What happened to Eveready?

FlashlightMuseum

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After reading a lot of the posts on this board about the popularity and following for Surefire's, Arc Lights, and high-tech LEDs in general, it makes me wonder what happened to Eveready. Being the first flashlight manufacturer (since 1898), and still kicking hard, why is there no buzz surrounding them? Are their flashlights too run-of-the-mill standard? I know they still kick out 10-20 new models every year. Does anyone here even enjoy collecting them?

I know as far as antiques go, they have some of the highest price tags out there. Last week on EBay, an item was labeled "Vintage Everyeady Flashlight - found in my barn", and then it displayed the picture. The light sold for $1,700.00!!!

The most expensive Eveready light we display is the 1904 Iron Candle for $350.(Click to View)

They've really only started into more high-tech models in the last 5 years or so, starting with the Double Barrel (which has since been discontinued).

Any thoughts?
 

MR Bulk

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They are Never Ready! Seriously, I thought they were called "Energizer" now, or is that the batteries?
 

FlashlightMuseum

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Eveready owns Energizer, which is primarily used for marketing batteries. Eveready is the parent company, and they use that moniker for the flashlights.
 

lemlux

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The Double Barrel flashlights use OEM bulbs with output not exceeding 0.70 Amps. This made them unsatisfyingly dim for their bulk. The DB8AA, for example, is a much more satisfying light with a 4.8 V 1.1 A Welch Allyn bulb in it. The PT Surge, for example, has an electrically similar serial / parallel battery configuration and takes advantage of an alkaline AA battery's ability to handle 0.55 amps for about 3 hours of continuous use.

These lights are also considerably bulkier larger than they need to be because of the unnecessary internal plastic caddies that are used in each chamber. They are primarily of interest to a narrow group of fanatics here who either remove the caddies to use CR123 batteries or who rewire the lights to run in straight serial with NiMH rechargeables that can handle greater currents.

People on this board have commented about liking the fluorescent output of the 4AA fluorescent / incandescent combination light while panning the incandescent reflector and bulb.
 

TheBeam

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They don't use Luxeon Stars in any of their products. I don't think most of their products can take much abuse either. Their lights are great for the non-flashaholics(most people in the world). It doesn't look like they sell any higher priced flashlights. Most of theirs are too basic for me.
 

FlashlightMuseum

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They did release some neat products last year and the year prior - some mini-fluorescents and LEDs. We'll have them posted on FlashlightMuseum.com soon.

It seems that they release new models because they can, not because they should. They've recently partnered with Disney and are capitalizing on the new animated movies (Monsters, Inc. / Finding Nemo).

Their hard-cased flashlight was tested with a 15 foot drop (and survived). They do carry an industrial line but it is very obscure. I would LOVE to see them go high-tech...
 

hula

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Umm - Everready. Plasticky torches that I last held in my hands as a boy. At that time I don't suppose they were all that bad - they worked, most of the time, albeit dimmly. Their bike lights on the other hand were useless. I remember particularly the useless plastic grey front bike light they introduced to supercede their (infinetly superior) grey metal one. It (the plastic one) had a horrible copper coloured bulb retainer/contact spring that never did its' job if so much as slightly breathed on.
They may have got better in lots of respects but they left a huge vaccum which thankfully companies making the kinda torches we now admire have filled. I don't mind paying for quality - pity they forgot that there are many of us who can and do so.
 

snakebite

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when i think eveready i see the $.99 plastic pos rolling off my workbench and ejecting its head and batteries across the room.or the one i fumbled and dropped 6 inches and the bulb insulater shattered shorting 5 ah nicads.watched the metal strip to the switch glow and melt through the side.
kinda like odd lots tools.use once and toss.and hope they get the job done before they break.
 

kz1000s1

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Eveready lights are poor performers in their original state, though they can be improved like this one I made with a Surefire 200 lumen lamp and 3 CR123 batteries:

Energizer mod

As for their durability, the industrial model I base my mods on is very tough. Here is a quote from a test I performed on one in order to prove it to a customer:

'Energizer states that it is "impact resistant" and "can still function after a five foot drop onto concrete." My modifications to it shouldn't affect that durability at all.

