Night Buddy style headlamp teardown with schematic
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- čas přidán 26. 10. 2022
- Everyone has their own preferences for an LED head torch. Mine is for a focussed beam to point light at a good position for working, but others prefer a wider wash of light. The flexible COB strip is an interesting twist. Other versions seem to have a second circuit with red LEDs for maintaining night vision.
I regard head torches as being essential for power outages as it's much more useful to light what you're looking at instead of trying to light a whole room.
The circuitry in this light isn't too bad. It's fairly textbook, with a minimal design. My only slight concern is the position of the solder pads for the infrared detection. They are close to the surface of the pouch cell, although they've cropped them short before soldering, so the wires don't protrude much.
I've since been sent a picture showing that the solder points can indeed pierce the lithium cell, but in that case it just caused electrolyte leakage corrosion and didn't go far enough to cause a short circuit in the cell.
I measured the LED current directly powered at 100% at 4.2V (full charge) and 3V (discharged).
Main COB strip @4.2V = 1130mA @3V = 280mA
Focussed beam @4.2V = 487mA @3V = 107mA
Standby current is too low to measure, but the lack of resistors in series with the status indicator LEDs means they are being driven at 20mA each! They could really have done with a 1K resistor in series with each LED. That also means that when in infrared standby with both LEDs lit the total current is 70mA of which the majority is the red and green status LEDs.
During use the lights will start bright, but as the lithium cell discharges the intensity and current will decrease, giving a decent run time.
I use a head torch at work a lot, and tend to use it at the lowest intensity that still allows comfortable working, to get the maximum run time between charges.
These lights can be found on eBay by searching for either:-
All perspectives induction headlamp
or
night buddy headlamp
The cost should be around £$€10.
Alternatively you can buy the heavily marketed version for around three times that price.
Supporting the channel with a dollar or two on Patreon helps keep it independent of CZcams's quirks, avoids intrusive mid-video adverts, gives early access, bonus footage and regular quiet Patreon live streams.
/ bigclive
#ElectronicsCreators - Věda a technologie
I got one and found it very useful. Using the COB light it is ideal for working in open spaces where peripheral vision is needed, cramped attic, unlighted garden shed, even out in the back garden at night. I found it so handy that I got a few extra copies to keep in my car, bedside table, etc.
I agree. Much lighter to wear, I use it to walk the dog. But if I’m going out where the wild animals are I still need to use the big headlight that can spot things at over 100 yards. This is good for close up and comfort imo.
Why do you have a bedside table in your car?
@@BoB-Dobbs_leaning-left What? Don't _You_ ever feel like just pulling over and taking a nap? Might as well be prepared.
@@BoB-Dobbs_leaning-left
Where do you keep your car pillows..
yeah cob lights great for working under cars .. the 2nd one is like a torch so shite for that
I studied electrical engineering in uni for a couple years and dropped out due to just not being able to keep up. I stopped working with electronics n whatnot for a long while due to that. Watching your vids makes me want to get back into electronics.
You can still pursue electronics recreationally, and that can often lead to a technical job.
@@bigclivedotcom You have a point, it’s been years since I do anything with electronics and I’ve forgotten most of what I knew, but that can always be relearned. Keep up the videos, entertaining and informative!
I also have learned so much here. Mr. Clive is a great teacher. Beats teaching myself.
I gave up electronics after high school because I never really understood it. I started getting into the hobby when I was young, assembling kits, but they didn't teach you that much about how they worked. When they offered it as a class in high school, but unfortunately it was taught by the woodworking teacher. I don't really think he understood it that well either because he never really explained anything, just basically what the components were. The most complex circuit we made was a transistor multivibrator, but that was never explained either. So I never really did anything with electronics after high school.
Fast forward some 15 years and I'd been collecting vintage computers for quite some time, watching CZcamsrs repair their vintage computers. I was working in a technical job that required wiring plugs on cables for things like microphones, video monitors, not actually doing electronics as such. I was thinking about getting back into it so I could repair my own when I came across Big Clive. I started watching his videos, came across more EE CZcamsrs and started watching them too. But it was Clive who really explained things in a way that I could understand.
