50caliber123
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Anybody have em'? I ordered a couple for really cheap on EBAY, but does anybody have any experience with them?
Shake Flashlights
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Optical Serenity
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If you are talking about the kind you shake to get power...They are a very weak LED and don't last all that long. They are what they are though...I wouldn't expect anything more...They are fine for emergency lighting to see your toolbox contents...
50caliber123
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It's the Faraday model that I was referring to. I can't find reviews on it, but by the advertisement on TV, it seems pretty bright. I also know from their website that they make at least three models, all with varying power/length of operating time before a recharge is needed.
A buddy of mine sells a cheap chinese version that I've handled. He finds that there are a couple of defectives per hundred and tosses them out. The rest will run anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes on a couple of minutes shake. While the light output doesn't compare to a Streamlight it's certainly enough to use for tasks when no light is available.
John,
I think the shake flashlights have a very important role to play in the mix of keychain LED and Surefire Combat lights. Consider that they never need batteries and can be left for years without attention and then put into use.
They're primarily an emergency/backup type light or a convenience light for tasks that don't require a lot of light. I would consider them to be essential for hikers or outdoorsmen since they could sit in bag until needed without regard to charge.
I think the shake flashlights have a very important role to play in the mix of keychain LED and Surefire Combat lights. Consider that they never need batteries and can be left for years without attention and then put into use.
They're primarily an emergency/backup type light or a convenience light for tasks that don't require a lot of light. I would consider them to be essential for hikers or outdoorsmen since they could sit in bag until needed without regard to charge.
joab
Member
Be careful of what you buy.
There are version that use flat watch type batteries with a small coil in them to mimic the Faraday lights.
They will stay lit continuously for about two days and then go dead never to be resurrected.
Shaking them while they're on will give a very slight surge in the light giving you the false impression that they are actually Faradays
There are version that use flat watch type batteries with a small coil in them to mimic the Faraday lights.
They will stay lit continuously for about two days and then go dead never to be resurrected.
Shaking them while they're on will give a very slight surge in the light giving you the false impression that they are actually Faradays
Mike,
I see your point. Then again, for most of the last 6 years or so, I've usually had between 2 and 4 lights on my person and/or in my vehicle.
You pays your money, and you takes your chances. Personally, I'd rather have 3 very effective small LEDs for the same space penalty that 1 shaker takes.
Then again, I'm a light geek.
John, flashlight and large bladed weapon geek
Riot nerds of the world, unite!
I see your point. Then again, for most of the last 6 years or so, I've usually had between 2 and 4 lights on my person and/or in my vehicle.
You pays your money, and you takes your chances. Personally, I'd rather have 3 very effective small LEDs for the same space penalty that 1 shaker takes.
Then again, I'm a light geek.
John, flashlight and large bladed weapon geek
Riot nerds of the world, unite!
TrapperReady
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The best use ever for shake flashlights is to give them to kids. I've got a five year old son and a seven year old son. They LOVE flashlights... but they are also notorious for leaving them turned on and draining the batteries. The shake lights are fun to play with and provide enough light to keep them amused (reading after "lights out" or playing when I set up a tent in their room).
For my own use, I prefer a small LED (Photon Microlight) on my keychain, Maglights in the house and cars, and a Surefire (Aviator) with my hunting gear.
For my own use, I prefer a small LED (Photon Microlight) on my keychain, Maglights in the house and cars, and a Surefire (Aviator) with my hunting gear.
I've got one.
It's not a very bright light at all.
However, it is plenty bright to allow me to navigate a totally darkened house without tripping over stuff.
If I dropped something in a totally darkened house, I could find it again with this flashlight.
Not a very bright light.
But hey, it never needs batteries...ever.
I think it's perfect for a true, realistic emergency flashlight. I think every storm cellar should have one. I think one should be in every first aid kit or SHTF bag or stash.
In any situation where you might not have enough batteries, a not-very-bright light that works without batteries always beats a really bright light that requires batteries.
hillbilly
It's not a very bright light at all.
However, it is plenty bright to allow me to navigate a totally darkened house without tripping over stuff.
If I dropped something in a totally darkened house, I could find it again with this flashlight.
Not a very bright light.
But hey, it never needs batteries...ever.
I think it's perfect for a true, realistic emergency flashlight. I think every storm cellar should have one. I think one should be in every first aid kit or SHTF bag or stash.
