We were on vacation and went on a moonlight walk with our wives at a nearby botanical garden. It was beautiful. At least what we could see was beautiful. We needed flashlights to prevent tripping in the path as we traveled through those magnificent gardens.
At the end of the trail there was a beautiful opening in the canopy and the sky was clear and overflowing with stars. There was a place to sit and observe a gigantic waterfall. The white foam created by the rushing water glistened in the moonlight as it rushed down the mountainside.
Suddenly, a searchlight painted the falls and the mountain behind it. For a moment it was like daylight. It was unbelievable because the beam of brightness that seemed to illuminate the entire landscape was no more than a portable flashlight.
We had encountered a new breed of portable lighting – a 1 million candlepower rechargeable portable flashlight; no, not flashlight – it was a lantern. Well, maybe it was a flashlight. In any event, it looked like a flashlight, but it was large like a lantern – and heavy, too.
It had a pistol grip and a trigger. Like an electric driver drill. The business end of the device was about the size of one of those 6-volt flashlights with the handle on top. But the amount of light emanated didn’t compare at all to that kind of flashlight.
The fellow carrying the light told us that he had paid about $30 for his 1 million candlepower flashlight. We later searched the Internet and found them ranging in price from $19 to $70.
He said that there was a downside. The light was too bright to be used as a regular flashlight. When used for finding stuff in the workshop, the light was so bright it washed everything out. He told us it actually hurt his eyes to use the light under those conditions. But, he said, in the darkness of night and for great distances the light was perfect.
These puppies are pretty heavy too. They weigh in at two-and-a-half pounds or more, depending on brand and intensity. A typical flashlight only weighs a few ounces. Oh, and make sure you get one with a lock-in trigger. Holding a trigger for several minutes at a time could be a pain in the finger.
We also discovered that rechargeable flashlights (spotlights and lanterns), ranging in size from 1 million to 10 million candlepower, are now available at hardware stores, sport shops and home centers everywhere. The bigger and fancier units have multiple brightness settings.
Also, we have since discovered that these lights don’t last very long between long charges – about 12 to 20 minutes per charge, with the charge taking several hours. They all seem to come with their own charger and most include a cigarette lighter adapter (for use with your favorite car, truck, boat or RV).
We bought a 2 million candlepower light for ourselves. We only wanted a million, but they were all sold out.
We found out that the device is most commonly referred to as a spotlight. We discovered that halogen bulbs are used with highly polished reflectors. If you want to search them out for yourself on the Web, try typing “million candlepower portable light” or “million candlepower spotlight” into your favorite search engine.
The lights will be great for anyone who loves unique tools or the outdoors. It is an amazing way of seeing things at night that you could not ever see before. Like the nearby mountaintop.
And, that’s all there is to it.
For more home improvement tips and information visit James and Morris Carey’s Web site at www.onthehouse.com or call 800-737-2474 between 6 and 10 a.m. every Saturday.
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