Cheap HID in the UK?

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TallNHairyDave

Newly Enlightened
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All the talk of Sams Club and other good cheap HID spotlights has got me wanting a HID lamp, just to play around with and add another bright thing to my growing collection.

Only problem is, I live in the UK.

Anyone got any suggestions where I can find a HID spotlight for NOT silly money? (I've found some HIDS but they're all upwards of around £300, like the Nextorch Saint, Wolfeyes Boxer 24W and so on - very nice, but my wallet just went :poof:).

Help!
 
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Sure, the N30. The shipping cost should be reasonable because the light isn't to bulky.

http://batteryjunction.com/n30-3161.html

The N35 should be ready by June. It will use Li-ion batteries, be 90oz lighter and have even stronger ABS plastic armored in rubber. The price will be higher too though.

If the N30 is too much, how about a Sam's club from the marketplace? They light is heavier so shipping will most likely be more but hey, it's an HID. Is there any reason one couldn't be shipped to you?
 
Thanks for the recommendation.

Only problems I can see with shipping over from the US will be getting hit for VAT and import duties on top of the shipping, and the charger will be 120V. Guess I could get a 240V to 120V converter to solve the electrics problem though.

Hmmm.
 
Lots of chargers these days are '120 to 240 volt' so you may be OK.

Also try Fenix-store.com. This is a supplier with a very good reputation here and even gives CPF members an 8% discount. Shipping is included and, though the most I have ordered at one time was about £120, I've never had to pay import tax.
 
Thanks Jay.

Given the current strong GBP vs weak USD, it's getting really tempting to import something like the AmondoTech N30 or the Warrior III from fenix-store.

Only problem is, Mrs TallNHairyDave has laid down the law on this one...

"You can get a torch that powerful if you want to 'because it's bloody cool', but if you do I will NEVER go for a countryside walk after dark with you if you are carrying it".

You see, she maintains that for countryside walks after dark, all you should have is something bright enough that you don't walk into a tree or trip over a root. Preferably no more than oooh 20 lumens, and more preferably with a red filter so your eyes can dark adapt and so you don't scare any wildlife.

"After all you can see more in the dark with not much light and night attuned eyes" says she. "Ah," says I, "that's where I disagree. You can see MUCH better with a 3200 lumen HID spotlight :naughty:". That argument went down like a lead balloon.:sigh:

I think the only reason she's not said that she won't go for a walk after dark with me carrying the P3D Q5 is because I've bought a red filter for it!

Anyone know if you can get a red filter big enough for the AmondoTech N30?:crackup:
 
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I might be winning her over to the light side of the force :)

Just ordered her a Fenix L0D, and we shall see...

I'm definately waiting now for the L35 to launch. Looks like it's going to be awesome.
 
TallNHairyDave said:
You see, she maintains that for countryside walks after dark, all you should have is something bright enough that you don't walk into a tree or trip over a root. Preferably no more than oooh 20 lumens, and more preferably with a red filter so your eyes can dark adapt and so you don't scare any wildlife.

"After all you can see more in the dark with not much light and night attuned eyes" says she. "Ah," says I, "that's where I disagree. You can see MUCH better with a 3200 lumen HID spotlight :naughty:". That argument went down like a lead balloon.:sigh:

I think the only reason she's not said that she won't go for a walk after dark with me carrying the P3D Q5 is because I've bought a red filter for it!

Anyone know if you can get a red filter big enough for the AmondoTech N30?:crackup:
Click to expand...



Uh..O, sounds like you've got a battle on your hands. Well, if it will help any, which I doubt it will. Tell her that many more animals can be seen after dark with a good HID light. I say that in all seriousness. Animals don't run away because you have a light, they run-away because you are there. Their zone of tolerance remains about the same whether you have a light or not. Now, your own actions, effected by your ability to see them sometimes effect the behavior of the animal but that's based on your behavior and some animals sense that. An example would be, you're just walking through the country conversing at a steady speed and course so you never give the animal reason to be alarmed. Now you have a bright light and stop suddenly and say "right there! or "look!" then you move your feet some to get a better angle and whatever you're looking at gets skittish. Rural animals especially are tuned into inflections of your voice, step cadence and consistency of direction. They know that people usually stick to paths and when deviated from it doesn't go unnoticed by them. They're always in tactical mode and often two moves ahead of you.

