Am I the first here? Optronics 2 Mil CP spotlight

This is a re-post, but I just had to be the first to post a topic in the new forum, SPOTLIGHTS!

(Thanks for adding the new forums!)

When my interest in flashlights re-awoke, my first two purchases were spotlights, not flashlights.

Also check out this post for some interesting stories of using the "big lights":
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001451


So, here it is, "the best of" sort to speak!
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I can't tell you for sure the "BEST", because that implies that I have tested every one of them.
I've owned a 1 mil CP Vector
Gave my brother-in-law a 3 mil 2 bulb CP vector
and I own a 2 mil CP Optronics http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0013216514204a&navAction=push&navCount=0&indexId=&podId=0013216&catalogCode=IC&parentId=&parentType=[/UR L]

Of the three, I liked them all, but the one I like the best was the Optronics.

I understand that LSI is very good also. Check them out.

Vector 1 mil CP - Cheap, bright but uneven beam, (some shadows and not even) but at this brightness, shadows are not a problem. Locking ON/OF switch that can be locked in either position. My model did not have a stand, but some now have a work light and a tripod stand built in. Can buy these at Target.

{edit} With 1 mil cp, and up, I think that "shadow" is a bad term, maybe, "not as bright as the bright spots, spots" <grin> Get the idea?

Vector 3 mil CP 2 bulb. - Bright (duh!), has 2 "blue bulbs" but does not appear like the cheap blue bulbs that you see on autos these days. Nice white light. More even beam - large coverage. Heavy. Will stand by itself. Has a "work light" that will give off light for hours. Also has a 12 volt cigarrette lighter plug to actually power other 12 volt devices! Can operate with one or two bulbs. Wish the head was pivitable. NO locking ON/OFF switch. (my model anyway). Target sells these for over 20 bucks LESS than what I paid before Christmas (Target price - 40 something dollars)

Optronics 2 mil CP - Very even, wide, VERY WIDE, beam. I actually like the light of this light better than the Vector 3 mil 2 bulb light. I think that the beam is just as bright, and even wider than the 3 mil vector. NO STAND. Locking ON/OFF switch. Removable battery. Can be used (if the battery is removed) plugged in to the car cigarette plug. Not too heavy to carry around. Again, VERY WIDE, BRIGHT, EVEN SMOOTH LARGE BEAM. I know the CP rating can be swayed into a larger number by creating a very narrow, tight beam, but this is not the case here. Hard to describe how big, even and bright the beam is, it really has to be seen to believe!

I bought my Optronics from Cableas. Target sells Vector, so you could always go there, buy a couple, and keep them if you like them , or return them.

I remember when I got my Vector 1 mil CP light, it stunned me with the brightness, but after getting the 2 mil Optronics, the 1 mil Vector did not impress me as much.

Any one of these is going to have 20-40 minutes of light. You can buy spare Lead batteries for the Optronics, so you could buy multiple batteries, and charge them all up if you needed more power, and you had a way to carry them.

The Optronics also has an option to remove the battery, and power it from a cigaratte lighter.
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Cool, a forum for spotlights. Thanks David.


Greetings,
Velcro

The Optronics 2 million CP is a very good light for the money. $39.00 at West Marine during an X-mas sale. Picked up an extra bulb and battery (12 volt gell cell) for the night blaster from Optronics, very fast service. Bright light out to 300 to 400 yards, best at 200. Great for finding lost Cows, wayward Elk, sneaky Coyotes, and other critters that go bump in the night.

Dave

Dave,
What's the run time on it?
TX

I wonder what other major retailers carry the Optronics? Costco was selling the 1 million CP Vector for $17 and change I believe. I may pick one up for fun and the car trunk seeing as how they're fairly cheap and so far the Optronics seems to be the best.

txwest:

Just a guess, about 20 min. Battery is a sealed lead 12 volt, 2.8AH running a 100 watt bulb.

Dave

Just one caution on the Vector from Costco. As you will not have any problems with getting a replacement bulb for the spot light (available at most auto parts stores), you will not be able to get the small work light. It seems to be a high current 12 volt mini lamp. It is potted with silicone glue at the base of the movable reflector. I contacted Vector on this and they were not planning to stock this soldered in lamp. With the low price of this light, I guess they did not expect anyone to replace the work light when it burns out. But, this is a great light for the price.

I may pick-up the Optronics 2 mil CP, as there is a special at the local distributor here in Honolulu, Hawaii. They are selling it for $30 for this week.