Now eight years later I've been designing my own electronics, diagnosing component level faults on my vintage computers and repairing them. I've even designed a PCB for a memory module that works in those vintage computers, sent the boards and chips to a vintage computing CZcamsr who featured them on his channel. All in my spare time.
If your uni experience was anything like mine, they pile on the work deliberately to make as many drop out as possible. Don't let that experience make you think you can't learn electronics, you just need to learn it at your own pace. You really don't need a degree to understand electronics, you just need to start trying to make stuff.
@@UpLateGeek I'm with you on the learning process. I'm mostly self-taught. I've focused on rebuilding and repairing donated computers as a MAR for a bit. I have a garage full of mother boards and peripherals. Took me a whole summer to part out 128 machines. Technology has changed so much they had no further value. I found Big Clive while searching for ways to repurpose peripheral devices. Understanding the functions of these sub-components is very enjoyable to me. And in this area Big Clive leads the way. My current investigations include alternate energy sources. Looking for ways to run systems that don't need components that drop voltage via resistors. Lighting is one of the most utilized systems we have. And Mr. Clive makes that easy to understand. Thank you Mr. Clive.
I love these. I have two for garage work. I keep one on charge while I use the other one. No more trying to point work lamps in the right direction under the car!
Gotta say, I bought a couple of these, which I use for camping and working under cars, and found them to be a total game-changer compared to normal head-lights.
With normal head-lights I seem to spend all my time adjusting my head to point the light where I want it and then having to look at things from different angles to see what I'm doing.
With the COB-light, it just lights up a broad area adequately and creates the illusion that "everything" is illuminated.
One thing I DID notice, which is quite important, is that can't be reliably charged by a standard USB-C connector.
Because the socket is inside a silicone sheath a normal USB-C connector won't reliably plug in to charge it.
Compare the cable that comes with the light to a regular USB-C cable and you'll see that the connector is a couple of mm longer than a normal one.
Since I use silicone cases on my phone's, and the opening for the USB connector isn't big enough to accommodate the body of the plug, I've relegated the 'OEM' cables to gadgets that live a more sheltered life at home, and use aftermarket cables that can be had with longer, typically 10mm if anyone wants to search, connector.
A lot if times, the little metal sheath on the plug end can be slid off and you'll be able to fit it into the socket.
I have discovered they same thing with a couple of Sofirn torches i bought. The usb c plug end is definitely longer because the female end is so deeply set in the plastic.
If the focused beam is pointing up too much , try putting the light on to the other side of your head ! Try the focused beam on the right or left side of your head..
The focused side lamp is unusable if you're wearing glasses. I like COB headlamps exactly for the reason that they splash light everywhere. The one in the video is especially good - there's literally no dark spots in my view when I use it. It makes day from night, not a very bright day, but good enough for me.
Interesting, a flexible COB strip... Interesting and pretty complex PCB design for such simple circuitry.
I use one of these for trail running. Perfect for being lightweight, nothing moves/bounces around and the whole path around me gets lit up with consistent light which helps for your eyes not having to keep adjusting to different brightness.
I bought one of these a year back for a lean project to replace the ones at work, obviously with propper ones, but it was a success and got everyone hyped, especially the hand pass. Now i use it once in a while when working on the car, i like it.
Bought one after seeing this. I have conventional head torches and lanterns for work/power failure uses and thought this looked a useful addition. So far, I'm quite impressed.
Brilliant tip about the potential issues with smart chargers. I had dismantled mine trying to work out why it wouldn't charge (except when it was completely flat). After seeing this, I plugged it into an altogether dumber USB source than the ones I had been using and all is well.
Recently picked one up myself kinda happy to see a video on this thing
As a mail courier heading into the winter the COB mode is useful and this is better than my trusty hand held light that I will still keep for backup.
A couple of the other couriers that I work with have one of these and most of us just wear with a hat because we have a hat on anyway from earlier in the day
I'm tempted to try to sew it directly into one of my baseball caps
I too have bought a couple of these and really like them for like walking thru the barn in the dark. I've thought about replacing the focused beam LED with a red one just for night vision applications. I also have a collection of the other center forehead beam types and do like them for working on something in from of me. Good video, and I was curious of how it was put together. Thanks for showing us.
Another great recommendation, and I will test it out! I bought the first model that you showed and indeed proved to be a very useful source of light. Thank you, bro.
