# Flashlight lessons from a 4 day blackout



## Blue72 (Sep 1, 2011)

A few things I learned during the 4 day blackout we had due to the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

1.All our fun superbright flashlights are useless and waste batteries. Just like camping flashlights with long runtime and about 10-20 lumens were ideal for the situation. No need to carry spare batteries and you can leave them on without worry of saving the batteries. In complete dark with no light pollution the 10-20 lumen lights were like 150 lumens on a regular night with outside lights.

2.Batteries are wiped out on store shelves especially C and D cell. However you could find AA or AAA alkalines. I am glad many of my flashlights run on them


3.No matter how much I love flashlights. When it came time to sit inside and read or play board games, Candles or coleman lanterns are the way to go. The warm glow just feels nice!

4.Glow sticks and colored LED toys for the kids to play at night are a huge huge hit! Matter of fact the whole neighborhood full of kids moaned when the lights came back on last night!!!!


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## pblanch (Sep 1, 2011)

1. Thank you 2. Thank you 3. Thank you 4. Thank you I thonk this info all CPF memebers should read. Valuable info. We take for granted the technological marvels we have. I think we all should take refrence all that others have observed. Of course this doesnt stop me from considering the next long term 20lm ( I prefer 1lm at night) torch with ultra long run times. Hope you are safe.


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## DaveG (Sep 1, 2011)

dd61999 said:


> A few things I learned during the 4 day blackout we had due to the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.
> 
> 1.All our fun superbright flashlights are useless and waste batteries. Just like camping flashlights with long runtime and about 10-20 lumens were ideal for the situation. No need to carry spare batteries and you can leave them on without worry of saving the batteries. In complete dark with no light pollution the 10-20 lumen lights were like 150 lumens on a regular night with outside lights.
> 
> ...



I lost my power for about 30hrs,you are right on the money,did not need any high powered lights in the house.Lanterns and headlights came in handy,my Mag-XL50 was almost overkill outside at 8:30pm.My whole neighborhood was dark,no lights,every one went to bed early.


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## angelofwar (Sep 1, 2011)

3D [email protected] with a Nite-Ize 10mm drop-in...perfect power outage light...runs weeks, costs around $25-$230...and doubles as a "tire checking" tool...:devil:

Awesome story, and thanks for sharing...I have plenty of low lumen long runtime that can get the job done...especially my L1-RD that will go 2000 hrs (plus) on one CR123 :0)


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## ragweed (Sep 1, 2011)

Good info from your experience! I had the same when our lights went out but, nowhere what you went through. The Arc AAA, E01, Gerber Infinity & lights like them are run time Champs IMO. The Coleman florissant lantern saved the day for us when eating supper & other lighting tasks also. I am glad you pulled through OK.


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## wuyeah (Sep 1, 2011)

No more CR123s


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## Outdoorsman5 (Sep 1, 2011)

Great info, and I couldn't agree more. I was in a similar situation this past spring when a tornado rolled over our neighborhood knocking out the power for a spell. The super bright settings on my lights were used more for fun, and the lower settings were really the way to go & used way more. I had flashlights (mostly quarks & zebralights) tailstanding around the house set on low or medium which lit up the whole room comfortably. Moonlight mode was perfect for my kids as a night light when they slept, but we already knew this from camping trips. My neutral tint lights were much more pleasing than the cool white lights. Because I'm a flashaholic I had lots of lights on hand to share with some friends and for our kids to play with. The lights turned a tough time into something fun plus it was a good lesson for us.


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## Napalm (Sep 1, 2011)

dd61999 said:


> 1.All our fun superbright flashlights are useless and waste batteries.



We knew that all the time:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?317065-.18-lumens-is-too-bright!

Nap.


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## Launch Mini (Sep 1, 2011)

Glad to hear it all worked out too.
At our "cabin" we have no electricity, so it's only lanterns & flashlights. We put one ona stand, on a fairly low level, and it is enough light for the whole living room.

However, it is still FUN to have tall that power in your hand, just for the fun of it.


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## dealgrabber2002 (Sep 1, 2011)

I only buy AA lights. All those "cheap lights" usually takes C or D cells; that might explain why those batteries were gone so quickly.

BTW: We all glad that you, your family, and friends are safe.


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## StarHalo (Sep 1, 2011)

- The only batteries guaranteed in stock are the ones in your stock.

- Warm emitters for living spaces, cool for bathrooms and nightlights.

- Get glow sticks for the kids, because that's pretty much all they're good for.


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## PhillyRube (Sep 1, 2011)

Found out most of my superthrowers were about useless inside, due to the throw and intensity. had better results using candle lamps, and 2 small coleman looking lanterns that burn tealights. Also, I have been making the switch to AA powered lights, due to availability. I do have a stash of 18650s for a couple of lights, and playing around with my big jump pack, I could power the 18650 charger with the built in inverter. Oh yea, my generator crapped out, it only has like 10 hours on it. Not sure if I want to get it fixed or wait for the "after Irene" sales where people bought them, didn't use them and now want to sell them. We had several cases the night before the storm where people bought them, were told they were non returnable, and arguments started.


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## scout24 (Sep 1, 2011)

+1 to what Starhalo said- Stock up now. Energizer Lithiums are more expensive than alkalines, but the shelf life is the same as Lithium 123's... Bought in bulk the price per cell goes down, and not having to scramble to find them at the last minute is good peace of mind. As countless others have suggested, a good headlamp is invaluable for anything requiring the use of both hands, and there are plenty of good ones available.


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## willieschmidt (Sep 1, 2011)

PhillyRube said:


> Oh yea, my generator crapped out, it only has like 10 hours on it. Not sure if I want to get it fixed or wait for the "after Irene" sales where people bought them, didn't use them and now want to sell them.


 I live in Houston. Ran my generator for 11 days 24/7 after Ike hit. Get quality or get nothing. Buy once cry once. The only new never used generators I see are no name junk.


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## whiteoakjoe (Sep 1, 2011)

Thanks for this post... I sometimes buy lights that don't tailstand, then the lights go out, and I wish I had gotten something else. I also agree that the 3D mags are great for power outages with the cheep drop in LED "bulbs" but the color of the light could be used as an appetite supressant.


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## DaveTheDude (Sep 1, 2011)

Outdoorsman5 said:


> ...Because I'm a flashaholic I had lots of lights on hand to share with some friends and for our kids to play with. The lights turned a tough time into something fun plus it was a good lesson for us.



