The brinkman light...

[Bobbykart]

OK, so I got a Brinkman light in Dec or so. Right here from Autogeek. It is great, really shows your progress in the polishing process. used it twice, I am not a professional. On the third polish
I turn it on and one of the two bulbs , only illuminates about
20% of full power. I call autogeek and they say I need to contact Brinkman. ###? do people not stand behind what they sell?
Total time used for this product, may have been 5 minutes.
Just sayin

[thebamboo23]

A lot of folks have the same problem with the brinkman

[Methodical]

OK, so I got a Brinkman light in Dec or so. Right here from Autogeek. It is great, really shows your progress in the polishing process. used it twice, I am not a professional. On the third polish
I turn it on and one of the two bulbs , only illuminates about
20% of full power. I call autogeek and they say I need to contact Brinkman. ###? do people not stand behind what they sell?
Total time used for this product, may have been 5 minutes.
Just sayin

Get a regular 'ole bike light

[Lakeside Detail]

Mine did the same thing. One of the lights flickers and is much more dim than the other. Also my light as a parasitic drain. The batteries go dead after 2 days if I don't use it. My light was new in November.

[Mike Phillips]

do people not stand behind what they sell?




I was told that Brinkmann stopped manufacturing this light.

I'm not sure why?


We did carry spare bulbs but about a week ago I checked to see if there were any left in stock only to find out we're also out of stock of the replacement bulbs.

I have half a dozen of these lights and the bulb went out in one of them so I need a replacement bulb too. The lights are too good at what they do to simply toss the light.


I looked up your first post to our forum via your posting history,

Brand new black Corvette (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/71267-brand-new-black-corvette.html)

Not sure if I've replied to any of your other posts to this forum but in the above thread I hope I demonstrated the helpful nature of Autogeek by sharing information to help you keep your new black Corvette looking good including the article,


DON'T WASH CAR !!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/66855-don-t-wash-car.html)



Autogeek stands behind the product they sell but if the source for the products dries up it puts us at a disadvantage.


When I find a source for new bulbs I'll get you one too.


PM me your shipping address.


:)

[chris11le]

Im looking for a swirl finding light....are there any other good alternatives to the Brinkman around the same price point?

[STPETEDALE]

On my 3m battery pack I just opened her up and replaced batteries cells with new ones. It was a very simple procedure. I'm sure this can be done on most Brinkmans and most battery tools.

[MitchLiving]

Ok, someone will really have to explain to me what makes these lights better than my flash light with a High and a Low setting? Besides the 3M sunlight gun I used some "Swirl" finder lights and I couldn't understand why a "Speical" light is needed. Almost like saying a product is better for a certain color car when it only effects the clear coat on non-single stage paint job. But it's why I am here, to learn so please educate me!

[STPETEDALE]

I misread post thought it was battery related but in fact bulb issues. I honestly can say the 3m light is a waste of moneyIMHO. It has a cool fan and all but for detailing it will drive you insane. Now if you are painting and matching paints it's a must have. I collect flashlights and it is a very expensive hobby.I wish I never heard the word Fenix before! !

[Mike Phillips]

Ok, someone will really have to explain to me what makes these lights better than my flash light with a High and a Low setting? Besides the 3M sunlight gun I used some "Swirl" finder lights and I couldn't understand why a "Special" light is needed. Almost like saying a product is better for a certain color car when it only effects the clear coat on non-single stage paint job. But it's why I am here, to learn so please educate me!


The Xenon bulb does a better job of showing, even highlighting swirls than the bulb in a normal flashlight.

Besides being a great swirl finder light that's hand held, long charge life and at a good price point, it's also a great flashlight.



:)

[Mike Phillips]

Here's my reveiow and how-to article written a few years ago...

Note I give due credit where credit is due to the appropriate people that introduced me to this light. I've since gone on to introduce thousands, probably tens of thousands of people to this light but I never forget where I first learned about it.

Brinkman Maxfire Dual Xenon Rechargeable Spotlight (http://www.autogeek.net/brinkmann-swirl-finder-light.html) - Review and How-To


Review
The Brinkman Xenon Swirl Finder Light is one of the handiest tools ever invented when it comes to removing swirls out of your car's finish.

I first learned about this specific type of flashlight back in March of 2005 while working as an Instructor for an advanced class on how-to wet-sand paint and then use a rotary buffer to remove sanding marks along with Kevin Brown, another well-known Professional Detailer and Rod Kraft a Field Rep for Meguiar’s and also an accomplished detailer himself. Rod brought the Snap-On Tool version which is harder to obtain for most people.

