Best corded spotlight?

I am looking for a lightweight, strictly corded, powerful hand held spotlight. On another website I got answers from $20 - $400, but I really want to hear from someone who's into it. There aren't as many corded only ones out there.

Vectorlight 1M CP - have this, works just OK in my opinion
LSI Nighttracker 2M CP - someone reccomended - price is great
QBeam Maxmillion 2 or 3M CP - someone else - price is great

Lightforce 240 Blitz - price is steap - seems like good technology, but limited availability in states - 1 place where price could be best from this forum alphaccesories.com - down?

Others' thoughts?

mcalvin said:

Lightforce 240 Blitz - price is steap - seems like good technology, but limited availability in states - 1 place where price could be best from this forum alphaccesories.com - down?

Others' thoughts?

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Rory's site has been do for sometime now (alphaaccesories.com) I don't know what his status is, sorry.

The SL240 is the best 12V corded spotlight, keep a check on ebay they pop up from time to time new and used.

Later
Kelly

I know a friend here locally in TN who just purchased one of these 12v HID spotlights - http://store.yahoo.com/jwspeaker/hasp.html
It is brighter than my Thor 15 million cp rechargeable spotlight. Very bright well built spot.

litemup

Wow - $299. I started on this mission never paying more than $60. It may be you get what you pay for? How about a happy medium?

mcalvin,

If you can tell us a little more about how you will be using and powering the light like from a truck or boat and what for, hunting, navigation or something else will help us steer you in the right direction.

Several options come to mind including HID at a price that won't send you to the poor house.......well not right off anyway

Later
Kelly

Excellent. I use these lights for 1-2 hours a time a few times each year driving up and down a couple roads near my cabin looking for deer primarily - when they aren't in season. It's legal to spotlight w/o guns out of season in PA. I would be plugging into a cig. adaptor port and as previously mentioned - weight (no battery) is important. I like what I'm reading about HID.

The Brinkmann QBeams are relatively low cost and should suit your needs fine. They're also great to have as a backup to a vehicle mounted spotlight. The HIDs would be worlds better, but the cost of one isn't really suited to your intended occasional usage.

mcalvin said:

Excellent. I use these lights for 1-2 hours a time a few times each year driving up and down a couple roads near my cabin looking for deer primarily - when they aren't in season. It's legal to spotlight w/o guns out of season in PA. I would be plugging into a cig. adaptor port and as previously mentioned - weight (no battery) is important. I like what I'm reading about HID.

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Thanks. I do have a 1M CP Vector light now - I would say it's probably similar to a QBeam. A few years back I had 2 1M CP and the one was a world better than the other and if I remember correctly the worser of the two was a QBeam. I'm not wanting to spend $300, but is there something better than the $20 Walmart QBeam that is less than $150 perhaps? I appreciate your expertise.

The blitz is a really good design- but if you want blitz brightness- without the cost- you could convert your vector or another cheap spotlight to something very similar in output... The trick is to convert the H3 lamp socket- to support bi-pin bulbs... The blitz uses (I believe) a 12V Osram bulb of some sort (i think it's ~100watt)..... The osram by-pin bulb is pushed hard by the 13.7V of the cars electrical system while running- whereas the H3 bulbs that come stock in those cheap spotlights are generally underdriven and kinda lame yellow in output.


if you aren't in the mood to mod- I vote for the blitz

I'd have to agree, the Vector products as a whole, do appear to be a bit better constructed as well (not that much, just a bit.) The difference between the Brinkmann and the Vector is mostly in the reflector as they both use the same H3 bulb.

Actually there is something in the $30 neighborhood that is better, bigger, and brighter. It's that Cyclops thing from Costco. It will operate from automotive power, but I don't know if you can remove the battery (for weight) and do that. And it's not exactly a light that you can use while driving, you'd need someone else to hold/operate it for you. And it will probably be more light than you can use. (also check local laws about using it from a moving vehicle, I can see where this light could be a hazard.)

