bonfire tent light

Spork

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I heard they were improving. any news on them? I'm looking for a light while camping and I don't know what to get. I have the folding energizer lantern and it works great for the tent but I need something a little brighter for outside.

thanks
 

Brock

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The Bonfire is quite dim, I would look in to compact flourescent lantern or some sort of gas lantern for area lighting. I have a Coleman 13w unit that runs on 8 D cells and is quite bright.
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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I have a CMG Bonfire Tent Light and I hope they're doing some improvement on the light specially on the following;

1. Resize the package to a smaller at least half of original size because it is unnecessarily bulkier than circuit board and 2AA batteries inside it.
2. Redesign the cap and switch because the cap separates from the body at the slightest provocation and so goes the switch and batteries.
3. More secure lanyard attachment design instead of the insert and hook type.
4. Water-sealed clear plastic LED cover instead of its frosted plastic LED cover.
5. Better water-proofing of package.
6. Sturdier body material and design.
7. Bright white leds.

It could have been a good practical tent light had the manufacturer did some serious thinking on practical use of design, which makes it just a toy marketed as a camping/tent outdoor light. Until the manufacturer come to think that outdoor camping should be an experience of fun and safety and create reliable tools instead of toys, and accept that a bulky tent light is not the only thing we put in our camping bag, I think I'm better-off hanging a Arc-AAA, CMG Infinity, or Photon 3, inside my tent.


- verge -
 

Gransee

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A lot of the newer tents have a small loop on the highest point on the inside of the tent. I clip a small light to that loop for a nice even illumination of the tent.

If I had a bigger tent, it would be nice to have a remote control for my Arc so I can shut the light off once I am in my sleeping bag.
smile.gif


But my tent is small enough I can reach up and give the little Arc a one hand twist to shut it off without leaving the warm, cozy sleeping bag.

Peter Gransee
 

WarrenI

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I totally agree with "2d_edge", the BonFire is something like a toy. If I may, let me tell you folks all a short story about the makers of the BonFire and Infinty, "CMG Equipment".

You may have saw my previous post on another thread as I encountered an inverter problem with my Infinity. I e-mailed Tony of CMG about my problem and he instructed me to return the light for repairs. I also mentioned to him about my BonFire as when the batteries are not at full power, one of my three LEDs burns much less brightly than the other two. Tony mentioned to have it returned with the Infinity, for inspection. Well it's been over three weeks and I have not received them back yet. I e-mailed Tony twice, but did not get any response. When I mailed my lights in for repair, did I send it to be sucked into a "Black Hole"? I'm sure that I will be getting it back, but three weeks is just too long for the repair of flashlights lights that are only months old.

Even with my problems with CMG, I still recommend the Infinity as the near perfect tent light. Just place it somewhere and point it up to the top of the tent. Sorry Peter, but I think the Infinity is better than my Arc-AAA for this one purpose. I think it has to do with it's long burn time (over 40 hours). Many times, we just keep it on to mark our tent, so that we can tag it after hours of being away. Also, the kids us it as a night light, therefore it burns the entire night.

If I roam around the grounds near the tent, I use my Arc-AAA. If I really need to roam around, I pull out my LightWave4000. This is what everything looks like on a three night camp out:

* BonFire (don't buy this) and Infinity (buy this), stays in the tent.

* Arc-AAA (buy this for camping and everything else, but carry a spare battery), camp site roaming.

* LightWave4000 (buy this for camping and spying on everyone else), for some serious night roaming. Also, makes for a small but decent club.

* For general camp ground lighting, go with the gas Colemans. Hint, if you want a really bright gas lamp, go with the Coleman NorthStar. Dam bright, but you cycle through a lot of propane cylinders (maybe 6-8 hours per cylinder at full brightness). The older double mantle lights cannot match the light output of this single large mantle design. But, you can lower the brightness to conserve fuel.

With this in mind, I just remembered that I need to check for leaking batteries in my dust collecting Mags. Hope I can remember where I ditched them...
 

