What did you use your flashlight for today?

[CanAm]

The last few days we've been having a problem with carpenter ants. I've been using an LF E2 w/ a malkoff NLL drop in and a M@g XL50 Warm White to follow the trail through the house, into a closet, into the wall, and then pick up their trail in the crawlspace and look for structural damage (thankfully doesn't seem to be an issue).
"Why do you need two lights to go into the crawlspace?" - My partner
"Well, need is a funny word..."

 

[bykfixer]

CanAm how does the beam color of the warm XL50 compare to the NLL? Do you prefer one over the other? Also the M6?

I have warm minimags and solitaires but have not tried the XL50.

And next time anybody asks you can reply the CPF slogan "2 is 1, 1 is none"……

 

[CanAm]

CanAm how does the beam color of the warm XL50 compare to the NLL? Do you prefer one over the other? Also the M6?

I have warm minimags and solitaires but have not tried the XL50.

And next time anybody asks you can reply the CPF slogan "2 is 1, 1 is none"……

The warm XL50 is warmer than the Malkoff NLL, but not quite as warm as the PM6. I'd guess 3700k. It's a nice light, having a high (200lm) and low (80lm) is handy, but I wish they would've left off the strobe or given it a third power level. A little more throw than the Malkoff as well, or at least a tighter beam. The Malkoff has a smoother, floodier, and slightly cooler light, and I think a slightly higher CRI. The LF body feels a little more solid than the Mag. Still a solid light, though - someone liked mine enough to take it home on a job in the fall, and I recently recommended it to a friend who's tired of using their cellphone at work. The warm version is much easier on the eyes than the circa 2013 XL50 it replaced.
Mostly I reach for the Malkoff'd light when I need a floodier beam or dead-simple UI, and the Mag when I want more lumens or a tighter spot. The tint difference, while noticeable, isn't enough to be a deciding factor.

The M6 is my favorite of all three, but it eats batteries so for a prolonged use it's not what I reach for.

"2 is one" is why I have two pocketable lights at work, plus a headlamp and a 2d mag in my full kit.

 

[Megalamuffin]

The last two days I've had to do work in the crawlspace under two different houses, naturally a light is necessary and my surefire E1L took the job and handled it well. I really like the simplicity of that light.

 

[hsa]

Used the red emitter in a Pelican 7600 to navigate to and from the scope with the grandkids to look at M-42. (Orion nebula). Yeah I hugged the grandkids, I've been vaccinated.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Used a Tattu U15-UV to locate oil spots on the driveway. It's 365nm with a Woods Glass filter... kind of a Convoy knock-off.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Used my S2+ SST20 2700K on ceiling bounce to illuminate the bathroom while I took a shower after a kid's party. Beautiful cozy warm white light to relax to after the hours of setting up the event, the stress of not getting the reservations for swimming pool and playground on time, and the kilometers walked (the party location is about 200m and three flights of stairs from my flat, and I walked this more than 10 times back and forth).

 

[YAK-28]

used my nitecore tip2 to help with some wiring for a bathroom vent fan. the magnetic end held it well as i was stripping wires for some switches. :twothumbs

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I used my PD-36R to read some tiny labels on a patch panel.

 

[pnwoutdoors]

Malkoff M61W in a SolarForce L2, 1x AW 18650-P 2900mAh cell -- Rooted around the basement and checked the furnaces, water heater, listed the spare filters and supplies. The nice warmth of this LED proved useful, again, making it very easy to read the labels on the units.

Ten years later, I find I'm still almost exclusively using the Malkoff M61 units in SolarForce tubes. Recently swapped out all of the AW 18650 2900 for new Panasonic NCR18650B 3400mAh protected cells.

Rooted around the car's engine bay, in the hour before the sun was fully up. Poked around the house's water heater, to check on things. Have found one of the "low" (Malkoff M60LL) lights to be great for reading extra-small fonts on packaging, lately. (Getting old is fun.)

Haven't found a better light than these Malkoff drop-ins. Bomb-proof, great quality of light, great spill with sufficient throw, undeterred by any weather (even when temps fall into the single digits). Have more than half a dozen of the things and still come back to them nearly daily.

Even with SolarForce mostly (seemingly) out of the flashlight business, having initially purchased plenty of spares has left me with a great inventory of go-to lights I can rely on.

 

[LogansRun]

I used my JB RRT-01 (2019 ver) w/ 18500 extender on a brief walk last night along a rail trail near my home.

Tonight, I will be using my bike lights (Exposure Strada 1200 and Lezyne Strip Alert 300 Pro) for a 2hr night ride to get some air.

My Manker E04 mule light (modded), Perfect for late night "Berlin School" jam sessions!