Two years ago my neighborhood was surprised by a wind storm packing 70 mph winds. The entire area lost power for four days because of downed power lines and lots of blown transformers. The October weather was mild, so nobody complained about having only window ventilation. My elderly neighbors however were completely unprepared for the loss of power. I must have loaned seven lights that week, all 1xAA or 2xAA. Lots of good will accrued from that one gesture. Perversely, only two of these folks later bought their own lights, which proves the Zen koan, "The event will be repeated until the lesson is learned."


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## deadrx7conv (Sep 1, 2011)

After 4 days of run time, my 6-year old generator is going to be replaced. 5000rpm for 100hrs will do any engine in. Still starts/runs great but just don't trust it for the 'next event'. It never had to run more than an hour here/there over the past 6 years. I was tired of topping off fuel every 12hrs. 

My fancy flashlights, with multiple modes, were usually left on the 'lowest setting' when needed. All those useless (3xaaa and 2xaa) generic multiple-LED flashlights worked the best since no C or D cells were available. Some were 'free' from harborfreight or local store purchases. I'm also lucky that all my better flashlights had LED bulbs and NONE killed the batteries since I don't have too many 'mega-lumen' LEDs. The 'decoration candles' were put to work too. And, all those solar lawn lights found usage inside. Those solar lawn lights can also charge nicd/nimh AA and AAA batteries. Lighting was definitely not a problem. Water was!

Those 1/4w to 1w PR2 pr bulbs last a seriously long time on a set of batteries, and an easy upgrade for almost any PR equipped lantern, flashlight, light..... 

Since the generator couldn't power the well, time to go 'hands off' and get a whole house Generac/Briggs or equivalent 15kw system. 

Can't wait for the D-cells to show up at the local stores. Most of my 2d, 3d, 4d flashlights have energizer and duracell batteries that were 1-3years old and worked great. Time to replace those batteries and toss the flashlights back into the glovebox, trunk, kitchen shelf, garage toolbox.... 

In the past 2 decades, we've never had an outage this bad. Lucky for me, I was 'passively' prepared. Many here definitely weren't prepared at all. 

Glowsticks, glow necklaces/bracelets...left over from 4th July, were a blast with the kids, worked as nightlights, and provide plenty of light to maneuver in the dark.


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## recDNA (Sep 1, 2011)

I give you a lot of credit for having a generator in the first place. I've always wanted one to hook into the heating system but just too expensive .


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## angelofwar (Sep 1, 2011)

First sign of bad weather, all my B65's and Duraloops get a good top off...I want a good power source (generator/battery pack), but I don't need it. I have enough cells to last me months, and can even charge Ipods/Cell phones off my hefty stash of Duraloops and my solar charger. Did I ever mention Nicads and Duraloops rock???


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## chmsam (Sep 2, 2011)

Throwers are kept in the vehicle (with at least one as a traffic cone light). 

Multiple AA and AAA lights are EDC's and also kept in the vehicle as well as inside. Those around me have learned why I gave them pretty good LED lights over the years. 

Really like the Glorb and the old Energizer AA LED folding lantern for sitting around and/or reading (headlights have their place for that too, but...).

Got to dig out or replace the Krill and Glo Toob lights (nice to have lights that are unobtrusive to light the way to the bathroom and such. Also, chem lights make for too much garbage when they get used up).

Let's face it -- obviously kids aren't the only ones who like to play with various lights in the dark.


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## Woods Walker (Sep 2, 2011)

Still no power from Sunday. Stopped by my parents to write this. The AA/AAA batteries are back but were sold out by Saturday but charged all of mine before the storm hit so it didn’t matter.


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## dealgrabber2002 (Sep 2, 2011)

I think I need to invest in one of those 15min charger forr AA/AAA batteries, I know it might be bad for the batteries but I think it's worth it. I already have a converter that converts the car charger to a standard home outlet. I can just charge the batteries in my car for 15-30min if needed.


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## conquer (Sep 2, 2011)

Some good advice there, thanks.

Candles are nice for long term use...


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## oldsarge (Sep 3, 2011)

Duplicate, sorry


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## oldsarge (Sep 3, 2011)

Just got my power back after five days of Irene. Some of my thoughts.

Eyeball frying,retina burners are useless unless they have a low setting. You don't need 900 lumens to find a spoon. However I was able to take my Olight 900L and stand it on the base and light up the bathroom every time I shaved (in cold water) Lit up the room like a movie marquee..

The single AA leds lights are great for finding stuff and operating in the house at night.

Unless you enjoy the great flashlight hunting game (it occurs every time a kid puts his light down and forgets it ten seconds later) Put a lanyard on everything. Make the lanyard long enough to hang around the kids neck. Then make the adults do it too. With Kids, Grand Kids etc sheltering in place it gets hectic. Having a light on a neck lanyard when they go #1 in a dark bathroom avoids a lot of "mess"

You do not have enough batteries. I don't care how many you got, it aint enough. That includes cell phone batteries. I have 8 for my phone alone and drained six.

Coleman Lamps are great, but they throw shadows so you still need a light. They get red hot. The make a substantial hissing sound. They need to be ventilated. Open the windows!! In winter that can be impractical.

A crank radio is great. Don't put batteries in it. If they, (the kids) want to listen to rap, alt or whatever annoying tunes they are into, make them crank the dynamo! It keeps them busy and provided the adults with hours of amusement!

The new propane fired generator was on the way before the storm hit. If it had arrived in time this reply would never have been written. Timing is everything, and mine sucks.


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## Lou Minescence (Sep 3, 2011)

Lost power for 10 days a couple years ago in an ice storm. Small single AA headlamps were of the most value. I also found home made diffusers were great for my larger lights set on low as room lighting candles. The wood stove was the most important thing to have.


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## Grizzlyb (Sep 3, 2011)

dd61999,
Thanks for sharing.
This experience got me thinking about buying a generator. I thought about it befor, but always found something more urgent to buy.
What would be a reasonable generator, (power/price) just to put on some lights and the fridge?


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## StarHalo (Sep 3, 2011)

Grizzlyb said:


> What would be a reasonable generator, (power/price) just to put on some lights


 
Pfft, using a generator for lighting defeats the purpose of this forum, you need a specific type of receptacle in your house circuit breaker to do that anyway. The fridge is a valid use for a generator an unannounced outage though; search around CPF for the Master Disasters thread, where most everyone will recommend a specific Honda model..


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## Obijuan Kenobe (Sep 3, 2011)

Low levels on my flamethrowers is indeed essential, and the lower the better. That being said, I have a number of cheap dim lights that run off AA and AAA just for this reason. My lights are for me...those lights are loaners. Penlights are great.

I figure I would be fine for lights for a week. It's my HAM radio that I wonder about. My QRP radio is battery powered, but it doesn't get topped off as often as it should. Since I got into flashlights...it's become obvious to me that I have been a poor radio battery pack owner up till recently.

