Poundland seems to bring out a variant of this light every year. Like many of these head torches (flashlights) it has a strong resemblance to the earlier Petzl Tikka light.
Some versions of these cheap but very useful lights have been near flawless in their design, often exceeding the quality of the original Petzl version. But others fall a bit short.
This one is very useable, but has had some elements of economy applied. It doesn't have the magnet, which means that it is quite a loose fit in the holder, and bizarrely the open end of the holder is pointing down so that gravity can liberate the torch at every opportunity it gets. Made somewhat worse by the power button pushing the torch out of the holder too.
Like many of these lights it has what appears to be the PCB from a bikes rear LED warning light in it, which gives it several rather useless flashing and chasing functions. Ideally it would just have turned on and off.
The adjustable elastic head strap is nice and wide at 1" (25mm) and big enough to be comfortable even on my larger than average head. It feels quite comfortable with long use.
With three fresh AAA alkaline cells the LEDs are run at a combined current of about 86mA, meaning they are being driven at almost 30mA each with fresh batteries. This will progressively drop as the battery voltage falls. The quiescent standby current was not even measurable, which is a good result.
And then I inadvertently blew it up.

16 thoughts on “Poundlands 2015 led headlight.”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Phillip bartlett says:

    Thanks for the chuckle. You could have not posted it yet you shared. You are a good man.

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars colin turner says:

    had to laugh at the end clive brilliant top video as normal

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jim MacLaughlin says:

    Probably two of the LEDs are still OK

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jonathan Brown says:

    They've obviously adopted the financial style wiring. In the red is always negative 🙂

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Stephen Cook says:

    Personally whenever I open anything up (and I do it a lot), I always check the colours of power connections. Even mains leads are often wrong (and not just Chinese ones either). I've done that ever since I connected a stage lighting pack from a major UK manufacturer, and the live and ground were transposed.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jimbob says:

    i cant remember how many times i screwed up the polarity or accidentally supplied 12v on a 5v rail. makes you feel like a complete idiot.

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jimbob says:

    i dont understand why flashlight manufacturers think we need a blinking light all it does is add unnecessary complication

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Andrew Howden says:

    i have one with 5 L.E.D,s it's about £8 it's fab.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Andrew Howden says:

    the FUCKING thing cost a quid stop moaning!

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars TaterzMcBiscuit says:

    Nothing quite like having a tourniquet applied to your forehead.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DanB says:

    A few years back Dollar Tree was selling headlamps suspiciously similar to those, except one MAGICAL difference. . Out of 3 AAA batteries, only one was actually connected to the LEDs. They were all like that. xD (Surprisingly they were not too bad.)

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jay Herde says:

    I always thought 'duck' tape would fix anything. Although I can't apply it here without causing extreme pain. And I don't think it will fix toasted LEDs.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Chaplain Dave Sparks says:

    With that magnet (neodymium?) against the forehead, your brain might need to be degaussed occasionally. <grin >

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Nuckelhedd Jones says:

    turn the damn band over clive. It should drop in from the top. .

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Abc-co Leaks-info says:

    I finally threw an older Energizer head lamp away because twice while I was wearing/using it, one or two of the batteries burst. It's ironic that both times I was using Duracell batteries!

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars David 'Haggis' Haysom says:

    Could turn the head band the other way round? Would that stop the dropping out?

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