Torches

Odysseus

The knife thread started by Doc Ruby got me thinking. What type of torches do you use regularly. I have more torches than you can shake a stick at; I also have a habit of picking up cheap torches when I see them around. So which torches do you guys use? I have the following:

At my bedside a led lenser: not sure of the type but it takes 3 C cell. Also cheap Adli head torche.
At my besside down in Dublin: a D cell maglite. Also cheap Adli head torche
Sitting room: led lenser P14.
Bike jacket pocket: AA maglite.
Bike tool kit: cheap Aldi head torche.
Kitchen drawer: windup torche.
Always in my pocket: Gerber aa with red, blue, and green filters.


On top of this I have a petz head torche which I often take out with me in my kit bag. Another led lendser P14, maglite aaa which I gave to my father as a birthday present a long time ago, he gave it back to me about ten years ago when I started back on motorbikes. The I have various cheap led torches that I have picked up at petrol stations and the likes.

I always have a small torche with me, and I tend to pick up the cheap ones as you can never have too many, as the tend to hide when you need then. I find quality wise lede lendser is the way to go, they are much better than maglites; I tried the led upgrades for the mags but found the inferior.

I have just startef to use rechargeable batteries, do people here use them; if so what do you think of them?

doopa

Just ordered a wee one AAA LED keyfob light from this lot:
http://www.fenixlight.com/newping.asp
Figure this way its always gonna be with me. Have a couple of the head torches though they aren't really to hand so dunno how useful they are in an emergency! They are the handiest though. Add a small LED one that can act as a candle and you should be rocking.

Been looking into torches after the flooding when my big torch (in the back of the car) let me down by getting humid and therefore not working - bit disappointing. Anyway - looking for a possible replacement for that as a result. Thinking being its useful to have at least one big torch knocking about - though of course it should work in an emergency!

krissovo

Two maglites, one monster which I patrol around the house with and can double up as a handy truncheon and a mini. The mini can be rail mounted on my rifle.

My favorite is a EverReady head torch which has red and white LED's plus a normal white light. Takes two AA's and will last weeks when using LED's, this comes almost everywhere with me. Even in bed I use it to read with the red led.

In my belt kit I have streamlight sidewinder, different colors, strobe and right angle so great for many situations. One of the best designed torches around.

Army issue right angle torch, this is a piece of shoite but had it for 15 years and it still kind of works. Very unreliable and eats batteries for breakfast.

Various other torches, I have a couple of cheap wind ups for emergencies. I have some bike likes that double up as torches.

Around 5 years ago I tested rechargeable batteries, I gave up within 6 weeks due to battery life and I needed to carry extra weight with them (more batteries) had a bit of bad experience after one ran out in 20 mins or so and have never used them since.

I only use Duracell now.

kildare.17hmr

My main torch that i use for everything is an LED lenser P7. If anyone is thinking of getting a decent torch buy a lenser, they start at 15 euro for keyring size that would put a mini mag to shame. the P7 is about 60 euro and worth every penny. the P14 that Odysseus has is the same light the guards use and has a serious beem. they all come with a warning to not shine into anyones eyes as they can burn them:eek:

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I have a good head torch that i bought in Aldi last year, has never let me down and the longest it was in use for without being turned off was about 6 hours on a hike last winter. €4 very well spent me thinks!

I have in the van with me all the time a mini mag for emergencies but also a spot lamp that plugs into the aux socket, this thing has about a 600meter beem

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Have **** loads of others around the house as i too alway buy the cheap led ones in garages ect. next toarch i plan to buy is an LED Lenser X21 but at over 200 quid it'll have to wait!

Odysseus

krissovo wrote: »

Two maglites, one monster which I patrol around the house with and can double up as a handy truncheon and a mini. The mini can be rail mounted on my rifle.
Around 5 years ago I tested rechargeable batteries, I gave up within 6 weeks due to battery life and I needed to carry extra weight with them (more batteries) had a bit of bad experience after one ran out in 20 mins or so and have never used them since.

