How much do you expect it to be used? The features you describe sound like you are looking for a cop’s duty light.
Any old flashlight that you aren’t using is fine. I keep a rechargeable battery in mine and top it off once a year. And some spare lithium primaries just in case.
Most importantly: a red traffic wand for the light.
ArmyTek Elf C2. You can use it as a headlamp, stick it to the side of the car, or handheld. It’s easy to use with many brightness levels, you can charge it through the built in port, and tailcap lockout will eliminate standby drain.
If you think about changing a tire or checking the oil in the dark, a headlamp is the only thing to consider in my view. There are so many good choices out there. Pick something with no parasitic drain and toss it in the car. You’re done thinking about it.
Although I will not that I have several in there, the old ones when they get replaced by the new stuff I take out hiking get tossed in there. So an old Black Diamond Storm, and old Mammut, and old Petzl, etc. I use to have a fenix headlamp in there, one of the 18650 models which had parasitic drain. The ONLY time I had what amounted to a near emergency where I really need it, ie. walk out in pitch dark woods up in the mountains with a heavy pack (no tent or sleeping bag though), no trail, no cell coverage, it was dead.
I always have a backup, in that case it was the tiny Petzl coin cell version. Saved my bacon.
I thought the BD06 would be a good choice because it could be topped off in the car once in a while. The problem is that runtimes have not been posted anywhere…I wanted her to be able to have light available for several hours….just in case.
BTW, if anyone is familiar with the light….I have the Biscotti in it (I think that is what it is called) so it has 12 modes as well as memory on and off. It is brand new….however, suddenly, I cannot turn the memory mode off. Something happened to I guess the hardware/firmware…I prefer to have the memory off.
I appreciate the suggestion to keep a headlight in there. Anyone have any suggestions for a reasonably priced one.
The Wowtac A2 is a popular budget headlamp that also works well as a handheld. It’s $20 on Amazon and comes with a USB-chargeable 18650. Wowtac is Thrunite, so quality will be higher than a lot of similarly priced options.
I personally have cr123a lights in both mine and the wife’s car. Mechanically locked out. Ugly (super aggressive knurling) bushnell ones from ebay. 650 and 350 lumen models. I don’t think i paid $20 for either of them.
Last two cars i had I never used the lights i kept in them. Went to trade them in and found the lights. Glad i never needed them, but, glad they still worked too.
I do keep an additional 14500 light in my car, in the glove box, as i use it once in a while and can swap with a charged cell every few months. 123 light is a backup for that one, should i ever need it.
Something small you can hold in your teeth for using both hands.
You don’t need 1000 lumens.
100 is fine, most of what you are doing is close up and in the dark more or less, already.
Anything too bright ruins your night vision.
I mostly use a $2 1xAAA light, and or a $4 CR123a light.
single mode.
Also, I always have a 500 lumen Utorch UT01 or something similar or bigger, in my actual pocket (hence the term “EDC”),
so the car light is only used when I don;t want to dig the other one out of a pocket.
Another reason the car light doesn;t have to be fancy.
Head mounts are OK if you expect to be using it for 45 minutes, but for 5 minutes, it is too much trouble.
Selfbuilt reviewed this light, compared it favorably to Surefire quality.
At $22.30, a 62+% discount, going to be tough to top this Closeout while they last.
(*They don’t pay me, honest…. fact is 35 of the last 37 lights I have purchased all came from the last gasp ‘closeout special’ section from the folks who got the Rosey Nichia ball rolling in N. America years ago.)
I keep a Jetbeam E10R in the glove box. I like the magnet on it. Plenty bright and flashy mode. Rechargeable too. I also keep a cheap headlamp, 100 lumens or so with some NiMh AA’s in it. Figured that would cover most of my needs in the car. I always have a light on me as well but the wife doesn’t always carry one so the ones in the car are mainly for her. I highly recommend a headlamp somewhere in the car. It’s nice when you are under the hood or changing a tire and can have both hands free.
Something that concerned me with lights kept in cars was using rechargeable lithium in a hot or freezing car. Is that a safety issue vs nimh or primaries?
All cells prefer moderate temperatures, including CR123 type primaties, however, they tolerate extremes better than rechargeable lithium cells, and are a clear choice over alkaleaks.
You will need both hands in an emergency so a headlamp is the way to go :sunglasses: i use the Manker e03h nichia with a lithium primary but i agree the elf c2 is a better choice
Hi.
A person. male or female. should have TWO torches in any car.
One. something like a S2.
T’other. Should be a Gel power pack. which combines a Jumper for strting car with flat battery,
Compressor for blowing up Soft tyre.
Flashing lights for emergency breakdown in the dark.
IE Put in front\behind veh when stopped in dark,
facing oncoming traffic.
With a small “Searchlight\lanp” on one end.
Fits in corner of boot\tray and always ready.
I double it up for bike, Wheelbarrow, Sack Trolley tyres too.
That lets them know you there. Strobe torch flashing in their eyes mean YOU don’t want to be run over.