"HeyBub" wrote in message Robert Green wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
Stormin Mormon wrote:

http://www.harborfreight.com/headlam...ens-45807.html

Is there a reasonably priced head lamp that runs on AA cells (triple
A don't last very long)? Or should I get some elastic and practice
my sewing skills?


For many projects, you can't go wrong with a baseball cap containing
LED lights. Here's one:



http://www.amazon.com/Panther-Vision...6367927&sr=8-1


Way more expensive, not nearly as bright (I own several) and uses
CR2032 button cells. Stormie was looking for AA's because he thought
AAA's didn't last long enough. Button cells would provide even worse
battery life for much higher cost.

When you take off your hat, you're supposed to turn off the lamps. Here's
an
easy way to remember:
"Take OFF the hat, turn OFF the hat."

They're properly doused, thank you. This is a simple matter of physics.
Brighter lights usually require more power. The hat is much, MUCH dimmer
than any of the other headband LEDs that I have - and that's quite a few.
(-: I collect flashlights. They're in every tool box, in the cars, and
there's one hanging on a hook in the bedroom closet. When the power fails,
having good light and both hands free is a great advantage. I've got at
least five different models. There are some that run on very thick
AG-series button cells but I decided that it's much better to purchase
models that run on batteries I can recharge. That's the most economical
option.

The hats produce adequate light for many task, but I've read Stormie needs a
lot of light for his locksmithing work. I cut off my garden hose lock at
night (in the rain) and I wore the hat, my buddy wore the headband. That
made it obvious how much difference there was in both brightness and
wideness of the illumination field. The hat was useful to keep my hair dry.
Brightness issues and high cost of operation seems to make the hat a bad
choice for the OP. However, the hat is a very GOOD choice some
applications. I use them in the cars because outside the home I don't to
want to look like some Star Trek Borg on a rampage. A hat's a hell of a lot
less conspicious than a head-band unit.

So I agree with you that for many projects like use off the premises,
they're stylish, warm, easy to use, not too geek-ish and good for making
sure you're not going to step in an open well. From this and past threads,
I believe the OP has expressed a strong preference for bright light but only
he can tell us what his preferences/needs are precisely. I'm guessing that
he wants a bright light that doesn't require frequent or expensive battery
changes that also stays on his head. That's just logical. Most of these
units come with AAA cells. I use rechargeables so I can always "top them
off" in the monthly rolling inspections and the battery caps seem robust
enough to endure frequent reloading.

I've often wished that the units used AA's because they deliver the best
cost per lumen numbers which also means fewer battery changes. But it could
be the weight of 3 AA cells would make the unit uncomfortable for more than
a few minutes. If I cared, I would wire a mini-jack to the lamp and the
batteries and use a charger for NiMH cells that had a mini plug ending. I
have a number of LED flashlights that have that feature and it's very
useful.

I've had my hat for over a year (Christmas before last) and it still works
swell.

I doubt you use yours as much as I use mine. Just for fun, I tried using
the hat today working on the van's dashboard and I had to take it off and
hold it close to the console to read the small letters.

'Course you may work on more projects than I, or take more time on each
project than I, or do your work only at night.

I have the caps on every time I go out and use them to light up my walking
to and from parking spaces, etc. You'd be surprised how dark it's getting
as streetlighting is cut back all around this area. I also buy cheap packs
of CR2032's from Ebay and let's just say there's a substantial premature
failure rate. That's why I've created a bandolier in the lining of the cap.

Since mine are used away from home, I don't want to be hunting around four
CR2032 button cells late at night. One of the kids that used to work for me
said he paid $12 for one at a drugstore at 11PM in NYC when his car
transponder's battery failed at a valet parking garage. What the world
needs now is safe, user-rechargeable AA and AA lithium cells.

FWIW, I had the center LED on one cap fail. I got out the lifetime
warranty, decided at $5 plus the cost of return postage that I would retire
the hat until at least another one failed. I was folding it into a storage
bag when I decided to remove the button cells. I tried the sucker one last
time and discovered it's a wire problem, not a bad LED. The center LED
fired up just fine. Fingering around the brim I could induce it to fail.
It's being held in "injured reserve."

The hats, while having some nice features, may not be bright enough or
economical enough for the OP. With industrial use, I am sure those
batteries would require frequent changing - at least more than once yearly.
The wiring harness on the hat makes it pretty easy to solder in some AA
battery holders and maybe even a charging jack but that would void the
warranty.

What I'd really like is a flashing red LED at the back of the hat to make me
visible walking down a dark road. It's probably illegal in at least some
jurisdiction to have a flashing red light on your head. Ever see Kentucky
Fried Movie and the Master Bong Soo Han segment?

--
Bobby G.