Versalite
Submitted: Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 14:28
ThreadID:
23583
Views:
5353
Replies:
11
FollowUps:
2
This Thread has been Archived
pauls
I'm finally sick of buying cheap 12volt lights and breaking them in the first trip. I noticed at the camping
shop that they were selling 11 Watt Versalite fluoros reduced to $99.
Are these lights more resilliant and how do they perform ?.
Thanks
Paul
Reply By: Tripp'n Around - Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 14:44
Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 14:44
Hi Pauls
We have a Versalite, excellent.
This post may also interest you.
PostID: 22468
Put the above number in the search option on here and it will find it for you.
In that post someone also made their own light.
I have seen another post with a photo of the same thing and it looked quite good.
Cya
Tripp'n
:)
AnswerID:
114345
Reply By: Member - Banjo (SA) - Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 14:56
Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 14:56
Yep....
mine's a Piranha version of the same thing - excellent light - had it for about 15 years - very durable - no need to buy a spare tube - never let us down and seems set to go forever. Among many things that could be bought for camping, these are truly worth the $99. Mind you, the transformer that drives the light does put out some HF - it might bugger up your radio reception at night if listening to the footy etc. - that needs to be factored in...... we now use LED headlamps for just about everything - the Piranha comes out when we need to flood an area, which seems to be less and less.
AnswerID:
114347
Follow Up By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 16:42
Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 16:42
2 of
mine are Piranha ones too, and several years of use no problems, and mate had one 3 years old, had a problem, rang Piranha and they said send it back and they will look at it, fixed it and sent it back no charge, way outa warranty. Worth the extra dollars for quality.
FollowupID:
370349
Reply By: Member - Jimbo (VIC) - Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 15:25
Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 15:25
Paul,
Also have a look at the Arlec; $50 at Supercheap. They're actually slightly brighter than the Versa (I've tested them side by side). Very robust unit,
mine's been dropped and rained on as is still fine.
Only problem is they don't have a switch, I bought one from Middy's for $8 and fitted it in 5 minutes.
Cheers,
Jim.
AnswerID:
114349
Reply By: Paul - OzRoamer Camper Trailer - Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 15:54
Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 15:54
Hi Paul
Have a look at the Col-Lite. Made in
Brisbane.
We install these in our
Cape York Trailers as standard equip and also supply them in our Hire Camper Trailers and can't speak highly enough about the company.
The most important thing is that they can supply any part that you may break meaning that you can rebuild the lights if necessary and dont have to throw them out. I recently had one fail and just sent it back to the factory (Post $6.00) they rang the next day to say that a part had been replaced and the light was back 2 days after this - no cost.
Also I have used a Col-Lite and a Piranah at the same time and the Col-Lite attracted less bugs than the other IMHO. It may have to do with the yellow reflector??
Well worth a look.
AnswerID:
114353
Reply By: nick riviera - Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 16:28
Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 16:28
yes the versalite is truly great, i have droped it, closed the door on it, and had it in the rain more than once.
The only problem i have had with it is that it performs too
well with brilliant light output, solved this with an old sock which also serves to protect the light housing. We also use yellow cellaphane paper on it when the insects are bad. We use just about every weekend now for outdoor lighting at
home.
From memory they draw 1 amp and i have a small 12v sealed battery that i carry around with the light for ease of use, and it all fits under the
seat of the car.
AnswerID:
114357
Reply By: Footloose - Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 17:35
Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 at 17:35
I feel much better now. I bought a K Mart special around 5 years ago and it's still going strong. But as people say, I need to get out more :))
AnswerID:
114363
Reply By: viz - Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 00:23
Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 00:23
I have four of the Arrid Silver series LAALS10 - two for inside the tent and two outside on poles. Powered by a thumper (last for weeks I reckon. Great lghts. Have a similar tube and pc to the piranha, but has low voltage cutout and made in oz i think...
arrid
/viz
AnswerID:
114398
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 08:53
Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 08:53
Narva are making a very nice 13watt fluoro interior light that takes the same U-shaped globe as the Versalite-type lights. Cost is about $30-40.
I've fitted one to the inside of my flip up doors and its superb.
Link is
http://www.narva.com.au/Truck-T_Interior_2.html and the !MPG:12!
I've also fitted a round one inside the cab:
!MPG:13!
AnswerID:
114409
Reply By: Unbreakable - Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 10:44
Sunday, Jun 05, 2005 at 10:44
Go to your local TLE or Turks electrical
shop,Spend $100 & purchase a Burnbrite 40 watt fluro,all encased in a robust housing,unreal light,low amp draw,these things are excellent,got it for life....as long as it dosn't go for a walk.....
You hang them in a tree away from your eating area,no more bugs neer your grub......Replacable fluro tubes as
well.
AnswerID:
114417
Follow Up By: geocacher (djcache) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 00:04
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005 at 00:04
Burnbrite make the Versalite in outer eastern
Melbourne.
Pretty sure the Pirhana is a Versalite in a red bag.
Dave
FollowupID:
370536
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Jun 06, 2005 at 22:33
Monday, Jun 06, 2005 at 22:33
pauls,
The Versalite & Piranha are made in the same factory and to all intents and purposes are the same in quality and performance. They are very good.
BUT, don't think the camping
shop is doing you any favours by "reducing" their price to $99. That is the going rate for them.
The Versalite is available from Discount Camping for $99.
The Piranha (when I bought
mine) was available from TJM for $99.
One tip if you get one. (either brand)
Versalite (Discount Camping) also sell a great little bracket that slides over the light and "clamps" (by gravity) onto a tent/awning pole. Can be adjusted up or down to suit your required height. Price was about $9-$10 from memory.
AnswerID:
114690
Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Jun 06, 2005 at 23:36
Monday, Jun 06, 2005 at 23:36
I just bought the Primus version of the ARB work light, got it for about $74 with my 10% discount and a certain camping store. I bought it after seeing Peter @
York 4x4's in action in Bridgtown the other week, truley fantastic.
The Primus version comes with a canvas bag, obviously a switch and two hangers (for vertical or horizontal hanging). So far I have only used it for working on the engine and under the car but found it so easy to hang from anywhere and the light out of it was incredidible.
I've got a lot of cheaper fluros but I'm now converted to these more expensive jobbies as there is no comparison in the quality of the light produced by them. I looked around at about 5
places before buying this and IMHO this was deffinatally the best value. There does appear to be 3-4 versions of this same light, I'm not sure if it's the same as the Versalite though.
AnswerID:
114702