senna94
Flashlight Enthusiast
I am looking for a good inexpensive flood light. Aside from the different battery types which do you prefer and why?
Paul
:candle:
Paul
:candle:
Steamlight Propoly 4AA or Inova X5??
- Thread starter senna94
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Illum
Flashaholic
propoly 4AA LED is a good flood light...the luxeon is a throw monster
X5s okay...plenty of light for smaller areas, what do you plan to use it for?
I prefer the X5 because of its build, design....and attracts the ladies [only kidding]
but if I'm traveling i'd tag along the Proply...just because AAs are widely available...not to mention cheaper
X5s okay...plenty of light for smaller areas, what do you plan to use it for?
I prefer the X5 because of its build, design....and attracts the ladies [only kidding]
but if I'm traveling i'd tag along the Proply...just because AAs are widely available...not to mention cheaper
senna94
Flashlight Enthusiast
I want to use it for work and don't want to subject my SF L4 to harsh everyday use. I would mainly use it to illuminate dark ceilings after removing 1 ceiling tile.
Paul
Paul
Newuser01
Enlightened
X5
Expensive to feed. Initially more expensive. May be better Q if you like the alu/tail switch. throw = 15, total 20 (per FLR).
SL PP LED.
Less expensive to feed (nimh works great), less expensive to buy. Total replacement warranty. tail switch. easier to find and handle (propolymar). throw =11 , total 21
SL pp led is rated kind of low but I found the light to be very good for working for a long long time. give you uniform light to work under and runtime in excess of 8 hours work days. I usually replace the nimh everyday if I use it. And most important thing is I don't have to baby it. With X5 , I will have to be carefull as it is metal and likely to cause trouble working with electrical stuff!
Regards.
Expensive to feed. Initially more expensive. May be better Q if you like the alu/tail switch. throw = 15, total 20 (per FLR).
SL PP LED.
Less expensive to feed (nimh works great), less expensive to buy. Total replacement warranty. tail switch. easier to find and handle (propolymar). throw =11 , total 21
SL pp led is rated kind of low but I found the light to be very good for working for a long long time. give you uniform light to work under and runtime in excess of 8 hours work days. I usually replace the nimh everyday if I use it. And most important thing is I don't have to baby it. With X5 , I will have to be carefull as it is metal and likely to cause trouble working with electrical stuff!
Regards.
I would recommend the Propoly luxeon 4aa. It throws like crazy.
Poke your head in there - click it on - you will be able to see every nook and cranny in the ceiling - guaranteed!
Plus, if you drop it off the ladder, it won't hurt it a bit
Poke your head in there - click it on - you will be able to see every nook and cranny in the ceiling - guaranteed!
Plus, if you drop it off the ladder, it won't hurt it a bit
senna94
Flashlight Enthusiast
Isn't the X5 regulated while the Propoly 4AA(non Luxeon) is not??
Paul
Paul
lumenal
Enlightened
senna94 said:
No, neither light is regulated.
Bearcat
Enlightened
I have the SL PP 4AA Lux and I love it, because of its throw, long regulated run-time of about 3 1/2 to 4 hours, toughness and lifetime warranty. I just ordered 2 SL PP 4AA LED (non-lux) from Amazon for $12.87 each with free shipping. I know that they will not have the great throw that my Lux one has, but the run-time is stated at over 300+ hours. I do not see how I could go wrong at the price that I paid for them. BTW, they pulled that deal within a few hours after I ordered mine.
Newuser01
Enlightened
Crap!!!!Bearcat said:BTW, they pulled that deal within a few hours after I ordered mine.
Well that's the story of our lives!!!:touche::touche::touche:
Bearcat
Enlightened
Someone on this site posted a heads up and I jumped all over it. Thanks guys!!!
TORCH_BOY
Flashlight Enthusiast
I would go for the Steamlight Propoly 4AA Luxeon 1w
Bearcat
Enlightened
Bearcat said:I have the SL PP 4AA Lux and I love it, because of its throw, long regulated run-time of about 3 1/2 to 4 hours, toughness and lifetime warranty. I just ordered 2 SL PP 4AA LED (non-lux) from Amazon for $12.87 each with free shipping. I know that they will not have the great throw that my Lux one has, but the run-time is stated at over 300+ hours. I do not see how I could go wrong at the price that I paid for them. BTW, they pulled that deal within a few hours after I ordered mine.
Crap, I meant 3C, not 4AA.
Art Vandelay
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2006
- Messages
- 1,550
The X5 is more of a flood light. If you need to see far away at all, the SL 4 poly Luxeon might be better. The 7 LED SL Poly also might be good, but I've never used one. A bonus to the SL 4 Poly is that you can get an attachment that will work on a hardhat, it's the same one that they sell for the firefighter helmet.
