150 metre throw, 80 metre spill

dymonite69 · Feb 14, 2010

Hello, I am newbie and discovered this forum whilst researching flashlights.

I was never aware that buying a torch could be so involved. It is amazing at how much technical information is presented here. I have reviewed so many presentations involving graphs and beamshots my head is now now spinning

However, my question is couched more in layperson's terms rather than flashaholic language. I was wondering if I could burden someone to help me?

I live on a quadrangular 5 acre plot in a semi-rural area about 150m x 150m. I want a flashlight that provides a security function. It should be able to readily illuminate an 80 metre long by 4 metre wide driveway along its length so that I can at immediately identify intruders or animals without needing to sweep the torch around.

Ideally it should have a strong enough hotspot at about 150 metres that can easily illuminate a license plate on a car or human face that can be identified with binoculars or photographed with a standard digital camera.

My target budget is $150 AUS or $130 US.

Is there anything out there fitting these requirements?

JaguarDave-in-Oz · Feb 15, 2010

Does it have to fit in your pocket to be carried as you go about your general duties? Do you envisage other uses for it as well? What battery choice do you prefer?

Not an easy thing to find in the realm of pocket lights, I'm still looking and I need about the same range as you (150m). I'm currently using as quark turbo 2x123 but it could really do with being another 80 lumens and have an extra thirty yards of range for my use. It'll do eighty metres pretty well though.

dymonite69 · Feb 15, 2010

It would require fairly intermittent and brief use so portability and light duration does not need to be excessive.

It would be for a <30min patrol if there was a disturbance. Illumination is the purpose not other 'security' functions.

TDKKP · Feb 15, 2010

:welcome:

Tiablo A10.

JaguarDave-in-Oz · Feb 15, 2010

dymonite69 said:
It would be for a <30min patrol if there was a disturbance. Illumination is the purpose not other 'security' functions.

I'm not sure I understand your rather oblique reference to "other security functions" that don't include illumination since as far as I'm concerned illumination is pretty much all a torch is really useful for, but my earlier question regarding "other uses" was trying to tease out whether you would need lower output levels for indoor use, the ability to fit a diffuser for closeup work, access to signal modes, ability to light a room in a power outage etc etc. An actual answer might help us determine if you need a multimode torch or can accept a single mode one.

If you don't have those uses, don't need pocketabilty and just want super bright all encompassing distance then something with high power and only one mode like a HID, may be more appropriate.

dymonite69 · Feb 15, 2010

Hello JD,

The primary requirement is for outdoor use. It would be something that I would pick up inside the house to shine out a window or take out for a quick patrol - identify or photograph intruders at distance, spot foxes, check on my animals.

The only other conceivable use would be to survey my roof space if I needed to look for burning embers that have entered my roof cavity during a bushfire. This of course would need a lower illumination level.

Battery life of 2 hours would be reasonable.

PS I checked some of the reviews of the Tiablo A10. It looks like a fairly good spot with reasonable spill and someone mentioned you can defocus it if the hotspot is too intense. However, it is on the high end of my set budget.

PPS by security functions it doesn't need to be overly robust

hoongern · Feb 15, 2010

Honestly, I think 150 meters w/ lots of spill is pretty difficult to do with LEDs (Unless you're looking at something like the new O-light SR90 which is out of budget), and I'm not sure how much you're planning to light it up.

For me, I would consider getting 2 lights instead - I've heard good things about the Stanley HID but as I don't own it, I won't vouch for it. The Stanley HID should cover just about all your high-power lighting needs, and light up things VERY FAR AWAY. I think it's about USD70 - it seems that you are in Australia, though, and I'm not sure if it's available there. There's a thread here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/225844

Then I'd spend the remaining on a nice small light which you could also EDC (Every day carry) after that. (I like my Quark AA, but there are many choices around this price to consider)

Just a suggestion. There are, of course, many other ways to tackle the situation as well.

JaguarDave-in-Oz · Feb 15, 2010

I have to haul myself the last two feet to get into my roof space since there ain't room for both me and a ladder to poke through the manhole (my house is 160 years old with corrugated iron roof) and because of that when I'm up there in bushfire times I have to either put the torch between my teeth or in a pocket while I'm climbing so there's some need for just a bit of compactness which you might need too.

Amongst other things I use my torches to spot tiger snakes in cavities and for spotting foxes and dogs amongst the sheep and for both roles I want a pointy beam and have been considering the Eagletac T20C2 and P20C2, the Jetbeam RRT-2 and the dereelight CL1H all of which come in under AU$130 (and are all CR123 batteries). They'll all fit in a pocket, sort of, but I have to say that I'm getting a bit sick of every torch I look at having teeth either at the front or rear so my grinder is going to get some use no matter which one I buy. In the meantime I'm using my Quark Turbo which is pretty good as a stopgap.

dymonite69 · Feb 15, 2010

Thank you for all your replies.

