Lights and their individual assignments

My coworker was telling us about how her husband buys too many tools; for example he just bought a third drill. I proceeded to tell her how I own 3 drills as well, and I do need all of them - one 14v for more powerful applications, one right angle driver for tough to reach spots, and one 12 volt for simply driving the pocket screws without having to change bits all the time.

It got me thinking, I have admitted to my wife, that I have a ridiculous number of flashlights, but they all do have their designated jobs:

Surefire U2 - all around utility light due to its 5 levels, and wall of light, but too large to EDC.

McClux PD - EDC

Lighthound cheap/free keychain light - keychain

Sniper 6A+ cree dropin - bump in the dark nightstand light.

ROP Hi + AW C LiIon cels - kill the night, ruin the night vision light when I walk the dog, and want to make sure it really is a deer rustling in the bushes.

Eternalight - strobing light to carry around the neck, to be visible in the night.

Energizer 4AA Lantern - nightlight and emergency/blackout lighting.

What are your purposes for so many lights????

for fun

Waion's 4th Gen. VB-16. For evening walks and vacation use (low level light is great in hotel rooms when family, or son is sleeping). This is my light that I would keep above all others.

Seoul modded 3-D Mag. For checking out the "bumps in the night". Wicked bright, and works as a club.

Seoul modded 2-AA mini Mag w/ TLE-5 drop in. This is my night table drawer light. Always there when I need it, bright and will run for several hours on common batteries. I keep this handy during summer storms.

Seoul modded Nuwai ALX-332L. For use anywhere that I wouldn't use my "good lights". This is my performer ugly duckling. The 17670 cell gives me at least two hours of awesome, floody light and killer throw.

JetBeam CL-E. My truck light. The strobe and multiple levels make this a good choice for keeping in the center console. You never know when it may come in handy.

My other lights have their places, but not in such a dedicated fashion as the five listed above.

Photon freedom: General night time use as the ability to run it at very dim levels comes in more handy than you may think... often I use it at the lowest possible level when I wake up in the night.

Fenix L2D-CE: Comes with me on most outings outside, my general 'walk around at night' light, with the ability to run at a low level most of the time and run at a very bright level when I need to see into the distance. Great runtime for it's size.

Civictor V1: Holster carried at work, very handy upstairs when the shop floor lights are dimmed (then upstairs is pitch black) and for the walk-in freezer (the flourescent in there probably puts out maybe 20 lumens when it's first activated, ugh). Not too large (noone has even commented on me carrying it yet!) but good enough runtime incase the power fails while I'm on a late evening shift - we have no backup generator at work!

Fenix P1D-CE: I used to carry this one with the holster at work but the batteries were costing too much (I also tend to use my work light when I walk home as it's convenient). Right now there is no dedicated use for it but I rotate it into my EDC regularly. Great little light.

Jetbeam C-LE: Currently my house EDC light, so it sees a reasonable amount of use.

Fenix E0: Keyring light, very handy if I am stuck somewhere and I forgot to bring another light, and lasts long enough for most emergency situations. More useful than you may think at night.

Energizer 4xAAA single 5mm LED light: This one can be turned into a tiny lantern by pulling the head, it hangs from the corner of my bed right now. Useful during power outages.

Nuwai 3xLuxeon 3xD cell monster: Very handy if things go bump in the night. Large enough to use as a club with respectable light output.

The rest of my lights are used a lot but like datiLED not in a dedicated fashion. I rotate my EDC's around often so every light gets some use! ^_^

My stock 2d Maglights go one per car for emergencies and club potential. The Mag 3D goes against the bed and it's HO bulb lights up the night and throws a long way for bumps in the night.

My 15 million candlepower spotlight on the boat is unlimbered only if there are rowdy boaters about to keep them in line. Works well. The smaller Mag AA lights are merely handy workhorses with mediocre ability.

The Wolf Eyes Cree HO I'm to recieve by Friday will be a wicked Li ion mistress with all the bells and whistles - the queen of my collection. She'll be called into bump in the night duty for real in the classic position with a handgun, and Search and Rescue missions at night where fast finds and picking up clues mean everything.