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Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
The 4AA produces one hell of a hotspot due to the huge reflector buried inside it. The X5 is a floodlight that produces a pretty decent amount of light. If you are looking for a flood, do not go with the 4AA. The X5 is a great little light. It has killer runtime and it's extremely solid construction is always desired. It is not as bright as the 4AA though. The 4AA is the light I use for all my car work and for generally anything...it's a kickass light. For a compromise between flood and spot you may actually wanna look into an Inova T3 or X03 with the TIROS technology if you can find one still.
note: The SL propoly luxeon 4AA out-throws the Inova X03, T3, and X5. It is THAT good! And at the same time, batteries are cheap and readily available, it regulates the battery run-time so you get constant output for the life of the batteries, AND it is VERY VERY VERY solid. The propoly finish is actually very welcome IMO because you can take the light anywhere, it is waterproof to the maximum and at the same time you can throw it off a mountain without breaking it. I have yet to scratch mine and it's been through plennty.
note: The SL propoly luxeon 4AA out-throws the Inova X03, T3, and X5. It is THAT good! And at the same time, batteries are cheap and readily available, it regulates the battery run-time so you get constant output for the life of the batteries, AND it is VERY VERY VERY solid. The propoly finish is actually very welcome IMO because you can take the light anywhere, it is waterproof to the maximum and at the same time you can throw it off a mountain without breaking it. I have yet to scratch mine and it's been through plennty.
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cratz2
Flashlight Enthusiast
Wow... Lots of mis-information in this thread.
First of all, neither light is regulated. There was some talk of failure with the Streamlight lights... I have no idea if that was addressed. Also, in terms of brightness and throw, compared to when these lights were reviewed, the Inova lights have been upgraded with the newer, brighter, more durable Nichia CS LEDs. I haven't comapred them side to side, but assuming they were equal back then, the X5 is probably 50% brighter now.
The Streamlight DOES have more of a slightly spottish beam vs the true floodbeam of the X5.
Personally, I'd lean towards something like the UK 4AA eLED. 4xAA cells, good (outstanding!) regulation, wide hotspot and bright spillbeam, outrageous runtime, EVERYTHING proof. One was my basic indoor worklight for pretty much ever. When the Cyclops 2x123 lights came out at Sam's club, it was determined that the module would fit in so I bought another eLED and made one. It's trimmer and has a tail clickie, but less runtime.
I'd enourage you to at least have a look at the review before getting the X5 or Streamlight.
To the original question, with the dead reliability of Inova and the very decent runtime along with the higher output, I'd have to suggest the X5. Plus, being an L4 owner, the feel of the XNova is more likely to bring a smile to your face than the Streamlight.
Based on my limited wire running experience, I'd rather have a more floody type beam vs a traditional Luxeon beam when looking in such spaces. One reflective surface with something like the ProPoly Lux and your vision will need a minute to recover.
First of all, neither light is regulated. There was some talk of failure with the Streamlight lights... I have no idea if that was addressed. Also, in terms of brightness and throw, compared to when these lights were reviewed, the Inova lights have been upgraded with the newer, brighter, more durable Nichia CS LEDs. I haven't comapred them side to side, but assuming they were equal back then, the X5 is probably 50% brighter now.
The Streamlight DOES have more of a slightly spottish beam vs the true floodbeam of the X5.
Personally, I'd lean towards something like the UK 4AA eLED. 4xAA cells, good (outstanding!) regulation, wide hotspot and bright spillbeam, outrageous runtime, EVERYTHING proof. One was my basic indoor worklight for pretty much ever. When the Cyclops 2x123 lights came out at Sam's club, it was determined that the module would fit in so I bought another eLED and made one. It's trimmer and has a tail clickie, but less runtime.
I'd enourage you to at least have a look at the review before getting the X5 or Streamlight.
To the original question, with the dead reliability of Inova and the very decent runtime along with the higher output, I'd have to suggest the X5. Plus, being an L4 owner, the feel of the XNova is more likely to bring a smile to your face than the Streamlight.
Based on my limited wire running experience, I'd rather have a more floody type beam vs a traditional Luxeon beam when looking in such spaces. One reflective surface with something like the ProPoly Lux and your vision will need a minute to recover.
It appears there may be some confusion regarding the Propoly. The flood version uses seven leds. It is not regulated; rather it uses a current limiting resistor and will run a very long time. The Propoly Luxeon version produces lots of throw and a rather concentrated hotspot with a much shorter runtime.
The UK eled, as mentioned, is another good choice. The old version uses a side emitter and produces good flood with a central hotspot. The newer version uses optics to produce a very evenly illuminated field with a moderate throw.
Finally, if you need both hands free, consider something like the Princeton Tec Quad headlamp with multiple levels of flood.
The UK eled, as mentioned, is another good choice. The old version uses a side emitter and produces good flood with a central hotspot. The newer version uses optics to produce a very evenly illuminated field with a moderate throw.
Finally, if you need both hands free, consider something like the Princeton Tec Quad headlamp with multiple levels of flood.
LED_Thrift
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re battery costs: You can run either light on rechargables. Battery Junction, for one, has 3.0v Li rechargables that you could use in the X5. The ProPolys make great use of NiMH. Both are GREAT lights - you can't go wrong with either.
