Energizer "Find-Me" (LED-beacon + 2D flashlight)

[guncollector]

This just spotted (and brought home with me) in my local Walgreens, the Energizer "Find Me" flashlight.

It's an ordinary 2D flashlight, housed in a futuristic, ergonomic, translucent blue housing--with one very interesting feature. It's got a intermittent (3-4 second intervals) flashing red LED to assist you in finding it in the dark; hence the moniker "Find Me".

Cost was $9.99, and they only had one. Now, I'll have to check the Walgreens by my office to see if they have others--as these are great as an initial "go to" light in dark areas.

Ron

 

[Tesla]

Yes. These suckers are popping up everywhere. I've seen bucketloads of them at both Walmart and K-Mart. I have noticed, however, that a significant percentage of them DON'T FLASH on display. Makes me wonder how long it will take the "good ones" to malfunction, too.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I think it is the stupidest idea ever. If you don't know where you flashlight is when power goes out, you are a total idiot. Plus you must have that light sitting on a table or some place where it is visible-what good is led if you can't see it? It is one of the ugliest flashlights I ever seen, and you want me to make it my permanent room decoration ?


Get a surefire and have it on you all the time. E1 will kick energizers ***.


No offence to anyone. FC-Fire/Rescue

 

[guncollector]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>alex cooper wrote:
I think it is the stupidest idea ever. If you don't know where you flashlight is when power goes out, you are a total idiot. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK, Alex, to each his own.

But, it is quite obvious that you don't have any small children who tend frequently to move anything not bolted down. Also, many wives are known to use items--like flashlights for instance--and not return them to their proper storage place.

So, I guess if I don't know where my flashlight is because my daughter or wife has moved it, that must make me an idiot.

Happy Holidays!

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

As I said, no offence to anyone. My baby(M2)is always with me, I don't have to look for it. Also I have Photon3 on me all the time. All I am trying to sayis that Energizer products probably are the most unreliable products there are. I had two AA double-barrels, both failed after short period of time.
Judging by your name you like guns. What kind of tactical torch do you use - an energizer? If you do, first I feel sorry for you, second - TRY A SUREFIRE.

p.s. I am single,but my girlfriend knows better not to displace my toys. hm, I ment to say tools...

 

[recercare]

I like the Energizer Double Barrels. They have a long run time. The beam color is very white as well, unfortunately with rings and shadows. I know that Welch Allyn has a bulb for the 8AA which will triple it's ouput. 4.8V/1.1A......which will reduce the runtime a lot though. A 120-150 lumen Double Barrel!

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hey recercare

I like the DB 8AA too. Thanks for the info on Welch Allyn. Is it the part number 01307 you are talking about?

It says 104.3 Lumens with a 20h life. How long the batteries would last?

Thanks!

 

[recercare]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brazooka:
Hey recercare

I like the DB 8AA too. Thanks for the info on Welch Allyn. Is it the part number 01307 you are talking about?

It says 104.3 Lumens with a 20h life. How long the batteries would last?

Thanks!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, it's the 01307 bulb. WA said the voltage would drop from 6V to 3.2V after 1 hour. I find this very strange. It seems correct if you have a regular flashlight pulling 1.1A, but the DB's battery configuration cuts the drain in half, and at 0.55A the voltage should not run down that fast. Maybe we can hope for 2 hours?

Hmm...I am not sure about NiMH, but i would sure like to try! 100 lumen DB on NiMH

 

[sunspot]

How come nobody has mentioned the Eternalight Ergo-X Ray? It has a flashing internal led that can be turned off if it drives you nuts.
Also on the theme of finding torches in the dark, check out the thread on Alien Skin glow in the dark stuff.
On a personal note, I can't always find my torch on the first grab but in an emergency, I CAN latch onto my 12ga shotgun, with a mounted torch, in less than 2 seconds and have it on target with the torch on. Each to there own way.(BTW, no chil'ns in the house)

 

[Gandalf]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tesla:
Yes. I've seen bucketloads of them at both Walmart and K-Mart. I have noticed, however, that a significant percentage of them DON'T FLASH on display. Makes me wonder how long it will take the "good ones" to malfunction, too.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've seen them at WallyMart, too. They had 3 pegs with them hanging on them, probably about 15 of them, and I checked long enough to watch every single one working. (I suspected some might not...) Perhaps there was a bad lot of them; the ones I saw were doing what they were supposed to. While this flashlight isn't for everybody (read not for CPF members, especially ones who wear their Arc-LE around their neck on a lanyard at night...

