Calling all torchaholics

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richardabeattie

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I have a Nightsearcher Trio powered by a rechargeable lead acid battery driving three LEDs. It was wonderful but now even after an overnight charge it just emits a very brief pulse of light. No obvious way into it - the front lens unscrews but that's as far into it as I can get. What should I replace it with? (And why can't we drop the terms torch and flashlight and call them Photon Generators? )
 
It used to be said that one should have a light that can be powered from the vessel's battery since torches might run down at a critical time. I have had such a lamp since the year dot and, although it works well, I imagine that with the advent of LEDs this advice is less critical.
 
Surely the lead acid battery can be replaced?
I find a small diver's torch is the most useful and reliable.
 
As Johnalison says, the ISAF regulations did ask for a searchlight to be available that was powered by the ships batteries. The 'connection to ships batteries' isn't there in the current requirements.

I do however have the Aquasignal Bremenen 12v/55w searchlight on board (for the ISAF regs) and compared it's beam with the Fenix TK15 S2 pocket torches we had on board a few years ago.

As you'll see from the photos below, the Fenix beam actually looked brighter at night in the marina

Onedrive link to photo showing Bremen 12v/55w searchlight beam

Onedrive link to photo showing Fenix TK15 S2 torch beam

The Fenix was an £80 torch however.. These past few years I have bought quite a few Len Lenser Police Tactical Torches from Toolstation so crew have all got them in all their pockets..

Beam is comparable, but for £30 and taking AAA batteries I think they are great.
https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/d220/Torches/sd2490/LED+Lenser+TT+Police+Tactical+Torch/p41307

Depends how much you want to spend.. And do you want all your crew to have one in their waterproof jacket pocket?
 
The current ISAF Special Offshore Regulations state that
"4.07
Watertight lights with spare batteries and bulbs as follows:
MoMu0,1,2,3
4.07 a)
a searchlight, suitable for searching for a person overboard at night and for collision avoidance "

Without defining what "spare batteries" are, one considers that the ability to power the searchlight from the ship's batteries would qualify them as fulfilling the requirement of "spare".
 
lw395 said:
Surely the lead acid battery can be replaced?
I find a small diver's torch is the most useful and reliable.
Click to expand...

+5

Ours is a LED Lenser D14. Originally bought as a diving torch, it turned out to be a fantastic search light with its focused beam and sees a lot more use as that now. Completely waterproof. Batteries last, uhm, a very long time.
 
PuffTheMagicDragon said:
The current ISAF Special Offshore Regulations state that
"4.07
Watertight lights with spare batteries and bulbs as follows:
MoMu0,1,2,3
4.07 a)
a searchlight, suitable for searching for a person overboard at night and for collision avoidance "

Without defining what "spare batteries" are, one considers that the ability to power the searchlight from the ship's batteries would qualify them as fulfilling the requirement of "spare".
Click to expand...

A lot of these rechargeable touches cannot function as a torch whilst connected to a charger, so you can't use then continuously.

Past regulations did require a ship's battery powered light but that was in the day when torches all had filament bulbs... Battery life is considerably increased these days.

One good thing about the Fenix (with five light levels) is that when the battery starts to go flat, the highest light level becomes not available... Then as the battery dies further, the next brightest light level becomes unavailable so it does give you warning. Some other torches just fade rather quickly.
 
Previous requirements were...

4.07.1 The following shall be provided:-
a) A watertight, high-powered searchlight, suitable for searching for a person overboard at night and for collision avoidance with spare batteries and bulbs, and **
b) a watertight flashlight with spare batteries and bulb **
e) a watertight high-intensity heavy duty searchlight powered by the ships' batteries, instantly available for use on deck and in the cockpit, with spare bulbs. The searchlight shall be capable of continuous use. If rechargeable the searchlight shall be capable of operating whilst being charged. MoMu0,1,2,3
f) RORC recommends: A floating torch is carried ready for immediate use in the event of man overboard at night, where the torch can be thrown in the sea and the beam will shine vertically upwards as an aid to finding the man in the dark


The problem with relying on rechargeable torches is that they often don't work whilst connected to the charging lead...

But.... Thankfully batteries do last longer now that we have led torches...
 
