spikeytree
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2008
- Messages
- 49
Hi! As the title suggested i am looking for a automotive inspection light for a older friend of mind. He will mainly be using it for smog inspection. I got him a LD20 Q5 a while ago and while i was putting a new switch in the light he told me that he would like something brighter (for around the same price range). It wouldn't be a problem for the light was used as a secondary light but he would want this light to be just as or more reliable as his LD20. At this moment i only have 3 ideals.
1.)Buy a ITP A6 Pole Star (with a questionable reliability.)
2.)Give or very cheapy sell him my old G2 with a DX "200" lumens incan drop in and order up some protected xxxfire batteries and charger.
(cheap and pretty reliable but i don't know if i trust those batteries with his kids.)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3218
(link for the bulb)
3.) Get him a 2D mag with a 6D mag bulb powered by 2 series (3 AA to 1 D) battery tray. (i will have to get him extra trays because they look cheap and i am not sure if is bright enough)
Any suggestion would be welcome thanks for your time in advance.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
__+__I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in Los Angeles .
__+_I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
__+_Less than $100.
3) Format:
_+__I want a flashlight.
(The guy is a smog technician not a technician)
4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
__+_Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
_ +__Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
__+_Holster carry.
(i showed him my TK45 and he told me that the light is a little big)
5) Emitter/Light source:
__+__LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
_+__Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
6) Manufacturer:
_+_I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
_+__I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.
7) What battery type do you want to use?
_+__I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
_+__I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
_+__I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
(i would really want to get him a AA powered light because it is the easiest to use. He has younger kids that might play with his lights so i need to make sure the power source is as safe as possible.)
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
_+__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
_+__I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
(He currently has the LD20 Q5 model and he would light something brighter)
9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
_+__Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
_+__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
_+__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
__+__Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
__+__30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
__+__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
__+__Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
__+__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
(He is a rough on the light and is used in a workshop environment.)
12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
__+__I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
__+__I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
__+__I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
__+__I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
(simple and reliability is the most important)
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
___+_A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
__+__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
__+__I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
__+__I want a programmable light.
__+__I want a selector ring.
(Any one of those is fine)
14)Material/Finish/Coating
__+__I don't care.
1.)Buy a ITP A6 Pole Star (with a questionable reliability.)
2.)Give or very cheapy sell him my old G2 with a DX "200" lumens incan drop in and order up some protected xxxfire batteries and charger.
(cheap and pretty reliable but i don't know if i trust those batteries with his kids.)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3218
(link for the bulb)
3.) Get him a 2D mag with a 6D mag bulb powered by 2 series (3 AA to 1 D) battery tray. (i will have to get him extra trays because they look cheap and i am not sure if is bright enough)
Any suggestion would be welcome thanks for your time in advance.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
__+__I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in Los Angeles .
__+_I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
__+_Less than $100.
3) Format:
_+__I want a flashlight.
(The guy is a smog technician not a technician)
4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
__+_Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
_ +__Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
__+_Holster carry.
(i showed him my TK45 and he told me that the light is a little big)
5) Emitter/Light source:
__+__LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
_+__Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
6) Manufacturer:
_+_I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
_+__I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.
7) What battery type do you want to use?
_+__I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
_+__I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
_+__I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
(i would really want to get him a AA powered light because it is the easiest to use. He has younger kids that might play with his lights so i need to make sure the power source is as safe as possible.)
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
_+__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
_+__I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
(He currently has the LD20 Q5 model and he would light something brighter)
9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
_+__Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
_+__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
_+__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
__+__Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
__+__30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
__+__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
__+__Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
__+__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
(He is a rough on the light and is used in a workshop environment.)
12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
__+__I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
__+__I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
__+__I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
__+__I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
(simple and reliability is the most important)
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
___+_A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
__+__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
__+__I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
__+__I want a programmable light.
__+__I want a selector ring.
(Any one of those is fine)
14)Material/Finish/Coating
__+__I don't care.