Spotlight recommendations?

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nekvermont

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vermont
Hi, we have a driveway alarm at our house and when the alarm goes off at night, I like to look to make sure it isn't a 2 legged critter coming up the driveway. I'm in need of a new spotlight that is bright, will reach out to 125 yards or so and has some quality to it.

I know there are some folks here that are very knowledgeable when it comes to flashlights and thought I might get some good info about picking out a decent spotlight.

A while back Pat-inCO wrote very favorably about the ThruNite Catapult V6 SST70 rechargeable flashlight, it is well within my price range and one of my considerations. I like the idea of being able to change the battery.

Another one I'm considering is the Streamlight Waypoint 44911 rechargeable spotlight. I'd rather not spend anymore than this one ($114). I really like this one but I'm not sure I like the idea of not being able to change the battery.

Any help choosing one of these or recommending another one would be gratefully appreciated.
 
A couple weeks ago, I bought an: OLIGHT Seeker 3 Pro 4200 Lumens flashlight from Amazon. It’s rechargeable and has good reviews.

It’s very bright. I like the switch. It’s a rotating dial, so you can increase or decrease the brightness.

It isn’t very big, and gets really warm fast. Especially if you have it on the high brightness level.
 
It's not what you're asking ( hey it's the internet ) but what I've done is use the driveway alarm to trip a timed relay controlling some 120v ac floodlights to come on and light up the area. Basically motion detector lighting but using drive sensor to trigger. If you want security and are not worried about upsetting neighbors with the lights, it'll make anybody wandering in think twice. I've got two 300 watt halogen spots aimed right at what would be the front windshield of a car where it trips the alarm. You can also get sneaky and delay the lights a bit so it's not known where the trigger point is. Don't really need to blind somebody just turning around in your drive, so my sensor leaves room for that.
 
^^ Yes, $450 is way more than what I want to spend. Pat, I read your webpage before I posted my original post, very interesting. You mentioned the ThruNite Catapult and thought it was "really nice" and in one of your posts a while ago you stated "My favorite, long throw, high output flash is the ThruNite Catapult V6." Does this still hold true?

Have you seen the Streamlight Waypoint 44911 rechargeable spotlight? Any thoughts? I need help. ;)
Thanks
 
nekvermont said:
"My favorite, long throw, high output flash is the ThruNite Catapult V6." Does this still hold true?
Click to expand...
Yes, it does. The last time I had a 'yote try to serenade me was last night. I quietly opened
the door, got a location on him, and turned it on. Just like a switch, instant quiet. They do
not like having that much light on them. Add to that, the range is way over a quarter mile,
things are a lot quieter now then they were when I moved in. - - - I just like that. ZERO
nastiness to them, no noise for the neighbors to complain about, and reasonably
inexpensive.

As to the Waypoint 44911, to me, that is more expensive than I like AND way larger then
I find convenient (YMMV). :)

I did find another ThruNite that is quite nice and QUITE small. It is the Catapult Mini. It is
about half the size of the V6 but still has substantial throw.

Watch out now, you are about to be bitten by the bug! :giggle:
 
Pat-inCO said:
Yes, it does. The last time I had a 'yote try to serenade me was last night. I quietly opened
the door, got a location on him, and turned it on. Just like a switch, instant quiet. They do
not like having that much light on them. Add to that, the range is way over a quarter mile,
things are a lot quieter now then they were when I moved in. - - - I just like that. ZERO
nastiness to them, no noise for the neighbors to complain about, and reasonably
inexpensive.

As to the Waypoint 44911, to me, that is more expensive than I like AND way larger then
I find convenient (YMMV). :)

I did find another ThruNite that is quite nice and QUITE small. It is the Catapult Mini. It is
about half the size of the V6 but still has substantial throw.

Watch out now, you are about to be bitten by the bug! :giggle:
Click to expand...
Thank you very much. I'll let you know what happens.
 
Hi, I ordered a ThruNite Catapult V6 light along with a couple of things for my wife from Amazon on 4/18 and had them at my door on 4/21. The Catapult V6 cost me $67.49 with a coupon code and free shipping.

