Emergency Home Lighting - BEST-BUY

[sjj]

I like the Maglite D cell LED flashlights.

[Pal334]

I have never used the Mag Lite as you have described. I have at least one 3 "C" cell in each of my vehicles as a back up to the rechargeable Surefire light and several spread through out the house. For the money they are an excellent buy.

I am going to play around with your suggestion. Thanks

[Camp10]

I am a fan of the maglite also. I only own one of the LED versions and I really havnt played with it much because I didnt like the light quality. I didnt use it in the house though, it might be very good for that. It doesnt do a good job out on the trails at night without a very fresh set of batteries IMO.

[crashdive123]

I have a few flashlights (read a lot). A couple of them are the 3D and 4D Maglites. I converted these to the 3 watt led years ago and have been very please. I use flashligts almost daily to perform inspections of buildings. While I no longer use my Maglites for this function (I have gone with a brighter, tighter, lighter option), I will always have them. For the use in which you descripe, they are tough to beat based on function and price.

[neondog]

I picked up a 2 x AA last week (Maglite) and they are getting better! It has a four position electronic switch that offers 100% power, 25% power, steady flash and SOS flash settings.

The 25% power setting is supposed to give you battery life of several days. Not bad for two AA's. I always get the smaller flashlighs being a mechanic, I hold them in my mouth so I can use both hands to get the part, bolt etc.. installed using both hands.

Not sure if it works with the C and D cell versions but with the AA jobs you can set the body in the head (lens portion) to use as a lantern base.

[hunter63]

I must have 10-12 Mini-Mag lights, used for work, hunting, one in each coat, fanny pack, tools case/bag, mostly.
When you starting getting old and forgetful, hopefully you have done well enough in your life, that you can afford a "LOT" of something, so as to carry them everywhere and not have to worry about it too much.

I am also a fan of the LEDs, conversion kits for the Mini mags, which have been around for a while now.
Batteries do last longer, but its more of a defused light.
After dropping one down inside a block wall, where I couldn't reach it, but could see that it stayed on for days..............

But I do prefer the adjustable beam for seeing in craw spaces, basements, attics. etc.

You could always unscrew the top, (lens holder?), which turns light on on the older models. and by placing the base in the lens-holder, you have a lantern? of sorts.

I also like the spare bulb in the base, saved my butte a number of times, when in the dark, and the bulb burns out.

I also like the bigger mag lights, "D" cells, for bed room and vehicles, must have 4-5 of them.

I don't know about y'all, but I have a problem walking past a flashlight display with out picking up another one.
All them batteries seem to be magnetic?

At about $8 to $20 bucks apiece, I can buy 7 or eight Mini mags for the price of the high buck, el super-duped, tactical, lazer guided, hearing aid batteried, neeto tricko, para cord wrapped new LEDs.
I stick with my Mag and Mini Mags, thank you.

[Rick]

If you remove the bulb on the mag light and insert two pieces of wire you can ignite steel wool. You can't do that with the L.E.D. version, however.

Maglites are the berries as far as I'm concerned. I have a bunch of them in AAA, AA, and D cell. I don't think you could damage the aluminum housing unless you put a lot of work into it. Add that they are water resistant and they are pretty good lights.

[hunter63]

Note on Mag lights, if your don't use them every day, turn the batteries around, so there is no power going thru them.

About the only way you can hurt them is to have the batteries corrode, it will really screw the insides, being alumium and all.

The other weak spot in the little plug that the bulb plugs into. The little copper contact get lost, broken, corroded etc.

I had a couple of Mini Mags this happened to, so went on the web site, found the order form, and was going to order the "fix-it kit", the were like $3.
So I ended up with about $9 buck worth of of parts (includes the little plastic tool to change out the plug).
When I was going to place the order, found out there was a $20 buck min order charge or a $20 shipping/handling charge.

Soooo, as there was a 1-800 number, I called and basically made a PITA out of myself. Words to the effect, "If I have to spend $20 bucks for a $3 dollar part, why don't I just buy a new one for $8 bucks, or even better, but someone elses flashlight?"
The nice lady, says, "Whats your address, and how many do you want?" so got three sets of parts for nothing.

I do have the head band holder, and use it, but it's too bad they don't have a rubber sleave to put around the case for holding in your teeth (yeah, I do that a lot also.)

Now that we are talking about this, I better go check as many as I can find to see how the batteries are, lets see, where in the heck did I stash them all............

[2dumb2kwit]

At about $8 to $20 bucks apiece, I can buy 7 or eight Mini mags for the price of the high buck, el super-duped, tactical, lazer guided, hearing aid batteried, neeto tricko, para cord wrapped new LEDs.
I stick with my Mag and Mini Mags, thank you.

