Streamlight SL-20 vs Maglite Rechargable?

MidKnight123 · November 7, 2006, 07:42 AM

I would like to hear from anyone that has tested both these flashlights to hear the comments on which is the better light of the two?

thanks

woodland · November 10, 2006, 02:50 PM

SL-20 hands down without a doubt. I had Maglites, and my partner had a Maglite rechargable. His was a little brighter than my battery one. However, we both just got SL-20 LED's about a month ago, and it's like night and day difference! Doing building searches is where you really appreciate the difference between them. The Maglites have dark rings and spots in the beam, and the Streamlight is a very nice clean beam. It is also brighter than the Maglite.

The best place I found to get them was Botach Tactical.

MidKnight123 · November 10, 2006, 06:46 PM

thanks for the feedback, ive owned the SL-20X for many years, great torch. and to get more light from it, i use the SL-35X lamp for more light.

woodland · November 10, 2006, 09:07 PM

How does that affect your run time? I get about 90 minutes out of mine. I really like the LED feature on mine. It is great if you are using it in a car or for something up close because it isn't too bright and wont kill your night vision as bad. Plus it's great for if your battery runs down, it will run the LED bulbs long after it's too dead for the bright one.

MidKnight123 · November 10, 2006, 09:19 PM

run time is like 50 min or so. i do like the sound of the new SL with the LED, wether ill get one in the future or not is another thing i guess.

if you would to run just the LED , how long would you have a light for?

woodland · November 10, 2006, 09:54 PM

I'm not sure. I'll have to charge one up and try that.

MidKnight123 · November 10, 2006, 10:00 PM

ok thnx, i would be interesting to hearing the result

MidKnight123 · November 10, 2006, 10:22 PM

just reading the specs of the LED, and there rated to run for about 40hours, now thats impressive when you could use the torch for long periods of time for casual light.

could you somehow give me an example of the brightness of the LEDs?

woodland · November 10, 2006, 11:09 PM

Sure. I'll try to take some comparison pictures.

MidKnight123 · November 10, 2006, 11:16 PM

if your interesting in an experiment, i would really like to know the outcome of the following test.

* Full charged battery
* run torch of the halogen lamp till it runs out (starts to dim yellow)
* run the LED until they run out. **time on these = ***

Im really interested in finding out how much light you would have left in the LED after the halogen runs out.

woodland · November 11, 2006, 02:02 PM

Ok, here you go. I started with a fully charged light. I turned on the halogen bulb until it started to dim and turn yellow. At about 100 minutes it went from white light to a dim yellow in about 20 seconds. I then turned the halogen off and turned on the LED bulbs. At 60 minutes after the halogen died the LED was considerably dimmer than with full charge, but was still very usable for close up light such as inside a room or car. Definatly better than a stone dead light! Pictures of the results follow.

Light used:
Streamlight SL20X-LED fully charged.

Halogen bulb at full charge:

LED bulbs at full charge:

Halogen bulb at 100 minutes run time:

LED 30 minutes after halogen died:

LED 60 minutes after halogen died:

MidKnight123 · November 11, 2006, 06:27 PM

thanks very much for that info, i think i might get myself one

November 7, 2006, 07:42 AM	#1
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	Streamlight SL-20 vs Maglite Rechargable? I would like to hear from anyone that has tested both these flashlights to hear the comments on which is the better light of the two? thanks

November 10, 2006, 02:50 PM	#2
woodland Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2001 Location: western wa. Posts: 564	SL-20 hands down without a doubt. I had Maglites, and my partner had a Maglite rechargable. His was a little brighter than my battery one. However, we both just got SL-20 LED's about a month ago, and it's like night and day difference! Doing building searches is where you really appreciate the difference between them. The Maglites have dark rings and spots in the beam, and the Streamlight is a very nice clean beam. It is also brighter than the Maglite. The best place I found to get them was Botach Tactical. __________________ "There is no spoon..."

November 10, 2006, 09:07 PM	#4
woodland Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2001 Location: western wa. Posts: 564	How does that affect your run time? I get about 90 minutes out of mine. I really like the LED feature on mine. It is great if you are using it in a car or for something up close because it isn't too bright and wont kill your night vision as bad. Plus it's great for if your battery runs down, it will run the LED bulbs long after it's too dead for the bright one. __________________ "There is no spoon..."

November 10, 2006, 09:54 PM	#6
woodland Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2001 Location: western wa. Posts: 564	I'm not sure. I'll have to charge one up and try that. __________________ "There is no spoon..."

November 10, 2006, 11:09 PM	#9
woodland Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2001 Location: western wa. Posts: 564	Sure. I'll try to take some comparison pictures. __________________ "There is no spoon..."

November 10, 2006, 06:46 PM	#3
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	thanks for the feedback, ive owned the SL-20X for many years, great torch. and to get more light from it, i use the SL-35X lamp for more light.

November 10, 2006, 09:19 PM	#5
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	run time is like 50 min or so. i do like the sound of the new SL with the LED, wether ill get one in the future or not is another thing i guess. if you would to run just the LED , how long would you have a light for?

November 10, 2006, 10:00 PM	#7
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	ok thnx, i would be interesting to hearing the result

November 10, 2006, 10:22 PM	#8
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	just reading the specs of the LED, and there rated to run for about 40hours, now thats impressive when you could use the torch for long periods of time for casual light. could you somehow give me an example of the brightness of the LEDs?

November 10, 2006, 11:16 PM	#10
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	if your interesting in an experiment, i would really like to know the outcome of the following test. * Full charged battery * run torch of the halogen lamp till it runs out (starts to dim yellow) * run the LED until they run out. time on these = * Im really interested in finding out how much light you would have left in the LED after the halogen runs out.

November 11, 2006, 02:02 PM	#11
woodland Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2001 Location: western wa. Posts: 564	Ok, here you go. I started with a fully charged light. I turned on the halogen bulb until it started to dim and turn yellow. At about 100 minutes it went from white light to a dim yellow in about 20 seconds. I then turned the halogen off and turned on the LED bulbs. At 60 minutes after the halogen died the LED was considerably dimmer than with full charge, but was still very usable for close up light such as inside a room or car. Definatly better than a stone dead light! Pictures of the results follow. Light used: Streamlight SL20X-LED fully charged. Halogen bulb at full charge: LED bulbs at full charge: Halogen bulb at 100 minutes run time: LED 30 minutes after halogen died: LED 60 minutes after halogen died: __________________ "There is no spoon..."

November 11, 2006, 06:27 PM	#12
MidKnight123 Junior Member Join Date: November 7, 2006 Posts: 10	thanks very much for that info, i think i might get myself one