Suggestions for Car Light

EDIT: Light found. Here're my thoughts on it: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...mtech-T6-First-Thoughts&p=3715430#post3715430

I'm looking for a light to keep in my car, and I'd like a few suggestions (or opinions on the lights I'm already considering). Here's what I'd like:

-very high lumen output available (I'd love 700+)
-low and/or medium output mode with a long runtime
-strobe and/or SOS a bonus, but not necessary
-can run off lithium primaries: AA, C, or D preferred, CR123 ok (a lot of high power lights look like they might be made only for 18650 li-ions, correct me if that's not true)
-option to run off li-ion is a bonus
-low price is more important than great quality, this light won't be getting a lot of rugged use
-preferably uses 3+ cells so I can have high power and high run time, but I'm ok with just having extra cells available to swap out if necessary
-I'm ok with a large size, "pocketability" not an issue
-good compromise between throw and flood, preferably not too far to either extreme

(reading over that, I think I must sound very picky )

I'd appreciate any suggestions or thoughts, here are the lights that I'm already looking at:

ITP A6 Polestar (I read somewhere 6xAA might be risky?)
Jetbeam BC40 (my favorite at the moment)
Olight SR51 (probably more than I want to pay to fill this role)
Sky Ray 3xT6 (it looks like this only runs on li-ions, or else the price would make this my favorite)
EDIT: now considering...
BeamTech XM-L from DX
P-Rocket XM-L from Shiningbeam

Thanks in advance for your help!

Mac.

The polestar is a great light, though a bit out of date. Not sure it can use 6xAA lithiums though since they are 1.7 V vs 1.5 from alkaline.

Honestly, I would look at a DealExtreme XM-L with a 2xCR123 input. Like you said, it wont get lots of use so you the cost of the CR123s should be manageable. And for 25 to 30 bucks, its pretty cheap.
For example, http://www.dealextreme.com/p/fandyf...ight-with-strap-1x18650-1x17670-2x16340-90122
(Will likely get removed but can't post by a SKU like we used to be able to). Sides, who wouldnt want a FandyFire! ;-)

TK50 would serve you well. only 250ish lumens though...
very good performance. you can either go for LSD D-cell batteries or eneloops in AA->D adaptors
rugged build
very good throw
long runtime on lower levels.
note that there is a slight parasitic drain in this light. don't know the exact amount. also, the dangers of using alkalines as always.

Thanks for the suggestions! I like the FandyFire - can't think of a much better name for a flashlight than that! I did a little looking around on DX for similar lights, and I found BeamTech XM-L that seems similar only with an optional batter extension tube, allowing it to run on 2x18650, and it says it can handle up to 18V, so it should be able to take 4xCR123 or even 4XRCR123 without any trouble. I'm going to mull this over a bit more, but I think the BeamTech might be the way to go for the extended runtime and possibly a bit brighter. It's 5 mode (H-M-L-Str-SOS) with mode memory, which if it works well will be great, but might be a risk on a budget light, compared to the FandyFire with only 1 mode.

Alrighty, now I'm looking at the BeamTech XM-L T6 from DX and the P-Rocket XML (850 lumen version) from Shiningbeam. The P-Rocket clearly states that it's circuit limit is 6V and you can use 2xCR123 but not 2xRCR123. The BeamTech only mentions using 1x18650 or 2x18650, but it says it's circuit can handle up to 18V.

My understanding is that the kind of batteries that can be used safely in a light are determined by the voltage the circuit can handle, so if the circuit can take 18V then it can handle batteries that add up to 18V or less, meaning 4xRCR123 would be ok (4*3.7=14.8) even if the batteries were overcharged (4*4.5=18). Are there other factors involved here that I don't know about, or is the voltage supplied to the circuit and the circuit's ability to handle it the only factor necessary to know what batteries it can handle?

Also, the P-rocket says it has voltage protection to cut off at 2.8V. My understanding is that it's dangerous for a li-ion cell to drop below 2.8V, hence the protection is a good thing. The BeamTech doesn't mention any voltage protection, but it does say the lower limit for the voltage input is 4.5V (though a reviewer mentions running it successfully, though dimmer, with only a single 18650). Does anyone know if the BeamTech has any sort of voltage protection, or would I just need to check their levels on my own periodically?

Check out the Lumintop TD15X XM-L it has a great all around flood/throw beam and you can add 1 or 2 battery extension allowing virtually any battery combo, 1 or 2 18650- 2-4 CR123's, 2 18500's or up to 4 RCR123.

For an all around, not latest tech/more expensive car flashlight, I am not sure why you want 750 lumens? That's more of a room lighter!

A small 2xCR123A light can give 140 lumens or so for close to a 5 hour runtime. You can keep lithum primaries in it which resist temperature extremes well and last a long time with no leakages.

Why keep a big multi-D battery behemoth with a latest XM-L LED in it which you will then be using pretty rarely? And when the alkalines in it are likely to leak since you will eventually forget to check the light or change the batteries?

I used to keep a modified 3xD Maglite in the car, but there is little reason to do it now.

Also there is little reason to set up a rechargeable battery setup (so needing flashlights with appropriately "bored" battery tubes), the whole point is that you can use primaries--put them there and forget them--in the car.

Just by keeping 2 extra CR123A batteries in the car, which weigh very little, you would have close to 10 hours of runtime at 140 lumens, plenty enough to see you through emergencies of most kinds.