All this being said, power loss is a scary thing over here...because without heat...it's cold. We are getting our second little one this winter, so I am getting ready to buy a heater (alcohol or kerosene) for just this reason. It's a scary thought.

obi


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## Darvis (Sep 3, 2011)

Been building quite a few of these lately now that I know how to build my own Joule Thief circuits...







I found some great 3400k warm 5mm Leds and they replicate candle light for that nice warm glow. Best of all, I can use any battery I find.. D, C, AA, AAA, NiMHm, etc... and they can be "dead" batteries as well since the circuit will drain them all to about .50v They ceiling bounce, so no real shadows.

They worked great during our last power outage here and ran a heck of a long time. I use them as night lights all the time

And if you're interested: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ule-Thief-Hurricane-Lamp-Project-Lots-of-pics!


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## flashy bazook (Sep 3, 2011)

I can't say I agree with all of the OP's conclusions. I had many experiences with multi-day blackouts.

The high-tech LED's are now extremely useful and far improve on old-style lanterns, especially those old monsters with 4xD or 8xC battery packs. And forget candles, and other fire-based lanterns, ridiculous and dangerous this day and age.

If you want warm light, you can get it in the right LED. I have Zebra's in warm tint using modern 1x18650's. In medium setting they go for 4 hours or so. Better balance of lumen/tint than any old-style lantern.

The 600 and 700 lumen "room-lighters" are great, too. You get ceiling-bounce light with them that kind of makes up for the loss of a ceiling standard fixture. So don't say that 20 lumens is fine, to light a common used room such as a kitchen or living room it is clearly insufficient.

I do like smaller lantern and Glo-Toob style LEDs (Zebra's with 1x123 or 1xAA for example) to put down in critical locations such as corridors, outside of bedrooms, bathrooms. The Glo Toob will go for a full night on just a LiFePO4 battery, so should last almost 3 nights on a 123 primary!

The chemical glow sticks are outdated, more of a novelty/toy item for sure.

Diffusers are useful but this is true always and is not any special item for blackouts.

I can't see why you'd care if C and D batteries run out of stock? Modern LED's work great with rechargeables. Basically I almost used no primaries over week-long blackouts, just using my existing stock of AAA, AA, C, and D NiMH's, and various 123 types of rechargeables. Also I have plenty of 123 primares just in case, these can be used in a large variety of flashlights.

I use C and D batteries by now only for specialized uses, such as very long-running 60 lumen output LEDs, or large 600 lumen room-lighters anyway. For other uses LEDs are now so good you can just get rid of the C and D types altogether.

Yes, big throwers won't be useful inside, but again this is true whether you have a blackout or not! They are for outdoors use, and there they would be equally useful blackout or no blackout.

Blackouts are great for testing our flashlight theories, with that fully agree! Let's see what the tests say, though!


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## fyrstormer (Sep 3, 2011)

Every time there's a power outage, people remember why the Arc AAA used to be so popular. Sadly the Arc AAA isn't made to the same quality standards anymore, but at least there are other options now.

Glo Toob lights work well to light the dinner table and board games. Also, if you want to carry it like a lantern, you can put sticky aluminum tape from the auto parts store around the side of the Glo Toob that faces you so it doesn't impair your vision.

deadrx7conv, 5000rpm for 100 hours will not kill a generator. 5000rpm for a generator is not like 5000rpm for a car engine. If your generator actually runs at 5000rpm, it's not because it needs that much speed to produce the necessary power -- it's because it runs most efficiently at that speed, thus conserving fuel. Even a 5kW generator experiences 20x less strain than a 4-cylinder car engine has to deal with. Just change the oil, it'll be fine.


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## Lou Minescence (Sep 3, 2011)

Grizzlyb said:


> dd61999,
> Thanks for sharing.
> This experience got me thinking about buying a generator. I thought about it befor, but always found something more urgent to buy.
> What would be a reasonable generator, (power/price) just to put on some lights and the fridge?



A 7,500 watt generator is just right for most houses. A 5,000 watt will do the job as long as everything is not on at the same time.

You will still need a flashlight because it costs alot to run the generator all night and is not necessary.


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## deadrx7conv (Sep 3, 2011)

Darvis, thanks for the link of that PVC light. I now know how I'll recycle my broken lawn/flash light LEDs and stuff. 

Fyrstormer, its a generator inverter woefully undersized for the current situation but perfectly capable over the years. It goes from 1000 to 5000rpm+ as load increases. It'll idle all day with a couple bulbs. The two refrigerators pushed the generator to 110% regularly. I only tripped it a couple times. Toss in a few more extension cords and power strips and you can see that it was pushed. I had to change the oil every 24hrs because it was cooked. And, the spark plug gap almost doubled after 4 days of usage. I'm surprised it didn't throw in the towel or toss a rod. Thank Honda for knowing that some of us silly Americans would push it beyond the max all the time. Its temporary peak wattage output became almost continous. This week, among neighbors and friends, about a dozen generators seized or cooked. So, if you buy a generator, pay more for name brand quality. The harborfreight, wallyworld, pepboys stuff....definitely proved itself to be junk. My Honda, is now being used in place of a generator, rated twice as much, that already quit. We still have areas with no power/water/cable/telephone. And, a generator is just like your car. If you drive your car with the pedal glued to the floor all day, something is going to break. My generator would compare well to a NASCAR, INDY, or NHRA engine! It definitely didn't loaf around all week!

I foresee an increase in refrigerator and electronics sales over the next few months. We know how well junk dirty generators can toast electric motors and computers. 

Within 1/2 day after the power outage started, there wasn't a generator available in a 100mile radius. 

Flashy, why C and D are important? Its because rechargeable batteries ALL DIED during night number 1 and there was no way to recharge them. Run time with C and D is excellent. And, at that point of darkness, we weren't looking for full room ceiling bounce lighting (waste of light and power). Everyone had their individual <50lm light(usually 10-30lm was plenty). 
At night, the lowest setting, on my dealextreme 18650 lights, wasn't low enough. 
My single cr123 minilights from Quark and ITP were the best since the low setting provided plenty of lighting and extremely long runtimes. Medium setting provided plenty of additional lighting when needed. High settings weren't used at all. I think you underestimate how well your eyes can adapt to low lighting situations.

I truly think that individual 'head lamps' would be the best choice. I found that I needed a 3rd hand many times when working/reading by flashlight. I'm definitely going to pick up a few headstrap lights to make things, like reading or refueling the generator gas tank with one hand or aiming at the 'fire hydrant', much much easier. 

