Cheap Light / Purchase advice

[webley445]

The recent "Broke up a fight" post got me to thinking. I want to be able to provide employees of the company I work for with some decent lights. Its for security guards. Here's the situation;

I'm limited on funding and what i can spend.

I recently got a cheap $1.99 4AA Rayovac from Wally World and installed a KPR. was impressed with the output. Want to do similar for the guards.

Bear in mind I'm not looking for "tactical' lights. Just need some that will give a decent throw and illumunation. The 4AA route seems to appeal to the powers that be who are above me due to lower cost.

I have always been of the mind that if you want a really good light for work, well you go get your own. It stays with you, won't get abused or "misplaced".

I'm not looking for lights that will last years, but will function adequately and can handle "normal" wear and tear. Cost at around $10 or less would be ideal.

Want to stay away from those 2D plastic jobbies if you know what I mean.

I really like the output of the 4AA deal and adding a $1.50 KPR bulb to an already inexpensive light would be wonderful. It is only meant for general illumination for basic security duties, like walking in a parking lot, lighting a path, dark/dim indoors, examining property/items, etc. Not self defence or Rambo work.

As an experiment i am trying out an Energizer 4AA "Swivel" head light.

What would the more knowledgeable suggest? Hate to say, but money is the real issue here, so I'm looking for balance of performance and price.
(where's Playboy when I need him?)

 

[x-ray]

If you can stretch to around $14, at PT Tec 40 gives a lot of light for it's size and runs on AA's

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

A couple of very useful lights are Rayovac Industrial 2D and 3D lights.

If you have access to Lowes, the 3D is right at $8 with batteries.

Walmart has 2D for around $5.

Both have faceted reflectors and should be tough enough!

If you can locate Rayovac Camper 4AA at your Walmart, it's a pretty bright (with KPR103) and quite cheap (around 3 bucks). Some have mentioned switch trouble with them. It doesn't feel real strong.

If you have a Big Lots nearby, a Qualistar Rubber 3D with batteries is like $3.99. I put 4 C cells in mine and it's pretty bright and decent of beam. Feels pretty solid too.

Sears has a 4AA tool light that is about $7 that should rock with a KPR103!

There are several sub 10 buck lanterns that aren't bad either.

 

[Ratso]

I'll have to say that Rayovac makes the best cheap lights in my opinion. The 2D and 3D's are very well made, have a shock absorbing bulb holder, faceted reflector, and tough case for ~$10. The 4AA Camper is another good choice, but if water resistance and durability is an issue, I'd recommend paying a little more for the Princeton Tec 40. ~$15

 

[EMPOWERTORCH]

The Ray-O-Vac swivel head is a good choice. I have one with a PR Bulb mod in it.
The best cheap torches I've come across:
Benross 4033 (3D torch) price from £2.50.
The 4033 has a mag style switch and comes with a nice long lanyard as standard. The 4033 is very easily converted to LED operation either by means of a PR Bulb Retrofit or by directly soldering the LED's inside the torch head. I've done both types of mod on 4033's very successfully.
The vivid light output, the reliability of LED's and the long battery life are all the ingredients to provide user confidence.
I could supply 4LED modded 4033's for around £6-£7. (Fitted with white or cyan LED's.
For un-modded torches go direct to Benross Marketing http://www.benross.com .

 

[kz1000s1]

My vote would be for the Craftsman tool light. With the KPR103 bulb, it's close to the brightness of an E2e with an identical size hotspot and spill beam, but not quite as smooth. It seems to be very durable with its' rubber armor.

 

[W4DIZ]

I agree with kz1000s1

 

[Sean]

Dorcy Boss ~$5 replace the bulb with a 3 cell bulb from Radio Shack for ~$2 to make it even brighter.

Or, if you can "break the bank" get a PT Surge. Cost is just over $20. It's very bright, runs on 4 or 8 AA's and is waterproof. This light can outperform $80 lights.

 

[rlhess]

There is a closeout sale going on right now at Brightguy for 4-AA UKE lights. I think it's $14 and the new ones with the nice switch are $16.

I know it's a little out of your price range, but these are close in output to the Brinkmann LX and use four conventional AA cells. Actually, if you can get LXs for $20, that might be useful, too, but the lithiums are expensive. The UKE lights are easier to carry than the Brinkmann as they're oval and the head's diameter is a bit less.

Just some more options...and smaller than a Surge. I have actual numbers for the UKE lights and the Brinkmann on my Web page. I think that the beam candlepower is what counts as the "fight breakup" thread seemed to mention, so narrow is OK in this application.

I don't know, however, at what point the brightness is effective. SureFire would have you believe that the 60 lumens/1350cd of the E2e is effective. In some situations, perhaps. I don't think so for the longer distances described in the other thread.

Remember, the inverse square law applies--every time you double the distance, the brightness falls off by four. So 1350 cd at 10 feet is only 13.5 footcandles. Desks are supposed to be lit between 50-100 footcandles.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[SuRgE]

Botach has the PT tec40 on sale for $9.95! Best price anywhere. Its a sale item so they should have them in stock. I know its Botach but I have never had a problem when items are in stock! This light is way more durable than all the others mentioned, except for the Surge.

 

[EMPOWERTORCH]

Check out "It can't be right" in the LED forum by Rothrandir.
An Ebay auction is offering a dozen LED rubber torches for 130 dollars!
These could be the the torches you're looking for!
Be quick though!

 

[4x4Dragon]

Originally posted by PlayboyJoeShmoe:
A couple of very useful lights are Rayovac Industrial 2D and 3D lights......

If you have a Big Lots nearby, a Qualistar Rubber 3D with batteries is like $3.99. I put 4 C cells in mine and it's pretty bright and decent of beam. Feels pretty solid too.

Sears has a 4AA tool light that is about $7 that should rock with a KPR103!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Just picked up the Rayovac Industrial 3d last night. You know of any mods to do with it? I was hoping for 4 C's, what the length on that Qualistar 3D?

The Sears 4aa Tool light with KRP103 IS quit nice!

 

[nihraguk]

Remember, the inverse square law applies--every time you double the distance, the brightness falls off by four. So 1350 cd at 10 feet is only 13.5 footcandles. Desks are supposed to be lit between 50-100 footcandles.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">depends on how well focused the light is....if its a flood type focus the brightness would fall off more than if the light has a tight beam.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

4x4Dragon,

In my Qualstar 3D I have a 7 1/2" piece of 1" plastic pipe and 4 Eveready Super Heavy Duty (non Alky) C cells at just a smidgen ove 1 7/8" ea.

I do not remember having to change the spring in this light, but have had to do so in some others.

I don't have any Writeright or anything on the lense and it isn't a perfect beam by ANY standards, but is is pretty bright!

The 3D Rayovac light will take 4 Cs with the spare bulb holder out of the tailcap and might need the spring modified. These lights make a very nearly perfect beam. I have a completely stock one right here in front of me that hangs near my front door. I have another badged Sams Value Light with 4 Cs, and another Sams with a KPR102 bulb. I leave this one stock so it WILL work when absolutely need!

 

[arioch]

Batteries.com has a closeout sale on an Energizer combo pack with one 4aa Double Barrel and one 4aa Arc White for $18.99.

Both are decent lights, with the DB being well made, and the the Arc White being a useful utility light.

http://www.batteries.com

Click on "flashlights".