Gee this topic makes me wistful for the One That Got Away.

It was about fifteen years ago, and I was reading some Usenet newsgroup. And some fellow up in or around Seattle had decided to sell an World War II era trailer-mounted anti-aircraft spotlight with diesel generator. That's the big version of those little things you see outside new openings of upscale stores ligh5ting up the clouds. Or pictured in the history books, putting a big round bright circle on the side of a Zeppelin in the clouds over World War I London.

It's an electric arc light -- two long carbon electrodes with an air gap. He only wanted six or eight thousand dollars for it at the time. I was sorely tempted. But, fool that I was, I resisted temptation.

That'll learn me.

I have an LSI 1million CP spotlight i bought from a U.S. Marine/Boat store. I runs on a 55w bulb which is available from the company. It runs on a 12V sealed battery and runs dor 45-50 minutes. I've brought this on every trip that i've gone on for the past year and a half and it is still going strong! The step up from this model runs on a 100w bulb and only runs for 15-20 minutes because it uses the same battery. A step below this model uses the same bulb but in a smaller package. Hence it's smaller size, reflector, CP rating (500,000 CP), and runtime (20 minutes). I found my model to be the best compromise between the two. Sure it might be heavy and BIG, but with a strap, you can carry it around your shoulder for traveling. It has NEVER EVER failed to impress a small group of friends OR a big group of people.

One time i brought this baby to Yosemite on a family trip. To make a long story short...I lit up Old faithfull for EVERYONE to see. Even people on the balcony of Old Faithfull Inn, which was about 500 yards away!!!


Here is a size comparison between other lights in my collection.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hank:
That's the big version of those little things you see outside new openings of upscale stores lighting up the clouds. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wonder if they need to register the placement of those spotlights with the FAA or something; wouldn't they be similarly hazardous to pilots, much like the laser pointers currently bandied about? I would suppose there's some regulations on putting one in a location where it could stray into the flight path of landing aircraft or something-

I have the LSI RC-3800 2 million cp, it is very bright and the focus is very tight(no any dark spot), and I test this light can shine over 300 meters can see full light(in the city).

I have always made my own. I marry a 100W aircraft landing light with a sealed lead-acid battery. Works great. I put a 55W halogen bulb in a flashlight one time, it worked great until it melted. I re-made it with metal parts.

My new Optronics 2,000,000CP Night Blaster is charging as I type this.

I don't understand why it takes 12-24 hours to charge it from 110 AC, but only 1 hour from 12v DC (car, etc.)It seems counterintuitive and very frustrating. Do I really have to charge it for 12-24 hrs after each use?

Could I get around that charge time by using the cigarette lighter plug with a 110AC-12vDC converter? But isn't that what the "home" version has in the first place?

Brightnorm

There is more amperage available from you car than your house. Your cigarette lighter socket in the car is can handle 10 amps, the AC adapter puts out only about .6 amps. I don't remember what the amperage is in household cureent, but it is much less than the 600 or more in a car battery.
You could get a 120v AC adapter to a 12v, 10 amp DC adapter, to get around that, but they run about $100 at Radio Shack.

Brightnorm,

So how do you like the Optronics?

As someone who posts good reviews here, I am interested in seeing what you have to say about the Optronics.

BuddTX

Unicorn and BuddTX,

Thanks for the information and the compliment.

I tested the Optronics VERY briefly in a local park tonight before a LEO politely told me to stop! This light is literally too bright to test in my very densely populated big city, and I'm giving it to friends who live in rural Canada.

My snap impression was overwhelmming brightness; a superbright hotspot surrounded by a bright corona. I thought it would be nice to have a tight focus option, but that would have been a luxury, by no means a necessity. This is a stunning light just as it is.

Brightnorm

Where do you guys shop for the replacement bulbs for your spotlights? I need a 55w 6V Quartz halogen bulb for my 1CP search light.

Thanks.

If there are any auto parts stores near you try them. Most of the lights use a 55 watt H3 halogen bulb. The sametype as used in most fog and driving lights on cars. Some of the spotlights use a 100 watt bulb, but those I think are harder to find. You might be able to find an 80 watt bulb though. I've heard that the PIAA 55 watt bulbs are as bright as Vector's 100 watt bulb.

A Very nice light!!!

Man talk about an old post! 04/28/2002!!!

Welcome to the forums BakeronFire90!

AlexGT