Red Spotlight Filters

[Nackers]

Hey guys,

I am going to get a PowaBeam window remote mount/bracket next week and I am tossing up whether to get a Lightforce 240 Blitz or a PowaBeam PL245. the spotlight will be used for rabbits and foxes. My Dad has an early PowaBeam 175mm handheld model (from the 60's!) and throws out an awesome light but it is too old to be used on the remote handle so the PL245 should be awesome.

The only doubt I have is about the Red Filters that we would use for foxes. It seems that PowaBeam don't make Red filters for their spotlights so I would either have to get the 240 Blitz or modify the 240mm lightforce filter to fit the 245mm PowaBeam Spotlight. What would be the better option? Is the 240 Lightforce with the Red Filter still good enough to spot foxes or does it drain too much light? Or does the 240mm Lightforce filter fit the 245mm PowaBeam?

Thanks again, Shadow.

[Gigitt]

I have LF170 with Red Filter and can spot foxes 300m away... distinguishing their eyes not body shape - and this is while sheep are in the vicinity. LF240 will only do better.

Get used to to shooting with the red filter. You do loose a lot of light output, but the foxes are not as spooked by it. Try to keep the fox out of direct red light if you are trying to call them in or watching them - sometimes the brightness can balk them

I don't think a LF240 Red filter will fit the PB240 as the filter will not sit nicely flush against the light rim - also the tabs that hold the LF filter will certainly not fit the PB as the reflector is different.

[Nackers]

I have LF170 with Red Filter and can spot foxes 300m away... distinguishing their eyes not body shape - and this is while sheep are in the vicinity. LF240 will only do better.

Get used to to shooting with the red filter. You do loose a lot of light output, but the foxes are not as spooked by it. Try to keep the fox out of direct red light if you are trying to call them in or watching them - sometimes the brightness can balk them

I don't think a LF240 Red filter will fit the PB240 as the filter will not sit nicely flush against the light rim - also the tabs that hold the LF filter will certainly not fit the PB as the reflector is different.

Thanks for the reply.

It looks like I will be getting the Lightforce 240 and a red filter.

Is it still possible to spot rabbits with the red filter on? or is there not enough light output?

[epitome]

I have an SL170 and a red filter and used it a few weeks ago to spot light bunnies on a mates farm. It worked just fine, although we were shooting subs and the range was only up to a max of 60-70m.

[Gigitt]

Red filter is really good on bunnies - they just sit there much longer or take 1-2 steps then sit back up and go splat!... LF240 is a bit over kill on rabbits when most are shot <100m even LF170 with red filter can be bright at that distance... that is where the LF140 with red filter comes in.

[Nackers]

I have an SL170 and a red filter and used it a few weeks ago to spot light bunnies on a mates farm. It worked just fine, although we were shooting subs and the range was only up to a max of 60-70m.

I only use subs, so that light output would be good enough.

Red filter is really good on bunnies - they just sit there much longer or take 1-2 steps then sit back up and go splat!... LF240 is a bit over kill on rabbits when most are shot <100m even LF170 with red filter can be bright at that distance... that is where the LF140 with red filter comes in.

Do you think the LF240 with red filter is still overkill for rabbits or would I be best off getting the 170mm with red filter?

Cheers

[Jase]

You could just make yourself a variable voltage control. That will give you the ability to wind it down so it's not so bright for close range, but enough grunt to get out there. I have a lightforce 240 cover, 3 in fact. I've drilled holes in the bits that clip over the lights, and run elastic between one side and the other. THis gives me 3 bits of elastic that I just strap over the back of my powabeam. I'm using the pro-9. No light spills outside the filter, and if you manage to hit the light with something the filter is going to give you some flex and protection. The Glass for the powabeams is about 30 bucks.

I can take some photos if you are interested. They are really easy to get on and off, and because they have such a diverse range of colours, its just perfect. I have mine on a lightforce arm BTW. The Support-A-Light window support and a lightforce handle. Works awesome. My only critisism of the lightforce handle is that it's a bit fiddly to make sure that its tight enough not to move off target when you let it go, and loos enough that you don't have to have tank size arms to move it.

Jase

[Nackers]

You could just make yourself a variable voltage control. That will give you the ability to wind it down so it's not so bright for close range, but enough grunt to get out there. I have a lightforce 240 cover, 3 in fact. I've drilled holes in the bits that clip over the lights, and run elastic between one side and the other. THis gives me 3 bits of elastic that I just strap over the back of my powabeam. I'm using the pro-9. No light spills outside the filter, and if you manage to hit the light with something the filter is going to give you some flex and protection. The Glass for the powabeams is about 30 bucks.