Spork

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I thought cmg was a reputable company but im not so sure after reading that. Gransee has very good service. if the bonfire is really that bad it shouldn't be sold. the infinity was my first led flashlight and I still like it, however it doesn't get used that much. whoever i go with usually has a lantern already so I will probably just stay with what i got. I am really impressed with the cheap folding energizer light from walmart, probly as bright as the bonfire from what everyone is telling me. the energizer light(200 hours), tutrle 2(65 hours), and arc is what I bring with camping. the long run time of the other 2 lights make it pointless to bring with my infinity.

so when can we expect a release of the remote control arc?
smile.gif
 

Gransee

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When I go into stores, like you guys I usually find myself in the flashlight section. I was looking at camp lanterns and I saw this Coleman with a remote control. Why would you need that? I thought it was funny. But the more I think of it, it would be handy in the above scenario or were the light is perched up high somewhere, or your just too tired after hiking all day to get up.

Problem with remotes is that they get lost. So, how about a Arc camp lantern with a clapper?
smile.gif


Of course, a thunderstorm or the fire crackling might trip it.

Btw, I have never problems with CMG and I consider them to be a good company to buy from. The Infinity is excellent for the outdoors because your eyes are usually dark adjusted.

I camp several times a year and I like to pack light. It seems to always rain when we go camping- which is nice since we come from a desert. The last time I went all I took was a bunch of Arc-AAA's. Once we got there I handed one out to every person who came so that each had a personal light to use however they wanted.

Peter
 

Spork

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actually i think a arc lantern would be a great idea if it could be sold for under 50 dollars. the thing that keeps me away from the battery powered lanterns now is most of them take 4-8 d batteries. I would rather have something simple that could take 4 aa so i could just plop in some nimh cells. would it be possible to make a lantern from a ls led? im surprised there haven't been more people making led lanterns. with 4aa batteries im sure you could make a reasonably bright led lantern that could run for 8-10 hours and get you through the night. well I guess I'm just dreaming again!
 

Gransee

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Yes, camp lanterns are an interesting problem to solve. The Arc camp lantern would be a paridigm shift from the usual product. Not just a string of LEDs, a regulator and some batteries.

But this is a product for the some time in the future and there are other products ahead of it on the schedule.

Peter
 

Cyclops942

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I have nothing but good things to say about the customer service at CMG equipment. I ordered four factory seconds from one of their distributors, and ended up returning three of them to CMG directly for warranty replacement. Tony (I assume it's the same one) replaced my three first-generation Infinity Task Lights with three of the new second-generation ones. What's more, he gave me one of each of the available colors! He also included a note describing the problem.

As a matter of fact, here is the link to the topic I posted.
 

WarrenI

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Thanks guys for the little shine of light! I feel a little better as I really would like my BonFire (no one makes something like this so I have to accept it's limitations) and my Infinity (great light for the kids to forget and leave on) to be repaired and returned soon. Maybe this will leak to Tony and may them a push to resolve this extended repair.

Wow Peter, to go camping and receive an Arc-AAA, what a deal! Where is your next camp out? Your Arc-AAA is rapidly becoming a great backup to the above CMG lights.

Yea, I hear you! Remotes sound good, but do not mix with camping and the outdoors. I can see it now, when you need the remote, you just can't find it and if it got or goes out of the tent, forget it. Or when breaking down, having everyone look for the remote after the tents have been packed.

Give me a mildly regulated diffused light with about 3 light levels. "Low" as a night light, "mid" as a good tent reading light, and "high" to see to around 6 feet (just in case if I lose my Arc-AAA); and runs on common AA batteries. If it goes over $50, I'll see what you come up with and think very strongly about it. Please don't design it compete with the Colemans, as I think I could never afford this proposal. As always, thanks Peter for your attention to details (actually, our wish list items).
 

Spork

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actually there is something like the bonfire. its the little energizer led folding lantern that i mentioned. for an 8 dollar light it works very well if your eyes are adjusted to the dark. anyway the infinity is nice, I just don't think they should be selling the bonfire if its so breakable. i like the infinity nearly as much as the arc. i believe if the infinity had a reflector and they tightened up the beam a bit it would be a much more useful light. arc beats the infinity for carrying on your keys, simply because its brighter and smaller. my only problem is I like the arc so much i worry about loosing my leys.
 

