Any Incandescent Floods?

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Paul_in_Maryland

Paul_in_Maryland

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 27, 2005
Messages
3,191
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Maryland, USA
Can anyone suggest an incandescent flashlight (not a lantern or headlamp) that provides a broad flood (without adding a diffuser)? Ideally, it would use 123A cells, but given the paucity of choices, I can't be picky.

Can anyone point me to a link that explains how to diffuse any flashlight's beam? I already use that film designed for black-and-white PDAs; I want a beam that's wider, not just smoother.
 
Hi Paul, long time no hear... :naughty:

How does the Pila GL3R meet your criteria? It throws better than an SF L4, but is very floodlike in beam. A really nice beam, too, very bright, smooth and very wide. It really allows vision when on. It takes 3x123s or 2xPila150As.
 
OK, that's the version with the "standard head" (36mm). I have a Wolf Eyes 9MX, which is equivalent to the Pila with the wider head (45mm); your light and mine use different lamp assemblies. The 9MX's beam is the widest xenon I own, but I'm looking for something even wider--like the G&P 12V lamp, but in a 3x123A form factor.

How does the beam width of the Pila / Wolf Eyes 36mm LAs compare with that of their 45mm LAs? Anyone?
 
Paul_in_Maryland said:
Can anyone point me to a link that explains how to diffuse any flashlight's beam? I already use that film designed for black-and-white PDAs; I want a beam that's wider, not just smoother.
Click to expand...

You can diffuse any incandescent flashlight's beam very easily. Any bulb made of glass can be diffused by using etching paste. Etching paste is used a lot in craft hobbies, and is, therefore, available at most craft stores.

Practice on some cheap bulbs first. The instructions usually say to leave it on for 5 seconds then wash it off with water, but you can play around with the time (shorter or longer) to get more or less diffusion. You can also play around with how much of the bulb you frost - from just the tip to the whole bulb.

It's a bit of trial and error at first, but you can turn a real thrower into a total flood. Try it - it's cheap, easy and fun.
 
Just thought of a great incandescent flood. The Polaris, made by Ginseng, uses the MR16 bulb. MR16 bulbs are available in a wide range of wattages and beam angles, including flood. MR16 bulbs are readily available at Home Depot, etc.

Keep any eye out on BST. I've seen the Polaris come up for sale occasionally. Or you could post a WTB.

In fact, there's one available here right now.
 
Thats real easy. Take a Mag85 and uncrew the reflector/head off of it. Turn on the light. Voila instant super-candle.
 
NikolaTesla said:
Thats real easy. Take a Mag85 and uncrew the reflector/head off of it. Turn on the light. Voila instant super-candle.
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Not a smart thing to do. If that bulb blows, you'll be in a world of hurt. Just ask js or anyone else who's had it happen.
 
As JimH says:

Please DO NOT use any of the WelchAllyn, Carley, or Osram lamps in candle mode!!!

On the rare chance that they do explode, they can cause significant damage to soft tissue, including eyeballs.

ALWAYS keep high pressure bulbs behind a barrier of some type.

Bill
 
How about a SL Scorpion or TL-2? You can adjust the spot to the widest part.
 
Come to think of it, I did have one do that too. May a big POP! and turned to dust. It was potted type but I guess any of them could blow. Oh well maybe its safer to get an Aurora with a Mr16 bulb. That is a Flood.
 
FNG said:
How about a SL Scorpion or TL-2? You can adjust the spot to the widest part.
Click to expand...
Now that you mention it, I'm not sure I've tried that with my TL-3. Wouldn't the resulting beam be full of artifacts and a donut hole? I'm not sure that even my "smoothing" film on the front lens could help it. But I'll try your suggestion and let you know the result.
 
NikolaTesla said:
Thats real easy. Take a Mag85 and uncrew the reflector/head off of it. Turn on the light. Voila instant super-candle.
Click to expand...
Safety issues aside, that beam would be TOO omnidirectional for me. Thanks anyway.
 
JimH said:
Any bulb made of glass can be diffused by using etching paste. Etching paste is used a lot in craft hobbies, and is, therefore, available at most craft stores.
Click to expand...
I like this idea, Jim. Being lazy, I prefer to buy online, but I couldn't find "etching paste" on eBay or Froogle. Is it known by another name?
 
I just remembered: Bicycle lights come in very small lamp assemblies and are designed in a variety of beam widths (actually advertised by the angle of coverage), in powers raning from 6W to 25. 15W would be the sweet spot; anyone know what voltages they run? I'd be willing to stuff three or even four Pila 150 cells in an extended body.
 
Paul_in_Maryland said:
I like this idea, Jim. Being lazy, I prefer to buy online, but I couldn't find "etching paste" on eBay or Froogle. Is it known by another name?
Click to expand...

Do a Google search on the following words "glass craft etching paste" all together. You'll get a ton of hits about etching paste, but almost all of them say to get it at your local craft store.
 
Doesn't FlashlightLens<dot>Com sell some sort of diffused (LDF?) lens already? Also, I fooled around by spraying/sputtering Rust-Oleum Clear Lacquer High Lustre Coating both on the relfector and lens until I found the desired emitted wide-flood light. It seemed to work very well. . .Just an el cheapo approach in my opinion.

Ciao4Now!
 
Not sure if this would apply as it may not be specialized enough, but Surefire P91 has quite a broad beam, it floods my living room quite well. An expensive solution compared to most mentioned here, but seems like it might work. I'm sure there are other options, but I'm less sure of the best. Maybe the Streamlight Liteboxes would be another option, but I haven't tried one of these in a few years.
 
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