I know that common sense is lacking in today's society. But, I find that candles/alcohol/kerosene/propane/wood/charcoal ALL HAD THEIR USES. For example, I had no problem reading by candlelight or by the kerosene lamp. And, I had no issues using them indoor. The gas grille/stove worked great for cooking. The firepit lit the yard up if needed. The 20lb propane tank powered a Coleman lamp on a 3ft pipe extension. I kept the Coleman on the deck as it could passively light a room through the sliding doors and windows from the deck. I would have no problem running it indoors, with a window open, as it would be similar to the ventless fireplaces, stoves, heaters... that use CNG, kero, or LP. 

Button cell keychain lights were the last resort backup and extremely useful. My 14lm Energizer keychain at times was too bright but a great backup. 

I find that I was pretty well prepared for myself. I was also pretty well prepared to help some neighbors and friends. 

The local governments(state/county/town) were pretty much useless. The NationalGuard was out in full force but not sure what their orders were(but I did see them clear some downed trees and help with traffic control...road blockages and detours). Water was in seriously short supply because many with wells had no electricity and didn't plan at all. Gasoline was in short supply(long long lines) because too many gas stations had no electricity. Too many citizens became complainers and whiners. Verizon, AT&T, Cox, NationalGrid, FullChannel, Comcast, NStar, Charter, local arborists, utility contractors..... did a phenomenal job. You'd have to see the damage to understand how much repair work was needed. Most of these utility workers/contractors pushed 16-20hr daily shifts all week.


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## gearhead1972 (Sep 3, 2011)

I wasn't out of power for too long, 40 hours. But I found the same conclusions. My most use full light was my iTP A3 3 mode, my new Fenix PD 31, since it comes on on low. But winner hands down is my old Princeton Tec solo headlamp with a 1 watt Nite Ize PR based drop in. I pretty much wore it around both nights non stop on, it isn't bright, and 100% flood, but with no ambient light around it worked for almost every task.
I also have a generator, but this week will be getting a 8k watt (current 5k) and having a transfer switch put in. I want to run my well and the hot water heater.


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## ganymede (Sep 3, 2011)

Lots of people seems to prefer the reliability of a single mode light. IMO, in an event of long blackout, the versatility of a multi modes light is undeniable.


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## Paul6ppca (Sep 3, 2011)

I found myself using 2lights mostly. My CPF vb16. 16 levels used mostly lower levels , with an18650 it ran for nights of use. I was able to top off the battery at work. Second most used light was my nitecore d10. AA are invaluable because they are everywhere every remote, clock etc. Variable output us very useful forextending battery life. Other useful light was multiple 5mm AA lights. Great for kid nightlights. They run for a few bites on depleted AA.


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## fyrstormer (Sep 4, 2011)

deadrx7conv said:


> Fyrstormer, its a generator inverter woefully undersized for the current situation but perfectly capable over the years. It goes from 1000 to 5000rpm+ as load increases. It'll idle all day with a couple bulbs. The two refrigerators pushed the generator to 110% regularly. I only tripped it a couple times. Toss in a few more extension cords and power strips and you can see that it was pushed. I had to change the oil every 24hrs because it was cooked. And, the spark plug gap almost doubled after 4 days of usage. I'm surprised it didn't throw in the towel or toss a rod. Thank Honda for knowing that some of us silly Americans would push it beyond the max all the time. Its temporary peak wattage output became almost continous. This week, among neighbors and friends, about a dozen generators seized or cooked. So, if you buy a generator, pay more for name brand quality. The harborfreight, wallyworld, pepboys stuff....definitely proved itself to be junk. My Honda, is now being used in place of a generator, rated twice as much, that already quit. We still have areas with no power/water/cable/telephone. And, a generator is just like your car. If you drive your car with the pedal glued to the floor all day, something is going to break. My generator would compare well to a NASCAR, INDY, or NHRA engine! It definitely didn't loaf around all week!


Interesting. The generator my mom has uses a...actually, I don't remember what it uses, but it's not Honda...and it runs at the same RPM constantly. The only thing that changes is it gets louder when you put more load on it. Not sure if Honda's engines rev down under light load to improve efficiency or just to reduce wear & tear, but in any event, hers is a 5kW generator and it can run the fridge, the electric stove, and the electric water heater at the same time. (she can only use one burner on the stove, but that plus a microwave is enough to make dinner.) In any event, yes, if the breaker on the generator popped, it was working too hard and you need a bigger one. No need to dispose of the old one, though; change the oil one last time and sell it on Craigslist to someone who doesn't have one yet.

Generator engines are not like car engines, though. If your generator revs up and down according to load, I can see how it might appear to be the same as a car engine, but if you've ever driven a stickshift you know there's a distinct difference between running your engine at high RPM under light load vs. heavy load. If anything, a generator engine is better compared to a motorcycle engine, which is designed to run at high RPM pretty much continuously regardless of the driver's demand for power. That's why motorcycle engines have roller-bearing cranks, and I wouldn't be surprised if your Honda generator's engine has the same roller bearings in it, seeing how Honda also makes motorcycles.


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## Illum (Sep 4, 2011)

StarHalo said:


> - The only batteries guaranteed in stock are the ones in your stock.
> 
> - Warm emitters for living spaces, cool for bathrooms and nightlights.
> 
> - Get glow sticks for the kids, because that's pretty much all they're good for.



+1, but check on your reserves monthly t make sure they're fresh.

+1, Cool everywhere will do most of the time, warm in the bedrooms usually makes it more cozy.... especially if chilled rain is pouring outside

+... I never considered glowsticks


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## Lynx_Arc (Sep 4, 2011)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> I think I need to invest in one of those 15min charger forr AA/AAA batteries, I know it might be bad for the batteries but I think it's worth it. I already have a converter that converts the car charger to a standard home outlet. I can just charge the batteries in my car for 15-30min if needed.


better off with a 2 hour charger IMO as it is gentler on the batteries and uses less power from a car and charges fast enough to be useful. I used one during a 4 day outage I set it on top of the dash where I could look at the window in the house and see if the batteries were done and could just lock the door to the car. I could leave it running as I drove around doing errands charging batteries also.
I just checked my energizer 15 minute charger..... 5A draw using 4AAs, 3A on 4AAAs. I am guessing this would differ some as it isn't rated at 12v but 11-15 or so and I didn't get a car cord with it. If I had a car cord I would probably offer it for sale to you... lol


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## yliu (Sep 4, 2011)

From what I know, super bright flashlights have lower settings which last insanely long.


