Hilti Rotating Laser Shoots True, Even After Bangs and Falls
Expensive precision instruments don't always hold up to the extreme use that construction work places on them, but Hilti's new PR 30-HVS rotating laser tries to solve that problem.
Designed for leveling formwork, setting slopes and performing layouts, the 5.5-lb PR 30-HVS claims to be accurate to 1/8 in. at 100 ft, with auto-leveling and an operating range of 7 ft to 1,640 ft. Last fall, Hilti sent ENR a unit to test out.
Right out of Hilti's signature red-plastic case, the PR 30-HVS sets up quickly. The unit's lithium-ion battery, which can run up to 25 hours on a charge, slides into the laser's impact-resistant case. A charger with a charge indicator is included.
The laser receiver, which includes two AA batteries, comes with a handy rubber case. From there, the unit can be mounted on a flat surface, such as a tripod, or on its side, and shooting can begin.
Our test kit came with a crank tripod, leveling staff and receiver holder. The receiver case snaps into the holder using magnets, so if you accidentally drop the staff, the receiver just falls away.
I enlisted a former contractor to help me take slope measurements of a driveway culvert, and he almost had a heart attack when I pushed the PR 30-HVS and let it fall to the pavement.
After one bounce, the unit's thick rubber handles and internal damping allowed us to pick it up, undamaged, and resume shooting. A basic kit retails for $2,659.