I never tested their claim, so I just went into the garage with my prototype Energizer light, turned it on and tossed it end over end, five feet in the air, and twenty feet across the garage. It bounced off the floor and hit the steel beam on the garage door. After three throws the bulb finally went out. The filament is still intact, but the posts are bent to the side slightly, so something must be separated inside the bulb. I doubt a Maglite would stay lit after even one throw like that. On close inspection, there isn't a single visible mark on the outside of the light. I'm impressed!'

This was done with PR bulb version of my mod.
 

Pi_is_blue

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The only Everready I have owned was a crappy old cheap 2D cell plastic one. I got rid of it years ago because it is so dim (even a minigaglite put it to shame!).
 

Catapult

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The cheapo plastic ones are more like disposable flashlights. Even one battery is worth more than the entire unit.
 

Tombeis

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[ QUOTE ]
(even a minigaglite put it to shame!).

[/ QUOTE ]

The supreme insult! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Tomas

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The last Eveready I had that I really liked was when I was a kid in the '50's. It was a very compact two AAA plastic light with a prefocused bulb. It was quite flat (not much thicker that the AAA's inside) and had a feel sort of like a well used bar of soap that had been cast in rigid plastic.

I carried that thing in my pockets for many years. (Gads! I just realized that I was a flashaholic even then!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

It finally cracked on one side when it was dropped, and couldn't be repaired.

That flashlight body and slide switch would be an excellent host for a white 5mm Nichia if it were still made. It fit both pocket and hand very nicely, and the switch was excellent.

Eveready2.gif


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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif
 

paulr

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My first flashaholic light was an Eveready Captain, a chrome steel thing that cost most of my savings ($5 was a lot for a 10 year old kid). I was absolutely sick of unreliable switches in cheaper flashlights that I'd had, so I shot my wad on the most expensive 2-cell light I could find (there were sealed beam lanterns that cost more at the same hardware store, though).

I also had the chrome steel AA and AAA penlights. Those were actually pretty decent lights.

Today, Eveready still makes a 2aaa disposable keychain "squeeze light" with a prefocused bulb, a good value at $1.99. You're better off with an LED light though.
 

Empath

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PhotonBoy, I haven't seen any evidence to substantiate that charge. Have you?
 

PhotonBoy

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All the high tech, low battery consumption lights are coming from companies that have have no battery interests involved with the exception of Rayovac which has a few LED models. I like Rayovac since they offer the best combination of price and quality for alkalines in Canada.

Lights by Duracell and Energizer are mostly low-tech, inexpensive, high current incandescents.

The only thing I find more annoying on the market today is the low-cost ink-jet printers that have replacement ink cartridges costing almost as much as the printer itself.

Don't even get me started on the rapacious cost of AAA cells versus AA cells.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif
 

Empath

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Energizer also make LED lights. I don't know about Duracell, but then Duracell's flashlights don't have as much of the market.
 

PhotonBoy

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Empath, you're right, Energizer makes LED lights also, so I retract my charge(?) However, krypton incandescents form the majority of the lights in their product lines. Hopefully that will change if and when LEDs become as cheap as krypton bulbs. We may have to wait until quantum dot technology proves itself as a cheaper alternative to LEDs.
 

mcdragon

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Has anyone noticed this light on the Energizer Website?
New Energizer light
It looks like they re-tooled the ArcWhite... put a full rubber grip on it and replaced the incan bulb with an LED.
It says Available 8/1/03... has anyone spotted these in stores yet? It might be worth a look. I'm curious about the LED spot performance. Being an ABS body it won't be a Luxeon Star.. probably just a 5mm with a focusing lens (similar to the Brinkmann Rebel or PT Impact)

At least they are moving in the right direction...
 
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