Need recommendation on a auto inspection light for a older friend.

spikeytree

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Hi! As the title suggested i am looking for a automotive inspection light for a older friend of mind. He will mainly be using it for smog inspection. I got him a LD20 Q5 a while ago and while i was putting a new switch in the light he told me that he would like something brighter (for around the same price range). It wouldn't be a problem for the light was used as a secondary light but he would want this light to be just as or more reliable as his LD20. At this moment i only have 3 ideals.

1.)Buy a ITP A6 Pole Star (with a questionable reliability.)

2.)Give or very cheapy sell him my old G2 with a DX "200" lumens incan drop in and order up some protected xxxfire batteries and charger.
(cheap and pretty reliable but i don't know if i trust those batteries with his kids.)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3218
(link for the bulb)

3.) Get him a 2D mag with a 6D mag bulb powered by 2 series (3 AA to 1 D) battery tray. (i will have to get him extra trays because they look cheap and i am not sure if is bright enough)

Any suggestion would be welcome thanks for your time in advance.

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

__+__I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in Los Angeles .
__+_I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.


2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :)

__+_Less than $100.


3) Format:

_+__I want a flashlight.
(The guy is a smog technician not a technician)


4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

__+_Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
_ +__Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
__+_Holster carry.
(i showed him my TK45 and he told me that the light is a little big)

5) Emitter/Light source:

__+__LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
_+__Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)



6) Manufacturer:

_+_I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
_+__I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.


7) What battery type do you want to use?

_+__I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
_+__I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
_+__I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
(i would really want to get him a AA powered light because it is the easiest to use. He has younger kids that might play with his lights so i need to make sure the power source is as safe as possible.)


8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

_+__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
_+__I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
(He currently has the LD20 Q5 model and he would light something brighter)

9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

_+__Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
_+__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
_+__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).

__+__Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
__+__30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
__+__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)



11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.


__+__Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
__+__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).

(He is a rough on the light and is used in a workshop environment.)

12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):

__+__I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
__+__I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
__+__I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
__+__I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).

(simple and reliability is the most important)

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

___+_A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
__+__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
__+__I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
__+__I want a programmable light.
__+__I want a selector ring.

(Any one of those is fine)


14)Material/Finish/Coating


__+__I don't care.




 

spikeytree

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Well because he is only doing an inspection and not working on the car (short on time and need to move the light source around) i am not sure if the headlight would help him much. I am also thinking that he wants a brighter light so he can see and locate the hard to find sensors and faded stamped numbers on parts. The EagleTac P20A2 looks great but how are their customer support?
 

jhc37013

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If you order from a CPF dealer I would not worry about it to much. I have had to contact Eagletac directly a few times for a couple small things like a lanyard ring and I received prompt responses. In short I think it's as good as any other Chinese manufacturer.

If your really looking for good customer service and a rock solid light and willing to spend a little extra for it you could get a Surefire E2L AA. If this is to much $ I think the Eagletac will serve him well, I have several of them and have had no problems at all.

http://www.tacticalsupply.com/product/4746/1_8_25/surefire-e2laa-outdoorsman-flashlight.php
 

spikeytree

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Thanks for the recommendation i kind of trying to stay away from the brand because of my lack of experiance with them but their p20a2 should fit my friend's need very well.
 

jhc37013

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You can expect about the same quality with Eagletac as you get from Fenix, some may even say the quality is slightly better and IMO it is certainly no less of quality than Fenix.

I know the Surefire is more than the budget you mention but your concern for quality and customer service prompted me to also recommend a Surefire which comes with a no questions ask lifetime warranty. They always under rate their lumen output to so even though the E2L is rated at 80lm it's probably more like 110-120 lumen.

But staying with the Eagletac I think you should be very satisfied with them, I'm fairly particular with my light's and I would not hesitate to buy another Eagletac and I'm sure I will.
 

entoptics

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If the LD20 Q5 isn't bright enough, then I doubt the EagleTac P20A2 will be. I'm assuming the LD20 is in the neighborhood of 180 lumens, and the 230 from the EagleTac (as sweet as they are) isn't really gonna be that much brighter in a well lit environment.

It's also got a seriously tight hotspot for a "close work" light. Might be perfect for serial numbers, but I'm not so sure.

To really get a significant boost in perceived brightness for a 5 foot light, I think you'd have to get another 50% more output. In other words 250 to 300 lumens, or go with a TIR light that doesn't waste any lumens on spill, but has a gigantic hotspot.

Assuming you want to stick with AA format and don't care too much about "pocket size", I think the Polestar is actually a pretty smokin choice.

I haven't seen any "failure" threads that I can think of, and most of the comments regarding it's dependability are regarding it's perceived build quality rather than actual issues. Assuming he won't be tossing it on the ground, assaulting strongholds, or diving with it, my experience with one indicates it is more than sturdy enough for living in a belt holster (included) for use in car inspections.

The hotspot is gigantic, the spill is brighter than a 2xAA MiniMag's hotspot (and it's HUGE), and it's smaller than a 2D maglite.