A few months later, my good friend and Professional Detailer Joe Fernandez, who goes by the forum nickname SuperiorShine on all the detailing discussion forums, who was also at the Advanced Class in 2005 came by a shop where I was working on a car called the Panic Parrot to show me the Brinkman version of the light Rod had shown us a few months earlier and let me test it out.

Here’s the car I was working on along with Richard Lin for a how-to video, a 1950 Panic Parrot Starlight Coupe painted candy tangerine with purple flames.


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/300_ApplyingWaxPanicParrot.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/300_PanicFinished1.jpg



Because it is a true show car, it had an exceptional finish with only very light swirls but the standard for a show car like this is zero swirls. If you look closely, you can see the tale-tale sign of the Brinkman's dual light bulbs in this shot of the passenger's side fender.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/PanicParrotwithSwirlFinderLight.jpg

There were more swirls in the paint on this show car but this is the only picture I have that shows the bulb reflection of the Brinkman that documents how long I've been using this light thanks to Joe. Time Stamp on these pictures go to 6/22/2005 The Swirl Finder light let us know the paint only need light correction work and thus we only used a cleaner/polish with a DA to reach our goal. The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light doesn't have to show gross swirls to be of value, it just has to light up the paint like the sun.



A must-have tool
Ever since learning about this flashlight I've incorporated it into all my classes and shared it with the students as a way of inspecting their work as well as using it myself for all the cars I detail to check my own work and progress.

Showing students how to use the Brinkman Swirl Finder Light
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/758/600_FirstSatClass016.jpg

The Brinkman Xenon Swirl Finder Light duplicates what bright sunlight will do and that's expose swirls so your eyes can more easily see them only with the Brinkman Xenon Dual Bulb Swirl Finder Light you have the convenience of shining the light whenever you want and wherever you want, you have total control. With the sun... well besides having to move the car into the sun you have to hope the sun is actually out in the first place which limits you to summer months for most regions.



How to pronounce the word Xenon

First, let me share how to properly pronounce the word Xenon. According to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary which has audio files you can play, Xenon is pronounced,

zee non or ze non

The first version with a long e and the second version with a short e

I prefer the long e version.

(I would include the link to the specific webpage but it tries to open a pop-up window, so I'll let you Google it on your own)



Dual Xenon Bulbs
The feature that I like the most about the Brinkman Swirl Finder Light is that is uses special Xenon bulbs to shine intense light on paint imperfections which enables your eyes to more easily see swirls and other defects. A car's paint finish can look great in the shade or indoors but under the intense scrutiny of the swirl finder light, all of the imperfections are revealed. With the ability to see everything in the paint clearly, I can select the correct polisher, pad and swirl remover to polish the paint to perfection.

The power of the sun in your hand
The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light shows swirls in much the same way the sun shows swirls only you don't need to move your car into the sun in order to see the swirls, instead you simply pull the trigger on gun-style flashlight and light up the paint while inside your garage or detail shop.

A must have tool for your detailing arsenal
The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light is one of the most valuable tools you can own and every detailer and serious car enthusiast should have in their arsenal.

Saves time
For enthusiast and pro detailers, you can use the light to gauge your polishing progress instead of spending valuable time moving a car in and out of the garage just to check your work.

Winter, cloudy or overcast day
If it's cloudy outside or the middle of winter when the sun isn't high overhead, (where it needs to be in order to shine down on the horizontal panels), the Brinkman Swirl Finder light takes the place of the sun and gets the job done.

Vertical Panels
When you're working on vertical panels it's not realistic to try to move your car around to position it in such a way as to reveal the swirls. The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light is invaluable when checking your work or showing a customer the true condition of their car's paint.

Switch between one bulb or two bulbs with a flick of a switch
Two powerful Xenon bulbs produce a high intensity beam of light so you can easily spot imperfections. The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light easily adjusts from one beam to two beams to increase or decrease the brightness.

Rechargeable Battery - 120 Volt and 12 Volt
The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light uses a rechargeable Ni-Cd battery and includes both a 120-volt AC charger for wall outlets and a 12-volt DC charger/adapter for charging it from the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. The car charger enables Mobile detailers to keep the light charged while driving to the next job. A LED indicator glows red when the battery is charging and goes off after full charge is reached.

