Back up lights with some legs

My first post; as a new member, (one who has been visiting off and on for a few months), I have to say that the amount of information here is incredible. Folks who see flashlights as common tools probably didn't know that there was so much going on with them.


OK, now to business: I'm looking for a couple of lights to be kept in my "go now bag" and glove compartment. In order of importance, here is my feature list:

1. Good throw, (long range ability, right?); I need to see down a dark road as far as reasonably possible.
2. Lithium power as they may sit untouched for months before I need them
3. No bigger than a typical 3 D cell light
4. Ruggedly constructed
5. I'd like to spend no more than $100US for the two, but would consider a bit more if the light warrants
6. Reasonably priced replacement bulbs; since these are "emergency back up lights", I'd plan on each having a second bulb but $40 worth of Surefire bulbs price them out of my reach.

I do have a Maglite 3D cell currently being unused because the thing starts getting dim as soon as hit the switch. I would consider upgrades if they did not entail any soldering or other tasks requiring more than battery and bulb replacements as I'm a little challenged in those areas.

So far as I can tell, the Streamlight TL 3 looks like my best bet, but I will await input from the experts on this site. Thanks for the help.

I would recommend a Streamlight ProPoly 4AA Luxeon for that bag. Costs less than $40... some places as cheap as $30 w/shipping. Great throw, decent spill, and a solid 4 hours of runtime. Will use lithium AA's.

Streamlight TL2/NF2 or TL3 sound perfect as far as your criteria go and all already come with an extra bulb, and further extras are very cheap.

I agree with csslinger on the TL-2, TL-3 or NF2 path. The TL-3 lights up things far enough away most of the time that I will grab it instead of a much larger spotlight for walking at night and certain other applications. You might consider attaching something like a Dorcy AAA with lithium battery to each light so you'll have a backup light source just in case something happens to the TL-3.

You can't beat the Pelican m6 3 watt haIII from battery station for an led with good throw and good spill. If you want an inexpensive lithium and need two of them, get the Brinkman Maxfire LX at Target or Walmart. Very available and you can leave them in the glove box for years and they will give you almost and hour when you need them. Add a couple more lithium batteries as reserve and you double your runtime.

Above recommendations all good. I have two TL-3s. They're fine lights with plenty of output and throw.

If you want something relatively inexpensive, but still with plenty of output and physically smaller, consider the Streamlight Scorpion. It's got lots of output, relatively inexpensive ($35), handles well.

The SL PP Lux 4AA is a superb inexpensive LED light. The Scorpion LED has similar beam characteristics in a smaller package.

Personally I don't think D-cell Mag upgrades are worth the money. Nice upgrades are available, but you can buy a whole new light cheaper.

Another good option is the Elektrolumens Blaster Jr. Doesn't look fancy, but puts out 72 lumens on three AA cells for several hours. About $39.00.

http://elektrolumens.com/Blaster_Jr/Blaster-Jr.html

Good suggestions.

Be careful when placing the TL-3 in your bag. It does not have a lock-out tailcap (LOTC) to prevent accidental activation. You can however screw the tailcap off quite a bit and that would help. You could leave the batteries out of it also and in some proper storage container like a Surfire Spares Carrier or one of the battery wallets.

I had an activation happen to me in a bag and another time in my pants pocket with the old style Surefire 6P without the LOTC.

The Streamlight Polypro 4AA Luxeon has a runtime of 6 hours on lithium AA's and will store perfectly. I plan to get one for my next light.

Thanks for all the great input guys, I knew I was in the right place .

I carry a Streamlight Twin Task 1L as a backup and have a Vulcan hard wired in my truck for heavy lifting. What I think I'm hearing is the SL T-2 / NF-2 or T-3 for the long range, (and size), I am looking for. The Scorpion is another good bet and I am very pleased to hear that SL gives you a second bulb.

I had an activation happen to me in a bag and another time in my pants pocket with the old style Surefire 6P without the LOTC.