RonM

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> 7. Bright white leds. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I think the concept behind the Bonfire is that the yellow LEDs don't attract bugs as much as a white light.

My biggest complaint with the Bonfire is that the lanyard is not very secure. It's so easy to bump the light and have it fall. The rubber boot, covering the end and switch, gets knocked off very easily as well.

Good concept. Poor execution.
 

The_LED_Museum

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I received two e-mails in the last week with Bonfire horror stories.

#1 was a guy who bought a couple and intended to give one to his child as a nightlight, but after a few uses, it quit working. When he pulled the end off, he found the contact so hot he dropped the light, and the batteries inside were too hot to handle for more than half an hour.

#2 was another guy who had one hanging in the bathroom, and it too quit working.
When he smelled a burning smell coming from his bathroom, he yanked down the smouldering Bonfire and threw it in his toilet, where it promptly broke apart and sank. This failure was also apparently the result of a short inside.

I have half a mind to take the several I have left and use them for conversions, being sure to hang one above the toilet.
smile.gif
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

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Batteries and battery compartment have to be wet to create a connection between both ends of batteries and short-circuit them or cause the battery to leak.

Bonfire have lots of gaps in its body housing, between rubber-cover and body, and LED housing for water or moisture to seep through and wet batteries and compartment for battery to leak and short-circuit.

I've had batteries (Energizer AA) leak and overheat inside my Streamlight 4AA and it really emitted a lot of heat through the flashlight's body because I handled AA batteries with slightly wet hands (yeah I know now - not so bright move) while inserting them into the battery compartment of SL4AA. Even when batteries were out of the flashlight they continue to leak and get hot I have to throw them into the garden soil first to let them cool down before throwing to the garbage can the next day.

O' man.... have to scrub compartment and removable lower battery contact and rinse with warm water to clean-up battery leak residue.

I've learned my lesson, now I make sure batteries and battery compartment are dry before inserting batteries into the flashlight.
smile.gif



- verge -
 

RonM

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Absent mindedly placed a 9V battery in my pocket that had loose change it it. Boy did that thing get hot. Most batts don't short to easily when being carried, but with a 9V it's easy.
 

cave dave

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Ok,here is the ultimate LED tent lantern:

1.Get the LED Matrix bulb from Princeton Tec.
(or buy the Matrix headlamp from REI while it's still on sale for the same price)
2. Put the LED bulb in the Tec 20 or sport flare 2aa light.
3. Get a "white traffic cone" thingy from princeton tec, they ususally come in yellow but other colors are available and I prefer the white.
4. Hang from tent loop.

It's more compact than the bonfire, it lasts 50 hrs,waterproof to 2000ft, and you can pull the cone part off the lens and use it as a regular led light. The only problem is the cone thingy is made from a glowing material, this makes it easy to find but is actually bright enough initially to be annoying.

The Arc AAA is also a nice "where did my watch go?" tent light but is much more focused, maybe Peter could come up with a little translucent dome to turn the arc into an area light?

PS Fuji film canisteres fit nicely over some 2AA mag type lights to create an area light.
 

cave dave

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Oh wait, I've used the above but here is a cheaper option also from princeton tec.

1) buy the new PT Attitude $18
2) Get an Eco Flare $10 or just the cone part.
3) Put the cone part on the attitude for an area light.

The LED from the attitude will burn in the 2AAA blast/eco flare, I've tried it, but dimmer and I'm not sure how long. The lenses, cones, are interchangable. Do not accidently put the 2aa bulb in the 4aa light though.
I love how all the Princeton tec stuff is mix and match.
 

cave dave

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BTW,

My 2 year old CMG Infinity gen 1 was giving me problems so I sent it back and had a new one about 10 days later. They even honored my request for a silver one. I e-mailed them first and sent a copy of the e-mail in the package.
PS It me cost me 55 cents and a recycled padded envelope to send it back.
 

PeLu

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 2d_edge:
Batteries and battery compartment have to be wet to create a connection between both ends of batteries and short-circuit them or cause the battery to leak.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It must be anything different:
Water is much too less conductive to shorten a battery. It may cause corrosion and other things, but never shorten a battery so much that it heats up.
If you don't believe me: Just take a DMM and try it by yourself.
 
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