DougM

Damn that will be long

Huntlight FT-02 in radio accessories pouch
Surefire C3 & Anglelux operational 1st light
Hutlight FT-01 with various light modules operational 2nd light
PalLight Survival - backup light to the above
Mini MagLED in camera backpack (bast thing I could do with it)
"Police Xenon" & Gerber Infinity Ultra in First Aid Bag
4D Maglite with TLE-6EX in car
Croationa Lantern in car
Philips Multi Function Lantern in car
Rexlight - L0D-CE - Palmblaze - Surefire KL-1+FB-1 body = EDC
Philips waterproof 2D & Military Anglehead (both awaiting LED mod) in BugOut Gear Load

enjoy, kostas

U2 - Walks with the dogs and used at night on the deck / in the yard. Good vacation light. EDC at night. Jump kit light.

Kroma - Night navigation in the house, walks with the dogs, and night use on the deck / in the yard. It is also my "bump in the night light" because it is stealthy on low red yet carries a decent punch on high white. Good vacation light.

X5 Red - Night navigation in the house

WE Raider - General use around the house. Jump Kit light.

Huntlight Cree - Daytime EDC in summer due to attention getting strobe.

A2 - Daytime EDC in winter. Power failure light. Jump kit light.

Responder - Jump kit for hazardous locations

Zoom e-LED - Jump kit for hard hat mounting

L4 - Not used much since U2 arrived

Pal lights & X1s - Power failure / long term disaster light

XO3 - Jump kit light. Night walks where a tight beam is needed. "Move the critter along" (skunk) light.

X5 - Utility flood light

creampuff said:

My coworker was telling us about how her husband buys too many tools; for example he just bought a third drill. I proceeded to tell her how I own 3 drills as well, and I do need all of them - one 14v for more powerful applications, one right angle driver for tough to reach spots, and one 12 volt for simply driving the pocket screws without having to change bits all the time.

It got me thinking, I have admitted to my wife, that I have a ridiculous number of flashlights, but they all do have their designated jobs:

Surefire U2 - all around utility light due to its 5 levels, and wall of light, but too large to EDC.

McClux PD - EDC

Lighthound cheap/free keychain light - keychain

Sniper 6A+ cree dropin - bump in the dark nightstand light.

ROP Hi + AW C LiIon cels - kill the night, ruin the night vision light when I walk the dog, and want to make sure it really is a deer rustling in the bushes.

Eternalight - strobing light to carry around the neck, to be visible in the night.

Energizer 4AA Lantern - nightlight and emergency/blackout lighting.

What are your purposes for so many lights????

Click to expand...

wow, refreshing to see someone with restrained and sensible taste in lights, instead of the more common sophmoric CPFer who has dozens of similar lights from all the copycat makers.

- chinese showerhead type light (7 leds i think) :: bathroom trips
- surefire M3 with LF EO-M3 and rechargeables :: stupid bright light for light when there already is plenty to begin with, or to blind someone. showoff light.
- fenix l2d-ce :: multi-mode utility light, mostly as EDC (to be replaced by surefire A2, because like incan's, and only need a really low, instead of a million in-between modes. fenix will become emergency light.)
- surefire G2 with ebay cree drop-in :: loaner/emergency light around the house
- surefire G2 with P60 :: backpack emergency light. got a spare bulb, and 20 spare batteries in it aswell.
- surefire A2 :: soon to be EDC, just need to find someone who sells them cheap AND ships internationally.

Modded 2x927 incan: Bedside
3D incan: back porch for going outside (actually there's 2 - one bright and one not)
4D lantern: lounge room (blackout standby)
1D incan: fusebox
Modded 2x927 incan: by the computer
Big Jim (8F lantern incan): car boot - for emergencies
4D rubber incan: car boot - daily use
128LED shower head: passenger glovebox
Golston 7W: driver's glovebox
Dolphin (4F lantern incan) #2 car boot
2D incan: #2 car glovebox
3W Luxeon CR123A: #2 car driver's door
4F billy-can lantern: hangs in #1 shed
"Hardcase" 4D incan: #2 shed
3xWatch-cell LED: on keyring
4LED 3AA penlight - in work bag
2AA incan: in spare room for guest use
1AA incan: in travel bag for "holiday" use

Plus my "idle inventory":
28LED 3AAA: doing nothing worthwhile
35LED 3D: doing nothing worthwhile
2D incan: doing nothing worthwhile
4AA xenon/CCFL combo: doing nothing worthwhile
Another 4D lantern: doing nothing worthwhile
5 assorted 1AA incans: doing nothing worthwhile

There are yet another 11 torches on order or in the mail, some of which will supersede some of the above, and including a combo LED torch/laser pointer which will be my "at work" torch.

