Rayovac Sportsman 6V Lantern

[Skyeye]

I got this today from my local Goodwill store for $2.49. It was brand new in the box but the battery has long since gone south. The sealed head looks like it might be a good thrower. I went to Wal Mart to see if they had a battery but no cigar. I then went to Academy and they told me they don't handle those any longer.

Question: where can I get a batt locally as in not on line? As this battery is heavy, shipping may cost more than tht batt itself. PS. is there an easy mod that I could do to get it to accept another common 6 volt batt?

Enlighten please!:candle:

 

[Black Rose]

You might find them at larger hardware stores or maybe even something like a farm supply store if one is near.

 

[BVH]

JetskiMark has done some great hotwire mods to these type of lights. Try searching for some of his threads using his user name. They may be more than what you want to do but doesn't hurt to look.

 

[Skyeye]

Couldn't find much about modding the battery on this light so I used my own feeble brain and cut the old battery open with my electric can opener. When I got inside, I found the usual cells glued together with tar, etc. I cut the other end out and hammered the contents out which was quite easy. I then re-attached the top with the terminals back on the empty metal can and then wired in a regular 6 volt spring top to the original terminals. Then I put the top of the can permanently back on with 5 minute epoxy and taped over the seams with aluminum tape. The bottom was made from a piece of old luan paneling cut to fit. I found out that the can can hold 2 of the spring tops so I have a spare riding shotgun. I know it's down and dirty but it does work and work pretty good! It has a fairly bright, extremely tight and sort of square beam throw and I wont know how far it will go till nightfall. I don't imagine the filament will be as bright with the spring top vs the original multi cell but it will do till I can find a proper replacement. I am going to try Ace hardware and Home Depot tomorrow. If none there at least I have a short term useable $2.49 light plus it was a fun experience!:twothumbs

It don't look much different post mod save for the piece of duck tape around the top.

 

[Skyeye]

Just tried it out in darkness and it illuminated the tops of trees a block away even with the sub par battery. It does have a rectangular beam with little or no spill. Sure, it has the warmer glow of the typical ican. These sealed beams are interesting!

 

[BlueBeam22]

Great job on the repair Skyeye! I have one sealed beam lantern, and it is amazing. Mine only puts out around 100 lumens, but it does have an amazing pencil beam and easily puts a bright spot on objects well over 300 yards away. Congratulations on your newest light, I imagine it must perform at least as well as mine, and you always find really cool lights to add to your collection.

How does it compare in throw to your 3,000,000 candlepower "Fixit Tools" brand Halogen spotlight?

 

[Vinniec5]

Skyeye Try Grainger Industrial supply. Here's a list of branches in Louisiana hopefully one is close to you They definitely stock that battery http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ww....branchsearch&searchType=state&searchValue=la

 

[Skyeye]

Well, there is no comparison to my MOAF or as you call it "Fixit Tools". The MOAF blows every thing in my arsenal away! MOAF lights up whole clouds in the sky! This sealed beam does have it's merits due to the pencil thin beam. It can spot things far away without lighting up the whole neighborhood. It will be good for me to spot my great horned owls that inhabit the tops of several tall trees in my area. Heck, even if I only use it a few times a year it's still a piece of dying flashlight history and I feel content in just owning and coveting it.:thanks:Vinnie for the heads up on the Grainger place! I will go there in the AM.lovecpf

 

[Patriot]

What a great looking old light. I really like the fact that it came with the old battery since you can now use it for a housing no matter how much you mod the power supply. Very cool and a nice score.

 

[Radiophile]

I hate myself already for suggesting this, but my local Accessory (Radio - HA!) Shack sells that battery for an obscene price. They also sell the 12v battery that is similar in size.

For something like this I would look at Tractor Supply Co. or a similar store before going to Radio Shack.

 

[Skyeye]

Today, everything RS sells is overpriced IMHO.

I studied the rectangular beam last evening and think I have the answer why. I think it's reflector is so well designed (absolute paraboloid?) that it actually throws a "picture" if you will of the actual filament. The filament is supported far forward in the reflector to take full advantge of the paraboloid. I noticed this effect when I turned it on a white wall about 300 feet away. I could barely see the coils of the filament projected on the white surface. I guess that is also why there is little spill on this one. I would imagine that the run time would be pretty good with the correct battery.

 

[BlueBeam22]

Your Rayovac Lantern's beam sounds amazing! It seems like it would be a really nice light to take out on a nighttime walk since it is small enough to carry very comfortably and has such unbeatable throw.

 

[Skyeye]

Matter of fact Blue, I am taking it along tonight on my dog walk. Yes, with the modded spring top battery can it is a lot lighter than with the 918 battery. I will still carry my new Super Tac though. I am going to put a camera strap on the handle of the R0V so I can shoulder it. People may think I am crazy walking my chihuahua with such a big light but guess what?

I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY THINK CAUSE I AM A "F L A S H A H O L I C"!:nana:

Heck, I'd carry my PC MOAF (mother of all flashlights) if it wasn't so heavy.:naughty:

 

[Juggernaut]

Yes the original lamp pulls .5 amps at 4.75 volts and is a 4546 "you can still get them" as for as the battery, older hardware stores still sell them "I've seen them in 2 different places." even if you pay $20 for a battery including shipping, remember that the battery will last roughly 40 hours of run time and double that with an energizer alkaline version, so unless you use it a lot you shouldn't have to get a new one:twothumbs. The spring top battery will give about the same brightness since both 4F and 8F batteries are 6 volts and neither sag much under the small amp draw. Lastly you are correct the reflector does in deed throw a near perfect image of the filament, thus allowing a very small pencil beam "this of course is because of the small filament size. If you have a larger filament "higher wattage" the reflected image will be larger, thus creating a broader beam.

Bluebeam you will find that your industrial dorcy light offers almost the exact same kind of performance, however with a higher output and slightly wider beam.

 

[Duodec]

I've seen those batteries at Menards (midwest home improvement store), plus Ace, and True Value hardware stores in the last few months. The Ace also carried Aladdin mantles