KC highlight turned into handheld spotlight

Chuckman

Chuckman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Location
Huntersville
anybody got any good ideas as to how to turn one of the old school KC day lighter into a hand held spotlight. I have some poacher troubles and would like to turn one of these babies into a helluva hand held spotlight. trick is this- whats the amperage they pull, and how to handle powering one up. I know that I can't run through the typical cig adapter, and I know thats its best to run through a solenoid. what Ill probably do is hook straight to battery, but how to control the on/off in a handle? what kind of neat-0 and cheap switches would hold that unknown amperage? what about a regular light switch for a home? or circuit breaker? anything cheap and quick that I can build fast and dirty.
 
Buy one of these: http://www.walmart.com/ip/MagLite-LED-3-D-Cell-Flashlight-Black/7812745 I've got one, they are bad ass lights for sure. I can spotlight the treeline 150+ yards away.

But to answer your question, a regular light switch would work, but they aren't rated for DC, and the contacts would probably pit. How long it would last is a toss up, but you can buy them for 30 cents or so, so you're not out much to find out. I'd hit up Advance or Autozone and buy either a push button or toggle switch rated for DC at the highest amperage you can find and still have it small, but that is guaranteed to be more costly. I would think 15-20 amps would be plenty, you could always put an amp meter on it and see what it pulls.
 
If it's a 55 watt, you're looking at about 4 amps. 100 watt, roughly 8 amps. No major current draw. It's when you start wiring up two or four of them that it becomes a necessity to run a relay. You could run it off most cigarette lighters just fine, they're usually fused at 15 or 20 amps. Most standard 12v switches will work, too. I'd use 16 gauge wire. Have fun.
 
You can get a 30A switch at Radio Shack for like $4. As Mark mentioned, that gets you 250 watts right there... for a single light that should be plenty.

Or hell just buy one of these for $14 and be done with it.
http://www.cabelas.com/spotlights-p...la&mr:match={matchtype}&mr:filter=22549717391
You're going to spenf $2/3 of that in switches, wires and other parts.
I know several folks that keep them in their trucks.
 
In the meantime, wire up that leftover KC on the back of your rig to help you when reversing at night. Or for making a point to the jackhole with his high beams on behind you or the woman riding your butt. It's amazing what a quick flash from a small 55 watter can do to change an inconsiderate driver's behavior.
 
catfishblues said:
In the meantime, wire up that leftover KC on the back of your rig to help you when reversing at night. Or for making a point to the jackhole with his high beams on behind you or the woman riding your butt. It's amazing what a quick flash from a small 55 watter can do to change an inconsiderate driver's behavior.
Click to expand...
It's also fun to see the look on their face in the rear view mirror! Had an old 55 watt light that the mount broke off of mounted under the center of the roll bar on my first Yota. Tons of teenage fun right there! Not worth a shit for backing up though since it really only lit up the bed so well I couldn't see beyond it.
 
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