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12-30-2008, 02:46 AM | #1 |
The one with cheese on it
Drives: '10 Corolla S Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 380
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What every car needs...somewhat....
Well, I was bored one night and figured I shared something that I believe every car or truck should have.
I have noticed that some members wire up a GPS system, radar detector, and whatnot. But no one carries something essential to every vehicle.......a flashlight. I have been in many situations where I had a flat tire, dead battery, and even a squirrel stuck under the hood; and all of these moments occurred at night. Or if you do carry a flashlight, the batteries are dead or the bulb is dim from sitting in the trunk for a long time. I carry what some cops believe are essential to their gear. Not every cop carries it, but those who do really love it. I have a Streamlight Stinger. 140 lumens, 18,000 candle powered, rechargeable torch! Woo-hoo!! Anyway, figured I showed my setup. Its not perfect, but it gets the job done and the battery charged. Plus, I am not sleepy and have nothing else to do. It sits under the steering screwed to the panel. I have it grounded to the metal cross bar. I don't know what the hell that connection goes to. But it gives me 12v and is easily accessible. I also attached a 2amp fuse as per instructions. In the end, I run the connector over the panel and into the cradle. The cradle is designed to trickle down power consumption when the flashlight has reached full power so not to run down my battery. So far after a month, my car battery is going good and no problems with the flashlight. The charge indicator is so bright that I had to put a piece of tape over it and color it with a black marker just enough to allow a very small beam of light. I like it...so far it has come in handy once at a friends house when we were trying to find his daughters ring in the back yard. Woo-hoo! |
12-30-2008, 03:49 AM | #2 |
Toyota Newb!!
Drives: Yaris S Sedan w/ Aero Package! Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 228
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That's an amazing mod...
And you are right...very essential and useful...wish i had one when i dropped my head unit remote...had to fumble around with my hand in the dark to feel where it was...i do have a flashlight in the car..but small one in the glove..this would be so much better..and guaranteed to have power all the time!! I'm going to do this later!! Thanks for the idea!! |
12-30-2008, 04:01 AM | #3 | |
The one with cheese on it
Drives: '10 Corolla S Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 380
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Quote:
Also, if you want something less bright and still rechargeable, there is the Streamlight Strion. That boasts 12,000 candles with 116 lumes and uses the same charging cradle. Streamlight makes great flashlights, all come with lifetime warranty. The cool thing is IF your local police department carries Streamlight as their duty flashlight, you can take your flashlight to their local police supplier/dealer for parts and repairs. |
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12-30-2008, 08:58 AM | #4 |
vroom vroom
Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 7,744
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smart!
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The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ... |
12-30-2008, 02:56 PM | #5 |
Drives: NST CARS: S13 AE86 ANT10 AW11 Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 1,097
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Excellent idea!
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12-30-2008, 03:33 PM | #6 |
daily driver
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i have a crank LED flashlight in my glovebox....but it not as pimpin as that....
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12-30-2008, 04:11 PM | #7 |
Banned
Drives: 2009 Yaris liftback Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: CT
Posts: 350
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Pretty cool and yes, useful. AAMOF, a flashlight is something overlooked that can save your life in certain situations. That's one of the more useful mods I have seen for a daily driver.
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12-30-2008, 11:56 PM | #8 |
Drives: 2008 HB, A/T, Power W/L/M Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: LI, New Yawk
Posts: 2,063
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I have a powerful LED light built into my CASIO Gz'One cell phone. I use it all the time when I'm working under the car. It's a cool phone that is waterproof too.
Those Streamlights get REAL hot, be careful! I knew a Sheriff's deputy who melted the carpet in his vehicle with one. You never want to use a light like that when working on fuel lines. Streamlight makes an LED flashlight for use in explosive environments. Also,That's a bad spot to mount it. If that heavy light falls off that bracket and rolls under the brake pedal..... |
12-31-2008, 12:08 AM | #9 |
The Martian
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I just bought a cheap little flashlight from wal mart that fits in my cigarette lighter to stay charged.....and it blue to match my neons
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"The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical." – F1 commentator Murray Walker. |
12-31-2008, 02:49 AM | #10 | |
The one with cheese on it
Drives: '10 Corolla S Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 380
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Quote:
If there is one flashlight that I avoid for prolonged use, that would be Surefire. Especially those small, pocket models such as the E-series. My E1L would heat up in 5 minutes. One time, while sitting in my pocket, I felt like someone put a lighter to my butt. Turned out that the switch inadvertently got locked in the "on" position. It was so hot to the touch that I had to "hot potato" it until it cooled off. |
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12-31-2008, 03:19 AM | #11 |
Drives: Vitz 2006 Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lahore, Pakistan
Posts: 28
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It is great, smart
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12-31-2008, 05:07 AM | #12 |
Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,285
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I have a small LED flashlight that slides right into my cigarette lighter port. Whenever the car is turned on, the flashlight is charged. I also have an INOVA X0 in my passenger side glovebox.
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12-31-2008, 05:17 AM | #13 |
aka Jack Wolfskin
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Nice idea, but watch out, some have a knee airbag there like me
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01-01-2009, 01:43 AM | #14 |
Audio Junky
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I carry a small 5, or 7 LED (not sure which it is) Flashlight in the lil hidden pockect on the left of the steering column on the underside of the dash. Keep a leatherman in there too.
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01-01-2009, 08:27 AM | #15 |
Tiny Giant Clothing
Drives: 2008 Blazing Blue Yaris 3D LB Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rochester, NH
Posts: 3,394
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i found at walmart a small cig lighter rechargeable LED flashlight..its about the size of the normal cig lighter and has an on/off button.. its super bright and was only like 5 bux
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Sold the yaris... rocking an 89 vw cabriolet now :) |
01-01-2009, 09:33 AM | #16 |
Not really here...
Drives: 2008 Blazing Blue S hatchback Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 1,062
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That's pretty bad ass but I already carry a flashlight on me.
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Liberate Tutemet Ex Infernis. |
01-01-2009, 03:00 PM | #17 |
Drives: 2008 Yaris Liftback (Sprocket) Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Antonio, Texas!
Posts: 2,799
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All my vehicles have several flashlights in them, and I have tons of different ones all over the house. Years in the military taught me that you never want to be without a quality flashlight. Like the quote from the Three Kings, "That's what makes SF so badass...we've got the best flashlights!"
Cheers! M2 |
01-01-2009, 06:38 PM | #18 |
I have a Streamlight Scorpion myself and a friend of mine is a security supervisor and also has one of the rechargeable ones. I like the color of the LED version but the distance on the standard one beats anything I ever seen. My small Scorpion reached just as far and was only $40 at Bass Pro Shops
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