Had one of those happen myownself some years back, thank the Lord my age prevents that sort of thing now.
:devil: LOL



Great site guys, thanks.


Hardball Here

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welcome to cpf..

if my budget is aprox $100

I'd pick:

infinity ultra G w/10 hours runtime $20 on b/s/t
fenix L1-P $40
Surefire 6P $50

would not worry about SF bulbs breaking. if bulb burns past a few minutes, they will burn a long time. surefire are known to be very rugged. G2 surefire are $40

besides other two lights are backup enough

I think your Streamlight TT-1L is just fine, although I would personally prefer the 2L for a little bit more incandescent throw. It may be all you need.

Hardball said: "I need to see down a dark road as far as reasonably possible."

Well Hardball, I recently bought a 2C Mag for $14.97 at Home Depot. Useless as is, but I snapped it up anyways because I had wanted one for some time. Less than four dollars later I have what I consider to be an outstanding BOB, or "Sits In The Truck" light.

A piece of tubing (adapter for 3-cr123's), some o-rings (centers tubing w/no rattle), two Radio Shack KPR112 bulbs ($1.39@). Depending on the bits and pieces cost, for about $20 including tax, I have a light that still amazes me over a week later with it's throwing ability/cost ratio! And a spare bulb in the tail cap. It's also deceptively light due to the lithos.

Twenty dollars!

Granted, the Mag beam leaves a lot to be desired. After turning the bulb in the holder a few times, I was able to get a reasonable beam that lights up the tops of trees over 200', and really lights up the side of lighter colored buildings much further away. I hate to say it, it's a little embarrasing, but this is my brightest light at the moment (short of something with a cord). Blows my 5C out of the water. Someone in another post stated about an hour and a half run time, I don't know but it's been used/played with every night for eight days and still brings a smile to my face.

A cynical by nature co-worker saw it on my table and knowing I'm a light-freak, gave me a little ribbing about having a Mag. He took it into a "plumbing access closet", 3' by 60'. When he returned he simply said, "I stand corrected". Not a remark likely to be heard from him.

Hardball, if you like I'll send you a piece of the tubing cut to size, NC, just PM me. Some use car heater hose. I like the fit of this stuff I stumbled on by accident at the local farm & barn. No slitting, sanding, or masking tape. A couple of o-rings and you're good to go.

The only permanent thing I did to the light, was have the inside of the tail cap turned so the spring sits 1/8" deeper in it due to the 1/8" difference in cells. Some snip the spring and bend it in. Keep in mind that since the bulb is overdriven (rated 6v), it won't last as long as rated.

BTW, welcome to CPF, hang on to your wallet .

I´d buy two SureFire G2 (somewhere around $30), two replacement bulbs, two spare carriers w/ CR123 and call it a day.

If you need more throw I´d buy a P61 lamp assembly, put it in the G2 and put the original lamp into the spare carrier.

Welcome to CPF! Hope you stay a while

If you do a search for my name and Bugout bag you will find a LOT of debate and choices for your GoNowBag.

I agree with NiteOwl on the KPR and I would avoid LED like the ProPoly Luxeon for "I need to see down a dark road as far as reasonably possible." but don't rule it out as a good short to medium range light. I find that with a bit of ambient light such as the moon or street lights etc really cut down on the useful illumination ability of an LED light such as the ProPoly Luxeon which BTW I keep in my car with about 12 other lights. Never know when a friend might want to ask about some kewl lights

Problem with the MagMod is you dont typically have Lithium batteries for them. One very kewl thing to have is a Mag C with some PVC tubing to allow you to hold a few CR123 batteries. JimH has some excellent mods the he's hotwired in this way and other ways. Send him a PM. His motto is "It's not good enough unless it can turn off a street lamp at night from 30yards" Basically makes the sensor think it's daytime

Oops! I forgot one of my favorite batteries. The Energizer L91 AA 1.7V ish
You can also use them in a Mag D with a special adaptor. Maybe ModaMag has some left or FiveMega.