I only use Duracell now.

It the rechageable duracell I'm testing at the moment. Yeah the "other" function with the D cell maglite, I have mine from when I used to do security when I was in college.

doopa

I use rechargeables in my bike lights - never had any problems. And that's with cheap-ish rechargeables. I think they have got a lot better. Its worth checking the charge that they hold it does vary massively. And there is constant innovation going into the tech... the future:
http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2011/11/batteries-energy-kung.html

Red Harvest

krissovo wrote: »

Two maglites, one monster which I patrol around the house with and can double up as a handy truncheon and a mini. The mini can be rail mounted on my rifle.

My favorite is a EverReady head torch which has red and white LED's plus a normal white light. Takes two AA's and will last weeks when using LED's, this comes almost everywhere with me. Even in bed I use it to read with the red led.

In my belt kit I have streamlight sidewinder, different colors, strobe and right angle so great for many situations. One of the best designed torches around.

Army issue right angle torch, this is a piece of shoite but had it for 15 years and it still kind of works. Very unreliable and eats batteries for breakfast.

Various other torches, I have a couple of cheap wind ups for emergencies. I have some bike likes that double up as torches.

Around 5 years ago I tested rechargeable batteries, I gave up within 6 weeks due to battery life and I needed to carry extra weight with them (more batteries) had a bit of bad experience after one ran out in 20 mins or so and have never used them since.

I only use Duracell now.

I've a few EverReady head tourches they had a really good special offer on in the local Supervalue about 2years ago and I got one for every member of the family. Only difference is ours take 3 AAA cells and not AA's, also have a single red or double white LED's. I'd certainly recommend the ones we have think they were only €3.99 including batteries seen them since at €8.99

Doc Ruby

I've a decent quality wind up in my kit and a proton super bright LED on my car keys, it does red light of varying degrees if you hold the button down, good for keeping the night vision. Other than that I tried a few of those battery powered lanterns, not worth much, and I have a heavy duty stainless steel home torch for things that go bump in the night.

Builderfromhell

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_19337.htm

This Aldi light got good reviews on the hunting forum

eth0

A bit of a sausage of a thing really. Very bright and all but only lasts an hour on full power + an hour on 1/3 power before needing to be returned to its proprietary charger. Its grand for use around the house but not one you'd throw into your rucksack for an extended trip away cause its too fecking big.

So I need to get a flashlight that runs off AA's or 18650's (LiFePo4). I used to have a led maglight AA but some little fecker broke it. not that it was a whole lot of good to begin with

Red Harvest

Wonder if is the place to discuss other forms of illumination?

I'm a fan of the old tilley lamps, hurrican lamps and newer Coleman multifuel lanterns.

This would be the first thing I fire up during a power cut it runs for at least 8hours full belt and warms the place up, can't be hung up high indoors (shouldn't be in at all ) as you get a lot of heat off the top of it. Seems quite wind proof and runs on unleaded petrol (or very expensive Coleman fuel). Enough light to go chopping wood by or anything else you need to do out doors.



Next up would be an old Bialaddin pressure lamp, it takes longer to get going with the meths preheating and often the powers back before its up and running, another long burner with good light, but both have the white noise hiss that you either love or hate.



Then for good measure I've 4 old style hurrican lamps like the newly made ones below. I run them on expensive lamp oil which is less smelly to you than kerosene which also works fine in them.





In a SHTF situation I'd rely on the Hurrican lamps and the Bialaddin as I can get fuel for them from a few local places that won't be missing it if things get that bad.

OBVIOUS WARNING - Don't put petrol in a lamp designed for parrafin.

Fiskar

Liked the Led Lenser T7 so much I now have 2. Also have 3 Led Maglites, 3AA, 4D cell and 2 D cell. All awesome torches.

