hand crank flashlights?

I have a couple I got from Costco. They work, but there's one thing to be aware of - they must charge the hell out of them at the factory, because they last a long time right out of the box, but then once that charge is gone, it seems to take forever to crank them just for a few minutes of light.
 
I have one and didn't have the problem Rich S describes. It's not "super" bright no matter how much you crank it, but it definitely works. Plenty to find your way down the trail or whatever. Heckuvalot more reliable than the two maglites that puked on on me this last year. It has held a charge (not 100% of course) even after weeks sitting in my pack, and when it starts to dim, a few cranks brings it right back. Thumbs up from me.
 
They are good for emergency kits for regular use or edc carry I prefer a coast led or a mini mag
 
RescueRiley said:
They are good for emergency kits for regular use or edc carry I prefer a coast led or a mini mag
Click to expand...

Coast lights are not waterproof. Thats a major drawback IMO. Especially considering that the CR123 Lion batteries explode if they get submerged, and that the gasses they emit are highly toxic. Go with Inova or Fenix for a cheap LED light. They're waterproof. I wouldn't dive with them, but if I fell in a ditch,etc, I wouldn't be too worried.
 
I've had the oppertunity to play with one of the Russian squeeze lights. I wasn't very impressed by it- without perpetual "cranking" it went out. Even when it was going, the output wasn't that great.
 
I'd like to see a 1 greater LED, with Solar Power.

Something that could absorb enough charge during the day to get you through most of the night.

I've seen some little "roll up" solar cells, but just the cell themselves, wonder about their durability?

For now, the shaker-lights are probably the most reliable, gotta give em enough shakes, but, you will always have light, as long as you can shake them. They too, need to work on output.

A hybrid: shaker light /with solar cell would be a good survival light.
 
Hey Skunk,
How about some Ni Mh AAs and a solar charger, they are getting pretty common. I have been thinking about getting myself one, come in handy on deployments. Chris
 
runningboar said:
Hey Skunk,
How about some Ni Mh AAs and a solar charger, they are getting pretty common. I have been thinking about getting myself one, come in handy on deployments. Chris
Click to expand...

Chris, we have been fooling around with Nimh's in paintball.
I made a 5 cell unit for my battery powered loader, and I charge it with my sons 12v RC car charger (not solar).

We would have to do the electrical calculations to find out if the output of the smaller solar cells have enough ass to put a decent charge on them.

Of course, for current deployments, there will be plenty of sunshine and, unfortunately heat.

I'll crunch some numbers, and see what it will take to power an Nimh cell of large enough capacity to light a 1 watt LED. Then see just how big/good/costly a solar cell it would take?


I'd be honored to make one for you, as you serve us sheeple back here in the land of milk and honey. :thumbup:
 
Dang Skunk I appreciate that.:thumbup: :thumbup:

Crunch the numbers and let me know how much it would cost to buy the materials and put it together or if it is even possible.

Thanks again, Chris
 
I'd like to see a 1 greater LED, with Solar Power.

Something that could absorb enough charge during the day to get you through most of the night.

I've seen some little "roll up" solar cells, but just the cell themselves, wonder about their durability?
Click to expand...


I've been using my little solar light (basically the same as the one in the link, except the older generation) for around 4 or 5 years now. It's remarkably durable. It's fully waterproof (down to at least deep enough that it wasn't damaged snorkeling... 5-15 feet). The rubber case is pretty shockproof, too. I haven't been at all gentle with mine, and it is still like new. (And I gave one to a 6 month old baby, who is now three, stiil plays with it every day, and hers still looks like new.) It does have a little glass panel, but it is small and recessed, so it doesn't get banged very easily. Also, I gave one to a friend who cracked the glass... and it has still worked perfectly for years, and is still waterproof.

They're not super bright, but I don't find that a problem. These aren't "tactical" lights which light up an area like the sun, light paper on fire in seconds, and are dead in eight minutes. Mine's bright enough for hiking, camp chores, etc... all I need it to do. (Of course, I'd enjoy brighter, if it lasted just as long, and wasn't too large and heavy.)

The light lasts pretty well on a charge, too. On a day's charge, mine is full brightness for several hours, and usable brightness for 17 hours, as it slowly gets progressively dimmer.
 
Runningboar, for "off the shelf" charging of AA Nimh's you could go with something like this:
http://www.cetsolar.com/sc150.htm

It's like having a small booster like for your car.

Looks compact enough. You have your dvice fully charged, and carry some "hot" spares in this unit, always ready to swap.

Looks like you could even rig a cord, directly to your device/light, and do "a hot charge" wiithout jockeying batteries around (in that friggin fine sand/dust).

Drill hole into flashlite, solder cord, plug hole with silicon goop?

Just thinking out loud. Looks like there may be a ready-made solution.
 
Yeah that looks like a good deal, I am going to poke around on the net and see how long it takes to fully charge. I like to listen to the radio and mp3s, and batteries are always in short supply. If I could keep batteries in the charger and the device and rotate everyday or every couple of days that would be great. Thanks for the idea.:thumbup:
 
I have a very similar solar panel to the one in your link (same panel, different hardware attached to it), from Montbell. It works well. It'll charge 4 high capacity NiMH AAs in well under a day of summer sun. (It charges ~900 MAH per hour in strong sun.)
 
Chris,

OK, you using AA's, mostly flashlights, or other devices too?

If you can get it down to just Nimh AA's, looks like the off the shelf units can handle it.

Assumptions:

-Sun won't be a problem (for charging purposes) :cool:

-You'll have "hot" spares available via regular AC power every so often, or from generators in "makeshift" / mobile bases.

-You won't need to do a sh!tload of charging all at once. (Like all devices being dead, or severely drained").

-You'll have enough Nimh's flaoting around so that you can always have a solar unit full.

They even make larger ones, I'm seeing on line. Charge a bunch in a 15 hour day, maybe enough for a whole squad?
Some actually look "too good to be true"
http://www.cetsolar.com/chargermeter.htm
 
If you use the current highest true capacity AAs, then:

2,700 MAH capacity battery

Multiplied by 4 batteries

equals 10,800 MAH capacity

divided by 900 MAH charge per hour

equals 12 hours

multiplied by 1.25, for various types of loss

equals 15 hours to fully charge, with a charger like mine.
 
runningboar said:
Yeah that looks like a good deal, I am going to poke around on the net and see how long it takes to fully charge. I like to listen to the radio and mp3s, and batteries are always in short supply. If I could keep batteries in the charger and the device and rotate everyday or every couple of days that would be great. Thanks for the idea.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Man, looks like if it will hook to a cell phone, it should be able to do same/similar with Ipod, radio, or MP3.

Doesn't look like there is any need for a custom rig.

At these prices you could even pack a spare unit. or several, if they work they will be "in demand".

Good to go, let us know what you come up with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top