Very cool. That Manker E04 is such a tiny right-angle light! Wish they introduced an 18350 light to replace this discontinued one.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Used my S2+ Nichia to check on a tooth of mine that underwent partial cavity repair (very sneaky decay that infiltrated beyond the filling, only found out because the tooth got chipped when I was eating). Couldn't finish it in one session because it's too deep, I'll need a root canal first, but it's patched up nicely and not hurting at all. The girl that worked on it did a great job so far :thumbsup:

 

[bykfixer]

The warm XL50 is warmer than the Malkoff NLL, but not quite as warm as the PM6. I'd guess 3700k. It's a nice light, having a high (200lm) and low (80lm) is handy
<snip>
"2 is one" is why I have two pocketable lights at work, plus a headlamp and a 2d mag in my full kit.

Sorry I didn't respond sooner CanAm. I bought a well used life sized Hot Wheels car so have been reading a lot of "how to fix my car" material.

It's nice they did a full output warm XL50. The minimags and solitaires are throttled back some in the case of the solitaire, a lot in the case of the minimag. But to me that's ok.
The XL50 has what looks like a spotlight beam so compared to a Malkoff it's like a phillips head versus a flathead screw driver. Each has a best use. I may end up with a warm XL50 afterall. I like the beam of the XL50/100 so knowing that warm beam is a bit warmer than a Malkoff neutral definitely piques my interest.
By the way, if your source of modules for the Peli M6 dries up the Pentagon BX2 module is almost identical and works in the Pelican.

Now back to topic, I've been fixing non working $2 solar yard lights after work lately. As they'd stop working I'd put them in a "someday" pile thinking the battery no longer took a charge. Turns out some had rusty contact points so I'd clean that and shine a flashlight over the photocell to give it a boost and see if my work was complete or not. Some of the old batteries were still good. Most of the lights were salvaged. My local Home Depot no longer stocks AA size solar lamp batteries but have 10340 now. They are too short to use in these older lights without a spring stretch so I'll either buy some extra eneloops or find AA size somewhere else. But it sure is fun using a flashlight to jump start these lights.

 

[jimmy1970]

Used my trusty early (3 speed only) Prometheus Alpha warm MCE light whilst working on my wife's Camry in a dimly lit home garage. Replaced the lower control arms, front brake rotors and pads, the top engine stabilizer bar, engine oil and filter change and also replaced the worn out drivers' seat.

2 x 18650s on medium output mode later and the job was done. Fantastic warm and floody beam is always kind to these old eyes. The non-anodized finish shows up no damage after being dropped dozens of times. 😉

My most used light!

 

[CanAm]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner CanAm. I bought a well used life sized Hot Wheels car so have been reading a lot of "how to fix my car" material.

No worries, we all have real-life to deal with, and at least it sounds like you've been busy in a good way.
If you like the XL50 already you'll like the warm. I just wish they'd leave off the strobe. Thanks for the tip about the Peli modules.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I used my PD-36R to try to determine whether an LCD TV with a blown backlight was otherwise alive. Sometimes it works but this time it didn't, probably due to heavy A/R material on the screen. You win some and you lose some.

 

[Burgess]

Just walked to my mailbox,
(about half a mile, round-trip)
using my Prometheus/47's Quark 2xAA Slate Blue
flashlight, on medium (about 80 Lumens, i believe).

 

[Owen]

I have tons of flashlight use on a nightly basis, and putting it here would be pointless, but I pulled a stupid tonight, and two of my lights saw what was, for them, an unusual amount of use.
When I left for work, I was carrying a bunch of crap-work bag, gym bag, garbage for the trash can, etc.
About 8-9 miles from home, after getting on the interstate, I realized I'd set my phone down on the trunk of my car.
I thought the most likely places would be near my driveway, or the turn out of my neighborhood. I didn't see it at either of those places with the Zebralight SC64w HI, and ended up driving 7 miles with my blinkers and fog lights on, holding my Malkoff Hound Dog out the window, and using it as a spotlight to scan the side of the road.
It's all hills and curves, but I guess getting stuck behind a slow driver on the way out was a blessing this time('cause I love to drive, and am slingin' it when there's no interference). Somehow my phone made it to the last turn before getting on the interstate.
These soft rubber OtterBox phone covers are really grippy!
Anyway, the poker had turned off, the light was green, and I had juked left, then cut in hard for the right turn at 40+mph, so was now shining the Hound Dog on the other side...and thank you, Lord, there was my phone

I always think of this Hound Dog XP-L N as my most favorite, but least practical(due to it's size) flashlight, but I was sure glad to have it in my bag, and it may have just paid for itself several times over.

 

[Owen]

When you're never late, and your coworkers know you're a flashaholic:

 

[AMD64Blondie]

Used my Zebralight H600d to light my way around the corner,and down the block to Bellagios Pizza.
(Grabbing a evening snack).