DIY Omnivore Flashlights for Storm prep and Bugging Out.

[Woods Walker]

Based on my personal storm experience it seems the first two items which get sold out are water and batteries. The reason being people fear being cut off without water in the dark. Who can blame anyone for that.

Sometimes no matter how well a person preps or how strong they may be there are things which can not be fought. You simply have to be someplace else. Lots of things can go wrong in a disaster be it community wide or personal. It is best IMHO to have as many options as possible. Today there are options such as USB powerbanks and USB powered devices but I feel there will always be a place for a flashlight with replaceable batteries. Because batteries could be in short supply a picky eater might not be the best play. Speaking of playing having everyone on the same team tends to be best. Having omnivore options increases the change batteries can be shared from one device to another.


Here are some of my lights which were made into omnivores.

Omnivore lights can be high voltage like this one which is up to 12ish volts.

This one tops off at around 9 volts.

These are nice but for storm prep and bugging I prefer a flashlight which can reliably operate with one battery of multiple types. The primary reason being I don't want to mix battery types and voltages. I want the light to work with as little fuss as possible.


This one has a max of 3.3 volts.

Characteristics of a good omnivore light for an ER.


1. Durable and dependable. The light should be field tested first so it can be trusted to work when needed.


2. Long run times. A super bright flashlight eating batteries in an hour could become problematic fast. Lots of this is personal preference but it should be able to run for a reasonable time.


3. Should be able to use common battery types but also less common ones. Granted some get sold out faster than others but very often common battery types can be be found around the house even for people who don't prep. For example within 10 feet of me I found some AA batteries in case the 2XAA Eneloops in one of my omnivore lights are spent. I didn't even need to run to the store.

4. Should have a physical lock out function. This could help mitigate the chance of an accidental activation which might drain the batteries.


5. Any lanyards should have a break away option.


It was raining so setup this shelter. Always have stuff in my pack in case I have to sleep out or just want to.

3 Flashlights. One for the Adventure bag, 72 BOB and lastly the INCH.

Omnivore spacers, extra tail caps and bodies. Even have an extra drop-in though odds are the M31L isn't going to fail.

You need to keep your max and min voltage in mind.


1. G3 with Malkoff M31L has a range of .8 to 3.3 volts.
2. Armytek A2 (can be selected for battery type) 1 to 4.2 volts.
3. Quark Tactical lego .9 to 4.2 volts.


So starting from the top.


1XCR123 in extra body. 3 volts.
1X18650 in extra body 3.6 nominal volts.
1XAA Eneloop with spacer. 1.2 volts.
1XAAA Alkaline in AA converter with AA spacer. 1.5 volts.
2XAA Eneloops. 2.2 volts.
2XAAA Duralops in 2 AA spacers. 2.2 volts.
1XCR123 with CR123 spacer. 3 volts.
1X16340 Protected lithium ion with CR123 spacer. 3.6 volts.


Do not mix chemistry types and voltages as bad things can happen beyond simply blowing the light. One reason why using 1 battery can be advantageous. My advice is to use Eneloops/LED NiMH, lithium primaries and lithium ion. Do not store an ER light with alkaline batteries however naturally use whatever is on hand if needed. Don't exceed the voltage range or the light may fry. Having a lower end means 2XAA, 1XAA, 2XAAA and 1XAAA are usable but not 2XCR123 which are 6 volts. 1X Lithium ion is 4.2 volts off the charger and could fry a light not made for that much voltage.


For the INCH bag I added a 10 watt solar panel and solar compatible litium ion charger. Also have an Olight UC to cover everything else. Will work on the phone as well though the last IOS was not kind to solar charging.

Looking good though odds are it wouldn't come to this.

Don't forget to verify compatibility with all components. Just because it should work doesn't mean it will.

The spacers and bodies are for the most part empty shells and unlike batteries not consumable though did have a cheap Ultra cell fail. Go figure? In any case the weight and bulk is almost not existent and less so as the bodies and converters can hold batteries. So it's easy to pack them along with additional batteries. They can be used for unexpected hiking and camping issues. For example the Fenix HL50 headlamp is a natural omnivore which can use AA and CR123. So the G3 with M31L can use the same batteries the HL50 can be it CR123 or AA. Everyone is on the same team.

Lets break camp and have an omnivore situation. If the 2XAA in the light ran dry I have two options. The camera 2XAA and 1XAAA light. Playing prepper double or maybe triple redundancy the 1XAAA is broken though the AAA battery is still good.

It's pitch black so clearly would use the 2XAA from the camera rather than an AAA from one flashlight for another but just having fun.

A bit less fun is this spit tree just hanging on directly over the trail. I went around. 1XAAA in a light which can also use 1XCR123 (but not at the same time) doing it's job.


Action shots from video. 1XAAA did ok!

I made it. LOL!

Thanks for looking.

 

[archimedes]

Great thread, WW !

I have two main omni setups....