I have found that with the cob directly on forehead lights like this one that they cause my glasses to flare with the reflected light. I have a preferred one that has a 1-2 inch cob and a focused beam on a pivot that also takes a removable 18650. Super cheap but works really well for me.
This has been quite interesting, way more than I was expecting. I like the cob light as a choice. For some uses as moving through dark rooms, attics and so, the wide spread of light is quite convenient.
I have a tiny flashlight with both a side cob and focusable spotligh that I use with a strap I 3dprinted, but the battery capacity mades it near useless. I might check for one of these and just hack the spotlight angle to my liking.
8:48 - you can even see a little dimple in the battery-pack where the solder-connection pressed in.
Always fun to see these kinds of gadgets on your channel. Bought the same headlamp you compared this one to. Still happy with it. Put a piece of red filter in it by disassembling it to have a proper night-light for astrophotography. The big COB might be great for that aswell when it's on the low setting. Keeps the eyesight when needed.
Ohhh yeah perfect timing. Right when I'm settling down for the day. Thanks for the videos Clive!
I got a pair for $20cdn abouts. One went to my sister, and she has crowned it her favourite work light for fabric crafting.
I got one and LOVE it for night fishing. I found the LEDs on mine dont heat up, battery life is above what i need for a night of fishing, it puts off a ton of light, and the hands-free option is a huge bonus when you have minnow slime and worm poop all over your fingers haha.
After watching the video, and its actually the SAME ONE in the SAME PACKAGE except i got it with the high-vis band with the reflective strap. If you are on the fence about this, i would say pull the trigger. Ive only used it a dozen times and seems to hold its charge better now then it did before the battery was broken in.
I bought the other adjustable head light with IR your using in this video, I like it, after your recommendation of it in another video. The only annoying thing is if I'm working in a loft the IR beam can be interrupted easily if you move past a beam or move some insulation, then you're left in the dark lol.. I don't use that feature anymore, but it's a great head light for focusing the beam on junction boxes etc. And it charges in my van after I'm done. Great stuff!
Get 80 dollar "Low Profile" Milwaukee headlamp, its the best thing I've ever bought working on racecars. The LEDs are a warmer color and the working time on full bright is outstanding. Plus, if it dies, you can swap the battery. If you need a reliable headlamp that will always shine when you press the "on" button, get the sub-100 dollar Milwaukee.
Our Daughter gave me one for my birthday and let me tell you it kicks butt I always use it when we go fishing in the Gulf coast very happy with mine 😀 🤗😊😉.
Thank you for your hard work I always feel like I get an education whenever I watch any of your videos that's why I really enjoy them so again thank you for your hard work
I have a pair of these. Use them working and cleaning the car. Have not noticed excessive heat while in use. About 3 ish hours use, but have the other charged so swap and go on. The general light pattern works for what I do, the focused requires me to shift the band to put the beam where I need it. Nice it comes back on where you had it, annoying if you have go through all settings for off and on like other lamps. The charge port cover is still a pain to get off, I may remove it. Thanks for tearing yours down so I can leave mine intact... ;)
Got one a few months back and have used it for all kinds of things (technical work in the dark, hiking, even some caving). I rather like the diffuse beam for close-up work. Much less glare and shadows than from a single point source. For hiking in particular, I wish there was a setting that kept both lights on to give you maximum peripheral+distance lighting. Yes, a regular light gives you spill and spot but I think a mix that focuses on the extremes (*very* broad and very narrow with nothing wasted in between) is better.
The side light is a total pain when wearing glasses though. Just floods one eye with glare though the side. At full power the COB is indeed noticeably warm on the forehead, but not uncomfortably so.
I got one and I don't know how I lived without this. The problem with wiring an electrical box is it's a box, and my head blocks the only path for light to enter the box. This headlamp replaces the blocked light. The light is spread out so it doesn't cast shadows. I only use the COB at 40%.
I assumed I would not be able to wear it without getting annoyed, but I kept forgetting I had it on! I even used it on a volunteer trip to the Dominican Republic in August where I did some wiring, and it didn't make me any more uncomfortable.
