Need help with spotlight selection

[sbbamafan]

I had an old (probably from the 80's) Qbeam that was noted as 1M candlepower. Long story short - I need a new light. Today I found a light at ****'s Sproting Goods that was 1M candlepower. It was not nearly as bright as my old Qbeam. I returned it. I now see that many lights are rated in lumens, not candlepower. Have candlepower ratings changed sort of like horsepower (SAE vs BHP)? I have found a Coleman rechargeable that looks good, about the same size as my old Qbeam that claims to be 250 lumens. From what I can find on the internet, there are about 12 candlepower in a lumen. CONFUSION!! Bottom line - can somebody make a recommendation for a low cost but decent hand-held spot light?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Need help with spotlight selection

Wallyworld carries a super small hand held Stanley HID which is great. I recommend it

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Need help with spotlight selection

Why not just get another Q-beam by Brinkman? Optronics makes a 2m candle power for around $20, depending.

 

[mrdancer]

Re: Need help with spotlight selection

Lumens are a better rating for output (less room for the mfrs./marketers to get creative in their specs). Light bulb mfrs. are now being regulated to put lumen ratings on light bulbs so that in the near future you can compare actual output of the newer LED and CFL bulbs accurately with the standard incandescent bulbs.

I'd avoid the rechargeable spotlights unless you use them a lot throughout the year. If you let them set for a month or so, the batteries often go south (discharge too much to be recharged again). I usually have problems with the corded models getting tangled up in stuff. Therefore, I recommend the little blackndecker spotlight at wallyworld for under 20 bucks that runs on 4 C batteries. It is an LED model, and puts out more light than my 2mcp Brinkman spotlight. It is small enough and light enough to hang from your belt, runs 20 hours on high, 78 hours on low.