In any situation where you might not have enough batteries, a not-very-bright light that works without batteries always beats a really bright light that requires batteries.
hillbilly
mrmeval
Member
Link to the shake lights.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_index_selfpower.htm
It's a coil of wire, strong magnet, super capacitor and an LED. Some are reall good some are crap.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_index_selfpower.htm
It's a coil of wire, strong magnet, super capacitor and an LED. Some are reall good some are crap.
50caliber123 said:
Optical Serenity
Member
I agree with John...Get a LED flashlight that uses lithium 123s...such as the Inova X5. You can leave it somewhere for 10 years and the batteries will work. 10 year shelf life is awesome.
Shelf life is great, but whether fresh from the store or 9 years and 364 days later, when you break out the flashlight the battery life is counting down to zero. Once they are drained, you need to have fresh ones to have light. Depending on the severity of the situation, fresh ones may not be available.
The shake and dynamo flashlights work without needing batteries. I'd get a quality battery flashlight and one that needs no batteries to work to support it.
(I was personally sold on self-sufficient electronic items when I used a solar/dynamo powered radio for 3 days when we were without power.)
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50caliber123
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I've noticed there are different kinds out there, like ones that different companies make. One is so strong, that you can't leave it near any electronics because of the magnetic field. The ones that I ordered are the kind they show on TV
GunnySkox
Member
I had one of the mini "Forever Flashlights" that thinkgeek.com sells (I got mine by redeeming "geek points", score!). It was fine and dandy until I lost it.
What the others said about it being weak is absolutely true. You can shake it from here 'till kingdom come, but the spot it produces is about the same as a 2AA Maglite on its widest setting (though a little more even). It's way nifty, though, and handy if your eyes are accustomed to the dark (once, on a lark, I used it as the only light in the bathroom while I took a shower; put beam-down on an edge on the white tub, it lit up the whole area reasonably enough, thanks to the fact that the body is translucent, and diffuses the light pretty well).
The Forever Flashlight I had was pretty tough, too. I'd dropped it seven or eight times pretty good, stepped on it or otherwise done it no good, and it was still going strong and working perfectly, last time I used it.
Ooh, and it's waterproof, too.
~GnSx
What the others said about it being weak is absolutely true. You can shake it from here 'till kingdom come, but the spot it produces is about the same as a 2AA Maglite on its widest setting (though a little more even). It's way nifty, though, and handy if your eyes are accustomed to the dark (once, on a lark, I used it as the only light in the bathroom while I took a shower; put beam-down on an edge on the white tub, it lit up the whole area reasonably enough, thanks to the fact that the body is translucent, and diffuses the light pretty well).
The Forever Flashlight I had was pretty tough, too. I'd dropped it seven or eight times pretty good, stepped on it or otherwise done it no good, and it was still going strong and working perfectly, last time I used it.
Ooh, and it's waterproof, too.
~GnSx
stealthmode
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I got one for xmas and its pretty neat. like already said it has its place as an emergency tool.
azredhawk44
Member
I used my streamlight m3 that mounts under my glock for shower illumination once. The electricity went out one morning and I had no windows in my bathroom but I did have hot water.
That light bouncing off 2 mirrors lit up the bathroom really well.
I agree that a bug-out bag or cache should include a battery-less light, though. We've got one.
gremlin_bros
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i remember one time having a pump flashlight that out did the shake ones you mention. you pumped a lever on the grip and it turned a motor to produce the power the more you pumped the more light you got and it did verry verry well and was quite heavy duty. down side was if you quit pumping the light went out but for finding your way to the bathroom when camping it did verry well. if you could install a capicator or somthing that store a resuidual charge it would have been even better. i lost the pump light and replaced it with a crank radio flashlight combo thing its solar, crank, ac, and battery powered the radio works like a dream the light is crap. oh well live and learn i guess. just my two cents worth and if anybody knows where i can find a new pump light let me know.
Elmer Snerd
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I bought a flashlight very similar to this one. My Roadpro Grip Power light has only one LED, all of the ones that I found online had 3(perhaps mine is an older model). Pumping it charges a NiCad battery for the LEDs. Like the shaker lights, mine is adequately bright for not tripping over things. I don't know how bright the 3-LED model is.
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