I have always gone with my Longbow Micra,
It has never let me down, also the XM-3 with lithium
batteries

BlueGerbil said:

I´d buy two SureFire G2 (somewhere around $30), two replacement bulbs, two spare carriers w/ CR123 and call it a day.

If you need more throw I´d buy a P61 lamp assembly, put it in the G2 and put the original lamp into the spare carrier.

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I totally agree with this advice if you want one light using Li cells. I however believe that a medium brightness LED light like the UK 4AA eLED or Streamlight 4AA Propoly Lux with Li cells ($20 for 20 at Batterystation.com/cpf.htm) would also be advisable when the G2 is just too bright.

I agree with the TL3 suggestion. Way more throw than any LED light that doesn't cost a bundle more, includes a spare bulb right there in the light, and is pretty small (I sure wouldn't want a 3D sized light in a go bag).

If you really want a larger light and insist on lithium power, an interesting idea is a random 2D light with a 4 cell bulb or 3D light with 6 cell bulb, and some of the D sized lithium cells (basically giant 123's) available from HDS for $15 each (http://hdssystems.com/LithiumDSo2Battery.html). You'd also keep a few 2-cell or 3-cell bulbs on hand, so you could run the light on normal D's if your lithiums ran out.

I'd say alkalines are fine unless you have to deal with very hot or cold weather. Just rotate them into some other light once a year or so.

I keep the 2-C mag lights with 3 CR123 batteries in it. But instead of the PR112 bulb I use the bulb that Browning sales for their three CR123 equlivant of the TL-3.

While the package goes to GREAT length to say the bulb is a Bi-Pin bulb for replacing the Bi-Pin bulb in the browning or other Bi-Pin lights it is in FACT a PR based bulb.

The light it goes into claims 200+ Lumins (I KNOW... I KNOW Inflated claims) but it IS bright and is made for 3 CR-123 batteries.

The bulbs were about $4.00 each at the local independent sporting good store.

wwglen

Don't forget the Pelican M6 incand version if you are looking for a 2 CR123 light. These things can throw, to my eye even further than the 2c 3CR123 Mag mod. As for the TL-3, I cannot comment, never seen it in action.

Outside of the members here and the odd lurker, (as I was), does anyone else know that there are as many clear distinctions between so many products as has been presented here? :wow: You guys are starting to scare me. LOL


For the record, the lights will be used mostly in the Sonora and Mohave Deserts. It rarely gets any hotter than 120F in the summer and won't dip below 20F in the winter, (except in the higher elevations). Except for those areas currently overpopulated, the nighttime ambiance in that desert is as black as the inside of a cow. I already have available the usual Maglite suspects, big long headcrackers which dim immediately upon starting the juice. Seems like a case for the CR123.


Really it is rare that I need my own light, I just tend to be a bit cautious and wish to have one just in case. One of the things I found while lurking was there are quite a few "just in case" types here, well, OK, everyone here is a "just in case type".


The G2 was a consideration, but the throw and the $7 bulb on the TL-3 make a compelling argument. Niteowl, I may yet take you up on your offer as it sounds simple enough even I could get 'er done. And while the long run times, durability, and bulb life of the LED lights make them seductive choices, my number 1 priority is being able to take a light out of my bag and point it off into distance. Range, baby. The TL-3 still seems like #1.



Again, thanks for all the help.


Hardball

wwglen said:

I keep the 2-C mag lights with 3 CR123 batteries in it. But instead of the PR112 bulb I use the bulb that Browning sales for their three CR123 equlivant of the TL-3.

While the package goes to GREAT length to say the bulb is a Bi-Pin bulb for replacing the Bi-Pin bulb in the browning or other Bi-Pin lights it is in FACT a PR based bulb.......

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wwglen,

I remember reading about that bulb somewhere in here. Do you have a number for the bulb? I'd like to try it.

While looking I found this comment I had saved..."Don't forget the Mag 2C with 3xCR123 and Reflectalite GH24. 300 lumen throw monster for under $30".

Hardball, say the word and I'll drop it in the mail!