Maglites allow the top to come off and afix to the base to allow the torch stand like a candle. very useful recently for a power cut.

Also have a few other odds and ends

Doc Ruby

Fiskar wrote: »

Maglites allow the top to come off and afix to the base to allow the torch stand like a candle. very useful recently for a power cut.

Interesting sidebar, if you point a torch at the ceiling of a normal room, it acts like a pretty good lightbulb.

krissovo

Red Harvest wrote: »

Wonder if is the place to discuss other forms of illumination?

I'm a fan of the old tilley lamps, hurrican lamps and newer Coleman multifuel lanterns.

I have a cheap bluet one that runs on gas, great for my camper van with the heat and also during the power cuts. Head to a small room and it will be toasty in no time.

I must treat myself to some more, I like the look of the Coleman......Santa!

Can you get lights that run off the large calor/patio gas canisters?....There is a thought, google here I come.

Red Harvest

krissovo wrote: »

I have a cheap bluet one that runs on gas, great for my camper van with the heat and also during the power cuts. Head to a small room and it will be toasty in no time.

I must treat myself to some more, I like the look of the Coleman......Santa!

Can you get lights that run off the large calor/patio gas canisters?....There is a thought, google here I come.

If your over in the UK down in Cornwall check out Trago Mills they only keep a few Coleman lines but they have the top of the range lantern for less than half what you'd pay here for it. Not sure of the price of the lamps but The Coleman multifulel stove is well over 100euro here and they have it for 50quid, another item on my list of nice to have items but can't really justify it as I have several other stoves.

Not seem one in a while but you used to be able to hire a spot light gas lamp for site work that clamped to the top of the standard domestic propane or butane bottles seem to remember they needed a special regulator?

Odysseus

eth0 wrote: »

A bit of a sausage of a thing really. Very bright and all but only lasts an hour on full power + an hour on 1/3 power before needing to be returned to its proprietary charger. Its grand for use around the house but not one you'd throw into your rucksack for an extended trip away cause its too fecking big.

So I need to get a flashlight that runs off AA's or 18650's (LiFePo4). I used to have a led maglight AA but some little fecker broke it. not that it was a whole lot of good to begin with

Led lensder would be the way to go imo, most of us in the civil denfense use them, though we pay for them ourselfs, the are issued to the cops, and the are popular with a lot in the military. They are imo currenly top of the range.

eth0

Odysseus wrote: »

Led lensder would be the way to go imo, most of us in the civil denfense use them, though we pay for them ourselfs, the are issued to the cops, and the are popular with a lot in the military. They are imo currenly top of the range.

seen a 85lm one that runs off 1 aa. they any good? Do these mind being run off NiMH cells?

Odysseus

eth0 wrote: »

seen a 85lm one that runs off 1 aa. they any good? Do these mind being run off NiMH cells?

I'm not familiar with that model, but any type I have seen or use have been excellent. Which I 'm imagine is why people in the civil denfence, military and why they are issued to the cops. They are are also very popular with hunters especially the P7. I know the cost a bit but are well worth the cash but are imo worth the money.

eth0

Candle power forums is great, might ask in there actually. Though i havnt posted anything there for years

kildare.17hmr

Led lensers are top of the pile, the p7 is the only torch iv had that stands up to constant use in all weather and tempertures. I know loads of other hunters who have tried similar, cheaper brands and all have failed at some stage and they all have lensers now

eth0

Red Harvest wrote: »

If your over in the UK down in Cornwall check out Trago Mills they only keep a few Coleman lines but they have the top of the range lantern for less than half what you'd pay here for it. Not sure of the price of the lamps but The Coleman multifulel stove is well over 100euro here and they have it for 50quid, another item on my list of nice to have items but can't really justify it as I have several other stoves.

Not seem one in a while but you used to be able to hire a spot light gas lamp for site work that clamped to the top of the standard domestic propane or butane bottles seem to remember they needed a special regulator?

