Another UV posting

I have been getting a steady diet of pet odor jobs the last few days and my assortment of UV lights are just not getting it done. I have the cheap ones (ultra-fire), the 51 LED ones, a work-light type, and a couple of other mid-priced lights, but they are just not that great. I have some real power for once in a UV light.

I contacted Spectroline who is the one that produced that old UV spotlight that had some power, but you had to worry about burning things. I asked them for their best option on urine detection and they listed 2 models, but they were low wavelength model bulbs in a rectangle housing....not bad power, but I really don't like the rectangle housing design which is similar to the Pro's Choice DCI Light.

That brings me back to the Cobb rechargeable or the Hydro-Force light. I tested lights awhile back and discovered that it really came down to power and wearing the yellow glasses to get the best results. The wavelength, number of lights, etc. didn't seem to matter as much as the actual wattage of the light and both of these models clock in about the same.

I don't find any recent chatter about either of these lights and they are both about the same high price. Anyone using either of these lights? What are you guys using and is it working well without having to black-out the room?

I would actually love it if someone made a flood light set with UV LED's. That way, I could just set up the stand, illuminate the entire floor, and then chalk off the contamination with both hands free. I don't suppose that exists anywhere does it?

Oh the hell with it, I went ahead and ordered the Hydro-Force one.  



I am sure that it is over-priced for what it is (just like all the UV lights seem to be) but the use of Cree LED's and a glass lens is a good indication that it isn't just some cheap China product.

It will sure see a lot of use this Summer, so if this doesn't work out, I'm going to find someone to build me that flood light set.

Before you ask, they don't use those little magnets any longer. It was redesigned a little in 2014.

I will post a full review on it when it arrives...I have a urine job scheduled for the 7th, so that will probably the day for the test drive.

I have a lot of those little rare earth mags, were those put in there to boost power, I wonder??
I'll have to try adding them to mine.

I've always been intrigued by Cobb's light, because it's nothing more than a $10 light you can buy on ebay, with I'm sure some kind of tweak to make it more powerful..........I just wonder what that is, maybe mags? I always thought maybe it was something added to the electronic board, but I'm not sure because I've never seen one and been able to compare it to the eBay light it starts life as..

I really don't feel like paying 25x the amount to find out either .........if some want's to though, I can guarantee I can reverse engineer it, and then mod them to sell and make some money for both of us..

Well, Cobb has his lights built by a guy in Texas and although he explains what is unique about it, there is a large forum that builds lights who threw the BS flag at his description.  

That was the reason that I didn't go that route since his light uses a single LED (8 watt Cree) by description, but Cree claims that they only make 3w bulbs....there are 3 Cree bulbs in the Hydro-Force model.

I will say that the video of Cobb's light in action looked very good, so I can't say anything about its performance.  I just have not found anything that made me feel comfortable spending the money on it and I was using what looked to be the same charger for my current light and it was junk.

Hopefully the HF model isn't a waste of money....the video looked impressive in full light.

As for the magnets, I don't think it had anything to do with a power burst as it does the battery design. If you look at the video, those batteries were smooth at both ends, so they needed something to connect the electrical flow like the raised portion of an alkaline battery.

It is wired differently on the current model.

Davey Cracker wrote:I have a lot of those little rare earth mags, were those put in there to boost power, I wonder??
I'll have to try adding them to mine.

I've always been intrigued by Cobb's light, because it's nothing more than a $10 light you can buy on ebay, with I'm sure some kind of tweak to make it more powerful..........I just wonder what that is, maybe mags?  I always thought maybe it was something added to the electronic board, but I'm not sure because I've never seen one and been able to compare it to the eBay light it starts life as..

I really don't feel like paying 25x the amount to find out either   .........if some want's to though, I can guarantee I can reverse engineer it, and then mod them to sell and make some money for both of us..

(PM sent)

milspec6 wrote:As for the magnets,  I don't think it had anything to do with a power burst as it does the battery design.  If you look at the video, those batteries were smooth at both ends, so they needed something to connect the electrical flow like the raised portion of an alkaline battery.

It is wired differently on the current model.

Do these take 18650 Lion batteries?

18650's come in flat top and button top. In vaping, we use only the flat tops.
Flashlight junkies use those button tops to power their torches.

I don't know, they list them as 3.7v lithium ion batteries. Not sure if they are still the flat tops like in the video.

milspec6 wrote:I don't know, they list them as 3.7v lithium ion batteries.  Not sure if they are still the flat tops like in the video.

Yes, those are the same I was speaking about. I use those types of batteries in my vape gear. Batteries are actually reasonably priced and a Nitecore D4 or D2 charger will serve you well.

