Cordless or Portable Light (HELP)

W

Weasel-UT

New member
Here in Utah, we cannot use a light that is plugged into, or attached in any way to a vehicle. I have been searching for months to find a handheld light with enough power to last for more than one stand. The best thing I have come up with is a Lightforce handheld with multiple portable battery packs. Still, I'd have to have back-up batteries charging on the car-charger and several other power packs pre-charged just to get in a few stands during a night hunt. I need a light that can last through a full 20 minute stand without having to shut it off and still be bright enough to shoot by after 20 minutes of continuous running. It looks like the days of all-night hunts are over here in Utah, but I'd like to be able to get in 5 or more stands in a night. Any ideas?
 
I am sure you have already thought of this, but I will just throw it out there. If you can drive within walking distance of your stand, I would think that a motorcycle or lawnmower battery fully charged would meet your requrements. You might get a backpack with a reinforced bottom to carry it so your hands are free. We used to do that before I could drive. Just go to walmart and get an adapter and you should be set...OR

I have also used optronics nightblaster lights that run off of rechargeable 6 volt batteries, I would keep 3 or 4 batteries fully charged and be set for a few stands, I had quite a bit of the batteries for using them in my deer feeders.

Hopefully you will find something that will work for you...Good Luck!!!
 
I have thought about the motorcycle batteries and even found a place that sells high capacity batteries used in electric wheelchairs. They were pretty expensive though and I don't have much money. Ideally, I'd like to be able to use my Q-Beam as I already have an adapter to change from cigarette lighter plug to battery clips.
 
Check out some of the coon hunting lights. You have Nite-Lite corp. that deals with quite a lot of different lights. I have the Sunburst Eagle 3. From Sunburst Lights Corp. I love the light. It's light weight, around 3lbs 9oz. and comes with a rechargeable batteries which you can recharge at home or in your car. The light on the helmet is what I use to spot game with, then use the spot light when shooting. Right now I'm looking for a good scope mounted light. Everyone said that light Force is the best so that's what I'm looking at now.
 
Buy your lightforce hand held like and buy 4 more 7ah sealed lead acid batteries. each of these should last atleast 40 minutes and maybe a little longer.....if you need to lower the globe wattage down to 55 and you will definitly get the extra time you need. you could probably carry to of the batteries with you in a back pack use the first one and then switch to the second if you think its needed. you could even rig up a switch to have them both plugged in at once and when you notice the light fading a little hit the switch and go to the backup battery...when you return to your pickup simply swap the dull battery.
 
I've used one of those smaller trolling motor/riding lawnmower batteries from WalMart in the past when I hunted from a 4-wheeler in areas that weren't accessable by truck. It seemed to work fine for me and I don't recall ever running out of juice before I was ready to call it quits for the night. I just hooked it back on the charger when I got back to the house when I was done and it would be ready to go the next evening. I carried it around in a backpack and strapped it on top of the cargo area on the 4-wheeler.

Hope this helps.

Take care and God Bless,

Rusty
 
I think that'll be the best option. I found a 40 amp-hr battery for $50 on-line last night. I want to mount the battery on my tripod that my spotlight, camera and shooting rest are on.

Thanks to everybody for your help.
 
WEASEL

Just be sure to check the weight of the 40ahr battery becuase i think it is quite heavy in itself so i hope your not carrying it to far.
 
The 40 amp-hr does weigh approximately 30#, but I don't plan on carrying it more than a few feet at most. The smaller (18 amp-hr) batteries are light enough (12#) to carry in a pack for quite a distance.
 
Weasel, don't you have a rheostat on your light?
I turn mine down real low and one 7ah battery lasts 30 minutes. I just put in a fresh one for the next stand. I also have lower wattage bulbs.
The sweep lite does not need to be real bright, in fact I have my gun lite on the same battery, which I turn up to shoot. Unless I leave the gun lite on for a while, I have no problems with it not lasting a set.
 
I have a small spotlight and a Q-Beam 200,000 CP spotlight. I've wondered about putting a rheostat, wired inline on one or both of them. I mount the light on my tripod so I can scan and shoot with the same light. If the battery would last for at least five stands, I'd be fine with it. I don't know what kind of power these lights draw, but I suspect the small light is much more efficient and it is still bright enough to hunt with.
 
We have quit using handheld spotlights during the first 15-20 minutes of calling and using Optronics Night Blasters with red beams. When eyes are spotted then the coaxer comes out. When ready to take the varmint the handheld goes on. Amazing how much light the small headlamp produces. Taking many varmints with this method.
 
I use a Mini Q-beam. You know, the kind that runs on 4 "D" batteries or plugs into the car adapter. Those lights will run forever on those 4 batteries. Even in the dead of winter. All I did was take the red lens from the Brinkmann Q-beam, trace a circle around for the diameter of the mini Q-beam, cut it out and used camo duct tape to secure it to the spotlight. I can easlily spot the eyes at 100yds. It ain't pretty but it hold together and works well!!

I just got sick and tired of rechargables burining out after 20 min of use in the winter time. A buddy of mine just bought one of those 2,000,000cp camo lights with the red and amber lens from wally world. While testing it at room temp, the battery only lasted about 8 min!!! Also, I am not about to start hauling around heavy ass marine batteries for night calling. I have enough crap to carry as it is.
 
All I know is whatever you do stick with the same light. If you go chaning lights on a whim, coyotes have a chance of feeling like they are at a disco on Saturday night and will tend to just dance right on out of range.

Stick with what got em there be it call or light and just shoot em.
 
My Lightforce light and one 7 ah battery lasts all night. I reduced the wattage of my bulb (I think it's 30 watts now) and a rheostat is a MUST...Use that rheostat. I still have plenty of light when I need it...It'll still light up eyes out to 400-500 yards, maybe more. I'll call 10-20 stands in a night, staying 15-30 minutes at each stand.
 
I have a night blaster 350 on the gun. For the sweeping spotlighting I use a 4 cell mag light with the amber lens on it. If you are in wide open country 200+ yards visibility I would go with more of a spot light. But in tighter cover like what I hunt 150- a mag light is the best thing running in my book.
 
We have had exceptional luck with the portable "Jump Start" packs. Found them on sale for $29.99 by Coleman. When I first got one I charged it fully and then plugged in my 2 million cp light and left it on. After 90 minutes it was still on, but not bright enough to shoot with. They aren't exceptionally heavy and have a convenient carrying handle. Also, they are sealed so you don't have to worry about leaking batteries ruining your new camo. I carry 2 in my truck, one is plugged into the cigarette lighter charging. Here in Wyoming we can hunt from the vehicle but I use this for tracking, or when I want to hunt a spot I can't drive to. Works good for me.
 
I have found that the 12v-12AH battery with a rheostat on my NightForce light w/55 watt bulb will last about 5 stands. So that's good enough for me.

I think the battery weighs in around 8-9 lbs.
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Coyote Control
 


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