I love torches. Especially, for reasons I can't explain, 1AA incans.

mag solitaire----------------------------------------> keychain
2AA LED--------------------------------------------> EDC / house
2C mod with 3XCR123A with 6D xenon bulb-----------> House
3D with 4"C" cells-----------------------------------> house emergency
mag85 (2,5" head on the way from FM)--------------> blind people:shrug:
6D with xenon bulb---------------------------------> house / work during the night in the garden / emergency /
6D ROP LOW/HIGH----------------------------------> when I need power...
Mag charger (WA 1160)-----------------------------> car light (my father's car!)

Surefire
6P-------------------------------------------------->EDC
M4 devastator--------------------------------------->bumb in the night

Here's my list from a similar thread a while back. I've updated a few but most still apply.

1. Keyring lights - one turquoise Photon 2 for signaling friends in a crowd, white Photon 3 with 26K LED for a lender rather than giving my
2. EDC - the one that is in my pocket and on a tether (rotates dependant on mood and application; a) GF EDC and oh that's cute light - KI CR2
3. EDC - waist pack lights; a) 2 Li cell incan E2D variant or other, b) X5 as a spare carrier/flood light, c) FFII w/2 stage as back-up, and d) Belkin Quadra as my stealth business LED/Laser/Pen/Stylus, e) Glo-toob FX as marker when walking at night
4. Lights in/on transportation - No car so bike lights that are removable and can be used as flashlight or markers
5. Lending lights (house) - 2 inexpensive D cell lights next to front door to lend/giveaway as needed.
6. Door marker light - Palight with magnetic belt
7. Breaker box light - Palight with magnetic belt
8. Hotel find the toilet light - Palight in glow mode
9. Around the house - Pelican M8, Streamlight Propoly 3C (both plastic and waterproof)
10. Checking inside food/ovens - Stylus
11. Computer bag - USB rechargeable LED light
12. Work on computers - Stylus, Stylus Reach, Tikka
13. Small work sewing, soldering etc. - Headlamp variable output
14. Something goes "bump" - Pila G4, Surefire M3 (his and hers)
15. Lights go out - LED/fluorescent Lanterns
16. Smaller than a bread box; walking or out by the river light - Small HID Dragon I
17. Bigger than a bread box; reach out and touch someone light- X990
18. Oh wow that's a big light - Thor

This is the abbreviated normal cell light list, most rechargables and specialty custom lights not included. Note that every one of them is absolutely essential!

Click to expand...

-LT

This is easy:

On me at ALL TIMES: Surefire L4

In the CAR I keep:
2AA Mag w/ Nite Eyes White led conversion: Map reading, passenger light.
Brinkman Maxfire Incan: Passenger light in case we have to bail.
Custom 3X123a Turbo head incan: My light if I have to bail, in add to L4
Surefire SC1 w/ six batteries.

House:
Thor 10M: Just an awesome rechargable light, take into the woods.
EL Tri-Star Phazer: My dedicated house flashlight. It is what I use when I need a light.
Inova X5 Red: Moving through the house at night. There is NOTHING better than this light. It runs for free because I use my spent batteries in it.
Surefire M6: When I am in the woods, I have this on me.
Surefire M972 UM05: Obvious.

2D Mag, 3D Mag, 6D Mag: Loaners, because I am NOT handing out my good lights. NO freaking way!!

Hey I'll play.

Arc AAA-P: Lives on my keychain, is with me at all times when I'm out of the house.

Mag 4D w/ MagLED dropin: under the passenger seat in my car. Useful in emergencies, in several ways.

