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WOLF TS/TR 24+ATEX TORCHES
because for the extra pennies its not worth not
having. Itll actually save money in the mid-term
because youre less likely to throw away batteries
early for fear of low power levels.
Quality of construction is very good, this feels
reassuringly robust in the hand with a positive
switch action easily used with gloves. The merits
of a simple stand become obvious once you put
the torch down to do something - it doesnt roll
away 30 degrees to the left of your target. The
torch is also stable stood on end. Wolfs attention
to detail was highlighted when the lamp modules
were upgraded after a customer dropped one and
caused the bulb to stop working - wed already
carried out 1 metre concrete drops and hadnt
identified a problem but tougher bulb mounts
were fine by us.
The right angle torch has all the same merits -
its major difference is the clip mounting it to a
belt or pocket. This is one-piece construction
relying on the flex in the plastic to open and grip
the material. Though small it actually works very
well but it can in contrast be a pain in the neck to
pull off in a rush! It is replaceable if you manage
to break it. The bulb and batteries are easy to
access and change, lanyard easily detachable and
overall a very capable general purpose torch.
BATTERIES (supplied): 2x R20 (C-Cells)
ORIGIN:
UK
COST:
£49.99
DIMENSIONS:
straight: 200mm x 60mm
right angle: 190mm x 80mm
WEIGHT exc batteries: 150g straight
190g right angle
OUTPUT:
290 Lux at 5m (2W)
A
vailable in 6 variations this latest addition
to the cluttered torch market has the
distinct advantage of meeting Europes new
ATEX standards in a simple, cost effective
package that works well. From June 2003 all
torches sold in the EU for use in hazardous
atmospheres had to meet the ATEX standard.
Obviously this has meant that large numbers of
emergency services and corporate users have
been clamouring to meet the new requirements
and the manufacturers have been happy to oblige.
Wolf are an established UK company with a
strong presence in fire service in the form of their
right angled torches. This new range replaces all
of these.
CONSTRUCTION
appearances dont come any simpler than this but
it belies a host of features: the polycarbonate lens
is coated for chemical and scratch resistance. It is
housed in a black rubber armoured colour coded
bezel - black for T6 and yellow for T4 torches.
The moulded yellow body is not ergonomic as
such - its a regulation cylinder with go faster
ribs but is has a matt, slightly textured finish
rather than the slippery, shiny norm. The head
and bottom of the right angled torch has a very
sturdy lanyard or split ring eye. On the standard
in-line torch there is one eye at the base but a
square stand to allow the torch to lie on the
ground with the on-off switch uppermost. The
right angle torches have a one-piece replaceable
belt clip with retaining ridge which seats between
two ridges on the body to stop the torch
accidentally coming off a belt.
The switch is a wide, low profile black plastic
which pushes up for ON. Inside the head of the
+ versions reviewed here is the halogen bulb
housing plus spare bulb plus an additional LED
circuit to indicate low battery. This glows red
through the top of the torch housing when the
battery reaches approximately 2%. These torches
come with batteries, wrist lanyard and spare bulb.
IN ACTION
Our first question when we get a new torch is not
what standards it adheres to or what gadgets are
on it - its how bright is the beam? No point
having an all-singing and dancing torch that wont
illuminate a hippo on a commando raid in your
kitchen! The Wolf torch is perfectly acceptable.
GEAR
review
CONTACT WOLF:
www.wolf-safety.co.uk
email: info@wolf-safety.co.uk
ISSUE 38
TECHNICAL
rescue
42
www.t-rescue.com
Its not earth shatteringly bright or a particularly
wide beam but for this genre its good. Having
satisfied ourselves of the light output we set about
hammering them. We actually used a
combination of TS/TR24, TS26 and TS/TR24+
torches but figured early on that this was a
dangerous mixture. The + models have battery
charge status indicators and if you assume your
torch has got this because there is no outward
difference you could be operating under a false
sense of security. No excuse obviously for running
out of batteries and having no backup but its
amazing how quickly you become reliant on
technology. Beware though - the indicator wont
glow if the batteries are completely dead! So we
whole heartedly recommend the + models
WOLF
TS/TR
24+ATEX
TORCHES