I can take some photos if you are interested. They are really easy to get on and off, and because they have such a diverse range of colours, its just perfect. I have mine on a lightforce arm BTW. The Support-A-Light window support and a lightforce handle. Works awesome. My only critisism of the lightforce handle is that it's a bit fiddly to make sure that its tight enough not to move off target when you let it go, and loos enough that you don't have to have tank size arms to move it.

Jase

Thanks for the info Jase.

I am going to ask a few questions at the LGS this week before I buy and see what they can recommend.

EDIT: If its not too much trouble a couple of photos would be great. Cheers.

Edited January 16, 2011 by ShadowAssassin

[Jase]

Ok, These are phone photos so I hope they are ok. If you have any questions, just pm me.

http://www.jasenolan.au.com/spotlight/

Just click all the photos in there and see

I also have an Amber and Green filter, same config.

Cheers,

Jase

[epitome]

Something else you can do, although I haven't tried it yet, is to adjust the focus of a Lightforce spot light to a wider beam, rather than a tight spot beam. That should help too and give a wider beam to search with.

One thing I don't like about the red filters is how much light they take away. I had the idea of drilling 2 or 3 1" holes in the filter to let a bit extra light out. But don't want to ruin the filter doing it if it isn't going to work. Anyone else tried this and what was the result??

[Nackers]

Something else you can do, although I haven't tried it yet, is to adjust the focus of a Lightforce spot light to a wider beam, rather than a tight spot beam. That should help too and give a wider beam to search with.

One thing I don't like about the red filters is how much light they take away. I had the idea of drilling 2 or 3 1" holes in the filter to let a bit extra light out. But don't want to ruin the filter doing it if it isn't going to work. Anyone else tried this and what was the result??

Adjusting the focus I am sure would work, especially with the filter on.

I know what you mean, those filters aren't cheap

[Nackers]

Ok, These are phone photos so I hope they are ok. If you have any questions, just pm me.

http://www.jasenolan.au.com/spotlight/

Just click all the photos in there and see

I also have an Amber and Green filter, same config.

Cheers,

Jase

That's an awesome idea and doesn't look too hard to do either. Thanks for the photos. The Red Filter isn't an issue now (now I know I can modify it) all I have to do is decide on a light. Cheers.

[Jase]

My recomendation is definately the powabeam pro9. There is a HID version available, but keep in mind the temperature difference (colour tmep diff). HID is a much whiter light. I know that I'd prefer to shoot under my halogen, than under the white LED torches I have. Don't get me wrong, that nice white light is great, but the yellow halogen seems to much more natural to me. Something I've always wondered is how differently eyes show up in the higher temp colours, 5000k-5500k.

At any rate, the powabeam is a great light. Wells worth the extra dollars over a lightforce in my opinion.

Jase

[Nackers]

At the moment I am tossing up between:

http://www.lightforce.net.au/products/portable-systems/rm-remotemountedspotlights - 240 Blitz Lightforce

and

http://www.powabeam.com.au/products/PL245-With-Bracket.html - PL245 PowaBeam

The PowaBeam is slightly more expensive, but I have used the handheld 140mm Lightforce while spotlighting for bunnies and it puts out plenty of light.

[Jase]

Guess it comes down to what you need in a light. The blitz is still a damned good light. It will be slightly lighter because of its polycarbonate construction, and I believe they us a lexan lense. There are videos on youtube of them being shotgun proof (test at your own risk )

I've got a night stalker kit, the 140mm thats rifle mounted, and while I think its a great light, I think the powabeam does a little better than its big brother. Something to consider, I've been advised (not by a salesman) that most pro shooter use powabeam. If you have ever seen pig trucks or hunting trucks, a lot of them use powabeam roof mounted lights. And Ijust found that powabeam are selling their own branded dimmer now. Bonus.

Comes down to use I guess. The powabeam is also bigger in depth that the LF. Either way you go, you are gunna get out there the first time you use it and go "holy crap" thats a lot of light.

As for distance, I get a good 150 meters out of my 140 lightforce on a gelcell battery, I rekon 300m or more of useable light from the PB.

One suggestion I will make though, don't use a lighter socket to power them. Get some nice fat cable, make your own look. 6mm2 is about good. I got 30% more light using the 6mm2 cable and going straight to the battery, than I was getting from a lighter socket setup. So make sure you do your light justice and give it lots of room for current.