For single-cell, I use Peak Logan 17500 with spacers to permit use of 27mm (CR2) / 34mm (CR123A) / 44mm (AAA) / 50mm (AA) cells

For multi-cell, my SureFire C3 (100mm) hosts 1x / 2x / 3x cells, again +/- relevant spacer/s, with Malkoff dropins chosen for the appropriate voltage range

 

[Str8stroke]

Cool thread idea. I too have a few lights that I have setup like this. One easy set up is the Maglite. I have a few different rigs. But one of easiest is a D series that I can run the enloope D to AA adaptors in. I also have a C series I can run the C to AA. I can charge the AA's with my Solar rig. Not to mention the Maglite is super light weight with 3 AA's vs 3 D's. Then I have a few three 123 lights that I can run the AA's in.

 

[Woods Walker]

Great thread, WW !

I have two main omni setups....

For single-cell, I use Peak Logan 17500 with spacers to permit use of 27mm (CR2) / 34mm (CR123A) / 44mm (AAA) / 50mm (AA) cells

For multi-cell, my SureFire C3 (100mm) hosts 1x / 2x / 3x cells, again +/- relevant spacer/s, with Malkoff dropins chosen for the appropriate voltage range

My uncle is on the run from Marco Island staying now in Tampa. I think if the forecast is true (they have changed it so many times no longer believe it) there could be a 10-15 storm surge. I have biked that entire Island and don't remember too many hills other than Indian Hill. Even had the eye going over Marco. If true the place is going to get destroyed. I just ate what might be the last avocado grown on the Marco.

I have a feeling his boat is doomed as well. Too bad as it is a nice boat then again stuff is just stuff and I am happy my family there evacuated.

Anyone on Macro or the other evacuation zones on the West Coast really needs to get to a safe place. A 10 to 15 foot storm surge is not survivable if caught in it. You will die. It is that serious. Please take precautions! My uncle does have a Fenix 1XAA and 1XAAA Olight I gave him. Odds are they will be used which brings up another topic. The gear item you have beats stuff at home. The 1XAAA Olight is on his keys so no question that is on his person.

 

[blah9]

Glad you got your uncle some good lights and hope everyone is safe down there.

Thanks for sharing your setup here! Very useful information and ideas.

I immediately went and bought the USB multimeter in your picture. Will be awesome to check out some of my chargers including a solar panel I got back in August. I think I actually have the exact same type you have (maybe as a result of another one of your threads, can't remember haha). Feels really good to have some renewable power at my disposal for disasters although I don't quite yet have an omnivore light. I do have plenty of 18650s, the solar panel, the Nitecore F1, and other batteries such as some eneloops so maybe for now don't have to rush on getting an omnivore yet. I love the idea though for sure!

 

[Woods Walker]

Glad you got your uncle some good lights and hope everyone is safe down there.

Thanks for sharing your setup here! Very useful information and ideas.

I immediately went and bought the USB multimeter in your picture. Will be awesome to check out some of my chargers including a solar panel I got back in August. I think I actually have the exact same type you have (maybe as a result of another one of your threads, can't remember haha). Feels really good to have some renewable power at my disposal for disasters although I don't quite yet have an omnivore light. I do have plenty of 18650s, the solar panel, the Nitecore F1, and other batteries such as some eneloops so maybe for now don't have to rush on getting an omnivore yet. I love the idea though for sure!

The USB detector has been good to fine tune my solar setup. Working on a USB charger compatibility thread and will let the cat out of the bag. Just like my field observations shown the cheaper simpler chargers worked better....so far anyways but still testing.

 

[Woods Walker]

Blah9.

Almost forgot. Found an interesting charge error on the F1. I think it might have something to do with the pass through charge feature. Any drop in power makes it into a .5 amp charger with the rest (minus extra resistance etc) going into the pass through. If you are charging the pass through it is fine but if just the battery is being charged it doesn't know to reset back to 1A without being unplugged. That said it is a 100% solar reliable lithium ion charger at .5A unlike the F2 which totally failed the solar compatibility tests. I am probably going to add another cheap Xtar to my backwoods lithium ion solution in addition to the F1. This way I can be assured nearly 1A and it seemed to take the pass through charge. Will test that again in a few days for watts. I sill recommend the F1 as the features are rather useful and will charge at 1A so long as there are no clouds.

 

[Poppy]

Once again... great thread woods walker!

3C lights are easy to convert into omnivores.

They will run on 3 c's right out of the box. 3 AAs can each be wrapped in paper, cardboard, plastic water bottles, grass, or just about anything to keep them from rattling side to side, as they are the same length as the C cell. And as you can see, with a little effort, a spacer can be made to run 18650 [or 26650] batteries in them.

I currently have four 26650's taking to the waves on one of those slow boats 🙂
EDIT... Darn! they don't fit! 26650's are a very close fit, but they just don't make it. END EDIT.

The home depot has had these for a while, and now they are only $10.
Defiant
Model # HD15BF01
Internet # 206091479

Store SKU # 1001396908
850 Lumen LED Flashlight

290 meters throw, which calculates to about 22,000 cd.

What is the beam like? Being a triple, I imagine that it might be a general purpose camping flooder.

Edit... these lights ride in my trunk.

