Looking for rechargeable flashlights that plug in and light up for a power outage.

[ccualumni]

I am new to the forums and came here for a specific issue that I hope the experts here can help me out with. I have visited in the past to see a deal or a suggestion to a certain flashlight, but have never looked around. I am blown away at the amount of information here.

I used the search function, but did not find exactly what I was looking for.

I am not looking for anything specific as far as a brand or power of the light, battery use or know too many technical details that I am looking for, so please forgive me not being familiar with all of the jargon, or being specific in my needs. I am happy to buy online or at a local merchant. I do not have a specific price, but do not want to pay top dollar.

I am looking for a flashlight that is rechargeable, plugs into the electrical outlet, works as a night light, and if the power goes out, it can then be used as a flashlight. I have a 3 year old, so it is nice to know where a flashlight is when you need one.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[TooManyGizmos]

~

Your local Home Depot , Lowes and hardware stores are where to find those .

~

 

[GaAslamp]

I've already covered the problems with this type of flashlight in the "Car flashlight" thread, but I decided to check out some higher-end rechargeable flashlights (i.e. ones that sit in a charging cradle), like the ones that many police officers use while on duty, to see whether any of these could serve your intended purpose (although they don't tend to have nightlights built in). Well, it turns out that the same problems that "power failure" flashlights have regarding long-term standby for emergency use also affect this other type of flashlight. Both types should work fine for years if they're used regularly (as duty flashlights are every day), but both types also tend to wreck their internal batteries if they're left plugged in all the time without being used. One possible exception are higher-end flashlights that use internal lithium-ion batteries, but in my experience these batteries tend to degrade over several years all by themselves anyway, and it is unknown whether their chargers will periodically top them off as needed. Ultimately, lithium primary batteries will give you greater dependability over a longer period of time.

If you still want something that lights up when the power goes out, then hardware and department stores should have those (pick one), but I wouldn't depend on them to work--if they happen to work when you need them, then great, but they're just not dependable. Actually, what you might want to do instead is look into companies that specialize in commercial/industrial emergency lights (e.g. The Exit Light Company, which appears to sell to individuals as well as businesses)--I can't vouch for any of them, but you may have better luck than if you went with a consumer-grade product from a mass-market manufacturer.

 

[GaAslamp]

By the way, you might also want to take a look at the Streamlight E-Flood (or E-Spot) LiteBox Power Failure System. I can't guarantee anything, but reading through the literature, it seems as though this system is actually designed to protect and maintain its battery (sealed lead-acid) while being plugged in for extended periods. It packs quite a punch, too, compared to most flashlights of this type.

 

[Gregozedobe]

I went a different way in looking at a solution for the need for an emergency black-out light.

I have several PAlight Stars which I have placed in strategic locations around my house. These have an always on "Locator Glow" which is bright enough to see so I can find them if the power goes out. Then I can switch them on and have enough light to get around easily and get one of my larger lights with rechargeable batteries for longer term use (who knows how long a power outage may last).

I use the 9v batteries out of my smoke detectors, and they last for quite a while. The Ultralife 9v lithium batteries will fit (once you remove the alu jacket), and decent alkalines will run the locator glow for 1 - 2 years.

Another possible solution is to put tritium markers on several lights and leave these in strategic locations around your house.