Seeking a Good D Cell Searchlight

[allanpeda]

I'm looking for a rechargeable searchlight. Since I have a load of high capacity 10,000 mAh NiMH D cells for a few Mag lights I use, I do not want to switch over to (yet another) battery size. Are there any reasonably priced (~50 dollar) lights that someone could recommend? Even better if I could run it off my 12v system via cord also.

[noelex 77]

This will be much much brighter than your Maglight, with better throw than most 12v corded spotlights.

Fenix TK50 LED Flashlight - FenixTorch.co.uk

[S/V Alchemy]

Who needs an X-ray? Just hold that thing behind the afflicted area.

I'm thinking "waterproof and throws dim light for 20 days?" Liferaft ditchbag!

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Who needs an X-ray? Just hold that thing behind the afflicted area.

I'm thinking "waterproof and throws dim light for 20 days?" Liferaft ditchbag!

Useful information is always appreciated. I am looking at this:
RCD SUPER-8 LITE Halogen (Ikelite) | eBay

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by allanpeda

I'm looking for a rechargeable searchlight. Since I have a load of high capacity 10,000 mAh NiMH D cells for a few Mag lights I use, I do not want to switch over to (yet another) battery size. Are there any reasonably priced (~50 dollar) lights that someone could recommend? Even better if I could run it off my 12v system via cord also.

Do you have a source for those batteries at a reasonable price? I have several old MAGLIGHTS as well, but really don't want to shell out the $ for new batts, when great LED lights are available for less than the price of batteries alone from Mag Engineering!

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Do you have a source for those batteries at a reasonable price? I have several old MAGLIGHTS as well, but really don't want to shell out the $ for new batts, when great LED lights are available for less than the price of batteries alone from Mag Engineering!

My mag lights are all LED. At the time Sears had a great deal if you ordered onlne and delivered to the store they dropped the price down to 20 bucks each for a 2-D LED maglite. Buy.com has chinese knockoffs that are $10 each (free shipping!), and use Cree LEDs, so I figure they are 2/3 the quality at 1/3 the price. I try to buy the 10000 mAh capacity batteries, because I read that the lower capacity cells are C or A size shimmed in a sleeve to make them fit. It seems the best price is about 6 bucks each.

Battery's are a topic unto themselves, low leakage, and now Nickel Zinc, etc.

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by allanpeda

Useful information is always appreciated. I am looking at this:
RCD SUPER-8 LITE Halogen (Ikelite) | eBay

I offered this guy fifty, and he countered at $59.99
Good luck to him because Amazon lists it for about $57.99

So much for eBay in this case.

[2divers]

Also look at Underwater Kinetics Light Cannon. Slightly smaller but puts out a heck of a beam. Add one or more of the supplied filters and you go from an intense beam to more of an ambient glow. C cell, but really good... I've got two!

[S/V Alchemy]

It's interesting to me how some of the best gear for the sailor is found in the diving and emergency services fields. I first heard of CREE lights, by contrast, in home light bulb replacement lamps.

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

It's interesting to me how some of the best gear for the sailor is found in the diving and emergency services fields. I first heard of CREE lights, by contrast, in home light bulb replacement lamps.

I'm sure we all know that some boating gear is higher quality (rope), some is the same quality as consumer goods (many engine parts), and some stuff is of higher quality elsewhere, like aviation or healthcare.

The newest stuff may be sexy, but because it is newer, it is not well tested. I read years ago of railway switches based on an obsolete microprocessor, because the designer figured this chip was fully debugged by that time.

I don't mind compromise, but some manufacturers skimp on the silliest things. Like why are Aqua Signal type 25 lights black inside? Wouldn't white reflect the light better? What would that detail cost?

[zeehag]

go to ace hardware. look for the under 20 dollar 1+ million candlepower rechargeable light.
it works even when the glass breaks..LOL
it will be able to fly at least 3 times before breaking. btdt.
btw-- the batteries do not remove from the lamp--it recharges instead. is cheap. only plugs in to charge.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

It's interesting to me how some of the best gear for the sailor is found in the diving and emergency services fields. I first heard of CREE lights, by contrast, in home light bulb replacement lamps.

LEDs are evolving very rapidly and many conservative companies like Maglight have not developed quickly enough to keep pace.
BTW Cree is a brand name they produce a wide range of LEDs. If you count their older models, which are still used by some manufacturers, the output of the Cree LEDs varies in brightness almost 100x.
So a Cree led can mean a lot of things.
Look for a Cree model such as Cree XM-L T5. If they do not include the type of LED, only the Cree brand, chances are is an older cheaper emitter.

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

...
So a Cree led can mean a lot of things.
Look for a Cree model such as Cree XM-L T5. If they do not include the type of LED, only the Cree brand, chances are is an older cheaper emitter.

Ten bucks, free shipping. I would hope so.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

LEDs are evolving very rapidly and many conservative companies like Maglight have not developed quickly enough to keep pace.
BTW Cree is a brand name they produce a wide range of LEDs. If you count their older models, which are still used by some manufacturers, the output of the Cree LEDs varies in brightness almost 100x.
So a Cree led can mean a lot of things.
Look for a Cree model such as Cree XM-L T5. If they do not include the type of LED, only the Cree brand, chances are is an older cheaper emitter.

Fair enough. Thanks for the tips.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by allanpeda

Ten bucks, free shipping. I would hope so.

The old LED emitters are available very cheaply, but its impressive, perhaps even a bit scary, that a company can produce, package and ship things, this cheaply.
Its often great for consumers, but does have some negative effects. You cannot buy a good flashlight at any normal retail store.
I think most boating people would spend the extra money if they could see the difference themselves between a good flashlight and the $20, "million candle" spotlights that are available everywhere.