Rugged design
The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light is built out of rugged ABS plastic with a pistol grip handle. It has a metal swivel hook to enable you to hang it up inside your garage or inside your detailing rig.

The Brinkman Swirl Finder Light is ideal for anyone who details for pleasure or profit but for professionals in particular, this light is a small investment which enables you to show your customers you’ve completely removed all imperfections. This demonstrates you are a knowledgeable professional and builds confidence in your clientele for repeat work as well as referrals.






Features:

Constructed of tough ABS plastic with a pistol grip handle
Easily switches from one beam to two beams to increase or decrease the brightness
ON/OFF trigger switch for momentary bursts of light
Lock button for extended ON times
LED indicator that turns off automatically when fully charged
Convenient metal bracket for hanging or storage
120-volt AC charger that operates from a standard wall outlet
12-volt DC charger/adapter for recharging from a cigarette light receptacle
1 YEAR WARRANTY
Owner's manual



How to use the Brinkman Swirl Finder Light

Using the Brinkman Swirl Finder Light is pretty straightforward but here's a few tips to get the best results when exposing swirls.

You want to hold the Brinkman Swirl Finder Light about 12" to 16" away from the surface you're inspecting and hold it at an angle so that the light bounces back to your eyes.

Correct distance to hold the light from the finish
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight007.jpg


Swirls in the clear coat finish surrounding the dual Xenon light bulbs
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight008.jpg


Correct hand position when inspecting for swirls - Comfortable, ergonomic grip
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight009.jpg




What's in the package?

Frontview
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/medium/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight001.jpg



Backview
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/medium/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight002.jpg



Out of the package
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight003.jpg


Charging instruction (in the included manual)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight004.jpg


First things first - Fully charge after removing from package
After you remove the light from the packaging, the first thing you want to do is charge the battery until the light goes off, this may take up to 8 hours but less than 12 hours. Don't leave it plugged in longer than 12 hours per manufactures instructions.

When the battery is low on charge, a red light will glow after the charger is plugged into either a wall socket or a cigarette lighter in your car.


Red light indicates the battery is charging
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight005.jpg


Plugged into cigarette lighter
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/766/BrinkmanSwirlFinderLight006.jpg



Bonus!
Besides being a great light for exposing and highlighting swirls, it's also handy as a flashlight for around the house, in the car or on a camping trip.



Tip for detailers...
Always be prepared to win a new customer
I keep a fully charged Brinkman Swirl Finder Light in all vehicles just in case I run into someone that thinks their car is finished when we detailers know that the frosting on the cake is a swirl-free finish. With a Brinkman Swirl Finder Light you can quickly and easily show a potential customer the problem with the paint on their car.

Not only will the Brinkman Swirl Finder Light enable you to show a potential customer the problem, but will instantly become a topic of curiosity in and of itself and show the potential customer you're serious about your craft.


Don't leave home without it!


Get yours now! Brinkman Maxfire Dual Xenon Rechargeable Spotlight (http://www.autogeek.net/brinkmann-swirl-finder-light.html)

:dblthumb2:

[BrianMcLeod]

Im looking for a swirl finding light....are there any other good alternatives to the Brinkman around the same price point?

You could get the flex light
http://www.autogeekmobile.net/flex-swirl-finder-light.html

Or the rupes pen http://www.autogeekmobile.net///rupes-swirl-finder-pen-light.html

[FUNX650]

When I find a source for new bulbs I'll get you one too.

This e-retailer may have what you're looking for...
Hope so.

Replacement Bulb for Dual Xenon Rechargeable Spotlight Lights - - PN 802-2200-0 (http://www.hfwilson.com/productDetail.asp?productNumber=95616&categoryId=4030)

PS.
Mike: Your PM box is full.

Bob

[Mike Phillips]

This e-retailer may have what you're looking for...
Hope so.

Replacement Bulb for Dual Xenon Rechargeable Spotlight Lights - - PN 802-2200-0 (http://www.hfwilson.com/productDetail.asp?productNumber=95616&categoryId=4030)

PS.
Mike: Your PM box is full.

Bob


Thanks Bob,

I'll get an order in and I just cleaned out my PM inbox and sent box.


:D

[MitchLiving]

The Xenon bulb does a better job of showing, even highlighting swirls than the bulb in a normal flashlight.

Besides being a great swirl finder light that's hand held, long charge life and at a good price point, it's also a great flashlight.



:)


Thanks Mike, what is your favorite light to work with? and why?