Need Advice on a Light for Home and Yard Protection.....

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Hey everyone,

This is my first post. I don’t know a whole lot about these lights, just enough to get by. My current lights are all OLD except the one I bought a couple days ago at WalMart.

I have a Surefire 6P incandescent, a MiniMag 3xAA LED that is NOT a CREE and a Brinkmann copy of the Surefire 6P which is also not an LED.
The other day I picked up an OZARK TRAIL small light that is 150 Lumens and takes 3xAAA. It seems to be pretty good.

I need a new light for my house and yard at night for the times when something might go wrong. I had a family member come and get me in the middle of the night to check on the outside door because he said he heard someone jiggling it. Nothing was there, thankfully, but after getting back to my room I knew that the lights I have were NOT very good for this purpose. They are not even close to being bright enough for me to see the yard and detect someone that isn’t supposed to be there. So I thought I’d check and see what all is out there. I knew there were LOTS of lights out there, but I had no idea there were THAT many choices in HIGH POWERED CREE lights.

I’d like to get something that I can have on my nightstand and be able to grab and go and not worry that it’s not going to do the job. I guess I would need 500 lumens or more. I don’t care what batteries it uses and wouldn’t mind if it came with rechargeable or I could use them in this light. Naturally I’d like to get a decent light for BUDGET prices, that’s why I joined here.

So, if you don’t mind, how about giving me some ideas on what would be a good choice for me. What do you use for this purpose? If it’s more than 500 lumens, that’s OK too. I just put that as a general starting point. I’ll leave it to you guys, the ones that KNOW much more than I do, to sort out the best choices for this task.

Any help and advice is appreciated.

Thanks for the help and your time.

Nalajr

2

Convoy C8 is a great light
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10002364/1210900 - cool white
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10002364/1212407 - more neutral light

Just enough flood but more than enough oomph and throw to get out there

I have mine hanging on a hook next to my bed right beside my pistol safe, I have it on a 2800mA Nanjg 105C flashed with STAR V1.1 (stock), stars 2,3,4 soldered down which makes it run hi>lo (w/ 2 minute turbo timeout), moonlight, and no memory so if I turn it off, next time I turn it on, it comes back on hi (total of 5 different levels of brightness)

This way if I hear a bump in the night, I simply get my 1991A1, and my Convoy, if I have to click it on I can hit the badguy in the puss with around 800-900 lumens, but I also have the ability to have moonlight and not wake up the house if I need to look for stuff in the house.

Also since the kids don’t quite know how to run flashlights, they click the button and it comes on…well on high, left on high, it gets pretty hot, and eats batteries quick…with the automatic turbo timeout it automatically throttles back to approx 50% after 2 minutes

My “GP” flashlights (the ones on hooks by the front and back door) are the Ultrafire 502b w/ 10 watt P60 dropin with tinfoil heatsink wrap (I am going to be dropping in the Nanjg drivers w/ STAR V1.1 like above soon)
Silly thing is…it’s cheaper as one unit
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10000986/1580802

P.S. There will be much more knowledgeable and experienced folks here soon

3

+1 on the C8, especially if you can get the “High First” or “High Only” driver and a Momentary-On switch.

That way, if the flag actually goes up, you can get a quick peek to deliver the Gift of M1 Ball to the bad guy’s shirt pocket without making yourself a target for his accomplice.

There are better in-house-only flooders, but you wanted to work the yard too. PS: It’s somehow funny to me that a well-driven C8 will out-throw your 1911…

4

Thanks for the recommendations. They look like nice lights too. I can’t believe the prices….are they for real? From what I have always been told and have read on other forums, a light that is priced that inexpensively is nothing but JUNK. Of course I don’t believe that. Just shows the prejudices that many people have. If you don’t spend $150 or $200 for a light and have a drawer full of them, then you’re not at all dealing with quality.

I don’t care who makes it, where it comes from or how cheap it is priced, if it works, I’ll take it. If it lasts and lasts, I’ll be back to buy more and tell my friends and family about them. Heck, if these work 1/2 as good as you guys say, I’ll certainly get one and probably buy one for my Sister to keep on her bedside. I’ve read good reports about CONVOY lights, I just didn’t know they were that affordable.

The only thing is that I don’t understand some of the stuff you all are talking about. I assume those are modifications to the light or emitter, is that right? I couldn’t do any of that stuff and I probably couldn’t describe it to someone to have it done. I’ll try to learn though.

Thanks again for the help.

Nalajr

5

Yeah, custom firmware written to the little computer (the MCU) on the driver…some great guys here have coded up some AWESOME functionality and by overwriting the stock stuff and converting to custom it does more of what I want my lights to do while reducing the stock PWM (pulse width modulation) of stock drivers (the light has a flickering odd effect you can see, really bothersome to the eyes, the custom firmware fixes that problem.

Not really necessary…but for those that like to tinker and don’t follow the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” thought process…well we just can’t leave well enough alone

6

What's your budget price range? There are different lights in different price ranges that will suit your needs.

