My best torch

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Mar 2005
Messages
12,954
Location
Buckingham
www.keepturningleft.co.uk
My torch fetish goes from strength to strength

occasionally people take it upon themselves to feed my passion by sending mysterious parcels

a well respected forumite converts torches to supercharge them with a very bright bulb that runs on AA's

bloomin brilliant



www.newboatgear.co.uk
 
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dylanwinter said:
My torch fetish goes from strength to strength

occasionally people take it upon themselves to feed my passion by sending mysterious parcels

a well respected forumite converts torches to supercharge them with a very bright bulb that runs on AA's

bloomin brilliant

Click to expand...

So I am not the only one!

First Mate says I have a severe case of Torch Fetish itus..................................
 
Disappointed, expected something like this from you:

b457f2_89a0b3b0eacd34811357bbd344b59562.jpg_256
 
ACHTUNG: THREAD DRIFT

Not quite torches but near enough. When cars started to be fitted with reversing lights way back in the late middle of the last century they came on when you engaged reverse gear and you could see where you were going in reverse. That may be why they were given the catchy name of reversing lights. But nowadays they are much dimmer and all they do is to indicate to other drivers that you are reversing. Why is this thus? What would happen if one could find and fit higher wattage bulbs?
 
LadyInBed said:
Now I have discovered CREE torches I don't bother with any other sort.
ULTRAFIRE C8 1300 LUMEN
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ULTRAFIRE-W...im_diy_13?ie=UTF8&refRID=1T11DVYWCRCVDH0W5K23
Click to expand...

I have one of those. Horses for courses.

You need a special battery and charger for the one you link to (and i have found the batteries do not last long even though the Chinese state they are 4000mAh _ Hah!)

(Mine uses 4 AA cells _ alkaline or rechargeable) or it takes C sized cells too.

Mine uses the better U3 cree instead of U2 Cree. Mine has more heat sinks so torch does not get hot and therefore my LED should not fail owing to overheating (haven't had the cheap chinese one long enough to see if the LED fails with time owing to overheating).

I have tweaked mine to make it a lot brighter than the one you show.

Mine lasts a lot longer too.

The cheap one is good for short periods. I have it by my front door.

Mine is good for its intended purpose as a light, pistol grip spot light to REALLY see a lot at night, easy to hold, easy to find, not roll under a cushion and not heavy.

Polycarbonate lens too, (they use polycarbonate in bullet proof windows). I believe my torch is better than the Clu-Briter in many ways and that costs £52 +vat.

I design stuff to attempt to last forever (aim for perfection and achieve something close). I don't make large profit margins though. It is really just a hobby. I hark back to the days when my Grandfather told me they used to mend alternators (generators), rewind the wires etc. Nowadays some mechanics simply bin an alternator and fit a new one. If that doesn't fix the problem, they'll fit another part and see if that fixes the car. (Bit of a generalisation _ my local mechanic is top notch and would not do that).

I have fixed my washing machine 3 times (a 7pence resistor). When under warranty it was fixed and the chap replaced the whole circuit board whilst pointing out the burnt out resistor (he told me it would have cost me £150 if it wasn't still under warranty). The failures after warranty were the 7pence repair jobs by me. Very chuffed I was.

Mother-in-law was about to throw her lawnmower away when I pointed out that it was just a drive belt that had gone. Fixed within a day for a fiver_she would have bought a new mower otherwise.

I give lifetime warranty on anything I make.

But it is my inventions that I really want to concentrate upon and the upcoming Gadget Show at NEC will hopefully net me some partners / contacts. That is where I really am a numpty and prime example of "it is not what you know but who you know". It was a recent contact that put me in touch with the contest to win a free stand.

Then I can buy a little cruiser again maybe and be able to afford beer again and such luxuries. Being made redundant could be the best thing that happened to me...maybe. I don't want to be rich _ just comfortable and do it via honest hard work _ I like using my hands and being practical.
 
richardabeattie said:
ACHTUNG: THREAD DRIFT

Not quite torches but near enough. When cars started to be fitted with reversing lights way back in the late middle of the last century they came on when you engaged reverse gear and you could see where you were going in reverse. That may be why they were given the catchy name of reversing lights. But nowadays they are much dimmer and all they do is to indicate to other drivers that you are reversing. Why is this thus? What would happen if one could find and fit higher wattage bulbs?
Click to expand...

