Cheap "good" spotties ref:(PostID: 14262)
Submitted: Thursday, Jul 08, 2004 at 12:12
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Member - Jeff M (WA)
Post 14262 renewed my interest in getting some cheap spotties (the wiring was already hooked up from the previous set that obviously broke). I had a night run in
the pines scheduled for Sat night so I went into to Supercheap to see how I could throw some money away.
I looked long and hard at all these cheapies, and then came accross these "Nighvision" Don't know if anyone else has had any experiences but:
They are made totally out of metal (no plastic)
They have stainless bolts with big rubber "o" rings top and bottom
Spring washers
All the cables, crimps, relay and switch
Plastic see through protectors that have rubber seals around them
100W glove in each light
and they cost $129.
Put them on, they worked a bloody treat out in the high paced run to the power station at night. Through water and some small jumps.
The next day we did the power line run up in sawyers and they got totally submurged (see picture in my rig pics) for a few seconds (the water was over the windscreen wipers in the deepest section) and apart from a little water behind one of the plastic protectors (which I have now cleaned out) they still go great!
Will let you know how they are going in a few months time eh. But they sure copped a pounding first weekend out.
Reply By: Savvas - Thursday, Jul 08, 2004 at 13:26
Thursday, Jul 08, 2004 at 13:26
Hi Jeff,
I did have the Nightvisions (5") before my current set. They are good for the price and you'll get a couple of years out of them.
However, the long term problems I found are -
1. The plastic covers go yellow after about a year, depending one exposure to sun.
2. Be careful not to overtighten the clamping rings on the rubber seals. The bits on the end snap off without much warning.
3. Condensation was always a problem and water entry into the body in bad weather.
4. The rubber washers do perish.
BUT for the price they were good value and I got about 3 years out of them. At the time I picked them up at Big W for $50. Supercheap had the same ones then for $110.
I've gone to Repco's Ziel brand now and they are much more solid with a much brighter light output. The mounting on them looks identical to Cibie's. Because I bought them at launch time, I got the 220mm lights at $89 ea. They are now about $120 each (I think).
Funny thing is that Ashdown, a Repco division, are the importers for Nightvision. But I haven't seen Nightvision for sale at Repco.
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Thursday, Jul 08, 2004 at 15:16
Thursday, Jul 08, 2004 at 15:16
Oh
well that's good to here, thanks for that, I'm happy with a couple of years, would'nt really expect more than that for the price. I'll watch out for the over tightening as I did do it up pretty (very) tight after I took the cover off to dry it out.
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