Torch..recomdations for decent red light torch

[Rattler]

Hi guys. I bought a red light headlamp and it's crap. Any recommendations for a decent torch but not mega expensive. Cheers.

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Hi, Can I ask which one did you buy, as it is obviously not recommended. I have just ordered the following.

David Chandler Night Reader Pro LED Torch

No idea what it is like and looks like the free keyrings you often get from garages when you have had your car MOT or service. But liked the idea it was small and though I could use the key ring bit to either clip to my coat or tie to a lanyard or something so I always know where it is.  I am guessing you don't need something super expensive as you are not after a great deal of light even though it's red as your eyes are adjusted to dark anyway. 

I didn't buy a red torch to begin with because I had a head torch from my night carp fishing that has a red light and is great but very impractical as you feel like a Dalek with it on your head and very cumbersome when looking into the viewfinder or EP.

I can't see this key ring thing being brilliant, at £12 not expecting much but I was placing an order so just added it on, but will let you know when it comes (whenever next clear night is - not until Tuesday I think up this end of UK).

[Rattler]

It was this one mate. The single red LED just isn't bright enough.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AYXG3E0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Craney]

Most modern outdoor head torches have a red light capability... and have the white light option as well, which is useful when you are packing up or you discover that you have brought a red pen with you to jot down notes !!!!!

Personally I would find one that clips onto a lapel or is chest mounted very useful.  Wearing glasses, a wooly hat and a headtorch can get a bit faffy and I have the habit of looking at the end of the scope ( checking that I have not left the focusing mask on etc )  just as I pull the trigger on the first exposure. This leads a new, previously unknown red emiission nebula in the frame.....

Have fun..... report back.

[alanjgreen]

Just get a cheap led torch from the supermarket and paint a few coats of red nail varnish on it to convert it to red light.

simple and effective.

Alan

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I'll knock that one off my list then 

[Timebandit]

25 minutes ago, alanjgreen said:

     paint a few coats of red nail varnish on it to convert it to red light.

simple and effective.

Alan

 

 

Don't seem to be able to find any red nail varnish in my man bag. ? ?

Can I borrow yours ?

 

 

[Charic]

49 minutes ago, Rattler said:

The single red LED just isn't bright enough.

How bright you needing?
To vary the intensity of my lighting, I use those baby bell cheese wraps over an LED lamp, the more wraps the darker the red, just enough to identify an eyepiece number, nothing more. The torch then still has other uses. 

 

[oobydooby]

I got a small white LED torch from B&Q cost about £3 in English money then found a small bag of quality street left over from Christmas and saved the 2 red cellophane wrappings from whatever variety had red wrappings and enjoyed getting fat on them at the same time. I folded one square in two to fit between the plastic lens and the bulbs (There were 3 in a bunch) it was  just a little too bright so added a single layer of a second cellophane square and found this to be just right for use at the telescope.  Total cost £3 for the torch, the quality street were a gift at Christmas and two AA batteries. Last night all the astro society members wanted to know where I got such an excellent torch.

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Nail varnish, Baby Bell Cheese, Sweet wrappers, there's a lot more to this astronomy lark then I ever thought 

[Charic]

lol, I too started with quality street, maybe the cheese is healthier.

[Charic]

2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

there's a lot more to this astronomy lark then I ever thought 

....improvise, adapt, overcome! All part of the fun!

[teoria_del_big_bang]

7 minutes ago, oobydooby said:

I got a small white LED torch from B&Q cost about £3 in English money then bought a small bag of quality street and saved the 2 red cellophane wrappings from whatever variety had red wrappings and enjoyed getting fat on them at the same time. I folded one square in two to fit between the plastic lens and the bulbs (There were 3 in a bunch) it was  just a little too bright so added a single layer of a second cellophane square and found this to be just right for use at the telescope.  Total cost £3 for the torch, the quality street were a gift at Christmas and two AA batteries. Last night all the astro society members wanted to know where I got such an excellent torch.

