[tango3065]

I have been doing a lot of research on shake and crank lights and have come to the conclusion that my cheap Dynamo crank light is not the best and that the NightStar and the Freeplay are the best, I just ordered a Nightstar CS. I think the Nightstar lights are better than the Freeplay because the Freeplay actually have a internal battery and can't take the heat and cold of being stored in a vehicle daily without running into problems with reliability with a internal batttery. The Reason I went with the CS over the original Nightstar is the use of a rotating switch for longivety. If anyone here has a Nightstar with new Starcore technology(2.5 times the brightness of the original) let me know what you think of it.

Also here is the one I ordered with a in depth review of it.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/re...ightstar_cs.htm

[swan hunter]

I think it would be a great tactical light. You don't have to worry about batteries!
I need to come up with a compatible mount that will take the exuberant shaking required in the heat of battle. :D

[hso]

Let's define some terms.

Shake lights are low output work lights using LED lamps powered by quick charge capacatance systems that get their juice from a permanent magnet moving through a coil electromagnet.

I don't think that they can be termed "tactical" flashlights because the output is too low to give you a combat advantage.

candlepowerforums.com and flashlightreview.com are the two best sites for flashlight discussions.

Nonfirearms has had lots of flashlight discussions and may be a better place for this thread.

Whew, all that said, I like shake flashlights. I like them because the good ones put out a usable quantity of light that run long enough between shakes to allow you to see into the engine compartment of your car or find that blasted lug nut or allow your kid to have a flashlight by their bed that your don't freak out about every time you find it on after they go to sleep.

[bubbygator]

I suggest you buy a few, if you choose the ones for $3 - $5; I've experienced about 20% faults with them, primarily they just stop working or the light level drops to nil after awhile. I think the quality control is missing in their manufacture. Don't get me wrong - I still like 'em, but I don't depend on 'em.

[Green Lantern]

bubbygator - at that price, sounds like you've got something that IMO should be illegal to sell as a "shake light:" a light that LOOKS like a shake light, down to the "magnet" inside the tube -

but it ACTUALLY runs on cell batteries - that you can't replace!

So basiclaly, you (and I) :o spent money on what amounts to a candle - when it's gone, it's GONE! :mad:

[AJ Dual]

In the category of "shakelights" , the AIT Nightstar is the only one I'd trust.

As GreenLantern notes, the vast majority of the others are Chineese fakes, run directly by coin-cell batteries. The life of batteries drained by a single LED is so great, if used infrequently, the "scam" can literaly last for years.

Some of the fakes are wired correctly to be theroreticaly rechargable, but they charge NiCd coin cell batteries instead of a capacitor, the amount of shaking to put useable voltage back into those batteries is enormous. Even a fourteen year old boy on Amphetamines with a six-foot high stack of Playboy's couldn't charge one.

Even then, with the properly made shakelights, the light level is quite low. If every other contingency in my preps was covered, I guess I'd get a few AIT Nightstars as handouts to friends or as trade items to people who didn't have a supply of batteries, or as the last-ditch "Mad Max" light if I were facing some kind of multi-generational collapse that was so long, even NiMh batteries on a solar charger would wear out eventualy.

The upside is that if your eyes are dark-adapted, like the middle of the night, or a power outage, the amount of light a good shakelight does put out is useable for close tasks.

Mostly they're a neat toy and a science demonstration. They're also a good toy for irresponsible kids as HSO points out. The crank lights are much more efficient at turning hand power into electricity.

[Sistema1927]

Most of the shake lights I have seen have been garbage.

The exception is a $30 aluminum model from Duluth Trading (http://www.duluthtrading.com) that exceeds their published specs. This light resides in my Go Bag.

[Zero_DgZ]

I suggest you buy a few, if you choose the ones for $3 - $5; I've experienced about 20% faults with them, primarily they just stop working or the light level drops to nil after awhile. I think the quality control is missing in their manufacture. Don't get me wrong - I still like 'em, but I don't depend on 'em.

That's because you bought a counterfeit shake light.

Unfortunately, the counterfeits are more prevalent than the real ones. There are boatloads of them coming out of China from various factories under various different names and in assorted packages. Most cost from a dollar to five, and none of them actually work as advertised. The trouble is, the powers that be haven't caught on yet - or refuse to.

I've seen counterfeit shake lights being sold not only at stalls at flea markets and in dollar stores (a good source for shady Chinese knockoff products...) but also in big name retail chians like Wal Mart, Kmart, and Dick's Sporting Goods.