I think I'm really going to like this little light. My last light was about half the size of a VW Bug and bright, but this little light outshines it and I know it will have better battery life. The only thing that's giving me a little trouble is finding the switch in the dark, it sits so flush that it's difficult to feel with my thumb.

I'm looking forward to trying it out again tonight. :)

Pat, Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.
 
nekvermont said:
I'm looking forward to trying it out again tonight. :)
Click to expand...
I'll bet you will figure out the switch placement very quickly, or you could use a little
bit of glue on either side of it to hold a tiny bit of tooth pick. - - - I agree that without
those it takes a bit to find the switch. - - - I'll bet the first time you "need" the light,
you will be favorably impressed.

I have two of them because I know that it will run down just when you need it. (roll eyes)
In point of fact I charge mine (I rotate between them, charging the one last used) about
every three months.

My neighbor was over a while back and I showed it (one) to him. He asked if that was
what I used to light up the mountain (they call it a mountain here, it would be a large
hill in CO) at night when the 'yotes come by. I said yes and I think he also got one.

(y)
 
Got a text from my SIL a little bit ago. He had some idiots drive slowly by, turn around
and come back and park on the far side of his street. SIL turned on the high o/p lights
he has mounted on the house, but they were not bright enough to show details on what
the clowns were doing. - - - Text message said (about) send me the link to the burn out
your retina flash lights you use (Catapult V6). I came in here, looked it up and sent it.
Went back into the living room and texted him back, saying the link was in his E-mail.
Got a quick reply . . Nope, it's on order, should be in tomorrow. - - - He also found a
hand held night vision unit for half off. That is also on order. If it is any good, I'll post
details here, once I have one myself. ;)
 
I have one of these Browning Hi-noon spotlights 1000 Lumen. runs off of 4 C batteries and being LED technology, the batteries last a ling time.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/browning-high-noon-handheld-led-spotlight
we live out in the middle of no where and use this light multiple times every evening when we let the dogs out. we have so many coyotes in the area that we need to make sure and be able to see the little terrier to make sure she doesn't get into trouble and become a morsel
 
I'm loving this little Catapult V6, I can't believe how much light comes out of such a small package. During daylight the furthest I can see down my driveway [before the curve] is a metal guardrail measured at 145 yards. Lights it right up, I bet I could easily see a racoon cross the driveway at that distance. The field in front of our house is at least 250 yards to the tree line, I'm convinced I would be able to see a deer, maybe a coyote at that distance. :)
 
Son-In-Law got his yesterday. Put it on the charger and after a half hour it was still blinking.
I asked him if he had tightened the barrel of the light. His reply was "WHAT?" - - - For any
that are thinking about the V6, the instructions tell you to tighten both end caps before
charging. He had missed that and it was not charging until he did.

P.S. The current V6 has a full third MORE output than the two I have. No appreciable
diffeerence in throw (700 yards) but more light (for about $10 more).
 
Pat-inCO said:
He also found a
hand held night vision unit for half off. That is also on order. If it is any good, I'll post
details here, once I have one myself.
Click to expand...
Got the hand held night vision unit in yesterday. Woke up about 3am today and
decided to try it out. First thing I did was read the instructions because I have
never used/held a night vision unit. - - - Proved worth while. There are a few
little "gotchas" if you don't (one was to pre format the 32G micro SD card they
provide). Second one is the batteries. DO NOT try to use rechargable batt's.
Standard alkaline ones are what you want (ALL SIX of them).

One nice thing I found is they have a screw-in type tri-pod mount. That makes
it a LOT easier to get things going with. It's at:
- - https- - ://www.amazon.com/- - dp/B0983CKKGQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Pardon the extra dashes - - - The DING DANG FORUM SOFTWARE will not
let me post the full link in usable form (converts it to "media").
This is NOT a military grade unit. But for $160 delivered, what can you expect?

Set up out my back door and in near total darkness, and without messing with the IR
settings, you can easily see the entire back of my property (about 100 yards) and
I'll bet that by the time I figure out the nuances, it will go to full specs (twice that). ;-)

This is a new toy that may end up just being a toy, but it looks like it will be fun.

P.S. The micro SD is there to allow you to take pictures, either single frame, or record video.
P.P.S. It also works during the day and the image is in color rather than the b/w on night vision.
 
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