7

You are correct that you don’t necessarily “get what you pay for”. That works to your advantage if you’re willing to educate yourself, as you seem to be.

The Convoy line gets high praise, and I lust after some of them, but I’ve never seen one IRL. Mostly it’s the parts inside that “count”, but the “host” (i.e. “body”) determines what parts go inside. Almost every flashlight or component that can be bought has been thoroughly tested and reviewed somewhere here on BLF. Good reading there!

Generally a larger head & reflector such as the C8 will put more light “out there” … generally.

Next time I see my neighbor, I’ll shoot the “Ultrafire” C8 I gave him over a year ago. He has worn the wrappers off the 18650s he has, as he uses the C8 hard every day, sometimes with more than one battery change. It’s as worn at the edges as you’d imagine, yet it still works flawlessly. I only gave a dozen USD or so for it, and they can be had for much less nowadays. It throws so far you will need a telescopic sight to see what it does.

The “Momentary-On” switch, aka “Forward Clicky” makes the electrical contact (when you mash on it, of course) before the click, so you can just let go & the light goes off. Or you can mash it all the way to the click & it stays On. Almost every one of these flashlights come with a “Momentary-Off”, which first clicks ON then breaks the electrical contact before it clicks fully Off.

The Emitters and Drivers and Modes (oh, my!) will have to wait for another day, unfortunately, as it’s tomorrow already & work calls far too soon. For purely defensive purposes, a single Mode will be easiest to operate dependably in a stressful situation, or get one with no mode memory (meaning it always starts on High) for slightly more money.

And don’t even think about touching the trigger until you’re sure it’s a bad guy & not your teenage daughter sneaking a cigarette or BJ with her boyfriend!!

TTFN…

8

I am new at the flashlight thing, I got the C8 as one of my first purchases from this forum and the quality is amazing compared with what is available locally.

9

If your looking for a light to use as a Intruder-stopping blaster, a good budget choice would be any of the various SkyRay Kings. you can get one with the cells and charger for 45 bucks on ebay, but i would reccomend using better cells and a good safe charger like an I4. The SRK lights can be found these days for just over 34 bucks somtimes, and even the lower-output ones produce enough lumens intensity to cause some eye discomfort to intruders.
I keep an Olight SR90 on the night table, and a Modded SRK near the front door for those real “emergency” uses.

10

i too, recommend a c8. good size and weight. the brightest and furthest throwing stock c8 you can buy is this one here:

wow, its actually on sale too….man, makes me want another.haha

just buy it, you will not be disapointed

11

The Convoy C8 is a excellent light, a good choice to get your feet wet. It’s well built, and the price is right. I got one for my boss and he loves it. Get some good Panasonic based 18650 batteries and a decent charger and your good to go without putting a major dent in your wallet.

Edit: If you’re ordering from FastTech, get the C8 that has 8 AMC7135. That’s the one that’s driven the hardest and produces the most lumens, I would also recommend the XM-L T6 3C tint.

12

Does this one have the solid or hollow pill?

I know some UF’s on discount come with a hollow pill

13

More info would help others narrow down suggestions that are appropriate for you. Some questions come to mind:

  • What is your budget? Budget to you and budget to others can mean completely different things...
  • How big of a yard are we talking about? How far would you need the light to reach?
  • Do you have any rechargeable lithium-ion batteries? If not, would you be willing to learn safe and proper handling of such batteries, as well as purchasing a set of batteries and charger?
  • This sounds like more of a home defense situation. Would you possibly be wielding a firearm as well? This could have implications on the size, weight, and form factor.
  • It sounds like you'd be best served by a single-mode, rather than multiple modes. As with firearms, it's best to keep things simple in high-stress situations such as a possible intruder.

Just some things to think about. Oh, and welcome!

14

im not quite sure. everytime i open up a light, i break something haha.
and i kept this light stock on purpose because its the brightest, furthest throwing c8 i have bought. i tried many c8’s and bought many that other members here say are very bright, but the lightmalls xml2 c8 has yet to be dethrone.
i also have the fast tech convoy c8 .
the convoy is better quality.

15

but if you want a light with a side switch, i highly recommend a sky ray king. it might be biiig, but i will have one for the rest of my life. one of my top favorites of all time.

or something smaller would be a yezl y3.
maybe go for the hd2010 , or a small sun t08.

these lights mentioned will not disappoint

16

Best budget light you can possibly get for under $50, taking 18650 batteries is the SupFire M6 that's on sale for $38.95 from Mountain Electronics. Shipping will bring it up to about $44. The looks and quality of that light are amazing.

For under $50 and taking Multiple AA batteries, would have to be the Sunwayman D40A on sale for $49.99 from banggood.com

For under $25, I would recommend the Convoy L4 on sale for $24.55 also from banggood.com

And for under $15,

I would say an Ultrafire C8 from Fasttech for $13.42 from fasttech.com

or the Solarstorm SC1, SC2, or SC03 for about $14 each with coupon code bgf164 from banggood.com

17

The convoy c8 will probably fit the bill. So will a lot of other lights, but it’s 3 am and I can’t sleep, so I can’t name any of them.

