Spotlight for 12v battery?

[livemusic]

For decades, those of us who fish at night and those who travel on lakes/rivers before dawn, have used spotlights that hook up to a 12v battery. Like, as big as a car battery. Excuse my ignorance. I have a Nitecore TM16 and it is amazing how bright it is. Is there any type of spotlight that hooks up to a 12v battery? Seems it would offer even more power and more runtime, but I don't know much about this. Are today's LED so efficient you don't need such a huge battery? It certainly is a chore to haul around a big/heavy battery.

 

[Str8stroke]

Perhaps get a light that can swap out battery "packs"/holders? Like a Fenix TK75 or Acebeam X60M.

I guess it depends on your desired runtimes too. When I do what you describe, I usually bring a TK75 with the Extension kit. Then carry Two more spare battery packs in a 5 liter dry bag. I can swap them out quickly. Gives me plenty of light! Yes, that is 16, 18650 cells. That gets expensive, but it works. You could get away with just having 8 spare cells and reload your existing holders. But if time, or if you wear gloves, I like having them loaded ready to go.

 

[Juggernaut]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-Beam-50...751468?hash=item41a24bcf2c:g:eRMAAOSwSHZWgRVd

These Big Beam 12 volt jobs are pretty powerful

 

[Timothybil]

Are you looking for throw with some flood, or flood with some throw. Makes a difference. Also, how far do you want to throw, and for how long. Once you give us answers to whose we can really go to town.

 

[Illum]

Only immediate light I can think of that matches with a halogen spotlight is the Eagletac Sportac ZP10L9, but the sticker shock might discourage you from considering it. 5200 bulb lumens probably will still appear dim against a 75W halogen

i think the main reasoning behind the lack of the plug in feature is that modern flashlights are by design intermittent use devices. Heatsinking for 100% duty cycle is more difficult than one for 50% and the main reason has to do with how fast the heat is being dissipated. Halogen spotlights don't have to worry about dissipating heat because the lamps actually runs better hot. On the other hand, LEDS are very heat sensitive and are prone to premature failure if the heat is not properly dissipated. Short of using active cooling the unit has to be very beefy with a broad surface area. To date I have not seen many 12V LED spotlights that operates on more than one emitter and produce anything better than a simple pencil beam that really possesses zero usefulness

 

[NoNotAgain]

Most of the HID lights that have been sold for military use have a provision to run them from either 12 or 24 volts via a cigarette lighter plug.

The Maxa Beam comes with a 12 volt plug, so does the Night Hunter One, same for the Night Reaper. Then you can purchase a Surefire Hellfighter and optional cable that allows for 12 volt accessory power.

Just about all of the consumer HID lights that run via a 12v power cord aren't intended to run more than a few minutes before they start to melt.

 

[livemusic]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-Beam-50...751468?hash=item41a24bcf2c:g:eRMAAOSwSHZWgRVd

These Big Beam 12 volt jobs are pretty powerful

It says 'sealed beam,' so, this is like an old automobile light sealed beam type spotlight? There are (supposed) one million candle power spotlights, do you think this old one you linked to is as/more powerful?

Are you looking for throw with some flood, or flood with some throw. Makes a difference. Also, how far do you want to throw, and for how long. Once you give us answers to whose we can really go to town.

This would be used for monitoring the river ahead of the boat to spot for snags/stumps while traveling up/down the river, plus, shining far off into the distance to spot limb lines which have reflector tape attached to the lines so that a flashlight will make them easily visible. I don't know how to answer the question, really, lol. I guess since safety is the main issue, the area, say, 50-75 yards ahead of the boat is the main area to monitor. And it wouldn't be that wide of an area; the boat is about 6' wide, so, I dunno, maybe a 20 ft width x 50-75 yds length area to monitor as the boat is motoring, even with some speed.

I actually am questioning my interest in this because the Nitecore TM16 is so awesome, I need to just buy an extra set(s) of batteries. But, the trolling motor in the boat is just sitting there unused on these trips, and a cigarette plugin is in the boat; I don't have to carry an extra 12v (heavy) battery that takes of floorspace in the boat. I guess having more than one option for lighting is a good thing.

 

[Going_Supernova]

It says 'sealed beam,' so, this is like an old automobile light sealed beam type spotlight? There are (supposed) one million candle power spotlights, do you think this old one you linked to is as/more powerful?

This would be used for monitoring the river ahead of the boat to spot for snags/stumps while traveling up/down the river, plus, shining far off into the distance to spot limb lines which have reflector tape attached to the lines so that a flashlight will make them easily visible. I don't know how to answer the question, really, lol. I guess since safety is the main issue, the area, say, 50-75 yards ahead of the boat is the main area to monitor. And it wouldn't be that wide of an area; the boat is about 6' wide, so, I dunno, maybe a 20 ft width x 50-75 yds length area to monitor as the boat is motoring, even with some speed.

I actually am questioning my interest in this because the Nitecore TM16 is so awesome, I need to just buy an extra set(s) of batteries. But, the trolling motor in the boat is just sitting there unused on these trips, and a cigarette plugin is in the boat; I don't have to carry an extra 12v (heavy) battery that takes of floorspace in the boat. I guess having more than one option for lighting is a good thing.

How about some headlights for your boat? Those would give you constant illumination forward, where you definitely need it, and then you could also mount a light or two pointed off the sides for your bank lines.