Need info about this Russian pocket light

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

Just scored this awesome looking Russian pocket torch on ebay, just had to have it for the modest sum of £9.

Does anyone recognise this type of torch?

There are several other photos on the listing...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-...lashlight-untested-sold-as-seen-/183636564606

I'm particularly interested in what kind of battery this would have used, and what year it might have been manufactured (I'm wondering if it's 1960s vintage).

Stamped into the front is the presumably Russian word "СВЕТАИНА" (phonetically: "svetaina") which means "Light" in english.

I'm planning to refurbish it a little and put a large lithium battery in there and run a warm tint LED at a low power level for maximum duration as an ambient room light / night light.

Tachead · Feb 3, 2019

I would ask Bykfixer. He knows a lot about flashlight history. I also would not mod it personally, as it is a piece of history and you will destroy its value and collectability. I would try and restore it to its original working condition without damaging or altering it if anything. Even polishing or altering the original paint/patina can severely hurt its value/collectability.

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

Tachead said:
I would ask Bykfixer. He knows a lot about flashlight history. I also would not mod it personally, as it is a piece of history and you will destroy its value and collectability. I would try and restore it to its original working condition without damaging or altering it if anything. Even polishing or altering the original paint/patina can severely hurt its value/collectability.

I figured the chances of finding a compatible battery would be practically zero, hence the idea to re-purpose it. I'll take your advice onboard though and I'll do some deeper research before I do anything with it.

I'll seek out Bykfixer also, is it acceptable to PM other users directly on CPF?

alpg88 · Feb 3, 2019

i have a few lights like that, they use flat type of battery 4,5v 3lr12. that is not available in usa. but you can get an adapter for 3aa. i actually ordered one from Europe years ago for similar flashlight.

scout24 · Feb 3, 2019

Looks like the same 4.5v battery thar Deutche Optik sells in their U.S. catalog. About $6.00. Though the AA adapter may be the way to go...

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

alpg88 said:
i have a few lights like that, they use flat type of battery 4,5v 3lr12...

I think I've seen these in hardware stores around here (UK), but not for a while now. I guess you have to bend the tabs upwards to make contact with the terminals?

Tachead · Feb 3, 2019

wosser said:
I figured the chances of finding a compatible battery would be practically zero, hence the idea to re-purpose it. I'll take your advice onboard though and I'll do some deeper research before I do anything with it.

I'll seek out Bykfixer also, is it acceptable to PM other users directly on CPF?

Yes, it is definitely acceptable to PM but, the downside to PM is there is no record of the info you receive which could help others down the road that may have a similar light.

Oh, looks like you already have some helpful responses. Great, I hope you get her running👍.

alpg88 · Feb 3, 2019

scout24 said:
Looks like the same 4.5v battery thar Deutche Optik sells in their U.S. catalog. About $6.00. Though the AA adapter may be the way to go...

wow i wish i knew they were sold in usa, i would not have to pay over 20 bucks for adapter and delivery. they prbly do not sell many of those in usa, i have not seen a single device here that runs of such battery.

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

Tachead said:
Yes, it is definitely acceptable to PM but, the downside to PM is there is no record of the info you receive which could help others down the road that may have a similar light.

Oh, looks like you already have some helpful responses. Great, I hope you get her running.

Thank you. What I'm temped to do now is use a large flat lithium cell (the biggest I can fit inside the light) and simply use some alligator clips (or possibly spade connectors) to make contact with the existing terminals so that the light itself is 100% original. I'd rather run this at a lower power level than it would have originally been designed for, as it's hardly an EDC

It has two sliders on the front, one that has a green gel attached to it, the other has a red gel. They can slide up and over the reflector to give GO/STOP traffic signals. I'll need to disassemble the light to some extent to fix them as they apparently get stuck half way up. Looks to be held together with bendable metal tabs, so I'm hoping it just needs a thorough clean in between the front panels.

I'll do a thread about the repairs next week.

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

alpg88 said:
wow i wish i knew they were sold in usa, i would not have to pay over 20 bucks for adapter and delivery. they prbly do not sell many of those in usa, i have not seen a single device here that runs of such battery.

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/sp...FUW_lg82Dn_IPrqMZEA1eKZCOMza4IehoCCLoQAvD_BwE

This battery has a few other names, aliases and AKAs, depending on what part of the world you ask about

Aliases from that link:

[h=1]Duracell Plus Power MN1203 3LR12 4.5V Battery | 1 Pack[/h][FONT=&quot]Product code(s): 3LR12, MN1203, 1203, 1289, AD28, 3R25, AD28VP, 1289, 3R12G, 3R12R, H1176

[/FONT]

bykfixer · Feb 3, 2019

Thanks for the shout-out.