Don't know if anyone is making one that is purely for wired operation, but if there is, you should be able to get an HID light for under $150 (at least it would seem that you should since the battery operated Chinese imports are being retailed for less than that.) If you need to be able to frequently switch the light off and then back on quickly, the HID might not work as well and you might be better off with an incandescent.) Additionally the color temperature of the HID may be an issue for some folks compared to that of the incandescent in distinguishing colors, textures, etc.

In the $150 or less range, you could even get one of those Unity spotlights and mount it on your car (like the ones on police cars). But given the what you have described as infrequent use, it doesn't seem cost effective when something in the $20-40 neighborhood will be more than adequate for the job.

mcalvin said:

Thanks. I do have a 1M CP Vector light now - I would say it's probably similar to a QBeam. A few years back I had 2 1M CP and the one was a world better than the other and if I remember correctly the worser of the two was a QBeam. I'm not wanting to spend $300, but is there something better than the $20 Walmart QBeam that is less than $150 perhaps? I appreciate your expertise.

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If price isnt an restriction It would've been SF hellfire....but oh well...


Look in Vector's line of products...

The hellfire at 10lbs is little heavy...not to mention the $7000.

The 15M CP Cyclops type ones w/ the battery removed - would work - if that was possible. The key is to be able to be the passenger and drive around for an hour w/ your arm hanging out the window.

I wish CP was legit.

Here's a 3M CP Optronic that certainly is affordable, but may not really be any better than my Vector?

http://www.spectacularsports.com/lectrosciencespotlights.htm

If I felt comfortable w/ adapting, that would be fun to try.

Probably, and you should probably expect different levels of brightness as well with each model (though I don't know about specific CP output measurements, that sounds a bit too conveniently rounded off.) Each of those lights looks like they may be the same light, with each hosting a different wattage 12V H3 bulb, 55W, 100W, and 130W. The 130W bulb is what is used in the Cyclops light from Costco (albeit with a much bigger reflector). Price sure looks right.

mcalvin said:

Here's a 3M CP Optronic that certainly is affordable, but may not really be any better than my Vector?

http://www.spectacularsports.com/lectrosciencespotlights.htm

If I felt comfortable w/ adapting, that would be fun to try.

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thanks for the education bi pin, HIB, H3...

I'll probably get the 130w H3 for now and keep an eye out for a deal on the Lightforce or another HIB.

I'll keep checking back for any other suggestions

If you're going to get the 130W, be sure you check the rating on the cigar lighter circuit on your vehicle and check to see what else is on that circuit. It should be okay, but you should be aware that you're going to be drawing over 10 Amps with that bulb.

mcalvin said:

thanks for the education bi pin, HIB, H3...

I'll probably get the 130w H3 for now and keep an eye out for a deal on the Lightforce or another HIB.

I'll keep checking back for any other suggestions

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For your criteria you definitely need a SL240 Blitz, nothing else comes close to the throw and output in a light weight corded spotlight.

Later
Kelly

I have one of the SL240's that I use at work. Brightest hand-held spotlight I've ever used. I love the thing. It is absolutely amazing how much light it puts out. I actually used it one night to pretty much incapacitate a fleeing criminal.

If you have trouble getting one, I could look info getting one locally for you and ship from here. Drop me a pm if interested. I will not be making profit.

Cheers,

Tim.

The Havis-Shields HID is much smaller than the Blitz but puts out just as much light.

HID means it uses only 1/3 the power of the Blitz AND doesn't go yellow at lower voltages... so would be a better choice than an incan if the light is to be used for hours at a time when the car is not running.

But if you are going to use it while driving, a police-type mounted spotlight (there are remote-controlled ones that mount to the roof too) may be your best bet.

I have the ten dollar 1 million cp one I got from pepboys for 10 bucks before rebate. When used with the cig plug, it seems to run on battery with the cord supplementing the power. THe cord and rear where the battery is located gets warm and the cord gets a bit rubbery feeling. I am guessing its almost running direct.