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## scout24 (Sep 4, 2011)

The Honda eu1000i and eu2000i are inverter based machines, and have what Honda calls "ecothrottle" for reduced fuel usage when you're not asking for full output, it varies engine speed in proportion to electrical load placed on the unit. They positively sip fuel, and if you don't mind switching extention cords, or limiting what you're trying to run, are probably the quietest, most fuel efficient generators out there right now. My 2000i will run at idle with up to approx. a 1k load, and onlu picks up in engine speed past that. Non-inverter machines run at the constant speed to ensure they are putting out a steady 50-60hz, regardless of load. Much less expensive to manufacture and purchase, but not nearly as efficient. During a multi-day outage, fuel storage and consumption can become issues. Yamaha also makes machines of this size that are very good with similar track records. Generac has ventured into this niche as well, but more recently, and with less owner feedback yet. There is an outstanding thread in the Cafe regarding these machines, "Master thread for disasters and generators" started by Turbodog that discusses the differences and benefits...  If you want to light or power the whole house, 5k+ is definitely for you. For a bit more stealth or MUCH less fuel usage, the smaller inverter machines can't be beat...


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## shao.fu.tzer (Sep 4, 2011)

dd61999 said:


> 1.All our fun superbright flashlights are useless and waste batteries. Just like camping flashlights with long runtime and about 10-20 lumens were ideal for the situation. No need to carry spare batteries and you can leave them on without worry of saving the batteries. In complete dark with no light pollution the 10-20 lumen lights were like 150 lumens on a regular night with outside lights.
> 
> 2.Batteries are wiped out on store shelves especially C and D cell. However you could find AA or AAA alkalines. I am glad many of my flashlights run on them



I agree with you on these two points... When Ike hit, we were without electricity for weeks. I realized very early on that any lights without a low mode would be practically useless, although it is nice to have a room lighter or two when you want to remember what it was like when the power was on.

There were no C or D batteries period and AA and AAA were scarce. Don't wait until the last minute, stay stocked up with batteries well before any potential disaster. 

Also, we could find no charcoal, bottled water, ice, or peanut butter (for whatever reason) after the storm. The stores were barren and we would often buy food just because we could - not because we wanted to eat it. 

It sucked... Being without power for weeks at a time in the Texas Summer heat with only an Old Smokey and FireLog to heat our meals and make coffee was an experience I'll never forget... Oh yeah - stock up on charcoal - that was actually the hardest thing to find after the storm (that's why I broke down and bought FireLog or whatever it's called)...

Also, something to think about - if you have a battery backup on your computer, you can use it to charge your cell phones and lights for quite sometime, depending on it's capacity. Surely it's not a replacement for a generator, but it kept me in touch with my folks who live on the other side of town... and it beats hanging out at Target to charge your phone (which was apparently a very popular practice in the aftermath)...


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## Erzengel (Sep 4, 2011)

yliu said:


> From what I know, super bright flashlights have lower settings which last insanely long.



This is not true for most lights with an infinite variable selector ring interface. They consume a lot of power on the lower levels.


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## rbramski (Sep 4, 2011)

*Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

I was reading the thread about the four day black out. It made me wonder what flashlights can run off multile battery types. I am talking about common batteries available at the drugstore. Like something that takes D's or AA's. I remember about ten years ago my mom had a energizer flashlight that could take AAA, AA, C, D batteries and had a switch on the side to select the battery type. I figured stocking up on four or five of these might be good for such an occasion.


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## rbramski (Sep 4, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

Just found a link to the flashlight my mom had. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6011489/#.TmOtnmpU2So


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## willieschmidt (Sep 4, 2011)

deadrx7conv said:


> After 4 days of run time, my 6-year old generator is going to be replaced. 5000rpm for 100hrs will do any engine in. Still starts/runs great but just don't trust it for the 'next event'. It never had to run more than an hour here/there over the past 6 years. I was tired of topping off fuel every 12hrs.


 
Lets put run time in perspective. A motorcycle of 250cc displacement 100hrs is about 5000 miles. For a small engine 5000 rpm is nor excessive nor is 100hrs a long time. The average 300cc engine being of good quality with normal maintenance should be good for at least 1500+ hours.


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## ampdude (Sep 4, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

I stock up on AA's and AAA's when they are cheap or nearly free. Still have some Energizers from the CVS deal a few years ago. Got a few 48 packs of Rayovacs for $5 from the Menards deal last Christmas (they did it again recently). Have a lot of AA batteries and AA compatible flashlights around. Or lights that are capable of running off of AA's. I usually save my semi-used AA and AAA batteries in those plastic sandwich meat containers. A lot of my Surefires are capable of running off of AA batteries with or without a battery sleeve and I have a couple 2AA-1D converters in the few 2D flashlights that I have. I also try to keep a good stock of CR123A's.


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## Melson (Sep 4, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

A fenix TA30 can run off AA's and 3 Cr123's. However it won't reach 225 lumens with AA's, only the 60. I'm sure this would apply to the entire TA series Fenix has as well.

Because of blackouts and them being at times unforeseen my keychain light takes AAA's.


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## shao.fu.tzer (Sep 4, 2011)

Erzengel said:


> This is not true for most lights with an infinite variable selector ring interface. They consume a lot of power on the lower levels.



Really? What's the point then? What about a Sunwayman VR10 Ti - it has a selector ring.


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## RCantor (Sep 4, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...!!!-500LM-AA-14500-Pocket-Rocket!-(CW-NW-WW!) 

Takes regular AA and 14500 Li ions and less than $35, available in neutral. My EDC. Will reach 200 Lm on one AA  490 on a Li 14500. Has high, med, low.


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## dealgrabber2002 (Sep 5, 2011)

Lynx_Arc said:


> better off with a 2 hour charger IMO as it is gentler on the batteries and uses less power from a car and charges fast enough to be useful. I used one during a 4 day outage I set it on top of the dash where I could look at the window in the house and see if the batteries were done and could just lock the door to the car. I could leave it running as I drove around doing errands charging batteries also.
> I just checked my energizer 15 minute charger..... 5A draw using 4AAs, 3A on 4AAAs. I am guessing this would differ some as it isn't rated at 12v but 11-15 or so and I didn't get a car cord with it. If I had a car cord I would probably offer it for sale to you... lol



Which 2 hrs. charger do you recommend?


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## Lynx_Arc (Sep 5, 2011)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> Which 2 hrs. charger do you recommend?


I don't have one to recommend right now, I have an older one hour charger that I use (rayovac) and a duracell mobile charger that is about 4 hours that is decent also. If you could find the duracell mobile charger it would be good as it doubles as a USB power port for some devices. 
I picked 2 hours as a starting point 15-30 minutes is just a bit too hard on nimh cells in the long and a 2-4 hour charger would be easy enough on the batteries but finding one with a car adapter can be a task unless it has a 12v power input.