Mag 4D w/ MagLED dropin: next to my side of the bed. My 'bumper thumper'. If something goes 'bump' in the night, I can, um, thump it. After I see what it is.

Inova X1 (2006): My anything around the house light. Mainly I use it to help me see what I'm doing inside computer cases.

MiniMag AA: Does nothing. Used to do what the X1 does now. Still handy to have around, I guess.

I have a good general-purpose carry light on the way.

We have a light for the car, work, garage, toolbox, front pocket, back pocket,
keychain, and just about every room in the house not counting the spares

Hmm... let's see...

Surefire E1L / Arc AAA-P = EDC or in EDC bag
Pak-lite = in EDC bag
Photon Freedom = keychain
Surefire G2 = house "what went bump" light
Mini-Mag 2AA w/Nite Ize and Inova X1 = car lights
Mini-Mag LED 2AA = house light

Except for rare occasions, I find myself just using 2:
EDC: HDS U60XRGT using unprotected Li-ion rechargeables
Otherwise: PT Apex headlamp using NiMH AA rechargeables

Compact and lightweight ... handy ... cheap power ... multi-level flexibility ... all I'd really like is a bit more output when I need it. Since both lights are set to be upgraded with USW0H-bin P4 emitters and modified Khatod 20mm reflectors, that problem should go away real soon.

EDC
Seoul modded McLux PD
27LT w PD body
Nuwai 301 Cree XRE

Work
Pelican 7060
SF C2 Seoul drop-in
Tiger11 (TigerLight FBOP w MOP reflector and potted WA1111 bulb)
SL11 (SL20X w MOP reflector and potted WA1111 bulb and custom battery pack)

General Use
Tri-Star Phazer
McLux w PR head (Seoul emitter)

Blackout
RR Lantern
RR K2 Lantern
Rechargable 20 led lantern

Here are my flashlights and their uses:

--3xD Maglite with a Lux K2 package dropped in for the car (in trunk for emergency use)

--one unmodded, still original incan (but awaiting change...probably will await for Rebel 100 to come out in a K2 package plus a drop in module for the Mag) 3xD Maglite indoors for general use

--2xAA Maglites with the Opalec 3xLED modules dropped in in the back of the car for the passengers' personal use (don't want them to have lights that are too strong! for obvious reasons)

--Streamlight Survivor LED for emergency (it's designed for firefighters with a very narrow beam to cut through smoke and fog) and general use (very useful to set down when doing stuff behind cabinets, managing computer cables, etc.).

--Lumapower M3 (usually in rechargeables 2xAA config.), Inova X5 for general "grab me" indoors use. (For similar purposes, I had the earlier v. of the Inova X1 but gave it away, also the new X1 but will give that away as well).

--Streamlight 3xC multi-LED light (for emergencies given long-lasting 336 hr running time); various unnamed non-LED lanterns for similar purposes (looking to upgrade over time, but the LED lantern offerings tend to less than compelling in general so I'm in no hurry to do this).

--one UV flashlight for specialized UV uses

--one (original gen.) red LED SF L1 for night vision and long runtime

--Lumapower M1 for use outdoors

--Ti-PD for EDC use, including SF beam diffuser and red/blue color filters

--Lumapower F1 and Fenix P1D CE for EDC uses (generally I lend these to others!)

--finally, I had the Fenix L1D and L2D CE (tubes) to use for travel (mainly abroad), but the light has failed. Considering adding the P2D Rebel 100 to the package for the same purpose.

1. SL-20X: Personal Vehicle
2. Ultra Stinger And Tigerlight: Patrol Vehicle Stop/Search Light either or depending on my mood.
3. Surefire 6P Defender w/P61 Lamp: EDC Duty Belt
4. Surefire E2E: EDC in gun bag
5. Streamlight TL-3: Mounted on my RRA Entry Tact Rifle
6. Surefire Z2: On my Tact Vest- soon to have a "Cree Drop In Module" ordered yesterday after a recommendation from a CPF member! :twothumbs Thank you.
7. Surefire G2: One in every room of my house

I have plenty more lights but these are the ones that get used everyday. As you can see I stick with SF and SL for almost everything. I think I need to branch out :thinking:!