I have a BC40 and on high it's not something you want to turn on inside a car or truck. Immediate blindness if you catch the hotspot. On low its better of course. Li-ion batteries don't like heat, so storing them in a car might not be optimal. I have no idea how hot gloveboxes get, might be that the temp extremes in the glovebox are such that Li-ions will be perfectly happy. I looked into mounting a flashlight in my Blazer, but with the power and runtime that <120mm EDC lights have right now I will just use my EDC light. If I go out late at night I'll toss the BC40 in the truck but I don't leave it in there.

Would this light act as a P60 host if you wanted to switch to a different drop-in, say 5 mode, in the future?

joe1512 said:

The polestar is a great light, though a bit out of date. Not sure it can use 6xAA lithiums though since they are 1.7 V vs 1.5 from alkaline.

Honestly, I would look at a DealExtreme XM-L with a 2xCR123 input. Like you said, it wont get lots of use so you the cost of the CR123s should be manageable. And for 25 to 30 bucks, its pretty cheap.
For example, http://www.dealextreme.com/p/fandyf...ight-with-strap-1x18650-1x17670-2x16340-90122
(Will likely get removed but can't post by a SKU like we used to be able to). Sides, who wouldnt want a FandyFire! ;-)

Click to expand...

I tried twice to respond from my phone, but lost my large post both times. I'll respond when I have access to a computer.

Fenix TK60 should give you some very impressive runtimes. And it fits your requirements.

The one thing about a car light is that it is highly subject to theft so do not buy something that will hurt if stolen. Think about how often you take your car in for service, valet, or accident/tow company.

Blueskies123 said:

The one thing about a car light is that it is highly subject to theft so do not buy something that will hurt if stolen. Think about how often you take your car in for service, valet, or accident/tow company.

Click to expand...

I agree completely. I rarely use the light in my car (because I have other lights on me), and I would hate to see one of my best lights stolen or it be the reason someone broke into my car in the first place. I only have 1 light in my car since I always have 2 on my keys and an EDC on me. The one in my car is a cheap light. It runs on AA Eneloops because those are very good in temperature extremes. If you don't have an EDC I would say get 2 cheap/decent lights that run on AAs. You could check out the TK41, it uses 8 AAs and is an impressive light with throw. TK35 uses 18650s and has more spill.

Alrighty, I'm at my computer now and able to answer a few of the issues brought up by the last several posts.

I don't intend to use the flashlight inside the car, I have an Arc AAA on my keychain (usually with me in the car) that works great for that. What I want is a light that I can keep in my car and have with me to use outside the car. This is why I mentioned a bigger light: brightness and runtime are more important to me than size because I don't need carry the light myself, the car will be carrying it for me. As I said, I would be fine making a compromise on the runtime and get a smaller light (less batteries) and just keep more spare batteries in the car, but the ideal would be a light that could hold more batteries, thus requiring me to change them less often. I want it bright, because I want to be able to do things like find where the cows are in our field late at night, or see what's making that noise over by the tree line, or find out where that raccoon ran off to when I startled it, or light up everything in a poorly let parking lot, etc. Large lights generally offer more brightness and longer runtime for cheaper prices than small lights with similar performance.

I intend to use lithium primaries with this light most often (that's what I'll leave in it while it sits in the car, they won't discharge like rechargeables or leak like alkies). The ability to use rechargeables is a bonus if I end up using this light more than I anticipate.

The possibility of theft is a good point, I hadn't thought of that (another reason to keep it cheaper, probably not name brand). I'll make sure to keep it in my console or glove box.

I really like the TK60, TK35, TK41, BC40, etc., but I think those will probably be out of my price range unless I find a good deal on a used one or something.

I think that covers most of what everyone brought up, thanks for all the input, this is really helpful!

Mac

Fandyfire FTW!!!

What's the runtime on that Fandyfire (actual)?

EagleTac P20C2 XM-L. Check it out! Or, alternatively, a Solarforce L2P with an Thrunite XM-L drop-in for a cheaper and more configurable option, albeit larger.

Tk40?

I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe a halogen flashlight would be a better solution? It sounds like you basically want a nice bright emergency light for breakdowns etc?

In my experience, the issue with emergency lights is not their efficiency (which is the main appeal of LEDs), it's the availability of charged batteries when the muck hits the fan. A good halogen flashlight with a 5mm LED or cold cathode sidelight will give you high power or long runtime as the situation demands and be every bit as useful in an emergency situation as any LED light.

An LED light with clever modes will do the same things, just in a smaller package and at a higher cost. One thing it won't do though is solve the battery problem, and if you only use it occasionally you'll need to read the instruction book to remind you how to access that ever-so-useful SOS mode.

I'd suggest getting a good 'traditional' flashlight but spending a little extra on a set of lithium primaries for it. When the time comes, rip open the packet and you're away. If you add another set of lithiums every year or two you'll always have fresh batteries and a growing supply of older ones to extend the runtime. You could also leave a set of lithiums in the light and keep it in the glovebox for casual use, just make sure you've got a sealed pack of relatively new ones nearby for that emergency.

I would suggest the EagleTac M3C4 Triple XM-L ! Having it in my Ford Focus ! Works perfectly, multi-specturm (0-1011 lumens in seconds) , multi-functional (SOS, storbe, slow strobe) !
Extreme level of output , 1011 lumens by three extremely capable and durable XM-Ls !
Twist or forward clicky switching , your choice ! Mine is clicky !
Multi reflectors , clover , provide sweet flood for close-up work and throws a far-reaching beam great for outdoors !
Get this light , you wouldn't go wrong with the best !

A pair of Polarions, just in case you need spare headlights.

Just don't turn them on inside the car. :sick2:

Nap.