Here's a time lapse beam shot video of the Polestar up against an EagleTac P20A2 MKII (230 lumens), Quark AA2 (209 lm), and NiteCore D10 (145 lm). It's pretty obvious just how crazy bright and floody the thing is. The hotspot is brighter than the EagleTac, and triple the diameter. The spill is in a whole different league.
 
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skyfire

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he does smog checks? and needs something brighter than a LD20? he cant be more than 5 feet away from what hes inspection!! i know, ive work at a smog shop for a few months.

ok, he wants what he wants, no fault with that:twothumbs

itll be hard to drastically increase brightness using 2xAA while keeping a relatively small size. you might have to consider using lithium batteries, a 2xcr123a light could last him weeks, if hes not using it for extended periods of time. and if hes willing to go rechargeables, 18650 lights are the way to go. good output and long runtimes.

my suggestion (since youre familiar with P60 hosts, and drop-ins. is a solarforce L2P host with a nailbender SST or Linger special drop-in. only the SST-90 (about $80) will make it come out to be over $100. SST-50 is around $65, Linger special is about $45. solarforce L2P host at lighthound is $20. this will give you around 500+ lumens with about 1 hour runtime on high with a 18650.
 

spikeytree

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Thanks for all the recommendation and useful insights. Especially one from a smog technician. But even after all the replies from you experts i still need one more question answered.

What type of light exactly does a person with a failing eye sight need?

Does he need the raw power and wide spill like the A6 like entoptics suggested. The beam shot clearly shows that the A6's output is at least a neck over everyone else.

Or would the EagleTac recommended by jhc37013 be a good enough upgrade since it looks like a solid reliable light with 25% more power and a simple UI.

The 6p opinion recommended by skyfire looks like a powerful opinion but is the Lithium opinion safe enough if he was to let his kids use his light and would i be able to get a nailbender drop in for $60?

Again i want to thank everyone for their recommendations and links. They have been very useful since i have only used a handful of lights available in the market. The biggest problem for me now is to judge which solution would work out the best for him. It is always exciting to research for a new light regardless who it is for but i think i kind of spoiled him with my lights in the first place.
 

jhc37013

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That seems to be the tough part here is a balance of bright enough for the user but still small enough for the user to carry around daily and be comfortable. Flashlight carrying is kind of like carrying a handgun, the best one is the one you have on you(the one you will actually carry around).

I think it has been asked already but how do you think he would handle Li-Ion like 18650? Obviously I don't know the gentleman but if you think he can safely use 18650 than this would be the way to go.
 

spikeytree

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jhc37013 - The form, output and simplicity of the Eagletac makes it a very attractive work light. I had my L2D Q5 for almost 3 years and although i have more powerful light the Fenix is still my go to light for work. I am just wondering if is powerful enough for him. I believe my friend is capable of handling rechargeable Li Ions batteries but the horror stories of of exploding batteries gave me doubts about them. I would not know what to do if they were to blow up if his kids were playing with the light. What i need to do is to talk to him a little more to see if he just want a little more power or a wall of light.
 

entoptics

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I believe my friend is capable of handling rechargeable Li Ions batteries but the horror stories of of exploding batteries gave me doubts about them. I would not know what to do if they were to blow up if his kids were playing with the light. What i need to do is to talk to him a little more to see if he just want a little more power or a wall of light.

+1 on the "talk to him"

As for Li-ion horror stories, I think they are dramatically over stated here, as no one wants to be the guy who recommended the house burning child killer batteries.

Quality cells in quality flashlights are no more dangerous than pocket knives, BB guns, bacon, toasters, or toyotas. Obviously there are some inherent risks, but are they significant enough to be frightened? Only you can decide that. Cell and charger manufacturers aren't making a living killing people though.
 

Chevy-SS

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Regarding the Polestar A6 versus the EagleTac P20A2. I have both of these lights, a comparison pic is below. You can see that the P20A2 is gonna be MUCH easier to carry around than the Polestar A6.

I will also say that while the A6 has more lumens and larger hotspot than the P20A2, it is not INCREDIBLY brighter. The P20A2 holds its own very well in this comparison.

The EagleTac P20A2 MkII XP-G R5 with the LOP reflector is the light I would get for this situation.

p20a2-vs-a6.jpg


-
 
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jhc37013

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Regarding the Polestar A6 versus the EagleTac P20A2. I have both of these lights, a comparison pic is below. You can see that the P20A2 is gonna be MUCH easier to carry around than the Polestar A6.

Thanks for helping us along with the pic it looks like...

Arnold vs. Jet Li
 

hyperloop

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Seeing as you are looking for a handheld, have you considered Shiningbeam's MG P-Rocket? 700 neutral white lumens (LED lumens not out the front but still about 450 lumens), 3 mode, forward clicky light? low-med-high. For $65 (before using discount code "CPFuser"), you pay a bit of shipping ($5.95 or so for me, but i am in Singapore) but customer service is impeccable, shipping is usually within 24 hours of ordering and Bryan from shiningbeam is a joy to deal with.