Looks to be a military issue lantern. The era I could only guess at since USSR lighting technology stayed in the stone age for the duration of the cold war. Using the screw-in E10 bulb in the free world would indicate 1930's or older as by the 40's the slide PR bulb was being utilized in American military lights. But like I said, Russian tech was lagging so it could be as late as the Vietnam era.

If the bulb has any remaining stamping on it, that might give a clue as to the voltage of the battery. Looking at the fastening setup it appears to be a one cell light. I don't think anything is missing after studying the photos at eBay.

Overall it looks to be in great shape, so perhaps a general cleanup with a mild soap and some de-oxit to the copper would be good enough. The glass lens could use a spit shine. I've gotten some really dirty old glass lenses looking pretty good with a spit and polish with a t-shirt method.

Regarding a battery, well the sky's the limit on that one. Obviously a standard cell won't work. Other posts seem to have that nailed down.

Good score. Have fun and please show us the after pics.

Tachead · Feb 3, 2019

bykfixer said:
Thanks for the shout-out.

Good score. Have fun and please show us the after pics.

👍

+1

desert.snake · Feb 3, 2019

Yes, 3LR12, use adapter for 3*AA

there is a lot about these old batteries, use google translator
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showthread.php?t=3677&highlight=%E3%ED%EE%EC+%E1%E0%F2%E0%F0%E5%E9%EA%E0

As for the lantern well ask a question here:
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=365

maybe there is something in the old materials?
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showthread.php?t=4617

It can also be a Soviet clone of German lanterns, look at this forum.
wo2forum.nl

http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showthread.php?p=53302#post53302

offtop:
this old advertisement is cooler than modern

Tachead · Feb 3, 2019

Awesome info desert.snake and yes that ad is super cool👍.

desert.snake · Feb 3, 2019

Yes, this is a photo from the 1961 reference book.
Flashlight color-signal for use by military personnel. Produced before the collapse of the USSR.

Here is a topic about Soviet lights, look here
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showthread.php?t=389

page 8 - KSF-1 (КСФ-1) (K - pocket, S - color-signal, F - flashlight, model 1)

i see oveready also made similar - down, left

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

bykfixer said:
Thanks for the shout-out.

Looks to be a military issue lantern. The era I could only guess at since USSR lighting technology stayed in the stone age for the duration of the cold war. Using the screw-in E10 bulb in the free world would indicate 1930's or older as by the 40's the slide PR bulb was being utilized in American military lights. But like I said, Russian tech was lagging so it could be as late as the Vietnam era.

If the bulb has any remaining stamping on it, that might give a clue as to the voltage of the battery. Looking at the fastening setup it appears to be a one cell light. I don't think anything is missing after studying the photos at eBay.

Overall it looks to be in great shape, so perhaps a general cleanup with a mild soap and some de-oxit to the copper would be good enough. The glass lens could use a spit shine. I've gotten some really dirty old glass lenses looking pretty good with a spit and polish with a t-shirt method.

Regarding a battery, well the sky's the limit on that one. Obviously a standard cell won't work. Other posts seem to have that nailed down.

Good score. Have fun and please show us the after pics.

That's great information bykfixer, thank you very much. I'd be pleased with a 1970's era piece (before I was born), but I'd be over the moon with a 1930's light. I agree that it looks like it has had very little harm come to it (doesn't even look like any batteries have leaked inside it), perhaps a collector had it before now. One wonders what monetary value a military light might have, they are numerous in manufacture, but they tend to have hard lives.

When it arrives, I'll post a heap of preliminary pictures showing as much detail as I can. Then we can see what may be done.

I'm very grateful to everyone who has offered help in this thread, and so quickly! What a great forum and community.

Many thanks.

archimedes · Feb 3, 2019

wosser said:
That's great information bykfixer, thank you very much....

When it arrives, I'll post a heap of preliminary pictures showing as much detail as I can. Then we can see what may be done.

I'm very grateful to everyone who has offered help in this thread, and so quickly! What a great forum and community.

Many thanks.

Thank you all ... very interesting item.

Question for OP, and Byk, does it make sense to move this thread over to the "Incandescent" forum ?

wosser · Feb 3, 2019

archimedes said:
Thank you all ... very interesting item.
Question for OP, and Byk, does it make sense to move this thread over to the "Incandescent" forum ?

Yes I think so. In the absence of a "Vintage" section

ma tumba · Feb 3, 2019

I think that svetlina is a Bulgarian brand rather than a Soviet one.

archimedes · Feb 3, 2019

archimedes said:
Thank you all ... very interesting item.

Question for OP, and Byk, does it make sense to move this thread over to the "Incandescent" forum ?

wosser said:
Yes I think so. In the absence of a "Vintage" section

Thanks ... and done

Need info about this Russian pocket light

Newly Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Newly Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashaholic

Newly Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Newly Enlightened

Newly Enlightened

Flashaholic

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashlight Enthusiast

Newly Enlightened

Flashaholic

Newly Enlightened

Flashlight Enthusiast

Flashaholic

Similar threads