NightStar II LED Shakelight. Mini Review.

[Gene]

I live in a very rural area on the side of a mountain where power outages are a way of life, (sometimes one or more a day or ALL NIGHT during heavy snow!). I just thought it might be prudent to have one of these tucked away.

I've read most of the posts concerning them. I noticed "toy factor" and dim come up as the two most common negatives and heavy duty construction or "almost indestructible" as the positive. Let me start by saying, the "heavy-duty" or quality construction somehow eludes me! Yes, it's fairly heavy-duty compared to most plastic "Made In China" stuff nowadays but "almost indestructible"? I hardly think so and I certainly wouldn't want to run over it with a mini-bike much less a car, (which it has been advertised as being able to survive). Maybe I'm jaded because I'm old enough to remember when things REALLY WERE built well! The build quality really disappointed me but like I said, it's build quality is okay compared to most of the Chinese junk out there. It should be able to survive a waist high drop on a hard surface.

Eyeball roasting brightness isn't important to me in any of my lights so I wasn't disappointed in the NightStar II. For what it's intended, the brightness is okay. No, it won't scare away an attacker but it works fine in total darkness and around the house. Yes, I'll admit I wish it were brighter but it does work.

My biggest complaint concerning brightness is with the LED as there is no side spill. It would have been great if there was some spill. It then could have had a second use as soft glow "lantern", (set lens down), since the whole body is clear plastic. The glow-in-the-dark on/off switch is a nice touch though.

It is very easy to recharge as the shaking is a fluid, natural motion and there is no need to overdo it with force. In fact the manufacturer recommends a gentle motion. As stated in past threads, KEEP IT AWAY from anything that might be harmed by a strong magnetic field!

In the end, for $41.00 plus shipping, (through Glow-Bug), I can't really recommend it. I find it "acceptable" but the build quality, (to ME!), being the biggest drawback. I was just expecting a much sturdier piece because of what I had read about it. If you've been weaned on things from China most of your life, your opinion may be different than mine concerning the build quality. A "tank" it isn't but that's my opinion and I respect yours.

However, if "better than most" Chinese construction is acceptable to you and you may have a use for a "complete emergency" light, then you may like it. I will admit that I'll keep it just because I am so rural. I may have a use for it someday.

 

[Quickbeam]

Gene - thanks for your input on this light. The Nightstar 1 is much better built (IMHO) but the beam of the Nightstar 2 is wider and much more useful. I wish they made replacement lenses for the Nightstar 1 to give it the wider beam of the Nightstar 2 - the lens in the NS1 is removable...

This thread should probably be in the Reviews forum.

 

[Gene]

Doug,
If this does belong in the reviews forum, please move it and thanks.

I figured the larger, original NightStar was probably sturdier. This NS2's body really should be TWICE as thick as it is! With the innards being as heavy as they are, this thing deserves a thicker body and the light wouldn't be all that much heavier. As it is, I really would be concerned with this thing just surviving a fall to concrete from workbench height.

 

[BF Hammer]

Well, I was curious enough to try. I dropped mine onto a concrete floor from shoulder height. It bounced, scuffed at point of impact, but survived and works as before. It has less physical scarring than I dare say would happen if I dropped my 3D Mag the same way. Metal doesn't always mean quality, plastic does not always mean cheap. I would guess the part most likely to break is the magnetic reed switch. Reed switches are encased inside a glass tube, and can break from a severe shock. I bet that would break before the plastic case.

 

[Gene]

Good for you Hammer! Unfortunately I don't have that same faith in it as you do but it's good to know. Like I said above, I believed it would survive a short drop onto concrete.

You are correct in that aluminum doesn't mean better! The weakest link in lights like aluminum Mags are usually their lamps and reed switches are even more delicate.

I still say that the body on this should be thicker if at least to repel cracking from ultra-violet rays or simply from aging. Maybe I AM being paranoid about this thing's durability but only time will tell!

 

[paulr]

Why is there a reed switch in the shakelight?

A friend of mine has a shakelight (I don't know what brand) and it has no switch. You shake it, it lights up and if you stop shaking it gradually fades out. There's no way to turn it off other than by letting it fade.

 

[Quickbeam]

yes - magnetic reed (sorry - somehow missed the "why" at the start of the sentence - see below for good explanation by BFH).

 

[BF Hammer]

[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
Why is there a reed switch in the shakelight?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Nightstar is an entirely sealed assembly. A conventional switch can be made water resistant to a degree. Putting a reed switch inside allows for a way to turn it on/off without a mechanical connection through case. The moving part of the switch is a magnet that slides over or away from the reed inside the casing. Very waterproof. It also makes it non-sparking outside of the flashlight body, which in theory makes it safe to use in an explosive environment (like looking for a gas leak or inside a partially filled grain elevator). Having the switch allows you to pre-shake the light and have the energy stored for later, or turn it on only as needed, and off right away to conserve the power stored. (but it will drain slowly over some days). The disadvantage to this is as was stated before, this particular reed switch is encased in glass and likely is the weakest component of the unit. I wouldn't say it's fragile, just the first thing I would expect to break in this light under stress.