I can find Tiablo A10, Jetbeam RRT-1 and Deerelight DBS fairly easy on Oz sites. The others are more difficult.

I downloaded the entire Stanley catalogue and it seems that they aren't produced locally.

I don't need a throw beyond 150 metres. It it can put a focussed hotspot the size of a car at 150 metres then I am happy. It certainly will let loiterers know that they they have been ID'd.

A spill that lets me immediately check the length of our driveway is the other requirement. 10 metre spill width at 80 metre distance.

For comparison's sake how do these torches compare to the sort of pattern produced by the high beam of my car?

Late edit: How about the Fenix TK40 - plenty on ebay.

LEDninja · Feb 15, 2010

dymonite69 said:
How about the Fenix TK40 - plenty on ebay.

How much is ebay cheaper than A$183.00 on torchworld.com.au?

torchworld also have the ITP A6 Polestar for A$94.95 for the budget minded.

JaguarDave-in-Oz · Feb 15, 2010

I have to say that I rarely ever buy torches from Australian outfits. I buy either from US sellers or from ebay Hong Kong sellers. I've found the lower local sales volumes sometimes means the local sellers have the oldest versions of any particular model and they are usually more expensive being that they have to charge GST as well as not being able to reduce their prices on already held stock in accord with the advantages offered by the stronger Aussie dollar over the past few months.

The TK40 can be had with free shipping out of hong kong for about AU$145.

dymonite69 · Feb 15, 2010

hoongern said:
Honestly, I think 150 meters w/ lots of spill is pretty difficult to do with LEDs

What is the most useful amount of spill (to what distance and diameter) I can get with a light that could throw a 3m wide beam at 150m.

UnderTheWeepingMoon · Feb 16, 2010

Jaycar have a HID lantern for around $100, IIRC. I've never seen it but it might be worthwhile checking out.

dymonite69 · Feb 17, 2010

UnderTheWeepingMoon said:
Jaycar have a HID lantern for around $100, IIRC. I've never seen it but it might be worthwhile checking out.

I think it was reviewed here:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/221692

Picture here:

Outdoors Fanatic · Feb 17, 2010

dymonite69 said:
Hello, I am newbie and discovered this forum whilst researching flashlights.

I was never aware that buying a torch could be so involved. It is amazing at how much technical information is presented here. I have reviewed so many presentations involving graphs and beamshots my head is now now spinning

However, my question is couched more in layperson's terms rather than flashaholic language. I was wondering if I could burden someone to help me?

I live on a quadrangular 5 acre plot in a semi-rural area about 150m x 150m. I want a flashlight that provides a security function. It should be able to readily illuminate an 80 metre long by 4 metre wide driveway along its length so that I can at immediately identify intruders or animals without needing to sweep the torch around.

Ideally it should have a strong enough hotspot at about 150 metres that can easily illuminate a license plate on a car or human face that can be identified with binoculars or photographed with a standard digital camera.

My target budget is $150 AUS or $130 US.

Is there anything out there fitting these requirements?

Forget about LEDs! I have a property similar to yours in size and the only lights which can do an adequate job are big incandescent spotlights and HIDs. These can be had easily for under $150 and even under $80, as long as you don't need Military-spec quality.

Brigadier · Feb 17, 2010

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/205174&highlight=lumapower

Lighthouse one · Feb 17, 2010

The Dereelight DBS with the new XPG led will probably do what you want. More spill than a regular DBS- and 200 meter throw.Around $110

PayBack · Feb 17, 2010

hoongern said:
For me, I would consider getting 2 lights instead - I've heard good things about the Stanley HID but as I don't own it, I won't vouch for it. The Stanley HID should cover just about all your high-power lighting needs, and light up things VERY FAR AWAY. I think it's about USD70 -

I agree.. not sure if the Stanley is the same as the Power on Board HID, but I got 2 of them at US70 each... even accounting for the high cost of freight to New Zealand they worked out the cheapest HIDs I could get.. but they threw like nothing else I've owned.

Then all you need is a cheap 2x AA light for the in the roof.

You light up intruders with a HID they'll be in NO doubt they've been spotted (no pun intended).

dymonite69 · Feb 17, 2010

Lighthouse one said:
The Dereelight DBS with the new XPG led will probably do what you want. More spill than a regular DBS- and 200 meter throw.Around $110

I am learning more and more about this stuff. I didn't realise that the reflector and electronics have to be optimised for the light source(s).

I like the way that the Dereelight provides the ability to mix and match components without buying an entirely new flashlight.

Just to clarify in order of throw to flood:

Aspheric
XPE
XPG
MCE-E?

Is there anything floodier than a MCE-E?

Do any other manufacturer's provide this amount of flexibility? Are there other 3rd party providers that also supply interchangeable components for known flashlights?

150 metre throw, 80 metre spill

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