I have found no use for the Beam light. The 40% has a noticeable flicker; I wish they had picked a higher frequency. The IR on/off feature is too sensitive: it triggers when I walk through a doorway. I wish I could re-do their firmware to make it require a longer IR signal.
I think all my friends are getting one from me this holiday season. It's gonna be a COB Christmas!
I like using a headlight to illuminate the inside of control panels while I'm working on them. Even in a well lit area.
I think these are great. I bought one, liked it so much I bought two more. My eyesight isn't as good as it used to be and I find the floodlight effect it gives really good for working by. My only gripe is after a while it gets rather hot on the forehead and slightly headache inducing.
Got one of these. Very comfortable, lightweight, for my needs its exactly what I want plenty of light all around. I have used other spot light type headlamps and they were too bright in single spot and not enough light around. I had mine for under a year, used every night, and two problem with them is the glue that hold the cob with the backing material onto the band came off and 2-3 leds are intermittent sometimes they work sometimes they don't which does not really impact the brightness
I have a NightBuddy, perfect for working on cars since when I'm under the hood, its nice to have a hands free flood light that doesn't cause excess heat.
Love my torch... The cob "beam" is perfect when working outside. It gives plenty of light and you light everything in your view. I actually hung my ledlenser on the backup hook in the garage instead of my primary goto light hook, when I realized how much I use the surrounding light from the cob beam
These are actually really usefull due to the broad spread of light, when working in the wheel arch of a car say and any place where you need to use your peripheral vision. Also I find I knock them out of position less due to not having the traditional head torch section sticking out in front of your head.
The thing that I appreciate the most is your sincerest courteous concern for people like me who have chronic pain nausea vertigo and chronic nystagmus and chronic astigmatism and 6-9 previous strokes and tia's
I personally found these style of lamps to be pretty useful for automotive work. A nice bright work space let’s me keep track of where my tools are and also since the battery is on the side it doesn’t dig into my head while I’m working under the car. Only issues I’ve had is battery life isn’t stellar compare to my previous light bar pro and the silicone layers came unglued.
My mom got me one of these for Christmas and i took it to Alaska to go fishing. I am an engineer on a fishing boat. I have to say that this is the best head lamp I have ever had! I really like that splash of light everywhere and i like that it is flush to my forehead. I never noticed the light getting hot or anything. Unfortunately, the battery protection circuit seems to be lacking as mine started melting and the battery pillowed while charging on the boats power inverter. Im not sure if the fault was in the headlamp or the inverter for sure, but other crew members were charging their phones on it no problem- so im leaning toward the headlamp. It continued to work until the battery ran out but would no longer charge.
LOVE the cob light for area work like under a house (crawlspace), attic, car, spaces where you need light over more than focused area.
After another video you did about "head torches " I bought a Nitecore HC60 1200 lumen, great light but it will keep your forehead HOT on any setting other than low, had it on high and made the mistake of setting it on the floor with the lens pointing into the carpet, melted an EFING HOLE in the carpet, super bright leds are great but careful where you set them.
Any day with a video from Clive is a good day :D
I bought a few of these a year or more back, and when I can remember where I put them, they're not bad for working on my car in poor lighting conditions.
One of my co-workers uses one regularly at work, but his has lost numerous chips on the COB array, leaving it looking blotchy along the front strip.
All told, I use a "normal" LED headlamp with a battery pack counter-balanced on the rear of the headband when I need one at work.
Thanks I was considering this head light, but you make a great point about the focused light.
Thanks for your efforts and sharing 👍🇬🇧
Another GREAT show of products on the market...you rock Big C! DVD:)
Nice. Thanks Big Clive.
I'm going to wind up with an impressive collection of head lamps. I'm with you so far though. I like the little light weight black one though I have the previous generation.
I have several of these, fantastic for car inspections where a flood of bright light is very helpful. Major down side is that the COB, resting against your forehead kicks out a lot of heat. Wouldn't have on for more than 5 minutes so no problems.
Nice video and very informative. I have this headlight and is ok. The cob light is actually decent for work in open spaces, camping. I don't use the focused light very often. One thing I observed is after several weeks of standby it is self discharge. When I connect the charger it takes time to get any feedback from the led. First time I was testing several chargers and I was thinking it is game over. But after 15 minutes the led was on and charged the battery. Since then I connect the charger every week and no problem. The original cable has a longer USB C connector and working fine. I you are using other cable, the connection is not good and no charging.