I regularly take evening walks and when I go without a good light I hardly see anything. When I take an HID I see an abundance of critters. The animals are still there when you don't have the light but you never see them 75 yards away in the darkness and even if you could see something move there's no detail without a light, only a blob of dark movement.

While up hunting or camping I'll grab an HID light and see all kinds of deer and elk. Without the light...forget it, you only hear them running away and see nothing..even animals which wander close like skunks, raccoons and badgers. The cool thing about walking with a partner is that one can hold the light while the other views with binoculars. The bright light sometimes makes them curious and hang around longer than they normally would. Deer often do this. When you're shinning the light at them you remove their main advantage over you, their great night vision. They listen, smell the air and watch the location of the light but they can't see your body language. If you happen to be upwind of them or can approach from the back side of a ridge they often don't realize that you're closer than they think.

Anyhow...I'm rambling now, but just wanted to say, If your wife like to see the wildlife she'll see a lot more with an HID in the family.;) Take it from a guy who's got 'no life' so he's out sneaking around in the desert several nights a week with big felt stalkers on his feet......:eek:






Feltstalkers.jpg
 
Thanks for the info Patriot36. Duly noted, and when the AmondoTech L35 launches I think I'll run that by the Mrs to see what she makes of it...
 
TallNHairyDave said:
Thanks for the recommendation.

Only problems I can see with shipping over from the US will be getting hit for VAT and import duties on top of the shipping, and the charger will be 120V. Guess I could get a 240V to 120V converter to solve the electrics problem though.

Hmmm.
Click to expand...
Step down transformers can be bought on E-Bay (UK) for about £10,or less.
They should be sufficient,at that price,to charge the N30.
I hope so as I've just had an N30 delivered today:devil:
 
TallNHairyDave said:
"You can get a torch that powerful if you want to 'because it's bloody cool', but if you do I will NEVER go for a countryside walk after dark with you if you are carrying it".
...
I think the only reason she's not said that she won't go for a walk after dark with me carrying the P3D Q5 is because I've bought a red filter for it!
Click to expand...

Can't you get her a pair of red tinted goggles...? ;)

Jim
 
Just got myself a Thor X Colossus off of fleabay and am waiting for that to arrive. When it does I'll have a play with it for a bit then mod it into a HID :thumbsup:

And more encouragingly, SWMBO is treating it all with amusement rather than hostility and seems to be looking forward to seeing the end result!

She's still asking me what the heck I need a light that bright for :laughing:
 
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I know its no HID but I just got a Raid fire Spear. First night out I saw deer for the first time in woods near home. Never even realised they were there before. HIDs and torches with great throw definitely allow you to see wildlife more when walking at night
 
I'd recommend saving your money on modding the Thor. Just put it into buying the L35 - which is going to be a GREAT HID in a small, light-weight package. I've got 3 N30's now and love them. The L35's will be icing on the cake!
 
Patriot36 said:
Sure, the N30. The shipping cost should be reasonable because the light isn't to bulky.

http://batteryjunction.com/n30-3161.html

The N35 should be ready by June. It will use Li-ion batteries, be 90oz lighter and have even stronger ABS plastic armored in rubber. The price will be higher too though.

If the N30 is too much, how about a Sam's club from the marketplace? They light is heavier so shipping will most likely be more but hey, it's an HID. Is there any reason one couldn't be shipped to you?
Click to expand...

I am also looking for a nice hid lantern to play with, the N30 in the link above has now dropped to $139.95 shipping to the UK is $48.25 ie £95 given a rate of about 2:1 and not including the inevitable tax and handling .

a brace would be $279.90 + $72.25 ie about £90 each

Tallnhairydave, fancy going halves on the shipping and nasty import taxes?
Or... should we wait for the L35.

B
 
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