Jase

[Nackers]

Guess it comes down to what you need in a light. The blitz is still a damned good light. It will be slightly lighter because of its polycarbonate construction, and I believe they us a lexan lense. There are videos on youtube of them being shotgun proof (test at your own risk )

I've got a night stalker kit, the 140mm thats rifle mounted, and while I think its a great light, I think the powabeam does a little better than its big brother. Something to consider, I've been advised (not by a salesman) that most pro shooter use powabeam. If you have ever seen pig trucks or hunting trucks, a lot of them use powabeam roof mounted lights. And Ijust found that powabeam are selling their own branded dimmer now. Bonus.

Comes down to use I guess. The powabeam is also bigger in depth that the LF. Either way you go, you are gunna get out there the first time you use it and go "holy crap" thats a lot of light.

As for distance, I get a good 150 meters out of my 140 lightforce on a gelcell battery, I rekon 300m or more of useable light from the PB.

One suggestion I will make though, don't use a lighter socket to power them. Get some nice fat cable, make your own look. 6mm2 is about good. I got 30% more light using the 6mm2 cable and going straight to the battery, than I was getting from a lighter socket setup. So make sure you do your light justice and give it lots of room for current.

Jase

I was going to get the Alligator clips model anyway because I have heard stories of the cig sockets being damaged or destroyed from being under too much strain. The Hilux has dual batteries anyway so connecting it to the 2nd battery is what I would do.

Do you have any idea on the quality of the cable that is supplied with the 240 Blitz? Is it hard to change the cable?

Thanks for all the help, Shadow

[Gigitt]

Another good reason that Pro Pig and Roo shooters user Powerbeam lights is that can take a heap more abuse from 4WD'ing through bush and scrub... Low branches have a tendancy to knock lights from roofs.

Another reason is security... LF reflectors screw off in 2 seconds (it is part of the focusing system)... easy for young yahoo kids to steal it.

[Jase]

Good point Gigitt.

Shadow, the wiring is simple to change. Just cut it, and use crimp on connectors from jaycar. You can see I've used bullet connectors, I would suggest using spade type connectors instead. Jaycar has black split loom for 10 bucks for 3 meters or so. Cable is less than 2 bucks a meter. The powabeam comes without connectors on the light itself (from memory) and you just wire them up. Not a hard thing to do and well worth it. A note with mine, you might notice they are different lengths, the cables from the light. Thats on purpose. The loom it plugs into has different lengths that the light plugs into. In the middle of the night, when the cable pulls out because of a tree or something stupid, the different lengths mean I can't plug the positive into the negative lead. Different plug/sockets ont he positive and negative would give you the same results. And while I am at it giving suggestions and things to think about.... A piece of carboard over the aligator clips when they are on the battery, will make sure they don't eart on your bonnet.

Jase

[Nackers]

Good point Gigitt.

Shadow, the wiring is simple to change. Just cut it, and use crimp on connectors from jaycar. You can see I've used bullet connectors, I would suggest using spade type connectors instead. Jaycar has black split loom for 10 bucks for 3 meters or so. Cable is less than 2 bucks a meter. The powabeam comes without connectors on the light itself (from memory) and you just wire them up. Not a hard thing to do and well worth it. A note with mine, you might notice they are different lengths, the cables from the light. Thats on purpose. The loom it plugs into has different lengths that the light plugs into. In the middle of the night, when the cable pulls out because of a tree or something stupid, the different lengths mean I can't plug the positive into the negative lead. Different plug/sockets ont he positive and negative would give you the same results. And while I am at it giving suggestions and things to think about.... A piece of carboard over the aligator clips when they are on the battery, will make sure they don't eart on your bonnet.

Jase

Thanks that sounds easy enough. We already use cardboard under the bonnet just to make sure

I think I might get the 240mm Lightforce as it is just for bunnies and foxes I don't need the extra's that have been mentioned (the added strength and uber light power). I can also use the handheld Lightforce model on a Remote handle giving me more freedom if we go walk-about or if are spotting from the tray of the ute.

Edited January 17, 2011 by ShadowAssassin

[wazza-hg]

i have the 240 blitz and use it on fox's rabbits and when my mate comes out in my ute we use it on roo's as he shoots them for a living.as for fox's i've spoted around 30 with it and thay are not that sppoked with it compared with my oldmans 170 with a red filter.and as for rabbits i have had no problem with it if thay run i just flicker the light and thay sit again and pop down thay go i'll be getting some filters just so i can have them on hand if the fox's are spooked easly.go the lf240 blitz i can get around the 350mtr mark with it on a clear night.