I've had a pair of Bolle Galaxy glasses for years - very good as the (small) side lights are well boresighted to my eyeline, and provide a smallish well focused spot of light. Good for close work or well aligned for walking around as they match eye placement. Some head torches spread too much light, and as they're forehead mounted tend to cause neckache as one tries to compensate for the slight misalignment of the beam, and they're not sweaty with a headband, and the lenses offer full eye protection..
I've seen the over the top ads and thought they would be bad, nice to know they are decent.
A while back I ended up buying a Fenix one, not cheap but with an 18650 and intensities set points that allow 16hr+ for long days and the floodlight is very useful.
Some observations:
I'm thinking that it might be possible to fasten something that's flat, light and flexible, about the size of a stick from an ice cream bar, to the back of the COB. Then bend it a bit concave to make the COB strip focus to a narrower horizontal angle. I realize that this may cause the headband pressure to be localized to the center of the forehead and cause discomfort. Maybe once the COB curvature is adjusted properly, a 3D printed one could be made. It might look something like this from the top
>--<
And it might be thicker at the top to tilt the COB down. Thanks, Clive.
I got one of these for a camping/festival trip and I loved it. I'm not sure if our units differ a bit, but my cob strip was OBSCENELY bright. Like, it hurt to look at directly, even from a distance. I will say you have to position it properly for good beam direction while using it to work on stuff, but if you need a good wash of light over everything, it's killer.
Which lamp are you using?
Those are everywhere, both on eBay and Amazon. But it’s nice to see the soft ones for a change. There are some that have the focus lamp on a swivel on top of the led strip and some that have sensors for proximity and a hard backing (usually a thin sheet of drawn aluminum or abs polymer). Just beware that most of them have poor to shoddy quality and they will let water in if you use them in the rain. Some have such poor insulation or tolerance fittings that if you just use them as-is and strap to your forehead and go for a walk, the perspiration will get inside the “protective” area of the photo strip and fog it up or even short it. Also there are plenty that have very short cables between the battery and control pack that make using them in cramped spaces, where there’s a high likelihood of hitting your head/helmet/headlight to be a huge hazard for the headlight itself. Had to change the cables from one set because they were so thin that just the act of removing it from my head and folding the headlight with its strap to store/recharge would break the originals (got one set waiting for a cable set that only the photo strip works, the headlamp got either cooked or the wires for its switch in the board snapped as well).
We have been using the same model for the last 3 months. and they do a great job.. I was surprised.
I bought it like 2 months ago or so from a facebook ad and checked the comments/reviews to make sure it's not a scam. it was on sale i believe for $25 so I bought it. nice and bright, i like it.
Absolutely love this thing! Mine stopped charging though, so wired a USB cord to it to run off of a powerbank. Maybe could've saved the original battery function but my electrical knowledge doesn't stretch that far (yet)
I have the same light and love it, got 2 for $20 from amazon, the wide spread from the cob led is perfect for me
I live an outdoor life and am a big fan of my Ledlenser headlamp. I looked quickly at the Night Buddy and decided like you it would spread out the light too much, and that the non-directivity (?) of the side light would be inconvenient. Mi d you, for fun I did buy a MASSIVE head 'headlamp' for £7. It too uses a COB plus a blue red LED mix that flash alternatively like a USA police car light! Bonus! It's a pity I can't post you a piccie - it's massive!
I have a really cheap similar one. There isn't a spotlight but the cob bit on the front is a lot wider and it has a little box at the back with 3 red LEDs which copy the cob section: full, medium, flash. It is great for fixing my bike.
The strobe function is for when you get attacked by Zombies with epilepsy.
Really handy in Edinburgh apparently.
I have some CH340E USB-TTL interfaces equipped with such Type-C USB connectors, and since they're all about lowering the components count and miniaturizing the solution, yes there's no circuitry telling the other side it should be powering the device. Hence, you need to use a USB type A to Type-C cord. Otherwise, it's totally fine.
You can fix that relatively easily: the two pins in the middle are the CC1 and CC2 lines. Each one needs to be tied to ground with a 5.1k resistor. If they are already shorted like here: use a single 5.1k. Together with a similar pull-up in the power supply this tells the other side that your side is a power sink. The voltage you measure on it then tells you how many amps you can draw.