I love your signature "I turned right at Orion.. help, I'm lost!". Wish I had thought of it first - doesn't help cause I cant tell left from right.

[oobydooby]

Was observing Orion through my new telescope and not too familiar with its' orientation, not only did I turn Right I also went upside down.  I was Really lost for sure!

[Rattler]

Just bought a £2 9 LED mini torch from Asda. I'll try the red nail varnish. Cheers guys.

[AdeKing]

5 hours ago, oobydooby said:

Was observing Orion through my new telescope and not too familiar with its' orientation, not only did I turn Right I also went upside down.  I was Really lost for sure!

Having Fracs and Newts I get really confused all the time and have had to resort to a circle with N, S, E & W in the relevant positions for each scope stuck to the tube to help me out.

[Geoff Lister]

There was a recent, similar, thread on the CN site, and one suggestion was to choose a torch that tastes nice; as it would probably spend quite a lot of time held in your mouth .

Geoff

[Hobbes]

I use a focusing headtorch https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sensor-head-torch-a78kf with 2, 3 or 4 circles of rubylith layered over the lens. The number of layers depends on where I am. 

In my garden -2 layers

Astro Society Observing session - 3 layers

Star Party - 4 Layers

The focusing helps as I can concentrate the beam when I need to read something and diffuse it when I'm walking around.

[Buzzard75]

I couldn't find a decent red one in any of my local stores. In the end I bought a small Bushnell flashlight for around $15. It's only 50 lumens, about 3.5" long and runs off a single AAA battery. I then painted the end red with about 6 coats of red nail varnish that I bought at the same store for about $1. I made a paracord lanyard for it and hang it around my neck. I purposefully bought it because it was so dim. Hanging around my neck, it's perfect for looking at star charts, planispheres and reading astro books. The dimmer and redder the better.

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Did you get another torch yet ?

I said I would report on the small keyring one I bought.

David Chandler Night Reader Pro LED Torch

Well in all honesty it is not brilliant but does what I need. It does give just about enough light to see what you need to do. But if I did not attach it to my coat I would need another torch to find it as it is so small.

Difficult to say whether I would recommend it or not as although not a fortune I would really expect it to be £2 not £12 but it's all I need.

Steve

[mikeDnight]

My old torch is the dual, variable brightness torch from Rigal Systems. Ive had this torch for over ten years and dont know if they are still available, though i suspect they would be.

 

[Mick J]

Decathlon have a treckking head torch at £6.99,  Link  picked one up today, beauty of the beast is it's simple small and light, takes 3 x AAA batteries.

First press for red beam (bit bright) then long hold turns Off.

Always starts at red, short press to dim white (still bright) then short press to bright white (aaargh), short press Off.

It's a simple thing, will run a bit dimmer on 2 batteries if you modify a wire position, with the batteries out easy to add bits of light blocking or colour material between the led and lens.

[AdeKing]

On 14/02/2018 at 22:00, mikeDnight said:

My old torch is the dual, variable brightness torch from Rigal Systems. Ive had this torch for over ten years and dont know if they are still available, though i suspect they would be.

365Astronomy still sell them, I got one about 3 years ago and they're still listed.

https://www.365astronomy.com/Rigel-SkyLite-RED-and-WHITE-Water-Resistant-Flashlight-with-Brightness-Control.html

[JimothyC]

Sorry for digging up the old thread.  But I thought it better than starting a new one. I’ve just been into decathlon looking for a camping lantern and I’ve just found this beauty. Could be the best Astro lantern yet. For £12 you get a usb rechargeable lantern which also has a dynamo if you get caught short. But the best feature is that the single button turns on the red light first, then another press for dim white and another for brighter white. If you leave it a few seconds before pressing the button again it another press will just turn it off. So you don’t have to cycle through a white light mode to get to red or turn it off. 

I was going to diy something but this seems to tick all the boxes for me.