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## Swedpat (Sep 5, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



Melson said:


> A fenix TA30 can run off AA's and 3 Cr123's. However it won't reach 225 lumens with AA's, only the 60. I'm sure this would apply to the entire TA series Fenix has as well.


 
Several 3xCR123 based lights run with 2AA but unregulated for long time. Malkoff M60 and M61 dropins also do. I have thought that it's one reason to have a 3CR123 light except from extended runtime compared to 2CR123 tube. No modification needed, batteries may rattle a bit but it works.


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## yliu (Sep 5, 2011)

Well, yes.

I think it's because of the PWM... correct me if I'm wrong.

So PWM controlled lights are not as efficient as current regulated ones.


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## yliu (Sep 5, 2011)

[DOUBLE POST]

sorry...


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## deadrx7conv (Sep 5, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

Guys, I don't care to argue the motorcycle vs generator vs car engines. Topped out is topped out regardless of the engine design. It was running all out and took a beating. My non-stock magnetic dipstick was a little scary at each oil check time. I believe that the only thing Honda left out was a more effective cooling system as it runs burning hot the entire time, even in 50mph winds. I was here with it cranking, you weren't. If you want to know what the generator area smelled like, spill some synthetic oil on your hot engine exhaust manifold along with burning something electronic circuits, and smell! With the number of generators that self destructed this past week, and some died with < 24hrs, 100hrs WOT is tough on ANY ENGINE DESIGN! Typical non-inverter gasoline generators run on a 60hz sync, usually fixed at 3600rpm, with noise varying as load varies, with AC frequency/voltage varying with inconsistent RPM(3400-3700rpm) control. I really want a heavy flywheel 1200rpm or 1800rpm diesel generator that use the x2 or x3 multiplier for that same 60hz you get from 3600rpm out of a gasser. The inverter generator puts out that 60hz 90-125vac at almost ALL RPMs and varies the RPM for its load, but voltage will sag a little while RPM catches up. The inverter output is very clean regardless. 
Honda, Yamaha... have the inverter generators now up to 6000+ watts, but they are prohibitively expensive, pushing the price for what I can get a 12kw-15kw whole house permanent setup. But, those inverter generators are portable. And, the smaller ones can be tied/sync'd together to double the wattage available. 

One of the best outdoor 'features' is that I have solar outdoor lighting with deep cycle batteries and large solar panels. This means that the yard/driveway were well lit all week even without the grid. This was great if I need to target a criminal. I am happy to say that I didn't see any looting. If I needed to, I could move my outdoor lighting around or indoor, or scavenge the batteries/solar panels for indoor power. But, I didn't since the generator kept on ticking(clattering/vibrating/begging for mercy). I have a couple cig-plug smaller inverters used to charge whatever I want directly off the solar battery. This way, I didn't need to waste gasoline and run the car engine to simply charge a cell phone... I'm also considering a very large inverter(backup fridge power) since I have several, usually fully solar charged, deep cycle batteries that should be able to run the fridge all night, and can solar charge during the day. My solar panels are mobile for quick relocation as needed. 

The best lights are the ones that run with batteries that you already have or can get. The best lights are the ones that run the longest while providing usable light. Mega lumen fancy unavailable battery lights are excessively bright when on, and become useless when battery is empty. Rechargeable batteries that you CAN'T recharge are just as good as non-rechargeable single use batteries. This is why the C and D single use batteries sold out. A new D-cell works better than a dead Li-on. 

Its funny that some neighbors/friends think that I'm flashlight excessive. My glove boxes all have at least 1 smaller flashlight(2xaa, 3xaaa, or 3xaa). This gives you a quick to locate light in case of an automotive emergency. Using Energizer 8x Lithium allows you to load and forget about the light. Make sure it is LED and test it yearly. Each trunk usually has a 2d-6d(or C cell) flashlight(LED upgrade PR bulb) which are great for when more light is needed light when changing a flat tire at night, or hooking up a boat/camper trailer in the dark. Alkalines last a couple years in the trunk. Test trunk lights quarterly, look for leakage, and replace batteries every couple years. With 3 cars in the driveway, I had 6 lights ready to go that would work a reasonable amount of time. If I were to use 1 light a night, I'd have almost a week of simply single room single flashlight lighting. Each keychain has a button cell light. I prefer the Energizer all metal and good ol' Photonlight keychain lights. And, there was no shortage of button-cell batteries at the stores. I also have a couple weapon lights and bicycle lights that weren't used but were ready to be relocated for usage if needed. A couple camping lanterns proved to be very useful. And, who here doesn't own a Paklite? Not that I recommend it, but each of your smoke/co2 detectors and/or DMM's usually has a fresh 9v in it that can be pillaged for the Paklite, or for the AAAA cells in it. Disassembly a dead 9V for practice. 

And truly, as already mentioned by me and another, a hands-free helmet, hat, or strap light would've been the best this past week. Of all the type of lighting that I have, I don't have any hands-free hat-visor lights, headlamp, eyeglass frame lights, head-strap lights, miners lights.... which IMO would be the best. A hands free light is a must for doing things with limited lighting when you only have 2 hands and need them both. I think that I can pick up a couple soon, and just leave them with the bicycles without offending the budget watcher. When biking at night, we're limited to the forward handlebar lights. A couple 'headlamps' will give us the ability to spot things in all other directions that we look in. I think I got my financial argument ready. 

Time to replace all the spent ol' batteries(C, D, AAA, AA, CR123, 9v, buttoncells). They all had plenty of usage on them. Hopefully, we won't see another storm like this is in 20 years.


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## willieschmidt (Sep 5, 2011)

Shared this thread about the "100 hour wore out Honda generator" with my brother who owns a small engine repair shop in Rosenberg TX (20 mi sw of Houston). He is an authorized repair rep for several of the Majors. Says he seen some crazy things like brand new motors ran without oil and owners wanting a free replacement. Although he doesn't sell or do warranty repairs for Honda, he does work on Honda mowers/generators and had nothing but good things to say about them. Sounds like you got a lemon or your trying to convince the wife you need a new toy. I have an 10 year old Japanese 5500 watt Subaru/Robin 338cc that ran 24/7 for 11 days (260+hrs) during Ike (BTW the insurance company reimbursed me for the gas during the hurricane @ 10+ gallons a day, keep your receipts ), use it every fall deer season, run lights Jetty fishing for Specks n Reds in the summer and the only maintenance ever done was change the oil every year, 2 air filters and 2 spark plugs. I would guess it has about 500+ hours and would trust for the next cataclysmic event. Always thought a quiet HONDA was an upgrade?











http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/405/robinq.jpg/


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## LittleBill (Sep 5, 2011)

willieschmidt said:


> Shared this thread about the "100 hour wore out Honda generator" with my brother who owns a small engine repair shop in Rosenberg TX (20 mi sw of Houston). He is an authorized repair rep for several of the Majors. Says he seen some crazy things like brand new motors ran without oil and owners wanting a free replacement. Although he doesn't sell or do warranty repairs for Honda, he does work on Honda mowers/generators and had nothing but good things to say about them. Sounds like you got a lemon or your trying to convince the wife you need a new toy. I have an 10 year old Japanese 5500 watt Subaru/Robin 338cc that ran 24/7 for 11 days (260+hrs) during Ike (BTW the insurance company reimbursed me for the gas during the hurricane @ 10+ gallons a day, keep your receipts ), use it every fall deer season, run lights Jetty fishing for Specks n Reds in the summer and the only maintenance ever done was change the oil every year, 2 air filters and 2 spark plugs. I would guess it has about 500+ hours and would trust for the next cataclysmic event. Always thought a quiet HONDA was an upgrade?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



tend to agree with the above poster. i have one of the "crap" pepboy generators. it runs days/ weeks at a time with 0 issue.

your forgetting people buy generator's for camping, many many people over on rv.net run these generators 24/7 for a week at a time with 0 issue.

not sure i understand the size of your generator if it was "maxxed out" with 2 refrigerators. mine is a 3k runs 1 fridge 1 freezer, heat controls and fans for our kero heater. electric blankets, 2 tv's, vcr's etc. with barely breaking a sweat.

sounds like you have issues with yours. many, many people run 500+ hours on their generator's yearly. then its a honda??? every eu series i read that has worn out, has near 1500+ hours on them


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## StarHalo (Sep 5, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



deadrx7conv said:


> 100hrs WOT is tough on ANY ENGINE DESIGN!


 
If that were true, lumberjacks would have to replace their chainsaws every couple of weeks. And the reason motorcycle folk are fond of the old-school small displacement bikes is because they'd just keep up with traffic at redline in final gear, and would still get 100+ MPG..


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## TK35 (Sep 5, 2011)

Tropical storm hit New Orleans over the past three days....During power outages I scatter some Fenix eo1's around the house for minimal lighting and use several P1D Q5s for brighter requirements on an as needed basis..


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## Monocrom (Sep 5, 2011)

With regards to #2, I noticed the same thing. However, I've heard some places were picked bare of everything except coin-cell batteries. No need to take chances. Best to have several spare batteries at home.

Regarding #3, not just lanterns; but headlamps can be priceless in such situiations as well.


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## Blue72 (Sep 6, 2011)

Well I have been so impressed by "candle power" during the blackout, I just purchased a UCO Candlelier that are popular with campers and hikers


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## Lynx_Arc (Sep 6, 2011)

Monocrom said:


> With regards to #2, I noticed the same thing. However, I've heard some places were picked bare of everything except coin-cell batteries. No need to take chances. Best to have several spare batteries at home.
> 
> Regarding #3, not just lanterns; but headlamps can be priceless in such situiations as well.


 
even a dim headlamp (5mm LEDs) is very useful in a blackout as the endless darkness can wear on you with handheld lights and if you are short on lanterns and wander around your place a lot it is easy to turn on a headlamp to get around and leave it on till you get situated more permanently around a lantern friendly area. 
Having a nice big table for games and a lantern setup that can light it up well lets everyone join in on the fun.
I propped a CCFL energizer light up above a table and played cards for hours alone. 
dim area/marker lights are handy in an outage to guide you to the bathroom and bedrooms. A headlamp is great for reading books in an outage... big time.


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## WDR65 (Sep 6, 2011)

While we were only without power for 10 hours or so Irene reminded me of some of the things that I learned when I first started on CPF and from hurricanes Fran and Floyd. As others have said, throwers and high output lights are not very useful. Lanterns, headlamps and low output compact lights are great. Even the new Streamlight Twin task 1L that I just purchased was too bright for anything except outdoor tasks.

My Coleman 200 lumen LED lantern was great for reading and area light when turned sideways and strapped to the wall. I used an aptly named Black Diamond Storm for around the house tasks but I was wishing that I still had the broad smooth light of a Surefire Minimus. I also carried my E1B clipped to my pocket and a 4sevens miniX around my neck. 

I would like to add a few more small lanterns to my gear and I think some more small simple 5mm Led lights like the Dorcy AAA or the Fenix E01.


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## Erzengel (Sep 6, 2011)

shao.fu.tzer said:


> Really? What's the point then? What about a Sunwayman VR10 Ti - it has a selector ring.


 
The infinite variable selector ring interface I know (Jetbeam/Nitecore) uses an electronic "compass" to read the position of the selector ring. The circuit must constantly read the compass. The V10r is rated by Sunwayman with 100 hours at the lowest level (1 Lumen). This is rather short, compared to the 2 hours at 210 Lumen. The Zebralight H31 is rated with 21 days (~500 hours) at 0.5 Lumen. If You multiply output with runtime (Lumen * hours) You get 100 for the V10r and 250 for the H31. This is quite a difference and demonstrates the disadvantage of lights with an infinite variable selector ring interface.


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## rbramski (Sep 6, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



Swedpat said:


> Several 3xCR123 based lights run with 2AA but unregulated for long time. Malkoff M60 and M61 dropins also do. I have thought that it's one reason to have a 3CR123 light except from extended runtime compared to 2CR123 tube. No modification needed, batteries may rattle a bit but it works.


 I never knew that. I will have to pick up a few. Do you know if the surefire G3 would do the same. I would pick up some cheap floody drop-ins.


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## flashy bazook (Sep 7, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

A couple of things: first, the OP said he ran out of rechargeables after the 1st day and had no way to recharge them.

Well, with some planning, you can easily last 1 week (as I did) almost wholly on rechargeables.

Examples:
--a 60 lumen LED (the M31LL Malkoff drop-in, for instance) can ran for 12 hours on 2xC NiMH rechargeables. If you have 6 rechargeables, you can do 36 hours. At 4 hours per night, you cover 9 nights.
--At medium level (20-30 lumens) you can go for a whole night, 8 hours, with 2xAA Eneloops. So, With just 8 Eneloops available, you can go for 32 hours, or 8 4-hour nights.
--The Glo-Toob can go for 1 whole night (8 hours) on one LiFePO4 rechargeable. You have 6 of these, you can cover 6 whole 8 hour nights. If you just stock 2 123 primaries you can cover the same nights.

The point is you can plan and avoid using primaries (and never mind lighting candles and other fire-based lanterns!) even during long emergencies.

The other point we always hear is to use headlamps. You can just get a special headband and it will carry a normal flashlight.

