What do you do with your old lights?

[juslearnin]

OK, so I have a little bit of a "flashlight problem". I can't seem to just buy one when I find a model I like. So now I have this drawer filled with obsolete flashlights- four dorcy spyders, four princeton tec rages, two of these, three of those, you get the idea. None of them are really very expensive, but I know I will never use them now that technology has moved on. I can't bring myself to throw them away, and yet I don't know what else to do with them. Many use CR123 batteries, and are incandesent, so they don't have much run time. A non flashaholic wouldn't want them because they are so expensive to feed, and a flashaholic wouldn't want them because there are so much better lights out now. Any one have a good suggestion as to what to do with them?

 

[Pierat]

Well the obvious solution is spare parts.... next solution would be to get into "modding" them with new light engines so that they run LED q5's or something

 

[nanoWatt]

Fortunately I've only been at it for like a week, so I am waiting on my 1st baby (the T1). Financial issues really limit what I can do, but I think this hobby is better than my laptop collecting (I have 3 laptops). Hmm, I may sell one of them for a good price.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I sold maybe 8-10 lights at a Garage Sale before we moved to Shepherd.

But what I've got now is worth more than any man off the street would pay!

Sounds like you might be in a similar situation...

 

[Gunner12]

Well, you can always send them to me...

But realistically, either keep them as emergency lights, give them aways as gifts, sell them, or mod them.

I'm thinking the last one because you will be able to get more into this hobby(If you haven't started modding yet).

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Juslearnin,

Older lights make perfect spare battery carriers, and double as back up lights...

Tom

 

[a4d]

I agree with modding some of them. I have a cheap everready light. I asked a few people on here and whenever i get to it i'm gonna do a few things to it, 3aa's to 1d(x2) mod and a new bulb haven't decided wich one yet.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I buy my lights pretty carefully. When technology overtakes them they will always still do the job that I bought them for.

I never get rid of any of my lights. Some of them are in Storm Kits -- but then some were bought for the Storm Kits. I don't have a problem with my old lights. I picked them carefully and they all meet certain quality standards and they're all workhorses.

 

[a4d]

I buy my lights pretty carefully. When technology overtakes them they will always still do the job that I bought them for.

I never get rid of any of my lights. Some of them are in Storm Kits -- but then some were bought for the Storm Kits. I don't have a problem with my old lights. I picked them carefully and they all meet certain quality standards and they're all workhorses.

You really can't EVER have to many lights. There may come that time when you need a few, one breaks, or you loose it, or something like that bad ice storm in the midwest is coming your way you want to be insured that you have enough lights.

 

[juslearnin]

I would like to mod some of them, but I am not very sophisticated in terms of modifying components. I bought some drop in crees in reflectors from dealextreme that fit into a surefire head, but they are too big to fit into any of my other lights. They could be turned down on a lathe, but I don't have ready access to one. Anyone have a source for a "plug and play" cree or seoul LED which will fit into a dorcy spyder, or the "cyclops" lights? Thanks.

 

[a4d]

I don't know all of the tech things either yet i just as alot of questions. here is a link to a thread i started the other day about upgrading my old everready.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/182824

 

[Flying Turtle]

Like most of my junk I can't seem to part with my old lights. Many go back more than 20 years, but are nothing special, just old incands. And there's probably even more old LED lights that see very little use. I suppose I could have a yard sale.

Geoff

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Yeah. I have a fair number of goofy early LED lights that nobody in their right mind would want now.

Incans can almost always be brought up to snuff.

But what are you gonna do with one 5mm on 3AAA and stuff like that?

 

[guyg]

While I was finding my way, I had some extras . Then I realized I had three kids, so I laid them out and said `have at it` Took care of the extras. The one requirement I have in a light is it must be AA or AAA powered.

 

[GBone]

I like to "gift" my old lights that are still in good shape.

Most of my friends and family know that I am into flashlights, and many of them "secretly" wish they had one. :devil:

So most people find it pretty cool when I grace them with an one of my oldie but goodies. To a non-flashaholic they find them pretty awesome...

 

[Braddah_Bill]

Sure do, donate whatever you can to a very cause.


https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/179726



Bill

OK, . Many use CR123 batteries, and are incandesent, so they don't have much run time. A non flashaholic wouldn't want them because they are so expensive to feed, and a flashaholic wouldn't want them because there are so much better lights out now. Any one have a good suggestion as to what to do with them?

 

[woodrow]

Most of my lights lately only last 2 weeks through 3 months because I have sold all my incans and 10 watt HID. They usually go to the B/S/T section to be recycled into new Q5 lights.

 

[sims2k]

I have a special Sears toolbox where I keep all my old lights from 20 years ago in tip top condition. I keep all my lights in running condition. I check them every couple of weeks to see each one runs. I clean and lube them up every now and then.

 

[sims2k]

I would take my SF L2 or the KROMA. Both have long runtimes on low.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Old lights are chopped and used for parts, or modded. A few winners are kept back for emergency use, sub-par "got it on a whim" lights that aren't good for parts or modding are given away.