Good point.
I have fitted a 3 foot strip of LEDs across my rear bumper wired in parallel to the reversing light because I could see diddly squat with the single glow worm reversing bulb in my old banger.

These companies just try to save money everywhere. I blame Tesco.

Just wait until I post my article about old well designed life jackets vs new £300 ones. The old ones I have examined so far are better and have more features and therefore benefits to the user than the new ones.
 
Oh how I would love one of those. You didn't happen to forget it and leave it on the boat did you...........he says in hope. In failing that I cant see them on the website. Where are they, point me in the right direction and I can get ordering....
 
BarryH said:
Oh how I would love one of those. You didn't happen to forget it and leave it on the boat did you...........he says in hope. In failing that I cant see them on the website. Where are they, point me in the right direction and I can get ordering....
Click to expand...

hopefully gus will see your plea

it is a prototype - very well made as he took the guts out of an existing torch

this evening I will do a longevity test on the batts

it is amazing how much light he gets out of four AA'a

no idea what he does

it feels very robust

has just the right size beam for spotting lobster pots

and since my last lovely round torth rolled off the pontoon and into the briny I am now much in favour of the pistol grip jobbies

incidentally Barry's leisure had at least six led torches hanging around - and those were just the visible ones

I need to invent a syndrome

D

 
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richardabeattie said:
ACHTUNG: THREAD DRIFT

Not quite torches but near enough. When cars started to be fitted with reversing lights way back in the late middle of the last century they came on when you engaged reverse gear and you could see where you were going in reverse. That may be why they were given the catchy name of reversing lights. But nowadays they are much dimmer and all they do is to indicate to other drivers that you are reversing. Why is this thus? What would happen if one could find and fit higher wattage bulbs?
Click to expand...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/cree-led-car

My reversing lights are the same wattage as reversing lights have always been (25w) but a good pair of 100w bulbs are what is really needed. I put it down to macular degeneration :0)
 
Sailingsaves said:
I have one of those. Horses for courses.

You need a special battery and charger for the one you link to (and i have found the batteries do not last long even though the Chinese state they are 4000mAh _ Hah!)

(Mine uses 4 AA cells _ alkaline or rechargeable) or it takes C sized cells too.

Mine uses the better U3 cree instead of U2 Cree. Mine has more heat sinks so torch does not get hot and therefore my LED should not fail owing to overheating (haven't had the cheap chinese one long enough to see if the LED fails with time owing to overheating).

I have tweaked mine to make it a lot brighter than the one you show.

Mine lasts a lot longer too.

.
Click to expand...

Any "blurb", prices etc? Sounds like something I could do with.
Any info would be appreciated. Ta

RW
 
lithium ion type 18650. i have lots of them out of a tired laptop battery and a tired Dyson cleaner battery,still give useful life in the torch. Cells and chargers easy to get and cheap on ebay anyway.

Robert Wilson said:
Just looked at it, looks impressive. BUT battery "not supplied" !! What sort of batteries does it take - special ones or plain rechargeable U2.
Easy to find special one, if needed?
Click to expand...
 
Troubadour said:
lithium ion type 18650. i have lots of them out of a tired laptop battery and a tired Dyson cleaner battery,still give useful life in the torch. Cells and chargers easy to get and cheap on ebay anyway.
Click to expand...

I am not very good with rechargeable torches

everything on my boats is AA batteries

keeps life simple

that is why I like the Gus torch so much
 
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What would happen if one could find and fit higher wattage bulbs?[/QUOTE said:
I fitted LED reversing light bulbs to my Post Van (tell no-one, there must be a regulation forbidding it) Lots of LEDs, similar wattage, loads more light. No more crumpled rear ends or ducks squashed in farmyards etc - result!
Click to expand...
 
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