Pair that with 2 of AW's protected 18650s at $12 each + $4.50 shipping and a charger from shiningbeam and it should come to juuuuussst above $100.00 but its a good light (i own one and its max mode is VERY bright), good cells and a decent charger.

The fear of li-ions is (IMHO) exaggerated, just take reasonable care and not leave cells in the charger after the lights turn green (indicating charged) for days and days and things should be fine, i've left cells in the charger for more than 12 hours after they were charged (ran out of the house late for work and forgot to turn off the power) and thankfully nothing went wrong.
 

spikeytree

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Chevy-SS - Thanks for the side by side photo it really put the size of both of the lights in perspective. I saw the A6 in person at a local frys but i guess just didn't realized how difficult it would be to carry one on person. I meant if he thought my tk45 was big then the would most likely consider the A6 too large to carry also.

hyperloop - I thought about the Li lion P7 and MC-E lights but the only looked at was the ones on DX. I didn't realized Shiningbeam also offer them for in this price range. I dealt with them before in the pass and the service was very good even during the Christmas season. So if my friend is willing to go with the Li ion route i wouldn't mind using them again.

In the next few days i might just take a few lights down to his shop to see what type of light he would want to upgrade to. I will bring a 6p with a Malkoff dropin (close to the Eagletac out put and close to other li ion light size ),and the tk45 (maybe close to the A6 size and output).
 

skyfire

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i wouldnt worry too much about the safety of li-ions, im sure your friend is not an idiot. just give him a quick briefing about the dos and don'ts. biggest concern is over charging i would say, as that can be volitile. Pila IBC charger can fix that. as it stops charging completely when done.

back when i used to work in a auto shop, streamlight stingers are the Snap-on of flashlights. and in a shop/garage where you are stationary, i think it works really well. it sits it on its charging station when needed. never have to open it to change out the battery because our hands are too greasy. reliable, tough, and bright enough for 5 feet range. smog shops dont get as dirty, but some people's car are just plain filthy.

great idea to see what your friend would want. also, i think itll be better to get something more rugged and reliable, as he has more important things to concentrate on besides his flashlight/tool while on the job.
 

cityevader

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he does smog checks? and needs something brighter than a LD20? he cant be more than 5 feet away from what hes inspection!! i know, ive work at a smog shop for a few months.

ok, he wants what he wants, no fault with that:twothumbs


As a mechanic myself, I can only make an educated guess why he'd want such a bright light. And it's certainly not to make out fine details close up....it must be to overcome high ambient light. Most smog shops I've seen have bays immediately entered into from outside. In other words, not exactly an indoor shop even if it is "inside". My LD05 on medium is more than plenty for indoor use. Once I venture outside, my P7 light is just barely useable. Harsh shadows and glare from the sun wreak havoc with eyes/flashlights. Looking underneath a dark car (to see if cat convertors removed) with sunlit pavement all around nearly requires a ROP HI.
 

entoptics

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it must be to overcome high ambient light. Most smog shops I've seen have bays immediately entered into from outside. ...Harsh shadows and glare from the sun wreak havoc with eyes/flashlights. Looking underneath a dark car (to see if cat convertors removed) with sunlit pavement all around nearly requires a ROP HI.

This was my assumption when I recommended the A6.

As for "carry", the A6 comes with a nice holster, which would be easily worn all day on a belt I think. It's not even as obtrusive as a 2D or 2C maglite. From what I see plumbers, electricians, and mechanics packing on their person, it would seem to be just another bulky, but "necessary tool".

As I also mentioned, if 180 lumens isn't enough, then 200 or 250 or even 300 probably isn't gonna be enough. Light is similar to sound, and requires exponential jumps to be usefully perceived. A 300 watt stereo system doesn't sound much louder than a 200 watt system. Same for lights. Side by side you can tell which is loudest (or brightest), but otherwise, it's only gonna be noticed if it's nearly doubled.
 
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spikeytree

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skyfire - I will definitely present him with the opinion of the li ion opinion since they would be a simple low cost solution to my friend's need for more power. When i was in the service industry (3 years ago) the standard stinger was the snap-on of flashlight but also remember this even our simple q5 led or simple li ion power incan can outlast and out power the stinger (with a switch of battery). My coworker use to talk crap about my 3AA powered mag led and bragged about how bright his stinger was and when i got the L2D Q5 it pretty much match and beat his light in power and form. He is still enjoying his LD20 at this moment but i think i just spoiled him with my other brighter lights.

cityevader - U know it never occur to me that ambient light is the cause for the extra power needed to see. "Looking underneath a dark car (to see if cat convertors removed) with sunlit pavement all around nearly requires a ROP HI." That is exactly what he is doing so i can see why he would want more power at time.

entoptics - I can see why the A6 was recommended for sure. A coworker asked me to help him find a coolent leak on his 97 Corsica v6. My boss (a technician) and him try to located the leak the day before but was unable pinpoint the leak.(they didn't clean it up or try very hard) When the tk45 came out the leak was pinpoint instantly. It was only due to the raw power but it was also due to the wall of light it cast. Again the A6 is not huge by the mag light standard but again i think i spoiled him with my smaller powerful lights.
 
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