@@KonradTheWizzard thanks, sounds like an interesting and easy mod to try!
@@jkobain It is. If you can locate the correct pins. Check whether your device is using a 6pin, 12pin or 24pin socket (the latter often have tiny pins sticking into the PCB because there is not enough space at the back).
I bought the motion detector one for £10 brand new as a spare torch
Other than blinding people if you turn to speak to them, I have found it very bright and easy to charge.
Blinding people with head torches is a problem with them all. In my experience sites at night are full of people dazzling each other and swearing at each other.
Where did you did you buy it for £10, please?
@@healthystyle
An eBay seller around 6 months ago.
@@brianiswrong Do you have the ebay seller?
Thank you for responding to me
My favorite head light is a very small pair of lights embedded in my beanie. It's not the best light but it's quite decent for how small and long lasting it is. I wear it just to wear a hat and it comes in handy all the time. I want lights in everything! Once we can cheaply manufacture small batteries capable of powering useful leds that can last for many years we could just start embedding permanent flashlights in everything, clothes, furniture, pens, jewelry
Ordered up one of these after watching this video for pottering around outside in the dark. The strip does a great job of providing a wide area of illumination without the effect the light direction changes when you move your head. The beam light is pretty useless but that's not why I bought it. For the money it's great for what I use it for.
i got 2 of these in a pack from amazon uk, £13 i believe
the cob is longer, and does me wel lfor working terminating cat5 in the dark or poor light
the sensor is VERY sensitive, turning your head too near a door frame etc can turn it on/off :)
I had mine for about a year now and it's the best. My use for it is camping and nothing comes close to it. It's probably not the best for people looking to use it for working at night, but for general lighting when you are camping, cooking and tending to fire, etc, then it's great.
Why would you use a flashlight working in the daytime? you said its not good for people looking to use it at night.
@@Physics072 what are you on about, mate? I said ‘working’ at night, not ‘use’ it at night. The light dispersal pattern is too wide and does not give specific focus so using it for recreational propose is fine but not for a work. Inference mate. It’s a valuable tool. I can’t write everything now, can I? Cheers
I like these. They are necessary for my work and are light and low-profile. You don't have to scroll through all the settings to turn it off. Battery life on high isn't great, but you can just buy a few and swap them out.
I surrender Clive. After commenting earlier that I liked this style I decided to give your preferred light a chance after getting a warm head from this one while working on my truck. My older versions of that one were not rechargeable and batteries would fall out. The new versions are indeed better and I now prefer it over these strip lights although I think the strip ones will still be handy working under a vehicle.
For outdoors stuff what you really need is the COB with the option to have the beam on at the same time.
I got one a year ago for reading old fashioned paper books in bed.
Great light and comfortable.
My favorite headlamp for working at stuff is Sofirn HS10. it is aimable down to my nose if i wanted. Features 16340 battery with 800mAh capacity 1100lm output with 90CRI LED amd TIR optics. And the cherry on top - magnetic tail cap to stick it to anything metal when not using as a head lamp... You should consider doing a video on it.
PS: It does have smooth ramp up or ramp down of power output. But it doesn't have no contact wave hand in front function however.
I never really took to head lamps. Instead, I have a small pocket flashlight with a neodymium magnet base, and that's worked best for me. Since I'm typically working in equipment racks or cars where ferrous metal is abundant, it's nice to be able to just stick it someplace and not worry about it. Gotta be sure not to forget it's there, though. Already lost one flashlight that way.
ive got the small focosed light one with infra red on/off.. brought it after you reviewed it some time ago... ive got several but this is my go to head light
Ahahahaha, thank you for this one. A local (Colorado, USA) company has claimed to have designed these when it now looks as tho they just found and imported them. That said, their rep was in my hardware store yesterday (2-17-23) handing out a few free samples, and I got this one plus an unrelated COB key fob. A COBFOB if you will. I've "poked at it with a sharp stick" (the head band I mean) and held it underwater a bit (nasty me, I put a bit of dish soap in that water to eliminate surface tension) and then rinsed it after a bit. But it's probably still wet today... too early for any corrosion to have set in... anyhoo, I do love your reviews and this one is suddenly timely for me.
