Opinions on Map Lights?

Trying to finish up a couple of details to possibly run the Celica at LSPR. One of the things I need is a map light for the co-driver. I've seen a few available on the interwebs, but its hard to know much without ever having used one.

What makes a good map light? Anybody have a favorite? Opinions on white vs red lamps?

Thanks!

If you get a red one don't use pink highlighter on your notes.

Any light that is stable, and adjustable will work fine. You really do want one that wont be visible out of the corner of your eye. The standard Hella flexible ones are great.

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Greg Donovan
If you get a red one don't use pink highlighter on your notes.

Or green... Turns black under red light

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First Rally: 2001
Driver (7), Co-Driver (44)
Drivers (16)
Clerk (10), Official (7), Volunteer (4)
Cars Built (1), Engines Built (0) Cages Built (0)
Last Updated, January 4, 2015

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john vanlandingham
Blame is for idiots. losers.

Lots of info about the red light myth. Google it but here's a start http://stlplaces.com/night_vision_red_myth/

Blue or blue green or white.

I thought red was because its less annoying to driver in peripheral.

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Grant Hughes

As long as it ligts up the notes and doesn't bug the driver too much that's all that matters. My car has a white hella one that is flexible and bright enough for the codriver and not too bright that it bugs me.

I use a visor clip on red led headlamp. Allows me to read the page when I look down and doesn't bother the driver. I like it a lot better than flex boom lights.

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"Talk about drugs. Driving a car like that, going that fast, it’s like all the drugs at once." - Tommy Byrne

"Now, Pinky, if by any chance you are captured during this mission, remember you are Gunther Heindriksen from Appenzell. You moved to Grindelwald to drive the cog train to Murren. Can you repeat that?" - The Brain

Cool info about red light and night vision.

I think I'd like the flexibility of a boom style lamp. Related question: Do you guys mount these at the B-pillar to roof junction, or on the A-pillar bar?

We use one of these:
http://www.donbarrow.co.uk/pacenotes.html

Spendy, but very nice. Mounts to your rollcage above the navigators head - kind of looks like a piece of rollcage padding with some LED's in it. Very stable.

We used to have one of the lights (Hella, I think) mounted on a flexible arm, but found it to be too bouncy.

Doug

The current car I'm competing in has the map light mounted to the transmission tunnel so it swings up, through my arm, and points away from the driver. One of the best flex mounts I've had.

I've never tried them but have only heard good things about the Don Barrow ones.

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First Rally: 2001
Driver (7), Co-Driver (44)
Drivers (16)
Clerk (10), Official (7), Volunteer (4)
Cars Built (1), Engines Built (0) Cages Built (0)
Last Updated, January 4, 2015

Quote
john vanlandingham
Blame is for idiots. losers.

Thought the Don Barrow one was a bit steep. Found that traditional rally incandescent map lights got very hot. Looked around a bit when building our latest car. Tried to get Kieran pumped about finding the perfect map light. Not much happened. Rushing up on RWV with it's seriously long night stage I knew it was going to be an issue and Kieran using a clip-on lamp would be less than ideal.

I had an old USB light on a flex mount back from the days before keyboards had backlighting. Found a cheap car/USB adapter and zip tied the USB light to the cage. Perfect!



Simon
USUK Racing

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Simon Wright
Owner/Driver USUK Racing - Home of the USUK Racing LED Light Bars!

North America Rally Map

Hey, I came across a few of those Don Barrow lights in the container a few weeks ago! They are a bit steep. I'll have to dig those out and sell them for cheaper one of these days.

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Grant Hughes

Chevy Blazer third brake light. Its an array of red LED lights, quite bright, and already set up for 12v. You could cut it in half, cut a slot into some rollcage padding and have two don barrows lights for $10. A dimmer is recommended to set the light level.

Oo, oo, call on me!

The reason for using red light is to prevent the person's eyes from un-adapting to dark. In general, the human eye requires continual darkness to dark-adapt and remain dark-adapted, But red light doesn't excite the receptors that determine dark-adaption, which is why this color is often used: you can see, but remain dark-adapted.

edit: decent discussion on WickedPedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purkinje_effect



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2013 08:59AM by Iowa999.