Emergency Lantern For Long Term Power Outage

[JerryM]

I have always relied on Coleman lanterns using liquid fuel for emergency. I have not had a situation where I had a power outage for more than a few hours, and I have plenty of lights for that period of time.

Lately we have seen across the country power outages of over a week.

I have been thinking of a lantern that would last a long time on batteries for general in-house use. I am not sure what is available. I think a LED lantern would be more miserly on batteries. I would expect to change batteries if I had to use it at night for a week.

I also do not want to pay more than I have to for something I will probably never need. I would anticipate getting at least two.
What is available to suit my needs? Relatively modest price, and easy on batteries with a pretty good light output.

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[paulr]

Fluorescent lanterns are more energy efficient than LED's, if you want something brighter than an LED flashlight.

 

[jenks]

This is something I've been thinking about as well.

I currently have two of those Energizer 4aa 2Led lanterns in my earthquake kit.

They are just 5mm leds with "diffuser tubes" but the output isn't bad and the run time is supposed to be 100 hrs with both leds on. The form factor of these is great, they are happy with lithiums, and take up very little space. If someone was to take a 4aa battery pack, stuff 3aa in it with a luxeon and heat sink in the number four slot, we'd be stylin...(IMHO) I'm just the idea guy- not a modder.

The other alternative is to look at CCFT lights. The ARC white from energizer has a great output and good run times but the package quality is bordering on cheesy. The newest is the Trailfinder(?) which is supposed to be sturdier and with a focused LED instead on the PR based incan of the original. If the quality was OK, these would be in the kit. I don't have one and can't find one in Canada so someone else will have to comment on this one. I do remember someone finding them cheap in the US Wallyworlds.

I would love to see a CCFT light with improved fit form and fuction designed to be a power outage battery operated lantern.

Input welcomed
Jenks

 

[JohnK]

I've got the Trailfinder, and bought it for the above reason.

It would not survive a stormy, wet, night outdoors, but a VERY long running light in either mode.

The CCFT is quite bright, and would light up a room pretty well.

The single LED has a focusing lens in the center which gives a surprisingly tight beam, kinda like the X1.

About $ 12, if I remember correctly.

 

[JerryM]

I sure hate to be so dumb, but I did not find the Acronym CCFT. What does that mean, and who makes the Trailfinder?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Jerry,

I have an Energizer 2 tube folding fluorescent lantern that runs on 4 D cells. It is a great area light with long run time. I believe the cost was under $20.

The only problem I have encountered was trying to use it on a cold weather camp out. Temperatures were in the 30's and the lantern would just barely glow. This should not be a problem in living quarters, but may have to be considered if you need to use the lantern outside in the cold.

Tom

 

[gwbaltzell]

[ QUOTE ]
JerryM said:
I sure hate to be so dumb, but I did not find the Acronym CCFT. What does that mean, and who makes the Trailfinder?

Thanks,
Jerry

[/ QUOTE ]

CCFT - Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tube
more commonly referred to as:
CCFL - Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp

easily confused with CFL - Compact Fluorescent Lamp

A lot of details about fluorescent lamps are in this Sam's F-Lamp FAQ by Samuel M. Goldwasser on Don Klipstein's Web Site.

 

[Brock]

I would check out

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB5&Number=283695&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

a 12 LED lantern with a dimmer. It should run weeks on it's lowest setting and won't break the bank. Since it does have a dimmer it is pretty bright full on also. The only catch is you might want to add a diffuser, but works well without one.

 

[jenks]

Jerry:

CCFT or CCFL stands for compact cool flouresent tube or light, or something like that.

The are usually about 3 inches long and about a eighth of an inch in diameter. They are very bright for their size.
I think their origin was back lighting in laptop computers.
There is also a Coleman 4AA version that has a U shaped tube which is pretty good.

The 4D lanterns that SF mentioned are good too. I saw some on Ebay, 2 for twenty bucks. For my earthquake kit I'm sticking with AA for battery commonality and trying to keep things to a minimum size.

The Trailfinder is made by Energizer and I know some people were finding them in their local Walmart. The previous version was called the ARC-White and had a PR based bulb and a CCFT but the sturdiness wasn't great. The new one is the Trailfinder and is supposed to be somewhat better. It has changed out the PR based bulb for a focused 5MM LED. It should be a great indoor outage light.

I have the Dorcy version (ultima?) but it may be a dud as the CCFT is not even close to the other CCFT I've seen.

Thoughts welcome

Jenks

 

[JerryM]

Thanks, Gentlemen.

I had seen some small ones at Walmart, I think they may have been Dorcy, but I wouldn't bet my or your lives on it. I will check out our local Walmart and see what they have.
The clerk in that section wants to see my SL TT2L anyway.