I will say it's pretty bright.
Also, can we hope that this is a Li-ion battery we are strapping to the sides of our heads and not something prone to explosion and/or fire? 🙃
PS: our previous headlamp (used for camping mostly) was from the 1980s, used incandescent lamps and four AA cells and felt a bit like strapping a miner's "wheat lamp" to your forehead. O_O
What @Miata822 and @SiCrewe both said! This thing is a game change, _IF_ it holds up, and for me that remains to be seen.
I love mine for walking outside and just general use. I will go get the regular magnetic work lights for actually working on stuff but I'll keep this on so I can see around me. Overall it was a good buy, and cheap. I see Facebook ads for these all the time with links that show the same thing I got on Amazon for like 2 times the price. Look out for that.
Hate the flash/strobe feature just because it's pointless.
I've had this type for a couple of years and I think they are great for working on cars where it often is tight spaced.
Mine has got a bit wider COB strip, but otherwise its just like this one.
What is a COB light? Thought this was called nightbuddy?
@@Physics072 I'm not sure if it is a nerdy joke 😁.
If not: Chip On Board (well, if it was a joke, it still means that 🤦😁)
I found a simple 3 large cob LED headlight from Dollar Tree here i the US I've had for several years now that does a good job for the $1 I paid for it, only downsides are the CR2032 cells it uses, and it's not the brightest thing I've ever used, but it's outlasted more expensive ones I've tried from the likes of Energizer.
It is nice self contained unit, also has a built in forehead warmer.
I bought one of these recently under the brand name Molaer for $18 USD (Black rubber instead of Gray). I'm happy with it, and it does a good job. I don't like how it flashes as the first on selection, but I do like the hands free feature as when I'm painting I don't want to touch anything once I may have paint on my glove. I would have liked the hands free control to be able to switch modes instead of On/Off as I have use for different use cases when I'm using it. IMHO, I think the strobing function was for use in roadside disabled vehicle situations where you want oncoming drivers to see you, and that is why they put it first (although I don't think they thought out that use case ). Opinions?
Couple of questions Clive - is the IR emitter being pulsed? I note the receiver side is effectively high-pass filtered at ~1kHz which should cut out most light flicker.
Also, I use a cob light quite regularly as a general task light but found the cob bike-lights with belt clips more convenient & comfortable than head torches (clipped to a lapel)
I do like it because when I'm working on a car under the hood I get the illumination of the cob which is great but I also have the focused beam which I occasionally need to see down in between the engine and the firewall. It's rude to blind people with the cob which is why the infrared sensor is very useful because my hands are dirty and I don't want to fish around for the button with all that grease on my hands. Although it falsely triggering whenever my head gets close to something is rather annoying so there's not many times when I can actually use the sensor. I bought from two different sellers on ebay. Both very inexpensive. They had some large differences. One of them was lacking the dim setting on the side light and it's battery got all swollen up and it quit working after only a week of owning it. The other one still working great and it's 2 months old now. I like how lightweight they are and it's nice having the bulk on the side of your head instead of on your forehead.
I got one earlier in the year to give it a look see, colour me surprised as I was expecting to be disappointed, but the wide COB light is bloody good for BBQing in the dark, I must remember to give it a charge.
I also love this lamp. I even bougth 127 of these. And I will buy at least 1000 more. One for each of my pockets. One for my bunny. One for my granny. One for my kitchen. One for my shower. One for each of my fish. One for my lawnmower. One for my underwear. One for my washingmachine. One for camping. One for sleeping. One for washing. I bought these for all the people I know. For the local animals etc. I really love these! Best thing in the world besides horse flies. 17,5 points out of 5!
And now imagine that Lithium cell catching fire while you've this thing on your head.
I think this head torch is great for those that are out exercising in the dark, but not that good for work in small compartments because the light isn't symmetric so you can easily obscure the light when you are diving into a control enclosure to figure out how to pull in new wiring. I prefer symmetric light that gives a strong light from the forehead as close to the eyes as possible to avoid strange shadows.
I have a variant of this, the silicone is black, but otherwise identical physically. However, the modes are slightly different. it has COB high, COB low, COB red, and focused beam high. Still has the hold to strobe function, but the light has to first be on. The sensor functions identically as well.
