▁a ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁County ▁Deput y ▁Sher iff , ▁who ▁was ▁tired ▁of ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁dur ability ▁of ▁the ▁gener ically ▁available , ▁cheap ▁metal ▁flash light s ▁of ▁the ▁day . ▁It ▁was ▁later ▁( 1 9 7 3 ) ▁red es igned ▁by ▁Norm ▁Nelson ▁into ▁the ▁modern ▁version ▁with ▁a ▁battery ▁char ger , ▁adjust able ▁l ens , ▁b aton ▁lights , ▁push ▁button ▁switch , ▁and ▁in ▁three ▁sizes ▁( DK L ▁( D - Cell ▁Kel - L ite ), ▁M K L ▁( Med ium ▁Head ▁Kel - L ite ), ▁SK L ▁( Sm all ▁Head ▁Kel - L ite )), ▁and ▁pen light ▁versions . ▁The ▁company ▁merged ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁with ▁Stream light . ▁Kel - L ite ▁had ▁manufact uring ▁cap ability ▁and ▁Stream light ▁a ▁market ing ▁team . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Kel - L ites ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁San ▁Dim as , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁Then ▁the ▁company ▁moved ▁to ▁Cov ina , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁as ▁demand ▁increased , ▁and ▁on ▁to ▁Bar st ow , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁a ▁larger ▁facility ▁with ▁a ▁full ▁service ▁machine ▁shop , ▁pl ating , ▁assembly ▁line ▁and ▁sh ipping ▁department . ▁ ▁Donald ▁K eller ▁left ▁Kel - L ite ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁continued ▁design ing ▁lights ▁for ▁Br ink mann , ▁ASP , ▁and ▁Mag l ite .