When it comes to portable Handlamps, there are a few features that really sort out the best from the rest. All sorts of claims can be made about candlepower and battery life, but these can be meaningless when the overall features of a lamp are assessed.
Torches and Handlamps – What’s the difference?
Firstly, there are two broad categories of Lamps. The first are more commonly known as torches and are familiar to us all. These generally produce a narrow pencil beam suitable for close range illumination. Some of the larger varieties produce a more diffuse beam but again, the illuminated area is at most a few metres. Typically these low power torches are powered with ordinary, very cheap zinc/carbon batteries or the more expensive but longer lasting alkaline batteries. Rechargeable Ni Cad batteries can be substituted for either of these types and offer cost savings in the long term. But beware, some Ni Cads have very little staying power between charges and all Ni Cads suffer from the ‘memory effect’. That is, they have to be fully discharged before recharging takes place. If you try to ‘top up’ charge Ni Cads they will store less and less charge each time around until they become useless. As a general rule of thumb, if you buy Ni Cads then the better ones feel heavier and more solid (at least as comparable in weight to their alkaline equivalents). You should also invest in a charger that includes a ‘conditioning’ feature since this will ensure the batteries are discharged before recharging takes place. Note – Don’t try to discharge a Ni Cad by shorting out the contacts, this is very dangerous and will almost certainly damage the battery.
These common, everyday torches are perfect for map reading or finding a fuse box in the middle of the night. However, they are simply not powerful or long lasting enough for serious outdoor work.
The second category then, is the much more powerful type of Handlamp as used by Emergency services and outdoor enthusiasts ‘in the know’. These lamps typically range from Five Hundred Thousand to One Million Candlepower and can provide illumination over distances up to 1 mile! These are serious bits of kit, ideal for outdoor activities and even home emergencies where a powerful, penetrating beam is called for. By comparison, these lamps are rather like holding a car headlamp in your hand on full beam, but generally the reflector is designed to give a much more focussed beam of light over longer distances.
Again, there are a few features that you should look for when buying these professional Handlamps
Light output
Typically quoted in Candlepower this is the amount of light the fully charged lamp can emit. Beware though, power is nothing without control so a powerful lamp must also have a precision designed parabolic reflector to ensure that the beam stays focussed where you want it rather than lighting up the whole horizon. Only well-focussed beams will penetrate over long distances or provide brilliant ‘spot’ illumination, making efficient use of the light power available. Light output at these levels also requires a Halogen bulb just as your car headlights do. Only Halogen bulbs give a sufficiently long working life at such high powers. Even these bulbs do not last forever so check that that spares are available (not just from the lamp supplier) and replacement is straightforward.
Power Pack
Lesser lamps may use Ni Cad power packs for powering the lamp. Ni Cads however, on a size and weight basis cannot match the sustained output of sealed, lead/acid batteries. Lead/Acid technology is used in car batteries and is proven and durable. Most importantly Lead/Acid batteries can be ‘top up’ charged without deteriation. This means you can keep the lamp fully charged even after periods of short use, so ensuring that the lamp will stay bright for as long as possible when you really need it. Look out for the battery’s capacity too. This is often quoted in Amp/Hours or AH. Although a bigger AH number means your lamp will stay on for longer, the penalty is weight. Big AH Lead/Acid batteries are simply too heavy for long periods of use when hand held. As a general rule, a 4.0 to 4.5 AH battery used with a 6V 55W halogen bulb will give a good balance between comfort and duration. Any bigger and you will need a shoulder strap to carry and use the lamp so its portability and ease of use suffers.
Whatever power pack you have, it needs to be readily rechargeable when flat. Make sure that your lamp comes with both a mains charger and a vehicle charger for maximum flexibility. Read the instructions carefully though since it is possible to damage a battery by leaving it on a charger for too long.
Grip and comfort
Even with a good bulb/battery combination a Handlamp will still be around 1.5Kg in weight. This means the lamp should be balanced such that it does not try to tip either backwards or forwards when held. A poorly balanced lamp will be uncomfortable to hold for long periods. Pistol Grip lamps are very comfortable and offer great flexibility, especially if they incorporate a trigger type on/off switch. However, the grip should be ergonomically designed to take account of the ‘offset’ in the palm and fingers when the beam is held horizontal. An Ergonomic design will keep the wrist straight in its natural position when the torch beam is directed parallel to the forearm. This allows the beam to be panned using the elbow and forearm without unduly fatiguing the weaker wrist.
Trigger switches should be lockable so that a constant pressure is not required to keep the lamp on. Beware though, don’t obstruct the lamp face or lie it face down when switched on because the powerful beam can easily ignite objects placed against it.
Durability
To cope with the high power the clear face of the Handlamp will be made of special glass. This will be toughened to sustain some knocks and bangs but dropping it face down onto a hard rock will almost certainly break it. Equally the case itself is best made of impact resistant plastic for its light weight and corrosion resistance. Be very sceptical of claims that lamps are unbreakable. Don’t overestimate how tough it is and finish up disappointed because it didn’t bounce up undamaged when you dropped it onto concrete! Impact resistant does not mean bomb proof.
Safety First
These Handlamps are extremely powerful. Despite the temptation you should never look directly into the beam at close range, nor shine it into the eyes of others.
As already mentioned, obscuring the glass face or leaving it face down when switched on can cause fires!
Finally, take care with the battery pack if you remove it to replace it at the end of its useful life (which should be several years). Never allow the terminals to be shorted or connected to anything else. This could cause an explosion or fire with molten metal and acid flying around!!
Summary
As you can see, there’s more than meets the eye when choosing and using powerful Handlamps. We hope the advice above will help inform your decision if you decide to treat yourself to one. As ever, Difflock has researched several Handlamps currently on the market and selected one that gave the best overall performance. Here’s a brief specification you can use to compare it with others:
- 1 Million Candlepower with a range of up to 1 mile
- Precision parabolic reflector gives powerful beam
- H3 6V 55W Halogen bulb
- Heavy duty, sealed for life Lead/Acid Power pack
- Supplied with Mains and Vehicle charger
- Ergonomic, non slip, pistol grip handle
- Locking trigger
- Balanced weight distribution to reduce fatigue
- Tough, corrosion free, moulded case
- Suspension eye
SAFETY WARNING – This Handlamp is extremely powerful
- DO NOT look directly into the beam at close range
- DO NOT obstruct the lens, the beam may ignite objects placed across the lens
