[joey93turbo]

I was thinkin about gettin one of these for my truck. Anyone ever used one? They're only $25 around here. How bright is 10,000 lux?

http://www.edi-t.com/p-free/p-free-part_nos.htm

[VaughnT]

I have a similar light that I bought from the local E.Bauer store as a gift for my little nephew (he's 3.5yo). It's an alright light, though nothing like you could use in a defensive situation.

The upside is that they are pretty hard to break and can be 'recharged' by simply shaking them for a few minutes.

A lux, imo, is not as bright as a lumen. Saying that there are 10k lux isn't saying much if it's as bright as the light I have.....maybe 20 lumen?

Personally, I think you'd be better served by a lithium Surefire G2 or Pelican/Streamlight LED. You get the long shelf life, which is what we really need with a flashlight, and the LED lights give you good burn time with a decent working beam.

[GigaBuist]

I bought my mom something like that once since she always got annoyed, and so did everybody in the house, when the flashlights were all dead and the power went out.

Good as a SHTF or camping backup item I suppose, but the one I got wasn't all that bright. They work, just not all that well compared to the battery operated stuff.

As a truck light I'd imagine it'd work okay if you're not apt to be checking your battery operated flashlight regularly. I wouldn't and I know that, so if I wanted to keep a flashlight in the car that'd be the way to go.

[johnc522]

I got one from thinkgeek.com a couple months ago, it is OK for walking trails in the dark, I think it would be all right for like changing a tire, but not really bright. I am keeping it in glovebox of truck, figure the shaking park would be ok for emergencies there.

[SapperLeader]

I saw a different version, The illuminator, which has three led bulbs, and you crank a rotating swivel on the back of the light. Retaield for 19.99, Im thinking about trying one out and keeping it in the truck. Seems like turning the crank is easier than shaking the light up.

[Kharn]

My brother got my dad one for Father's Day. Its really cool, I'll be adding one to my truck's emergency supplies in the future.

You just look really, really silly while shaking it back and forth to charge the capacitor.

Kharn

[Tinker]

I don't know about that particular light, but I love the 2 small (2 AA size) single LED lights. Bought them at Wally world about 2 years ago. The 2 I have are not real bright, they put out about the same light as a AA maglight. The main reason I like them is because they always work. Always. I use one or the other every day and they only consume about 4 AA bats per year.

[cratz2]

I've looked at them and thought about buying one, but more as a novelty than anything else. As I mentioned in another post, the Princeton Tec Impact with a single focused LED that runs on 4 AA batteries is a great overall light for indoor and limited outdoor use. I mean, it won't be lighting up a row of trees 300 feet away or anything like that, but it works great indoors and definately catches prowling eyes outside at night. It is rated for over 150 hours of continuous use.

For lux ratings, it is really easy to fudge numbers. The Impact provides 105 lux. A Mini Maglight (incandescent 2 AA light) tests at about 885 lux... The Princeton Tec Surge (8 AA batteries! - lots of voltage) which is the brightest incandescent I've ever owned tests at about 8835 lux and the lens gets so hot that the original product melted many of the lenses.

I think 10,000 lux is either using very alternative measuring techniques or is an outright lie. Doesn't make it a bad light though.

[SapperLeader]

I opened up one of the illuminator lights I mentioned and played around with it after work. I think going to buy one as a truck light. Its a 3 led light, that if you push the button once it activates one led, turn it off, push button again, it activates 3 leds. No battereis, and one minute of turning the crank gives one hour of light. Pretty decent brightness, the three led is about the same as my arc light. For 20 bucks, not a bad battery-less truck light.