) I can see where it could be a really good idea in a home with children, or elderly, etc. Also when you travel, and wake up in a srange room, disoriented: nice to have the dim, slow blink of a flashlight in easy reach. I bought my EternaLight before the X-ray model came out, or I would certainly have gotten that model instead of the 'plain' Ergo. I wouldn't use the locator LED much, but it would be there if I wanted to. BTW: can the LED be shut off in the Energizer?

 

[Tesla]

Gandalf, I observed the "blinkless" phenomenon at more than one retailer, so I don't think you can chalk it up to a "bad lot". It may be "bad batteries" and the LED might be okay. Who can say? It is DEFINITELY not an isolated instance. I think the light may be a good idea for "family" use, but perhaps not as good as some of the "emergency use" "plug in the wall-socket & forget" rechargeable flashlights.

 

[geepondy]

Seen them myself. Has anybody actually tried the light? After getting by the LED gee wiz factor, how is the light output?

 

[Gman]

I've been modifiying D size Mags to do this for 10 years, using the LM3909 IC. I mount the 3930 and LED in the tailcap. Works good, lasts long time. You lose the spare bulb option though.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gman:
I've been modifiying D size Mags to do this for 10 years, using the LM3909 IC. I mount the 3930 and LED in the tailcap. Works good, lasts long time. You lose the spare bulb option though.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If your circuit is in the tailcap, how do you get power to the flasher without interrupting the normal operation of the flashlight?

 

[Gman]

I use a small wire (22 or 30 AWG) that runs up the side to the top battery with a loop to go around the positive "button", that way it doesn't interfere with the contact to the switch. One also must be careful to run the wire thru the spring higher up in the coils so it isn't crushed when tightening the tail cap, I use a little shrink tubing to protect it at that point.

Btw, use both batteries (for a 2D). If you only use one the flasher will eventually lower that batteries voltage and when you turn on the torch the stroger battery will "equalize" into the weaker one. This will result in a dimmer light when you turn the torch on after it's been sitting a month or so. If you use both to power the flasher they will drain equaly at a very slow rate.

I've been meaning to improve on this for years because it makes changing the batteries a little more involved, but it works well enough as it is. (It also works very well for charge in place units like the MagCharger.)

The LM3909 is an old but very versatile IC. It can be used for all kind of ocsillator, alarm and strobe applications.

Do not use the external resistor on the IC, it's not needed. Use the internal and just add the capacitor. I use 100mf, 10v caps. I've also used 200, 10v). (I like the thing real bright.)

Parts count of three: IC, cap, LED. I've used both T1 and T3 leds, the smaller T1 rated at 2 ma. The T3 2000 mcd red one at Radio Shack works OK also but I have some really bright T1s from Hewlett Packard.

The led can extend from the tailcap or be flush. I also have little "frensel" lens that go over them, but not really needed. I've screwed around with about a dozen variations of this thing over the years, some pretty strange.

No doubt there is a better way to do this as it's an old design (I dunno how Eveready does it), but it's work well for me for a long time so I stick with it. I'm an EE but I quit the biz many years ago and don't keep up with it much these days. I'd post some photos but I just can't get it to work in spite of trying many times. (any advice?)

If you need more info, email me.

 

[Lola]

This just spotted (and brought home with me) in my local Walgreens, the Energizer "Find Me" flashlight.

It's an ordinary 2D flashlight, housed in a futuristic, ergonomic, translucent blue housing--with one very interesting feature. It's got a intermittent (3-4 second intervals) flashing red LED to assist you in finding it in the dark; hence the moniker "Find Me".

Cost was $9.99, and they only had one. Now, I'll have to check the Walgreens by my office to see if they have others--as these are great as an initial "go to" light in dark areas.

Ron

how do you replace the bulb?