A fluorescent would be OK in the house, and it may draw less current than other types, but I don't know how it compares with LEDs.

Jerry

 

[The_LED_Museum]

[ QUOTE ]
JerryM said:
I sure hate to be so dumb, but I did not find the Acronym CCFT. What does that mean, and who makes the Trailfinder?

[/ QUOTE ]
As soon as I saw this, I added the acronym CCFT to my acronyms webpage.
CCFT stands for Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tube.

As for who makes the Trailfinder, I believe Energizer makes it.

 

[Lux Luthor]

I have one of those Rayovac kids lanterns that runs off of 4AA. I converted it to LED, and put a uflex in it. Works very well, and has long, rock steady dimmable output.

If you do this, the best beam I've found is by firing the LS (HD or LD, no SE) up towards the top. Use an optic or reflector. No extra diffuser needed. For outdoor use, you might want to add a convex reflector at the top, as some light spills out the top. Indoors, it actually makes for a nice effect.

 

[drs2000]

Spotted this thread as a subject near and dear to my heart. Here's the thread I started awhile back on the same subject, with a couple of pix and thots. I've also bought a couple of those zenon/led/ccft flashlites from Ebay, and am looking into modding those for the same purpose.

Anyway, here's the link, if you're interested. I've forgotten to post the schematic, but I'll try to bring home a copy and scan it in..
The thing I was going for was long run and automatic. (defeatable, of course.)

The funny thing is, in the forground of those pix is a little cluster of parts testing a photo-controlled nightlight. That light has been running every night for the last 28 days on the same CR2032 coin cell. It's getting dimmer, now. I'm impressed. And a 5mm 8000mcd led running at about 1ma of current can light up a restroom's fixtures well enough for a dark-adapted person to operate just fine..

here's the lantern link:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=424829&page=16&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Hope you find what you're looking for!
Yours, DRS the crazed..

 

[robstarr-lite]

post edited by rob /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

The 4D LED lanterns come in 12 and 20 LED models, only the 12 LED one has a dimmer. Sportsman's Guide sells the 20 LED model.

For travel, camping, backpacking, and smaller spaces, the Eveready 2 LED Folding Lantern is perfect. It runs on 4 AAs, with 200 hours on 1 LED or 100 hours on both (switchable). It also has a hinged hanger. It is bright enough to light up a room, although not that brightly. Both my mom and I have one, and I got them at the local Walmart.

 

[Lux Luthor]

Charles,

I don't think Walmart sells those anymore. Atleast I haven't been able to find one anywhere.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Lux, I should be doing the Walmart Crawl in the next day or two. If they have one of the 4AA 2LED Lanterns I'll grab one with your name on it!

Let me know if I shouldn't however!

 

[Phaserburn]

A CCFT light I reviewed which may be of interest can be seen here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB16&Number=404211&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

The CCFT is very bright, and the incan socket is PR based and can accept an Everled 1W LS.

 

[paulr]

If you want a CCFT lantern for long term outage, a 4AA one doesn't make much sense IMO. I'd go for an 8D model like I think Coleman makes.

Personally though, I'd look at a long term power outage as an opportunity to get back to a more natural lifestyle for a while. Stuff needing light, do in the daytime, then go to bed early not too long after dark. For walking around the house or outside after dark, a small LED flashlight (CMG Infinity or whatever) is plenty. A small LED light is also enough to light a room by bouncing it off the ceiling, sufficient for sitting around talking to people without being in pitch blackness. If you want to do stuff like fix equipment or cook though, you really want a headlamp.

Grocery stores around me sell big candles in glass jars (about the height of 1 quart milk cartons but narrower) for about $1.50 each. The glass jar prevents them from dripping or burning down to the tabletop, so I think they're not likely to start any fires unless you knock one over or light one directly underneath something flammable. Of course you shouldn't leave them lit unattended. They'll burn for between 4 and 7 days nonstop, so if you use one for 2 or 3 hours a night, they'll last for over a month. They have no shelf life issues, you can tell at a glance how much wax or "runtime" they have left, and the up-front expenditure is very low. So I think having a few of these around is a cheap and effective form of emergency lighting if not the most versatile.

 

[Lux Luthor]

[ QUOTE ]
PlayboyJoeShmoe said:
Lux, I should be doing the Walmart Crawl in the next day or two. If they have one of the 4AA 2LED Lanterns I'll grab one with your name on it!

Let me know if I shouldn't however!

[/ QUOTE ]

Joe,

Thanks. But after seeing George's FlexiLED on the mod forum, I think I might go for one of those instead. In fact, it might make a nice set for me: One 360 degree; one flood, and both dimmable via the uflex.

Gotta love those uflex drivers!