Poacher Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 I'm looking at getting a new Lightforce Striker (the gun mounted one) ready for the winter. Can anyone tell me where the best place (i.e cheapest) to buy one is, and what sort of battery pack do you need to go with it ? Does anyone know which batteries are suitable and any recommendations, Cheers all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 I got my Striker from Target Sports in Bolton by mail, was cheaper than buying it over here. I use an 18 amp Sealed Lead Acid battery, emphasis on the sealed bit, that I bought in a local motorbike/chainsaw/quad etc shop. If you plan to walk for two hours plus with the lamp as your walking/scanning and shooting light I really wouldn't go for a battery of less than 18 amp size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poacher Posted September 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 cheers john, without sounding like a complete plank, how does the lamp connect to the battery ? does it plug in or does it have crocodile clips type attachments ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 the lamp got fag lighter connections on mate,all you need to do is get some spade connectors and female fag lighter connecter from local car accesoryshop,as the dry cell batteries have spade fittings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Editing this post to explain things better (I hope). From the Deben battery I first bought with my Lightforce 140 Lance there is a plug coming out of the battery pack with a male/female connector. To that you connect a similar male/female plug with a short bit of cable that leads to a ciggie socket. Into the ciggie socket goes the ciggie plug which is connected to the lamp itself. The reason for the first male/female plug coming from the battery is because that is the type of plug the charger uses. So when charging you can unplug the ciggie socket from the battery and plug in the charger, clear as mud now I hope? Anyway... On both of my lightforce lamps this male/female plug tended to melt, yeah melt. So did the ciggie plugs and sockets. Even the switch went in one after a time... After using up my quote of curses I had enough and rewired my lamps, also got new batteries. I cut off both switches and replaced them with expensive Deben inline dimmer switches (which are quite good). Now my set up looks like the pics below. I used red and blue eyes and I don't use fuses any longer as the holders they came in used to melt as well... What can I say I'm good at melting stuff I think the pics are self explanatory really, bolt the eyes to the battery terminals and away you go, no melting or shorting out as long as you do the soldering properly (which is easy, even for me!). Spades would probably be easier than the eyes, that's just the way I did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Go online to Deben direct. Same prices, just cuts out the middle man. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poacher Posted September 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Thanks John, you've obviously gone out of your way to explain your post and it seems to make sense. Even to an electrophobe like me.... lectric be a reel mystry down these yer parts. Your help is much appreciated Thank you Go online to Deben direct. Same prices, just cuts out the middle man.SS Sounds like a plan, less faff that way B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 there is a guy in the counrtymans weekly thats sells these a lot cheaper than deben direct ( just can remember his damn name) - they are lightforce and exacly the same, he must just buy them in bulk and therefor gets a good discount from suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Go online to Deben direct. Same prices, just cuts out the middle man.SS Sounds like a plan, less faff that way They're only down the road from me, I have bought a couple of things from them and have had no cause to complain. If I'm honest I think there are similar, cheaper products on the market, but you pay what you get, and I believe that in their case, it is well worth it. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 optics warehouse were the cheapest when I got mine, the best battery I've seen was one of the power packs you use to jump start cars comes complete with handle and usually aren't too heavy and if you get the right one they come complete with cigarette lighter attachment so you just plug in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuck1 Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Just as an aside, the smaller lead acid batteries (eg 7ah) come with 1/4 terminals which accept the spade fittings. I don't know how easy it would be to fit the ring connectors shown in Johns excellent post (someone will know). It would probably be a case of getting a cigar lighter female fitting with spade terminals if you go for this type of battery. The terminals are a little small for crocodile clips to "grip." (They breed tough lads over the water there, lugging 18amp batts around all night!) Lightforce are notorious for having fittings which melt - saying that, the lamp I have just got off Tulkyuk has had the fittings "amended" as it too used to have a bit of a reputation for poor fittings. It's a shame cos the products are good. I have been reading with interest some old threads on here about DIY dimmers etc. I find it absolutely incredible that the only one fit for the job we need comes from Deben at a staggering £32 or £40 for the Lightforce!!!!! I need a new mortgage! I think there is definately a market for an enterprising soul with a soldering iron (and a damn sight more knowledge than I have) to knock a few up. I'd buy one. I have recently put a lamping kit together myself to see if I could save a bit. So far it's shaping up like this. Battery 7ah around £15 delivered, lamp (tracer max no dimmer) £40 delivered from Tulkyuk, charger £15. I will be carrying it in a cheap rucsac, all I need is a battery to cigar socket fitting and sometime a dimmer. It won't be a slick looking unit like the deben one, but hey, it's dark, I'm alone in a field and I don't care! So it can be done cheaper than they are selling it for, but I was lucky enough to find a second hand lamp. If I end up forking out for a dimmer from deben I might as well have just bought the kit really. And the Maplin catalogue is great, except I have no idea what I'm looking for! Is the one from countryman's weekly Arthur Carter fieldsports? Good luck in your lamping quest. Tuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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