Getting light from combustion is terribly inefficient. You'd be better off getting a super SER if its heat you're after

kildare.17hmr

bedlam wrote: »

Really they are not, they are pretty average lights. The reason they are popular is that they are so readily available and have good marketing, just like Maglight before they missed the LED boat and lost favour.

average or not they are robust and do exactly what they say it will. Iv had mine over a year, its been dropped banged, fell into water and snow, used hundreds of times and still working as good as the day i got it. If its an average light ill settle for average

waterfordham

Hi, my mixed-bag,

Bedside:
Maglite LED 2 Cell D with 2 IMEDION 9500mAh Reghargeables. One of the guys in work spotted them on offer on Amazon a while back so a few of us got one each.

Downstairs/Office:
Mini-Mag 2AA (old one) have it for years. Original Bulb went recently. I normall keep it on a shelf with a pair of AA NiMH's in it.

60 LED Light bar. Dunno where I got it from (Aldi/Lidl?). Does better than the 2.5Hour claimed runtime. It'll charge from cigarette lighter or a small PSU that comes with it in 6 hours.

Brightmaster AC/DC Rechargeable Twin Flourescent. It will automatically come on if there's a power failure. I replaced the GEL battery a year or two ago. (Just realised that it's not plugged in and battery is flat, oops). This served us well during several power cuts. Dropped it at the kitchen door and it put enough light into three rooms to let us get about.

A Powerbright LED light strip. Runs of the common 13.8V PSU/Battery in the office.
http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-accessories/pwrbrite-led-light-strip.html

A possible Lidl purchase. Uses a Krypton 4.8v 0.75A bulb. Orange filter on head that folds so the torch can be stood on its end. Charges from a 12 Volt PSU.

Wind up/Solar Powered Radio/Torch. Probably a Lidl job. Leave it on windowsill upstairs to keep it charged.

Go-Kit/Bag:
Small Kinetic Torch (Have it ages)
Energizer 2 White/1 Red LED Headlight (Got three of these when they were on sale for about 7 Euro in Dunnes a few years ago)
Princeton Tec Rage

Car:
Larger Kinetic Torch
Energizer 2 White/1 Red LED Headlight

All these have been random purchases over the years, no particular thought put into them other than the LED head torches. I'd like to get something better torchwise for the car and small to carry with me.

Lots of re-chargeables are crap. I have AA hahnel 2700's that I got somewhere. They have all been used together in one device. 2 Cells are dead, other 2 are down to 1700maH capacity.

The IMEDIONS above I've only just got (and they are expensive). I've not flattened them yet a few times so can't comment on their capacity. Best Ni-MH AA's that I have are PowerEx's. Though I got two eneloop AA's with something recently. Actually I'm going to flatten them now in the mini-mag and measure what they need to re-charge them.

krissovo

Just picked up a couple of the wind up ones from Aldi, looks and feels ok. One for the car and one for the grab bag.

I forgot about my LED workshop lamb, very handy bit of kit I have in my camper that cost 10 or 12 € from aldi. Very good light and lasts ages, I hang it from a tree when camping while cooking or if a few of us are chilling out in the dark.

ShadowFox

In work I use a led lenser P7 nice compact torch 200 lumens and great battery life I also carry a P2 everywhere its 80 lumens but a great backup if needed
At home Ive 2 4cell maglites one downstairs one upstairs both have led blubs and the tail caps replaced with glass breakers
Attached to everyones beds are AA maglites with the led upgrade
Petzl headlamps all round in the emergency backpacks incase we have to leave the house for whatever reason and a load of the emergency windup torches

Im looking for something new to replace the maglite 4 cells but sofar have been unable to find something as strong Any ideas let me know

Odysseus

[QUOTE=grapeape;75678656
At home Ive 2 4cell maglites one downstairs one upstairs both have led blubs and the tail caps replaced with glass breakers

Im looking for something new to replace the maglite 4 cells but sofar have been unable to find something as strong Any ideas let me know[/QUOTE]


Where do you get the tail caps for the mags? They would be useful?

