Inspection Lights

[Rhyolith]

I find myself needing to look into the dark crevasses of machines with increasing regularity, as such my current flickery inspection light is becoming an annoyance.

I want something small that can be manuevered in tight spaces with a powerful and wide beam, I think at least 200 lumens.

Something I hate on modern lights is all these inbulit functions... you have to click through 5 different modes (like SOS) to get to just “On”. I don’t any of that faffing about, just on/off. This is why I struggle to find anything, all the more expensive (and thus brighter) lights have all these infernal extras.

 

[Sideways]

I bought a couple of little inspection lights from Screwfix just before xmas. They're great. Look for 'lil Larry , yes seriously.

Details:
They are LED using this new technology called COB (chip on board) where you get a big yellow stripe that 's actually lots of individual LED's side by side. It runs of one or two standard alkaline cells. It has two brightnesses (and a flashing red, but hey, I hate these multimode things too and I can live with it for the value and convenience of this thing),
It has a magnet in the end which is handy. Made of aluminium. The light output is ridiculously good and the colour is a decent clean white not some sick green purple blue colour.
They cost about a tenner each.
Screwfix sell ones from the "Nebo" brand. There are other clones on ebay that are a couple of pounds cheaper but I like the quality of these for the price.
There is a bigger one too but I like the small size and they don't seem to give away much in brightness.

 

[Rorschach]

Thanks, you just reminded me to order a new light. My old AA powered ones are just not up to snuff anymore and are bulky. I have larger worklights and mains powered lamps, I wanted something more compact making use of new LED tech.

Took a punt on one of these, I like the USB recharge function and I have a good stock of 18650 to replace/upgrade if needed. Should be a good compact solution for my needs.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-C ... 2749.l2649

 

[Andy K]

Another vote for the Larry range. I have both sizes, the "big" ones for in my vehicles and a couple "lil" ones for general tool box/workshop use and often slip one in a coat pocket for nighttime walks.

They do have more than one function but the first click is the one you want most often ie the brightest light, second is a dimmer white, third is flashing red, finally off.

 

[Rhyolith]

I can probably cope with the dimmer setting as thats sometimes nice if its a powerful light and you don’t always want the glare. However I cannot be dealing with the flashing modes, have had torches with before and find them infuriating. Same goes for red lights, its just something I never need thats annoying to flick through.

 

[custard]

I bought a couple of little inspection lights from Screwfix just before xmas. They're great. Look for 'lil Larry , yes seriously.

There's a coincidence. A heating engineer was at my house a few weeks ago working on the boiler, he had one of those and I was so impressed I went down to Screwfix and got one myself!

 

[Bm101]

Those lil larry lamps look good for the money...
Plumber was at mine ranting about his new makita lamp and it seemed very positive with useful functions. Excellent lamp. The sparks was convinced enough to stop off and buy one on the way home.
Three times the price of the first option and depends if you run makita. Will cost you £30 + naked. Probably a trade option really. Still. Worth posting just in case.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-DML801- ... 1CAWN1ZG4K
My firm just bought me a no name headtorch (Chinese, obvs) for work. It has no less than 5 led lamps lol. It's rechargeable by car charger usb.
My god it's bright. Not sure how long it will last before it melts my brain but if anything can signal aliens to finally get in touch it will be this head torch messing up their flight patterns 170 000 light years away.
:shock:

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

Not strictly an "inspection light", but I can't recommend these highly enough. https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p80137?table=no . It is by far the most useful addition to my workshop in years. I have it with me all day at work, in the workshop and the dock, I have dropped it billions of times, even dropped it in the river when it was on, got it out with a boat hook, still worked fine. Charges from normal mini USB and lasts all day (I don't have it on all day, just when I really need to see stuff). They're brilliant

 

[Rhyolith]

Been doing some more research and it really looks like all modern light of any caliber have these annoying modes.

As any heard of Thrunite? They make this which seems exactly what I want bar the modes: http://www.theoutdoornerd.com/2015/10/r ... a-edc.html Its got a much more beefy 200 - 257 lumen output, which is more the kinda of power I am looking for.

The lil larry looks very good for the money, 250 lumens apparently. It just that silly red flashing mode... The Thrulight only has different brightnesses, with the other modes ‘hidden’, which is quite benefit to me.

 

[oakfield]

I think a lot of these torches with multi functions can be altered to have less modes or even just one. If you can get to the chip I think you need to cut a link or resolver a wire. I remember seeing the details somewhere.