I'm with you hunter.

I saw some of those high dollar things, at Bass pro shops. I thought someone had mis-printed the price tags! LOL

Here's one for ya.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st..._SearchResults

[Rick]

Duct tape, folks. Wrap the handle with duct tape. It's much easier on your teeth and you have some handy duct tape if you need it.

[hunter63]

I'm with you hunter.

I saw some of those high dollar things, at Bass pro shops. I thought someone had mis-printed the price tags! LOL

Here's one for ya.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st..._SearchResults

Gasp, choke, gasp...
For that money, if I was gonna take it hunting it better......

Get me up in the morning, cook breakfast tie my boots......
Drive me to "It's" secert spot......
Find me 24 point buck (everybody knows a 30 pointer is a myth)...
Shoot it, clean it, drag it, drive me home, cut it up, cook it, call all my buddies, and serve it.
Then brag to everyone what a great hunter I am.......

Sheesh, for that money. I could keep buying new Mini Nags, use them till the batteries ran out throw them away and pull out a new one......

Carp, for that money.......Well, you get the idea.
Sorry not for me.

[hunter63]

Duct tape, folks. Wrap the handle with duct tape. It's much easier on your teeth and you have some handy duct tape if you need it.

LOL, I do use a electricians tape wrap sometimes. (use it more for work)
Hate the taste of duck tape.
I was thinking more like cherry, lemon.......you know.

[Rick]

I don't get that whole high dollar flashlight thingy either. Okay, some folks rely on their flashlights for work and the last thing you need is for your flashlight to go dark when you're standing in the alley and a bad guy is running at you. Short of that I buy the cheaper ones.

[Rick]

Well, you could always get your ear pierced and work it into your earlobe. I've seen some mighty big stuff sticking out of folks' ears.

[2dumb2kwit]

Gasp, choke, gasp...
For that money, if I was gonna take it hunting it better......

Get me up in the morning, cook breakfast tie my boots......
Drive me to "It's" secert spot......
Find me 24 point buck (everybody knows a 30 pointer is a myth)...
Shoot it, clean it, drag it, drive me home, cut it up, cook it, call all my buddies, and serve it.
Then brag to everyone what a great hunter I am.......

Sheesh, for that money. I could keep buying new Mini Nags, use them till the batteries ran out throw them away and pull out a new one......

Carp, for that money.......Well, you get the idea.
Sorry not for me.

This is more my speed.
http://www.campinglanterns.net/hurri...llantern1.aspx

You can sometimes find these at wal-mart for less than $5. So let's do the math.....I could get 5 kerosene lanterns, for $25. That would leave me $400 to put towards some kerosene. If kerosene is about $4 a gallon, that gives me about 100 gallons.

Hmmmm.......how long would that give you light???

[Batch]

I tuck one of these just to the right of my belt buckle, clip out. Inside my waistband if for some reason I am not wearing a belt. Compact, inexpensive and easy to carry.

I have not had a problem so far. But, I would still like to find one this size that is shockproof and water proof. Allows you to always have a light on you and it takes two watch batteries, so you could throw a couple extra in your wallet if you wanted. I haven't done that yet though...

http://www.cyclopssolutions.com/HTML...ty_lights.html

I have those little led night lights that switch to an emergency light. I also keep some nice LED flashlights that I picked up at Sam's Club. They sell in two packs for around $30 IRC. One in my pack and one in my truck door.

[2dumb2kwit]

I don't know if it's right, but I found this.

Using 5 traditional lamps and a lantern 5 hours /night in the winter will use about 1 gallon/month.

For short term, I like sjj's thinking.

For longer term, a few of these lanterns, and a few gallons of kerosene, seem to be a pretty good thing to have stored somewhere.

[Pal334]

I am a big mag lite guy, but I do keep a rechargeable Surefire in the car (was about $80). THat way I have a never fail light. Not disparaging maglites, but the surefire has never let me down dead batteries, corrsion etc , current one is over 8 years olds

[2dumb2kwit]

I don't know about y'all, but I have a problem walking past a flashlight display with out picking up another one.
All them batteries seem to be magnetic?

It seems like every time I go to Harbor Freight, they have a bunch of these on sale, for $4 or $5 per two pack.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=97036

I nearly always come home with more. LOL

[hunter63]

Long term emergency lighting, I have several propane lanterns, w/hose connectors for the bigger tanks, couple of the older white gas Colman's), and about 15 or so candle lanterns. (Rendezvous style).

I have always wanted to hook up a perment 12 v system, car batteries, solar panel charger, in the planning stage. One of those "round to it" things.