I am sure that he has others that would compare.
They didn't have to provide a Blitz, since there are other lights that will plug in, but they have to provide a portable battery light because the job can't be done without one. There are just plain times where no light will carry far enough, or hills and trees are in the way, or where you have an emergency where you have to walk out to see more closely. So, they are going to spring for the battery powered light. I'll look into some of the portable lights mentioned in the above posts.
It's really hard to pick a light when the advertised specs are completely fake. I never would have known that the Blitz 1M CP light was going to be tons brighter than the 5M CP light that I was using had I not found this forum. I'm going to have the same problem trying to pick a portable light using the fake specs on the boxes.
It's really hard to pick a light when the advertised specs are completely fake. I never would have known that the Blitz 1M CP light was going to be tons brighter than the 5M CP light that I was using had I not found this forum. I'm going to have the same problem trying to pick a portable light using the fake specs on the boxes.
I'm back. The Q Beam batteries are almost dead now and there are no new ones, so it's decision time. I've been trying a Stanley Fatmax "2200 Lumen" rechargeable light. It's not bad, but if there is anything better for brightness and throw in the cheap price range (This cost $42), I'd love to give it a try. I'm sorry I have to keep asking, but as I said, the Lumens/Candlepower in the ads for these lights are not informative at all. Thanks.
sidecross
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2012
- Messages
- 1,369
I read looking for horses and I thought of the Manker U21 which is the light I use as a 'Spot' flashlight.
'Throw: 127 kcd (measured at 5m), 712 meters'.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nker-U21-18650-26650-(Beamshots-Runtime-Pics)
'Throw: 127 kcd (measured at 5m), 712 meters'.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nker-U21-18650-26650-(Beamshots-Runtime-Pics)
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Poppy
Flashaholic
That manker would give you 4 lux at 176 meters, and 8 lux at 88 meters.
Hopefully that is a good working range for you.
I'm still a lighting neophyte, so I'm not sure what lux I need at what distance, but I'm assuming that you folks have suggested this light because it will outdo the Fatmax "2200" that I've been test driving. I do have some questions for you though. I see only a USB recharging cord in the Amazon listing. Is there a way to recharge this light by plugging it into the wall outlet? What sort of batteries do you recommend? Ideally I would use the light each night and then leave it plugged into a wall outlet recharging in an office each day. Can this be done? Thanks.
Poppy
Flashaholic
You can charge the battery inside the light by using any micro USB charger, so for instance you can use your cell phone charger.
OR you can pull the battery and charge it in a separate charger. IT doesn't matter.
I don't know if there are any specific battery requirements, IOW, if there are some 26650 batteries that won't work in it.
OR you can pull the battery and charge it in a separate charger. IT doesn't matter.
I don't know if there are any specific battery requirements, IOW, if there are some 26650 batteries that won't work in it.