If you go in a cave, explore a glacier, or use a helmet professionally (e.g., a firefighter), yes, propably a specially designed headlamp will be great. But around your own house, a headband will work and the flashlight is much more versatile.

Another simple trick is to make a candle out of your flashlight with the right shaped diffuser.

Finally, I don't know if talking about blackouts is some kind of jinx, but I just got another one! (thankfully, not of the multi-day variety). No candles were necessary, just the system already developed and described here. Smooth to put in place, and no primaries were harmed!


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## angelofwar (Sep 7, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

I have roughly 20 B65's and roughly 20 Duraloops that are, for the most part, charged at 80-90% most of the time...with my E2L-AA and Malkoffs, this will give me roughly 3 weeks to a month of light on RC's. Whne those go out, I can charge my Duraloops on my solar charger, and/or revert to my 20'ish Energizer Lithium AA's and my 70+ SF123's...I believe some-one said in this thread, no matter how spares you have, it's never enough...with my light/battery combo's, I figure I'm set for at least 5 years...and that's being conservative.


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## Outdoorsman5 (Sep 7, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

Hey AOW,
I need a good solar charger, and have only looked at the ones at batteryjunction. Got any recommendations on what to get. I'd like to be able to charge my eneloops, Li-ions, and cell phones if possible. What are you using?


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## scout24 (Sep 7, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

Outdoorsman5- If I may throw in my $.02, check out cottonpickers solar chargers over in the Marketplace before it closes for maintenance...  He will have a setup to meet your needs. Shipping is quick, and they are of good quality. Several different sized panels in different outputs, Li-Ion, NiMh, and a set of tips for whatever cellphone you have. All based on USB connections.


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## Harry999 (Sep 7, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



Melson said:


> A fenix TA30 can run off AA's and 3 Cr123's. However it won't reach 225 lumens with AA's, only the 60. I'm sure this would apply to the entire TA series Fenix has as well.
> 
> Because of blackouts and them being at times unforeseen my keychain light takes AAA's.



Melson,

Thanks for posting this. I recently discovered my old TA30 which I have not used in some time. I have stuck two 14500s in there now. I had forgotten just how well built this light is and how useful the selector ring options are. I will start using it as a general around the house/garden light.


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## angelofwar (Sep 7, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



Outdoorsman5 said:


> Hey AOW,
> I need a good solar charger, and have only looked at the ones at batteryjunction. Got any recommendations on what to get. I'd like to be able to charge my eneloops, Li-ions, and cell phones if possible. What are you using?



Yer leavin' the Natural State? I can't wait to get back! Anyway, here's what I'm using...

http://www.solarmio.com/en/cata_solarduo.aspx?param_01=1

nothing uber fancy, but I like the flexibility it offers. Simply put two RC's in the white case (Duraloops/Eneloops, etc.), and you can A) Charge the batteries and remove them for use in another object (AA light, etc.), or B) Put charged RC AA's in it and plug up a cell-phone, IPod, etc. to charge. It goes both ways and is very flexible, plus it comes with about 10 attachments for charging different items, including the most popular phones. Plus, it's small and non obtrusive. I keep mine in a Pelican with my E2L-AA, 10 Lithium AA's and 20 Duraloops. Hope this helps.


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## deadrx7conv (Sep 8, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

Coleman, Sunforce, BatteryMinder, Npower... have 5w-20w 12vdc solar battery chargers. Anything less than 5w is pretty much a joke and best left for hikers who don't want to carry much weight. Build your own 12vdc power station with battery, solar panel, charge controller, and multiple 12vdc cigarette lighter power sockets for all you devices.


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## Outdoorsman5 (Sep 8, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

Thanks scout24 and AOW for the solar recomendations. Looks great!


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## hebertjb (Sep 8, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

I'm in the Richmond Virginia area and was without power for 8 days owing to Irene. I had all the light I needed from three small AAA Maratac lights. Here's a great tip: Use large styrofoam drink containers with lids to act as lanter light diffusers. Insert the little AAA lights into the straw slits in the lid and the drink containers light up the room like a chinese lantern. I was able to enjoy reading my kindle by drink-light and hardly missed the TV.

I had all the light I needed during the 8 nights without power and only went through a six pack of AAAs.


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## Swedpat (Sep 8, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



rbramski said:


> I never knew that. I will have to pick up a few. Do you know if the surefire G3 would do the same. I would pick up some cheap floody drop-ins.


 
Unfortunately I don't know how the Surefire LED is constructed, within which voltage range it's usable.


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## angelofwar (Sep 8, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



Swedpat said:


> Unfortunately I don't know how the Surefire LED is constructed, within which voltage range it's usable.



Yeah, the P60L, while it will "light up" on 2-AA's, it essentially useless at that voltage though. An M30 is your best bet, but then, you can't run it on CR123's. A cheap 3-Volt DX drop-in, Malkoff M30, or a "Battery Vampire" are your best bet running 2 AA's, with the Battery Vampire probably being the cheapest (and the longest running???).


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## Monocrom (Sep 9, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



angelofwar said:


> Yeah, the P60L, while it will "light up" on 2-AA's, it essentially useless at that voltage though. An M30 is your best bet, but then, you can't run it on CR123's. A cheap 3-Volt DX drop-in, Malkoff M30, or a "Battery Vampire" are your best bet running 2 AA's, with the Battery Vampire probably being the cheapest (and the longest running???).



I recall that forum member *etc.* posted on a different forum that he uses a Malkoff M60LL in his bored out 9P, and that it runs well on an assortment of battery types. Apparently the drop-in is ideal if it normally puts out about 80 lumens on 3xCR123 cells.


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## flashy bazook (Sep 9, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*

I do that too -- 3xAA with the M60LL. Not sure about the 80 lumens, maybe 60 lumens to my eyes, but with decent runtime.

But 3xAA is a bit exotic, you need custom (very custom!) battery tube which is not always available.

M31LL in a 2xAA or 2xC configuration is the one I've been talking up here.


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## Monocrom (Sep 9, 2011)

*Re: Inspiration from "Four Day Blackout"*



flashy bazook said:


> I do that too -- 3xAA with the M60LL. Not sure about the 80 lumens, maybe 60 lumens to my eyes, but with decent runtime.


 
He did mention that you get varying levels of output based on which type of batteries you use. The 80 is with the use of what you'd normally have in a SureFire 9P (3xCR123). With some other battery types the output is going to be a bit less. One configuration had the M60LL running direct drive at about 40 lumens. The key with such a set-up is that even though output could vary quite a bit, it's still going to be at a very useful level of output, regardless of which particular cells you are able to scrounge up or have on hand during a long-term emergency.


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