3*AAA coast headlamp, the Defiant 3C triple led, an 18650 wrapped in water bottle plastic to increase it's diameter to C sized, an 80mm spacer, a spare 18650, and a dorcey 28 inch 2D traffic wand.

 

[blah9]

Blah9.

Almost forgot. Found an interesting charge error on the F1. I think it might have something to do with the pass through charge feature. Any drop in power makes it into a .5 amp charger with the rest (minus extra resistance etc) going into the pass through. If you are charging the pass through it is fine but if just the battery is being charged it doesn't know to reset back to 1A without being unplugged. That said it is a 100% solar reliable lithium ion charger at .5A unlike the F2 which totally failed the solar compatibility tests. I am probably going to add another cheap Xtar to my backwoods lithium ion solution in addition to the F1. This way I can be assured nearly 1A and it seemed to take the pass through charge. Will test that again in a few days for watts. I sill recommend the F1 as the features are rather useful and will charge at 1A so long as there are no clouds.

Ah, very interesting. Wonder if I'll see the same thing then. Thanks for letting us know! And that will be great to hear about the testing you've been doing with the chargers.

 

[blah9]

And pretty cool, Poppy! Looks like a nice and inexpensive setup for sure.

 

[Woods Walker]

My uncle called. Macro is expected to get a direct eye wall hit. Afterwords the National Guard is expected to close Macro till some unknown date then allowing residences in to get what is left of their belongings. They will have patrols etc to keep any looters out though it should be easy to cut off via the Guard. He will be coming up here then I will go down with him to clean up.

 

[Woods Walker]

Storm surge expected to hit Marco at high tide with the eye. Apocalypse for Macro.

 

[blah9]

Oof, best of luck to you and your uncle. We'll be thinking of you all.

 

[Woods Walker]

Eye has hit near as I can tell and in the worst possible direction. I will be taking one of the omnivore lights with me when they open Marco back up. Never thought I would be actually using them in a disaster this large. Bummer. 🙁

 

[Woods Walker]

Oof, best of luck to you and your uncle. We'll be thinking of you all.

Thanks brother.

 

[Woods Walker]

Marco in the eye now. Edit.

3:35 PM land fall confirmed at Cat 3 Marco Island.

 

[terjee]

I really like the idea of omnivore lights, and the flexibility they can give. I've been thinking a bit in those directions, but haven't got very far yet.

For home-use, it's probably not surprising that I have enough lights taking all the normal batteries, that I haven't bothered too much with it. For travel on the other hand, the picture is much different for obvious reasons.

I'm not entirely comfortable with the adapter route though, it seems to be an extra point of failure, including human error. Would worry about loosing or cracking them when not in a light for example.

One thing I'd love to see, would be a setup where you had a head with light-engine taking at least 1-6.something volts, and swappable bodies, then end-pieces for the bodies themselves.

Basically being able to have any number of bodies with batteries in them, and move the light engine(s) around as you needed.

Would be awesome to carry two heads, one with 18650, one with AA Eneloop, but still be able to have "whatever" in other bodies, single or multiples, and switch around as needed. Knowing bringing a single AA in a body, with an Eneloop inside, would not just allow you to swap to the Eneloop, but also randomly sourced other AAs, and having your spares in something with the strength and durability of an alu flashlight body.

For 18650s, you could even have bodies with different features, such as choice in USB-connectors for charging. Given it would be tied to the body and not head/light engine, that'd give you the ability to use one, charge one.

No reason you couldn't include 12V charging in a body as well, if you wanted to get really flexible.

 

[archimedes]

I really like the idea of omnivore lights, and the flexibility they can give. I've been thinking a bit in those directions, but haven't got very far yet.

....

I'm not entirely comfortable with the adapter route though, it seems to be an extra point of failure, including human error. Would worry about loosing or cracking them when not in a light for example....

The adapters I use are made of delrin and brass, very tough and reliable, with no moving parts or electronics.

You do need to keep track of them, true, but that goes for additional tubes and batteries, too, of course.

.... One thing I'd love to see, would be a setup where you had a head with light-engine ... and swappable bodies, then end-pieces for the bodies themselves.

Basically being able to have any number of bodies with batteries in them, and move the light engine(s) around as you needed....

This can also be done with modular light systems, including Peak.

I have extra tubes and caps, for example, for the Eiger in 10180 / 10280 / 10440, etc. And could do something similar with the Logan, or others.

I still find carrying the Peak Logan 17500 along with another small tube or sleeve of multiple adapters, to be both more convenient and more compact, than carrying several "pre-loaded" alternate tubes.

 

[Woods Walker]

I'm not entirely comfortable with the adapter route though, it seems to be an extra point of failure, including human error. Would worry about loosing or cracking them when not in a light for example.

Then don't use them. They are optional additions for flashlights which can already take 2XAAs

 

[xxo]

The Streamlight 1L-1AA is a good omnivore - runs on either a single CR123 or an AA (will even run on AAA's!), no adapters or parts to change out or reconfigure, just drop the cell in and your in business.

I also like to use 3 AA to D adapters to run eneloops in my D cell lights and DIY spacer tubes to run AA's in C cell lights. I even have a couple of D cell to 6 Volt adapters for old 6V lanterns.