ShadowFox

bedlam wrote: »

If you like the format consider just replacing the guts of the Maglite with a Malkoff Drop-in. Something in a smaller format the HDS Clicky and Rotaries are near bombproof

Ive done every upgrade possible to the maglites just on the hunt for something new was looking at the Led lenser x21 1000 lumens but its a bit pricy at the moment

ShadowFox

Odysseus wrote: »

Where do you get the tail caps for the mags? They would be useful?

Ebay they have them for every size mag and a tactical front that makes a great addition

Grizzly 45

Got a Surefire Executive Defender pocket torch.Thing is as bright as Hell,and is designed to blind in a defensive situation.Trouble is,it eats expensive camera style batteries and its very fancy bulb lasts about 2hours in continous use.:( The bulb isnt available over here.UK or EU are the next dealerships for it.Costs about 40 euros as well.
Have still got a 4D cell maglite,which is proably now over 30 years old and still works like a trooper.
Would have to say Maglite still gets my vote for best reliable all rounder.

ShadowFox

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Got a Surefire Executive Defender pocket torch.Thing is as bright as Hell,and is designed to blind in a defensive situation.Trouble is,it eats expensive camera style batteries and its very fancy bulb lasts about 2hours in continous use.:( The bulb isnt available over here.UK or EU are the next dealerships for it.Costs about 40 euros as well.
Have still got a 4D cell maglite,which is proably now over 30 years old and still works like a trooper.
Would have to say Maglite still gets my vote for best reliable all rounder.

I had the same trouble with a fenix on AA batteries an hour a set that's why I changed to the led lenser P7 not as bright but great all round torch

combatblade1

I have a led lenser m7r unbelievably bright and comes with charger and case etc which can charge the light from a usb or plug socket highly recommend this torch.

eth0

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Got a Surefire Executive Defender pocket torch.Thing is as bright as Hell,and is designed to blind in a defensive situation.Trouble is,it eats expensive camera style batteries and its very fancy bulb lasts about 2hours in continous use.:( The bulb isnt available over here.UK or EU are the next dealerships for it.Costs about 40 euros as well.

Isn't there some rechargeable version of those batteries you can get? still doesn't solve the bulb problem though

Gran Hermano

I modded my 3 D cell Mag with a Malkoff drop in and then added a convex lens to it. Spent a fair amount upgrading it but I rarely use it. I have a few of the Nitecore D10 and EX10 running on rechargable lithiums and they cover 90 percent of my needs.

The Zebralight range of headlamps are well worth looking at. The H31 model in particular is great for clipping onto gear/clothing or using with the headband.


The glo toobs are also useful as kit markets and mini lanterns
http://www.glo-toob.com/main.html

I've spent far too much of both time and money on CPY and 4sevens/battery junction/flashaholics uk over the years.

ShadowFox

eth0 wrote: »

Isn't there some rechargeable version of those batteries you can get? still doesn't solve the bulb problem though

There are but if they are like the one I got for mine they only last 2 hours tops

eth0

grapeape wrote: »

There are but if they are like the one I got for mine they only last 2 hours tops

They didn't come out of Chickity China land by some no-name brand did they?

Some batteries that come out of that place are fecking woeful

ShadowFox

eth0 wrote: »

They didn't come out of Chickity China land by some no-name brand did they?

