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Thread: Looking for a reliable flashlight.

  1. #1

    Smile Looking for a reliable flashlight.

    i surely hope this is the right sub-forum,
    i've looked and this is what was i thought was the most fitting

    hi all, i've been looking for a flashlight preferably some kind of dynamo
    (i don't know if that is the right word?)
    but a flashlight that you can recharge again, and again, without the need
    for batteries, solar cells etc.

    the only thing is, it needs to last! i've had many over the years,
    mostly dynamo led types, but what they all have incommon, is that after
    6-12 months the effencency had droped so much that you rather make
    due without, the whole flashlight has degraded so much.

    now, i don't know if it is the technology, that are so flawed or what,
    but there must be some alternative for a more reliable flashlight,
    that are not to expensive, and please do minde, i live en the EU.
    i'm not gonna order from any country outside EU.
    there is simply just too much hassle etc.
    Last edited by Osiris; 09-21-2016 at 06:08 AM.


  2. #2
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    It is the nature of the rechargeable/crank type beast. They do not last.

    I have a high dollar crank light on top of the fridge that will not work unless it is being cranked and will not hold charge.

    You will have a similar problem with rechargeable batteries, they break down over time and must be replaced.

    I have found that the best option is a good flashlight with high quality rechargeable batteries, and you will need two sets. One set in the light and one set on the charger.

    And I still keep several packs of alkaline batteries in the kitchen drawer, just in case.

    I am also partial to the cheap 6v lantern spotlights. Around the farm you need something that will reach out a hundred yards even if you do have to buy a battery every 3-4 months. That spotlight is also easier to handle than a standard flashlight when combined with a pump shotgun.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 09-21-2016 at 07:33 AM.
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  3. #3
    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Good luck!
    The most robust system will be a separate dynamo that is built like a tank, and rechargeable batteries. You can make a dynamo, or hand crank/bike crank/wind turbine crank generator and build it all yourself. There are a lot of instructions online. For the batteries, look for Lithium Iron Phosphate. They are one of the most stable rechargeable lithium batteries. Of course, rechargeable lithium batteries are generally over 3 volts each, where standard alkaline 1.5 V and the rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride are close to 1.5 V as well. In other words, you will have to find a flashlight that takes those uncommon batteries. Nickel Metal Hydride is the best non-lithium rechargeable in my opinion. For a flashlight, make sure it is a good brand with an LED light and preferably aluminum housing.


    A bottle of lamp oil and an oil lamp with extra wicks is a pretty robust system as well. You can put that on the shelf and it will keep for a long time.
    Last edited by finallyME; 09-23-2016 at 09:18 AM.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    My experience has been that a good solar charger keeps working long after most others have failed and costs less in initial investment. let the batteries charge all day and have more than one set charged up.

    I have also sourced the local Harbor Freight for their inexpensive solar security lights that sell for about $30. At that price I have installed them in several locations around the place and I can nearly light up the entire yard. They have a solar panel, battery bank, photo sensor and LED panel and have lasted longer than the expensive dynamo light on the fridge top.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  5. #5

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    solar i can't/won't use
    but yeah, i had the feeling

    well the burning of oil, might be a reliable source, thanks for the idear!.
    but i can't seem to find, any video tutorials about how to make oil from animals,
    all i know, is that you need to collect the fat, as it is cooking,
    but how you do that best and will you ever get enough to from eg. a few rabbits or like
    to make any useful amount, is anything else needed, and last but not least, what is usable (in my area) for,,,
    hmm, i don't know the word
    the thing the bruns, from the top to the bottom in a candle? the rope thingy inside the candle

  6. #6
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Rabbits do not have enough fat to process. You will have to procure a larger wild animal (wild pig, neighbors cow, etc.) to have any reasonable amount of oil. You can, however, capture the grease from cooking bacon (mmmm) on an ongoing basis. Strain the oil through a coffee filter to remove the bits of meat. The bacon grease will last for 5 years before going rancid (depending on how it's stored of course). Fiberglass wicks are easily obtainable. The thing about fat from animals is it will not be liquid at room temperature. It will be a mushy solid. Not suitable for a lamp but works well for a candle.

    https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...rglass%20wicks

    Here's a quick tutorial on collecting bacon fat for small candles.

    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...=powered+bacon

  7. #7

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    well i guess this is a complete loss then,
    the whole point is to the make it on the go, i don't have the space
    for food, water and stuff like that, it takes up too much space and weight.
    well, i guess i have to make due without..

    ahh, the word was wicks, not to far from my language,
    a new word learned!.. thanks

  8. #8
    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Where are you going?

    Traveling at night is a modern concept, as is working at night. It wasn't that long ago when people would travel during the day and sleep at night. If it got dark, you slept. You woke up when the sun came up.

    Traveling is also a short term thing. When people "lived off the land", they didn't travel. When people traveled, they didn't live off the land. One or the other, not both. You don't travel unless you know you have enough resources to make it to your destination. If you don't, you stay where you are until you have the necessary resources.
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    It appears we have a European that has been bitten by the Bug-out and is in one of the far northern areas since solar is not an option.

