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Streamlight UV light vs Fluke RLD2 UV light for AC leak testing

GophersGarage

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Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
720
Location
Ontario Canada
Need help picking one. Thanks for your time

xfluke_rld2_hvac_r_refrigerant_leak_detector_flashlight.jpg.pagespeed.ic.ml7X1E5aZA.webp
stylusprouvusb_01.jpg
 
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Rinspeed

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Apr 26, 2020
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1,832
Location
NY
I'm sure both are good quality but for how much you are going to use it a $20-30 light would probably do you just fine. Not UV but I own both Fluke and Streamlight products and they are both great companies.
 

Wamsutta

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Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
10,885
Location
Amarillo, Texas
That Streamlight looks like it's based off the Stylus Pro light. I've had several of the Stylus Pro lights and they're always having trouble with the switch spring. The switch spring will shrink down and then it won't make contact with the batteries. You can pull on the spring and stretch it out to get it working again, but that's only a temporary fix because the spring will eventually shrink down again. A very frustrating flashlight!
 

jayemm

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Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
1,544
Location
up high down low
If those lights are application specific I'd be sure to match their wavelength if going with something more generic as I understand there is a difference. I have a cheap supposed UV flashlight but apparently it's not the correct wavelength. Beyond illuminating every crumb and speck of dirt on the carpet and causing every piece of white paper to glow, I don't know what it's good for. Don't have a bong or posters from the '70's. If I still drank, I'd have another beer and that's my $.02.
 
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j3rf

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Apr 26, 2018
Messages
488
Location
Ohio
I'd be warranting a Stylus Pro every week. I might as well move next door to the post office.
Unfortunate for your use case. Mac dealer takes care of any of my Streamlight issues in the form of handing me a new one.
 

TopFuel

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Joined
Oct 4, 2006
Messages
144
Location
New Hampshire
I like the Fluke as it is similar format to their IR thermometer that I have. I also like the fact that its a flashlight and a laser pointer. Too bad as it shows as discontinued and most resellers that still have the listing for it show as backordered which I'd assume is because Fluke isn't making it. Too bad.

Personally I don't like the Streamlight because of the battery. I have a Streamlight Macrostream (similar penlight style) with a similar sort of proprietary and expensive battery. That macrostream sat for 2 years in a drawer with maybe 10 minutes operating time and had been recharged once or twice. I went to use it and it was dead. Battery was junk. Cost $20 for a Streamlight battery on a $50 flashlight that rarely got used. When I went looking for a replacement battery I found that I was not alone in this battery issue (randomly dies regardless of runtime). Now I don't trust it and fully expect that it will prematurely die. One the other hand, I have a couple Streamlight firearm lights and they are fine BUT they also use CR123 and other off the shelf battery types and I put Duracell batteries in them. They sit for long periods of time and always work.
 

Grimm_the_Grey

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Joined
Jul 24, 2021
Messages
72
Location
Central Pennsylvania
I know this thread isn't new but for anyone here still looking, I'd recommend one of the switchblade lights from streamlight. they have two versions one based on the stinger battery and a smaller one based on the strion battery. both have a UV LED in them which is a nice high quality UV LED. Nice strong UV emittance without overpowering visible light. it's not filtered but it's not bad. Also you get two different CRI's of light on the work light part. One is supposed to be some sort of true color LEDs to match sunlight I guess?

battery life is pretty good, it's not amazing, but if you get the smaller strion based one then you can swap out the battery quickly and easily. (the stinger based one requires you to remove a screw to get the battery out) I've been using them for years and well my second one only because somebody stole the first one.
 
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