Some batteries that come out of that place are fecking woeful

They prob did it was a few years ago i got them I changed to the led lenser p7 and use it all the time battery life is great and on a personal note i dont like using rechargeable battery torches as Ive often forgot to charge them when I needed them most :rolleyes:

eth0

Have you tried the low self discharge NiMH batteries mentioned earlier in this thread? They don't have the "always dead when ya need em" problem

ShadowFox

eth0 wrote: »

Have you tried the low self discharge NiMH batteries mentioned earlier in this thread? They don't have the "always dead when ya need em" problem

I havent but to be honest Maplin do a deal around this time of year 100 AAA batteries for less than €20 I get 2 boxes every year and find ive more than enough for everything I need and always have around 30 left over

Agent_47

Looking at picking up one of these, new on the market for 69$ + postage.

http://www.jet-beam.com/links/pro/pc10.aspx

As they are sent by international air mail (an post), do an post clobber flashlights? what customs would be due?

Red Harvest

Agent_47 wrote: »

Looking at picking up one of these, new on the market for 69$ + postage.

http://www.jet-beam.com/links/pro/pc10.aspx

As they are sent by international air mail (an post), do an post clobber flashlights? what customs would be due?

You might get away with out it hitting customs but if it does afaik via An Post its total cost (item + postage say 85 dollars or appox 65 euro) + 5 euro (or whatever the An Post handling charge is) + VAT so worst case senario is about 85euro (90 tops).

Agent_47

Hi Bedlam,

many thanks for that, the calculator is very good. Yes it was going gear I was looking at, thanks for the codes, codes were 25% at thanksgiving so may wait.

Hermy

Hi all, Hoping ye can help me.

I want to start using my old rechargeable Maglite again which has been gathering dust since it stopped holding charge some years ago. Thing is I'm not sure if the battery or charger or both needed replacing and I'm wondering is there any way of testing to see what's working and what's for the bin?
I know I'd be better off in the long run with a new torch but for now I'd be happy to get the old torch up and running.

What do ye think?

Agent_47

Torches have come a long way in the last few years. If your torch is not LED then game over, get with a new smaller brighter and lighter torche,

not worth doing anything with that old torche IMO

Hermy

No the torch isn't LED and I know it' old hat at this stage but for sentimental reasons I'd like to keep it going even if I do get something else better in the meantime.

Gran Hermano

Hermy wrote: »

No the torch isn't LED and I know it' old hat at this stage but for sentimental reasons I'd like to keep it going even if I do get something else better in the meantime.

You could try getting a replacement battery pack from somewhere like
http://www.zbattery.com/magparts.html

The problem you'll have is whilst it's likely the battery needs replacing it could be the charger or another component that's acting up.

I'm not sure whether Malkoff has a drop in for the rechargeable Mag, maybe drop them a mail with the model/serial number of yours
http://www.malkoffdevices.com/

Hermy

That's a great site - thanks Hermano.
I see they list an LED upgrade - the plot thickens.

Balfie

I've a 4D cell maglite, thing weighs so much, but is a great torch, out in a big dark field ya can see from one end to the other.. Its a great bit of kit..

Also have the AA maglite, tis just handy for little things, gettin in an out of a tent without disturbing anyone..

An I have 2 AAA led torches, just handy to have for little things..

eth0

I recently got one of these bulbs, a Philips 7W 12V led


Only problem is there is a fecking Fan inside it. So when you turn the lights on you hear this annoying buzzing noise in the whole room. Only cost about 13e so thinking of making a case around it, switch & 10xAA holder to reuse as a torch. It doesn't give quite as much light as my 5.11 but it not bad like

Gran Hermano

http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/nitecore/nitecore-tm11.html

I like the look of this one from Nitecore.

eth0

Gran Hermano wrote: »

http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/nitecore/nitecore-tm11.html

I like the look of this one from Nitecore.

2000LM!? Holy che guevara

buzz55

I'm looking for one of the rechargeable torches that come on automatically if there is a power cut (and think you can also get them with a built in night light sensor).

Saw one in a friend's parents house & figure it could be handy, but forgot to ask him where he got it.

Something like this, or maybe even this - http://www.safetlight.co.uk/safety_torch.asp

Though the one I saw was black & also seemed to have a light settings option (really strong, average, dimmer etc.)

Where'll I go looking please?

cheers