headlamp for car toolbox?

CouchTater

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May 2, 2007
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A headlamp seems like it would be a good thing to have in the toolbox. Moderately low price, LED bulb, broad flood, AA cells, water resistant would seem to be the ticket. Any recommendations?
 
I currently use a no-name 2 AA headlamp designed for the MiniMag bulb that I drilled the reflector out on and dropped an SMJLED into. I look at it as disposable. If I was getting another one I would get the Rayovac 1Watt 1AA Sportsman Xtreme.
 
That looks good. I hope the headlamp is better than the 2xAA Luxeon unit, I bought one of those and am already having tailcap problems.

One thing on headlamps. In the car environment, elastic seems to give out. Due to the heat, I guess. Is the elastic on the Rayovac replaceable, by chance?
 
That looks good. I hope the headlamp is better than the 2xAA Luxeon unit, I bought one of those and am already having tailcap problems.

One thing on headlamps. In the car environment, elastic seems to give out. Due to the heat, I guess. Is the elastic on the Rayovac replaceable, by chance?

I don't think the elastic is replaceable on that unit, but I've kept mine in a glovebox over a year now with summertime temps exceeding 100F and no issues with mine.

$18.83 at Wal-Mart.
 
Hi Couchtater
I've got that 1AA Ravovac headlamp (walmart). Spitsman Extreme!
The 1watt lux is bright and perfect for that under car repair- no rear battery pack to dig into your skull.
Yes, the headband can be removed easy or just keep tightening it as the elastic
gets weaker.-my solution

Maybe put a lithium AA cell into it then you'll know it'll fire up after years
sitting in the tool box and stay on.

hopkins
 
I bought four or five of the Ray-O-Vac 3xAAA 3-in-1 headlamps at a local Walmart last year when they were closing them out for $3-4 each. I had bought a couple in years past for $15 each, and used them a lot. They have an incan bulb, one white LED, and two red LED's. Not the latest or greatest, but inexpensive and very functional. I've been using one every night to read in bed with, the red LED's don't disturb my wife the way brighter white light would. I'll eventually put one of these in each of our four cars with lithium AAA cells in them. For car use, the red LED's are great for a passenger reading a map or a book/magazine without disturbing the driver, the LED's will last for dozens of hours, and the incan is good for brief periods when brighter light is needed. There are lots of good options out there though, I would recommend whatever you get you use good quality lithium cells to avoid leakage (prevalent with alkalines exposed to the extreme temps a car sees), and so the light will work after years of storage.
 
You do need a headlamp in your car. I got a Rayovac 1Watt 1AA Sportsman Xtreme, loaded it with an Energizer Lithium AA cell and put it in the glove box of my truck. I also have a Brinkman Maxfire LX with a P60 drop-in, and a Fenix L2D. Both with Lithium cells.
 
A headlamp seems like it would be a good thing to have in the toolbox. Moderately low price, LED bulb, broad flood, AA cells, water resistant would seem to be the ticket. Any recommendations?

Most AA headlamps have battery containers on the rear of the headband causing problems if you need to lie on your back during a repair. The Zebralight is the exception. It's also a good idea to use primary lithiums because of their long life and cold/hot weather capability. That rules out Petzl with the exception of the E+Lite. The E+Lite is a good choice, I believe.
 
I keep a ROV 1AA headlamp with an Energizer lithium in each of my cars. Small, affordable, common battery, bright, diffuse or throw. Just about perfect for the purpose.
 
Most AA headlamps have battery containers on the rear of the headband causing problems if you need to lie on your back during a repair. The Zebralight is the exception. It's also a good idea to use primary lithiums because of their long life and cold/hot weather capability. That rules out Petzl with the exception of the E+Lite. The E+Lite is a good choice, I believe.

The Rayovac Sportsmans Extreme is like the Zebralight in that the AA battery is in front behind the emitter. I own both headlamps, and while the Zebralight is a great headlamp with 3 levels of output and extremely economical runtime, it only offers a diffused light output. The ROV has a flip over diffuser to allow you to use it either way. And, you can buy 2 ROV's for the price of 1 Zebralight :)
 
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Another very happy Rayovac 1Watt 1AA Sportsman Xtreme user here. I bought another one last week for car.

Diffuser is excellent - nice reading light.
 
Lithium primary AAA. Brilliant! Bad pun, sorry.

nota bene; the problems with my 3W 2xAA Sportsman may be battery related. Been using half-tired cells, when I swap to new half-tired cells I don't have the tailcap problems. So probably poor regulation rather than a switch problem.

Thanks for the positive data points.
 
I keep an Inova 24/7 in the glove box. It fits all the requirements except that it uses a CR-123A cell instead of AA. It has a couple of brightness levels so you can trade run time for brightness, and it can double as an emergency flasher.

c_c
 
Hi Couchtater
I've also noticed unusual behavior with the 3W ROV 2AA flashlight.
When the light turns itself off due to drained batteries low current. (my guess)
I then removed the tailcap and connected an amp-meter and it comes back on and stays on but much dimmer.(got bored after 2 minutes)
Put the tailcap back and it comes on for a second than goes off. Paper clip same - on then off after a second.
Weird.:thinking:
 
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