What should I do with a dead 'shakie' light?

[The Light!]

Hi all,
First post here, glad to be part of a great and thriving community!

I was just wondering what I should do with a dead (are they called faraday?) torch, the kind where you shake it and a magnet and it charges a capacitor via a coil of copper wire.

Sadly it seems that the capacitor is dead, since it will no longer store any charge... :sigh: :hairpull:

So, I'm thinking that this will be my first mod project! I'll probably end up taking all the innards out and putting something else in, I'm just looking for a bit of inspiration or ideas... what would you do in my place (apart from throw it out and get a PROPERLY BRIGHT torch )?

Thanks all, you guys :rock: !

Cheers, CHRIS.

 

[yellow]

i d say it is impossible the capacitor gets dead
(except some wire broke)

maybe You have one of these models with fake capacitor (running the led from button cells)?


PS: except from being able to be made really sturdy and waterproof, the concept of the shake lights is bad.
Instead of it, try to get a dynamo light with a rotary lever (one You think is of good quality to stand the charging for long time without having tiny plastic parts fail).
The charging motion so so much more efficient with them

 

[VegasF6]

I had an older faraday light, a somewhat good one, that I thought was dead to. After some research I found that if they have been sitting for a long time, they take a lot of shaking to get going again. I shook it for something like 10 minutes (or was it 5?) and it started working again.

Hopefully this is your problem. Follow the instructions here:
http://www.appliedinnotech.com/support/product-tech-support.php

 

[Marduke]

If it was a cheap no-name brand, I'd be willing to bet it's a fake and runs off two CR2032 cells, and doesn't charge anything when you shake it.


You'd be amazed the people I have enlightened and/or infuriated when I've told them that at flea markets.


If it's clear plastic, a picture of the insides will tell us. If there is a part that looks like two quarters in green shrink wrap, it's fake, and you're better off tossing it.

 

[abvidledUK]

..................................................... it's fake, and you're better off tossing it.

Isn't that an oxymoron ?

 

[Marduke]

Isn't that an oxymoron ?

How so?

 

[The Light!]

I had an older faraday light, a somewhat good one, that I thought was dead to. After some research I found that if they have been sitting for a long time, they take a lot of shaking to get going again. I shook it for something like 10 minutes (or was it 5?) and it started working again.

Hopefully this is your problem. Follow the instructions here:
http://www.appliedinnotech.com/support/product-tech-support.php

Ok thanks I'll try that! But last time I did that it didn't hold its charge for more than a day... :shakehead:

 

[Gunner12]

It might use actual rechargeable batteries, I've seen some like those.

Maybe you can modify it to be a sleeper later on down the line. But as for right now if it doesn't work, maybe salvage it for parts?

 

[AlexGT]

Salvage internals, wires and magnets and use tube for

 

[Sigman]

Hilarious Alex! :thumbsup:

 

[Sgt. LED]

At least save the strong magnet out of it!

 

[Marduke]

At least save the strong magnet out of it!

If it's even a magnet. If it uses 2xCR2032's, there is a high likely hood it's just a slug of iron.

 

[The Light!]

Salvage internals, wires and magnets and use tube for

:laughing: :twothumbs:

No, it seems to be working again now... at least its held its charge for over 12 hrs this time... it might just need using. It is a real faraday torch, not a fake. The magnet is real, and there is no sign of batteries on the CB, just a capacitor and a voltage stabiliser(?) thingy. I'm a bit surprised that there are fake ones out there though... Oh well, I've heard worse.

Yeah, I know that dynamo lights are a lot better, but this one is OK for a nightlight torch. Since it seems to be working now, I might mod it later on when the addiction for flashlights really sets in!

Cheers, CHRIS.