6:10 - am i the only one that thinks that short rolling shutter effect with the dim light and bright center would make some amazing ambiance for a horror short?
These lights are great and warm your head a bit on a cold day. I would be lost without mine now.
I found a variant that has the COB headband, but instead of the side mounted spot LED, it has a more "standard" adjustable main beam in the center.
Doesn't look as snazzy and sleek as this one, but with it being aimable so that it'll actually light up the thing you're working on, more practical.
They advertise the "main" as being an XPE, and it is lensed and apparently intended for a fairly narrow spotlight.
It does have a larger power/battery module with a 2Ah 18650 in it, and reviews suggest that the weight on your head is a little imbalanced as a result.
As someone else commented good for general illumination walking in the dark, but like you, I need a directable focussed light for working. Still prefer my now ancient Petzl Tikka, mainly because it's angle is adjustable to get the light in the correct position for the near field part of my varifocal glasses.
Seems like it might be nice for walking around dark spaces, but not really working with your hands? I've had one of those lights that clips onto a baseball cap bill which has worked great for years. I really like that thing.
I have the simple one, too, I think maybe I got it after you took one to bits. It's really handy, though I don't use the motion-detector mode that often. Otherwise, great little light, probably the best headlamp I've ever had. It'll be a little annoying when the battery finally dies unless I can find a replacement pack of a similar size, or if I can find a whole new one for not too much. ISTR it was pretty cheap anyway.
These batteries are easily available on eBay. All the sizes and shapes are available.
I got a two pack of those I think from that same video, both of mine self-drained to 0 sitting in a drawer for a few weeks and wouldn't take a charge again. :/
My experience with the thing is that you can point the "spot" led by tilting the band on your head, but I do not see the light as very practical for working while sitting. Makes more sense when walking around indoors, without bothering to switch on/off normal lighting, and without needing much distance illumination. If hot already, the leds on the forehead does become a bit noticeable, but nowhere near scorching.
My favorite headlamp remains the original Nitecore NU20. Bright, rechargeable, aimable, decent battery life, super light weight and decent water resistance.
I have this one in black, with a green high-vis elastic band and reflective stripe down the middle, i often have it around my helmet.
I have this headlamp. It puts out very usable light from the COB array in both lumens and temperature.
Had something very similar for about 12 months now, got it off a customer who sells stuff to mechanics. Absolutely love it, although I suspect it may be a different implementation as I would describe it as "f-off bright" on full power, and it gets a bit toasty, and I wouldn't have pegged the battery on full power as lasting for more than about 50 minutes.
I have about 5 of the old petzl headlights along with the headlight which is your favorite, they all do what anyone could want from a work light, it seems today that in an effort to get people to buy new lights they have to add "special" Features that do nothing to really make things better 🙂
I remember I ordered the other lamp (the good one) some time ago after you made a video about it, but it never showed up. I guess I should give it another try (if it's still available).
I really like an LED lantern (styled like the old kerosene mantle lamp) for power outages. If I need to work on something in the dark I'll often use an LED headlamp, but for just "I am sitting at home in the dark" it is hard to beat a lantern.
Since I started selling and modding flashlights about 2 years ago I've been reverse engineering them. I drew out the schematics of a few flashlights and they all seem similar no matter what brand or how many modes. One thing I noted is none of the LEDs have resistors. I believe they have done some tricks inside the chips to save space on the outside of the chip. Sometimes I buy samples and then decide if I want to sell them. I've seen some other things being done I like to look for. They dim the LED to make a cheap lithium battery have a longer life, that would be the 1-ohm resistor on this headlamp they would change it to a 1.2 or 1.5 it doesn't take very much. A 1.5 resistor in a flashlight would probably make it dim enough to delight everyone at a redlight star party if you changed to red so there is some usefulness in making it dimmer.
Just to let everyone know to avoid angry people, headlamps or anything with white LED even if it has red mode is being banned at some star parties. Probably screen filters and tape over the white LED on smartphones are next.
Got a couple ones just like that, they are great and plenty bright enough for me.
I always have one in my Rucksack I use for hiking, very lightweight and the cob is grat for lighting the surrounding