I'd buy button tops and skip using magnets.

So I take it the magnets are used to make a protruding Positive side, so 2 or more batteries can be used together?

2nd time a charm?

Interesting, thanks Freemind, that will prove helpful.

Davey, the report I got was that they no longer use the magnets, but my belief is that they were just used to make contact....I could be wrong though.

Just so you are aware, if you have questions over the batteries, I can give you a good amount of help.
In vaping we have to be pretty smart with batteries and battery use.

I can point you in the right direction to get caps to covert a flat top battery, to a button top. I can point you in the right direction for good, reliable batteries and chargers. I can show you were to get battery wraps (when the outer cover get damaged).

I just can't tell you where to find a light you will love.

I appreciate that Freemind, will be in touch.

Rob noooooo   lol

I could have linked you to one for $15,   cree led and quality batteries.      Even the cobb light is a cheap amazon with a cree UV bulb dropped in

Those supplier sold ones are the same thing,    those blue batteries are the exact same ones in the lights I order

yes they will bash those hydroforce ones or cobbs on led forums,   theres nothing secret or special about the light and its way over priced

I know it is over-priced, but I needed something better than the little 501b light.

Maybe we need to start producing a light and sell it off on the site?

@AC, what's the link?

go to amazon and search "UV flashlight 501b or 502b", and I'm sure you'll easily find it........Ultra Fire brand.

This is where I have an issue. I have the ultra-fire 501b now and although it isn't a bad light, it hasn't been great.

My 501b charger crapped out after a month and the bulb died in 6 months of sporadic usage. It wasn't very expensive, but I wanted better performance than that. Not to mention the HF model is 9 watts while the 501 is what...3 watts?

I guess I will find out next week....

theres a lot of different ones on there, also the UV bulbs are replaceable so you can order almost anything and put a cree uv in

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?178846-9-Watt-Cree-UV-MX-Light

Here is a link to something Larry Cobb wrote on a flashlight forum.

All they are doing is replacing the bulbs with 3, 3 watt cree bulbs.

I would like to make a suggestion here.

I have the 501b light, the 50 LED, a few other models, and soon the Hydro-Force model. What I don't have is one of Cobb's lights.

If someone would like to submit one for comparative testing, we could put this topic to bed as to what really works and what is worth the price?

As far as I can find on Google, there has never been a direct side-by-side review of all these lights and it is certainly an item that every cleaner needs / uses almost daily.....a set of good reviews under real world conditions is certainly needed.

Maybe we need a new floater program Mo...what do you guys think?

Freemind1 wrote:http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?178846-9-Watt-Cree-UV-MX-Light

Here is a link to something Larry Cobb wrote on a flashlight forum.

All they are doing is replacing the bulbs with 3, 3 watt cree bulbs.

So, it has a stack of cree lights inline? I thought the Cobb light was single bulb, so these are stacked somehow to emit as a single source? Why does the website advertise 8w when 3x3 gets 9 w like the HF model?

I think the head-to-head is needed.

milspec6 wrote:I would like to make a suggestion here.

I have the 501b light, the 50 LED, a few other models, and soon the Hydro-Force model.  What I don't have is one of Cobb's lights.

If someone would like to submit one for comparative testing, we could put this topic to bed as to what really works and what is worth the price?  

As far as I can find on Google, there has never been a direct side-by-side review of all these lights and it is certainly an item that every cleaner needs / uses almost daily.....a set of good reviews under real world conditions is certainly needed.

Maybe we need a new floater program Mo...what do you guys think?

Side by side sure would be nice, and the idea of a floater would be a great way to get one in our hands for testing, for little out of pocket for the participants in it, like Mo did with the uphol tool. Take donations, and those who donate get to try it, then it's raffled off to one of them once everyone has tested it.
With the lack of floater participants in some of the past one's lately, I think the donation deal and chance to win it might be the only way to generate the cash to cover it?

I don't see myself forking out $240 to buy one anytime soon, but I sure would throw in some cash to do what I said above.

a cree led with enough battery power is all the same,    some have 3,  some have 1.    

I dont really see the need for side by side,     any of them will get the job done.  

There are tons of people putting UV leds in these lights,    and only a few trying to sell them for $250(hydroforce/cobb)..   most are selling them for around $20.    

not like we havent seen this before in the CC industry,    huge mark ups.        Dont feel bad I bought a jon-don Uv light for like $125 4yrs ago,     not even cree leds.

no offense to them they are just trying to make a buck,    now Rob Allen is also selling one.      Its all the same, cheap lights big mark ups trust me.