Martin_J said:
Past regulations did require a ship's battery powered light but that was in the day when torches all had filament bulbs... Battery life is considerably increased these days.
Click to expand...

It is unlikely that I'll be involved in scrutineering for this year's Rolex Middle Sea Race (sixteen years is too long and I am not getting any younger) but if I am roped in I shall make it a point to seek an official clarification from Alan Green (or his substitute).
 
richardabeattie said:
I have a Nightsearcher Trio powered by a rechargeable lead acid battery driving three LEDs. It was wonderful but now even after an overnight charge it just emits a very brief pulse of light. No obvious way into it - the front lens unscrews but that's as far into it as I can get. What should I replace it with? (And why can't we drop the terms torch and flashlight and call them Photon Generators? )
Click to expand...

I know a little about torches. What do you want from your torch? A simple like for like would buy you a Nightsearcher Tri 550 for £26-ish or £36ish for lithium batteries (toolstation).

https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p2...MI95GWuZT13AIVyLTtCh03mgEpEAQYAiABEgIsP_D_BwE


https://www.seton.co.uk/trio-550-le...h1g-g-pEAQYASABEgK3JfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#ferme

But that is only 550lumens

Do you want a largish torch (does not roll around, easy to find) or are you happy with a small cylindrical type?

Do you want a long throw or a large flood? Or do you want adjustable focus?

This is a good torch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgl-kHuhDa0

But so it should be at £140

I can build that torch from scratch for £10 (the cree xhp35 led) + £4 for a (different) torch housing with decent lens + £2 circuit board plus price of batteries.

But a cree T6 led costs only £3-ish and gives 1000 lumens.

But I can buy a decent lamp containing 6 leds with decent optics for £5 from China and apply 12 volts (from various sources, including portable) and obtain a torch that fits in the palm of my hand is better than both of my car headlights, so I don't even make torches any longer unless I need something special.

So it depends upon whether you are a PBO / DIYer, or have enough cash to buy a slightly overpriced (imo) Acebeam (2600 lumens but a very good lens for a long throw, or want a Nightsearcher (550 lumens) and so on.

Your current torch is LED based so that is good. I'd cut it open and replace the battery and seal it up again. But I am a DIYer. You could even replace the lead acid battery with lithium ion ones (as the new Nightsearcher has), but you'd have to know or learn (as I have) how to do the electronics bit.

So, as with so many things, it is a compromise and horses for courses.

A candle is a photon generator (as well as other things such as infra red), but would need some optics to make it into a torch :)
 
dunedin said:
We replaced a heavy old searchlight with one of these - massively brighter and hugely lighter than the one it replaced.
Not waterproof but very robust and kept in waterproof bag ready for use.https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00Z9SIXXE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...

If those are real xml t6 cree LEDs, that must be a monster of a torch. Could give over 13 000lm easily, so as they are quoting 10 000lm, they are not overheating the LEDs either, which is also good.

Is it 'monster' bright?

How long do the batteries last?

Delivery 6th Sept earliest suggests a Chinese supplier? That is neither here nor there though.
 
Sailingsaves said:
If those are real xml t6 cree LEDs, that must be a monster of a torch. Could give over 13 000lm easily, so as they are quoting 10 000lm, they are not overheating the LEDs either, which is also good.

Is it 'monster' bright?

How long do the batteries last?

Delivery 6th Sept earliest suggests a Chinese supplier? That is neither here nor there though.
Click to expand...

I don’t have any means of testing but to a non expert yes seems extremely bright. Never used long enough to stress the batteries yet, but stayed near fully charged for 9 months on boat.
Don’t recall mine taking 3 weeks to come, it supplier I used responded to my review (basically great torch rubbish instructions) and asked me to review revised instructions (still not great but better)
 
dunedin said:
I don’t have any means of testing but to a non expert yes seems extremely bright. Never used long enough to stress the batteries yet, but stayed near fully charged for 9 months on boat.
Don’t recall mine taking 3 weeks to come, it supplier I used responded to my review (basically great torch rubbish instructions) and asked me to review revised instructions (still not great but better)
Click to expand...

Well, it looks like a good buy.
 
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