    From the content the plan is to run like mad from whatever "end of the world event" that has occurred and eat rabbits.

    The change of season is upon us and the autumn ROTTW fact checks are arriving.

    First one this week!
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    People have a lot of fat....or some of them do.....just sayin'

    Anyway....dynamo flashlights have a battery the recharges when you crank it..... and in my experience are not something to be depended on.....
    Going with the solar charger and rechargeable batteries...
    This charger was about $30 bucks a few years ago...works pretty well.....
    You have to kinda keep turning it to get a good charge...sensitive to direction/sun position.
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  11. #11

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    the flashlight is due to the fact that i been through so many,
    and was hoping there was better alternative,
    new technology is progressing fast, and there might have been some new
    "breakthrough" but sadly not.. (

    but then finallyME mentioned oil lamps,
    which made me think, this would be something fun and educational
    i could do with my kids, and a nice thing that has been on my mind for some time now,
    i know that it is possible to live off the ground,
    yes, in my part of the world, and with law restrictions etc.
    it is next to impossible, but nonetheless, it is also fun to try your best.

    making oil from game has been on my mind for some years now,
    but i never tried to get the necessary info, to try and make some,
    i honestly thought it was way more simple to make a decent amount.
    (enough to burn a light for an evening or so)


    again with the apocalypse stuff
    i do appriciate all your advice!
    even though all the zombie/apocalypse stuff is a bit tedious,
    maybe it is where i'm from or how i was raised,
    but a tinfoil hat does fit nicely, with that kind of mindset, just saying
    honestly i've already seen a fair bit of that here, hmm, it might be contagious
    Last edited by Osiris; 09-26-2016 at 02:08 PM.

  12. #12

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    finallyME: about your last post, that doesn't make any sense to me,
    let's just take the sleep pattern, here where i live,
    we got about 6 hours of light in the winter,
    sleeping 18 hours a day, is a bit of a stretch don't you think?
    Last edited by Osiris; 09-26-2016 at 02:06 PM.

  13. #13
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Depends on how big the bacon sammich was that you had for lunch.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Osiris View Post
    finallyME: about your last post, that doesn't make any sense to me,
    let's just take the sleep pattern, here where i live,
    we got about 6 hours of light in the winter,
    sleeping 18 hours a day, is a bit of a stretch don't you think?
    Guess you hadn't made it real clear of your location......that comment is generally the way most of the lower 48 states in the USA worked for a long time....
    Alaska....now those folks can relate to your hours......
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  15. #15
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    In nature there are only a few animals that will offer enough fat to render for usable amounts of oil; hogs, bear, geese and most of the marine mammals.

    In the pre-electrical and kerosene lamp eras things got pretty dark in the high latitudes during winter. Most people simply could not afford to buy the natural oils or candles needed to maintain light in the homes.

    And yes, after feeding the livestock and having a bite to eat most folks simply stayed in bed, much like hibernation, during the dark months.

    Suicide rates were very high due to light deprivation disorders.

    Life in the city was a bit different with people gathering in taverns and inns which were kept lit and heated to promote business. Still, after work and after a bite to eat at the tavern or pub, when you went home, it was usually straight to bed in a dark and unheated room.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 09-26-2016 at 06:00 PM.
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  16. #16
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Lets not forget whales. Many a lighthouse was lighted with fat rendered from whale blubber.
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  17. #17

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    well, serveal have mentioned fish,
    now anything like eg. whales, sharks, dolphines are not an option,
    but small fish like cod, plaice, pike, garfish ect. is pleantiful.
    (sorry for the google translate)

    but my guess is that is not useful,
    even for small amounts?

  18. #18
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    No. Kyrat pretty much nailed it. Marine MAMMALS. While cod liver oil has been used as a lighting source it requires placing a lot of cod livers in a barrel and allowing it to ferment for up to a year. Not what you want.

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    While the blubber from Marine mammals is top quality, vegetable/corn/olive oils are easier to attain. If you have access to the grease traps from local restaurants, that's free fuel. Are we talking kudlik or actual lamp?

  20. #20
    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    So, I am guessing Scandinavia? So, good sources of fat are large sea mammals and reindeer, or pretty much any large mammal will give you plenty of fat. Of course, one thing to think about is that if you are truly "surviving off the land" in a far north region, food sources are not that plentiful. Eating any animal fat you get, and living in the dark, might be the better decision. There are a lot of calories in fat.

    But, flashlights have made huge advances in the last few years. The biggest is with the actually bulb. LED technology is exploding with the newish CREE bulbs. They are much more robust with longer run times, more efficient battery usage and really high candle power. Batteries are getting better and better, but are still the weak link. Another option are fuel cells, but I don't know if there is a flashlight that runs directly from a fuel cell without a battery in-between.

    As far as sleeping all night, even with 18 hours of dark, if you didn't have light, you did what you had to. Remember, flashlights are a very modern invention. What did people do in your area before flashlights? Something for you to research.
    Last edited by finallyME; 09-27-2016 at 10:55 AM.
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