The fake-shakes use a pair of CR2032 watch batteries just like your keychain Photon or Inova squeeze light, and essentially only have the magnet (some lights I tested just had a lump of iron, not even a real magnet) and coils in there for show. The very cheapest example of a fake-shake I found was at the Green Dragon market in Lancaster, where not only was the 'magnet' just a lump of iron but the coils were visibly not connected to anything! The coin cells were clearly visible through the transparent casing just below the head of the light.

These lights aren't shake-powered at all, and will simply run off of their coin cells until they go flat. You can't replace the batteries without a hammer and some duct tape, and you shouldn't anyway: Why not just buy a knockoff keychain light and get the same light mechanism in a smaller package?

Before you buy a shake light, carefully inspect it in person before you buy it. Look for a pair of coin sized batteries stacked below the head of the light. Shake it and feel how it works - on a real shake light the magnet will slow down as it passes between the coils. Also, ensure that the coils are actually connected to something (that was a flagrant one, and still cracks me up thinking about it).

[tango3065]

Anyone have one of the nightstar lights with the new starcore LED?

Is it as tough as nightstar claims?

Is it pretty bright with the new starcore LED?

Also for anyone who hasn't heard of these here is a link, and I ordered the CS model which is the compact version but has the same brightness.

http://www.appliedinnotech.com/

[jibjab]

Mastinson, it may look a bit off seeing someone shakeing there gun violently, but perhaps this may act as a diversionary tactic and the bad guy may think you are having a seizure and let they're guard down :cool: Uhmm there might be another way :rolleyes: useing energy of the muzzle blast to power the light :D of course the first few rounds would be warning shots :o

[cslinger]

Just my opinion. A good quality CR123 light is a much better choice. Much brighter, replaceable batteries, batteries have at least a 10 year shelf life, smaller, etc.

Use the shake light to find your real light, my opinion.

Chris

[countertop]

First,

I just don't get the flashlight fascination. Sure, light is cool at night, but your not getting me to drop $100s on a flashlight. My $20 mag light is about all you'll get me for.

That said, i do like shakelights. Not sure which brand, but my neighbor has a bunch we take with us camping. Got them at a local hiking shop here in NoVA and I have to say, they are super convenient and certainly cut down on the need to carry spare batteries. One thing though, while they provide light, its not like a super duper halogen light.

[Manedwolf]

have been considering mounting one on my Glock
I think it would be a great tactical light. You don't have to worry about batteries!
I need to come up with a compatible mount that will take the exuberant shaking required in the heat of battle.

You want to put a...SHAKE LIGHT on a gun with no manual or grip safety, that's far more likely to ND if fumbled and the trigger is caught. :what:

I would hate to be your neighbor.

[tango3065]

Who said anything about putting one one a gun or using one with a gun, I am going to put in a BOB. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

(I know some of you won't know what a BOB is and if you don't you can figure it out)

[Zero_DgZ]

You could strap it to the top of the slide. The light'll shake itself as you fire.

[Sistema1927]

Who said anything about putting one one a gun or using one with a gun

Swan Hunter, post #2.

[tango3065]

LOL I am glad he was joking.

[cslinger]

I just don't get the flashlight fascination. Sure, light is cool at night, but your not getting me to drop $100s on a flashlight. My $20 mag light is about all you'll get me for.


Streamlight 1L $19.95
http://www.florawrecker.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=PROD&Product_Code=STR51004
3x+the light of a MiniMag Maglite and just a bit under that of the 3D MAG in Incan Mode 1-1.5 hour run time.
Great emergency low light mode in LED mode 8-10 hour run time.
Itty bitty, easy to stow, carry, keep in glove compartment etc.
Pretty robust for its size.
Pretty cheap for its capabilities.
There is a 2 cell model as well.
Batteries have 10 year shelf life minimum.

CR123 Battery $1.50
http://www.batterystation.com/cr123a.htm

[swan hunter]

"You could strap it to the top of the slide. The light'll shake itself as you fire"


Dang...I hadn't even thought about using the slide to charge the light!!! That is truly thinking "outside" the box!!!

Man! If I could get a Full Auto Glock....I could generate enough power to make that LED burn!!! :scrutiny:

I wonder if there is some way to "silence" the thumping of the light for the "priming" charge before the shooting begins? :D