As with anything you buy, you should read, read, and read some more. The better educated you are, the easier it is to find what you want at a good price.

Anything stickied is almost always useful, and if you can’t find what you are looking for, use that handy little box at the top left of the screen.

18

the two immediate scenarios using a handgun with a flashlight that come to mind?

(weak arm=non gun hand… strong arm=gun hand)

1) weak hand crossed over gun hand (i have seen crossed under too)
2) flashlight held OUT AND AWAY from the body

===

both would seem to call for something on the smaller side, although with adrenaline? you could likely carry a car axle, lol… a smaller light makes more sense for these two things…

the crossed over (#1)? “steadies” th gun hand, and also puts the light more or less where a shot would go With some practice you can almost aim across the room effectively with just the light beam to aim when you have a small hot spot.

the light out and away from the body? is predicated on the idea that most human beings, even those unfamiliar with guns, can usually hit a light at night or surprisingly close to it, on dang near intuition or “point shooting” while barely aiming.

the THIRD scenario? light actually ON THE GUN… if you check “bumps in the night” with a shotgun 12ga pump?? you can put almost any light on it. for mounting on a handgun, again i would want a smaller light…

for any of you guys wondering about “checking out a noise” at night with a gun and a flashlight? The proud state of texas has some of the “best” sel defense laws i the nation. One is that it is considered self defense around the property, for night time vandalism.

this might strike some of you as “extreme”? to be legally allowed to shoot someone on the property just for crimina mischief, but consider this…

1) some teenager mad at you is banging on your windows at 3 in the afternoon… its not THAT scary….

2) some teenager mad at you is banging on your windows at 3 in he MORNING?? its a litle more scary and sinister to the homeowner, and texas law reflect that.

enjoy your 2nd amendment lights, sir ! LMAO… er, i mean “rights”, sorry, lol

19

Hey all,

Thanks for the info and recommendations.

Lets see if I can add anything to my info for you all.

My budget is that I don’t want to spend over $40 on a light.
I’ve never used these Li ion batteries, but I would be open to trying them especially if they are rechargeable.
My backyard is about 60 yards wide by 35 yards deep with several trees and shrubs and a few cars in the driveway that is also next to the backyard and all is enclosed in a fence. My side yard is even bigger, much bigger.
If I do get up at that time of the night to check the house and yard, YES, I will have a handgun with me. It doesn’t have a light mounted on it. I will also be getting a shogun into service soon.

That’s about all I can think of that you asked me about.

I looked at these links that you posted and they look great. The Convoy and the UltraFire, how are they different and is one better than the other?
Another thing, when I went to the site to look at these lights they have a list of different options that went 1/2 down the page. I couldn’t tell the difference in one from the next. I’m guessing that there are differences in each one of them, but are the differences major enough to make one better than the others or is it more of a matter of personal preference?

What would those 18650 batteries cost, what about the rechargeable ones?

Thanks all.

Nalajr

20

i never mounted a small light on my handgun(s)… it seemed to half ruin it for daily carry.

if i do a “bump in the night” check? i usually do the arm crossed over the gun hand thing. (the side spill illuminates your sights decent, lol, as well as blinds any critters you see… 2 or 4 legged critters, lol)

65 yards? or a little more? your options are pretty big… most of the “options” on the light you looked at? i would guess those options were “what emitter” you wanted.

18650 batteries? i went thru the thing where i was “put off” by weird unfamiliar batteries and strange chargers i suddenly needed, lol… i stuck to looking at AA lights? i wish i hadnt, lol… 18650 batteries are a coupe/several bucks each, and a “decent” battery charger can be had for 20 bux or under.

remember these batteries are rechargeable, and will mroe than pay for themselves… you wil suddenly not be worried about USING your light(s) any time you FEEL like it, on high instead of low, cause batteries will be free to charge up.

“protected” batteries would usually be reccomended to be more foolproof for someone unfamiliar with charging li-ion batteries for another hobby.

what you describe? in terms of distances? youre not really asking the flashlight to eat an apple and sh!t a fruit salad,a coupe decent 18650 protected, a half decent charger, and a 20 to 40 dollar flashlight will, my crystal ball says, you’ll be pretty happy.

i know when i first went from “maglite” to a small chinese LED flashlight?? it was pretty cool, heh heh… when you have rehargeables? you practically find yourself “playing” with them, cos it doesnt cost you anything to use your flashlight on “high”, lol…

the FUN starts after you already HAVE a couple 18650s and a charger? cause then you can, fro instance… pick up a 10 dollar “zoomie” light?? and you already have the batteries and charger, and you can have fun playing with that… lol…

i know that even at age 45, my first little “zoomie” i got? once i had rechargeables, i was kind of playing with it, like a little kid with his gi-joe action figure, LMAO…