 

[oakfield]

Just had a quick look and found a couple of things to try - one is scribbling on the back of the capacitor with a pencil - apparently this should remove the memory so it always starts on the same function.
https://www.canbike.org/information-tec ... modes.html

The other suggestion is to link a couple of pins. Which turns it into a single mode torch.
https://devjoe.com/2014/09/20/cree-led- ... k68-clone/

 

[Sideways]

Reminder to self - don't open a new tab to check details of something while writing a reply - machine just ditched my draft !
To the OP, I haven't handled Thrunite lights but have heard of them. They are reputable.
If you are interested in this kind of better quality light, I can recommend Fenix from personal experience and suggest you look at the range by zebralight too.
Please be aware that lights can be deliberately designed to have a very tight, bright spot for lighting up things at a distance, or at the opposite extreme, a very broad flood with less reach. The models in your link all seem to focus the light quite tightly. Great for checking the roof of a house but maybe not for crawling in / under machinery. At close range, a LED can be useable without any reflector at all.

 

[Tasky]

I have a Fenix. It's overpriced cack, made worse by requiring a pair of CR123 cells that only Maplins seem to stock.

For big things I use an Ultrafire WF501B, whioch is about the size of a chisel handle and puts out near 1,000 lumens from a single 18650.

For inspecting machines, engines, PCs and the like I have a little AAA-powered thing from Maplins, about the size of my finger. Bright enough to use when taking the dogs walking in the forest at night, but not so much that reflective surfaces blind you!

 

[Sideways]

Ahh, sorry to hear that fenix has let you down. Shows that we can only go off our own experience, mine's an old one bought 6 odd years ago exactly because it takes ordinary AA's and it's very solid.
CR123 ARE dear. The original high power (filament) police and military flashlights made by Surefire used two or three of them at a time and burnt through a set in an hour or less - that's how they made a light the size of a mars bar outgun a 4 cell maglite in the days before anyone could make a high power LED.

 

[Rhyolith]

It looks like most of the penlights have more focused beams and I agree thats not ideal for close up work.

Found this, anyone any expierence with Sealey stuff?
https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Sea ... ithium-Ion
Its got quite impressive specs, 400 lumens and I think the only extra mode is a torch at thr front. I’d rather it work off AAs but have live with an inbuilt re-chargable battery.

 

[knockknock]

I have this cheap, made in China, compact 21-LED Flashlight from Lee Valley tools:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=62111&cat=1,43349

In the UK someone is probably selling a similar flashlight:

possibly: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMPACT-...BRIGHT-LED-MAXLIGHT-TRUE-UTILTTY/161468831803

It is bright enough to be used as a regular flashlight. Here's some pictures along with my 18 volt Bosch flashlight. Also, I don't know how long it will last, as I haven't gone through the first set of 3 AAA batteries yet (only occasional use).

 

[Turbo]

Like you I was fed up with having to cycle through useless modes to get to a solid light beam so at xmas I bought myself a led lenser head torch.
It is a very well engineered thing with adjustable brightness, the dimmest setting is good enough for close up work, the brightest would blind the astronauts on the ISS! It also has adjustable focus. It uses 3 aaa nimh rechargable batteries that can be charged in the torch with a micro usb phone charger. The batteries last 1 hour at full power & 40h on low power.

They're not cheap but when you use it you will see why. I bought it on offer for £40, normal price around £60 but worth every penny.

 

[squib]

I saw a thing hanging under my car a couple of years ago and when I had a look I found a magnetic thing covered in mud and road dirt......its the best inspection lamp made by powerhand it is micro usb rechargeable and only 2 functions ; bright and super bright.
it has a fold out hook adjustable magnet bracket and stand and a pocket clip.
It would seem to be incredibly waterproof/tough ,I have no idea how long it has been under my car!
I must remember to ask the MOT man if it was his, its due soon!!
No photo but here is a link.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POWERHAND-5- ... 2323921579

 

[Rhyolith]

I have quite few led lenser torches including there flagship X21R which I got for free years ago to replace a faulty one :shock: I think a lot of them their focusing system is unparalleled and build quality excellent, they were my first port of call for this. Unfortunatly their lights typically are very focused and built for throw lacking a wide flood beam suitable for close work, and though they do actaully do a penlight its only 18 lumens... might as well use a phone.

Impressive durablilty, not many lights would still be usable after being under a car for ages! Only thing is thats only 170 lumens, not much for £30.

Was looking at these Nebo Larry lights in one of my local tool stores, they seem ridiculously good for the cost! They also do two larger versions 400 & 500 lumens called Big larry’s :wink: I was also impressed by the build quality, much better than I was expecting. Its just red modes... Might be worth it for 400-500 lumens for under £30.

 

[Mark A]

I was in "The Range" yesterday looking for storage boxes and saw a stand with all manner of inspection lights and torches, all cheap. There was one, a Ring LED light (same style as the Larry mentioned above) which seemed to have a simple on/off switch.

Mark