If there is a disaster and no electricity what led light is the best?

I asked this question before and the replys i got was to stock eneloops.

But is there a led light that has a long runtime and solar powered or any source of charging that doesnt involve an electric outlet.

Lumens is not a major concern but runtime is.

And im happy that candlepower is back.

I have a couple of LED lanterns that take Alkaline D batteries, but I have 2 sets of NiMH D cells that I would use first. I keep them in a small duffle bag with the batteries removed. I recharge the NiMHD batteries from time time to time as I use them in some of my other flashlights. As for flashlights, I have a bunch of small Surefire, Bitz Pocket, Nitecore, etc. that run of RCR123 until they dim, then I have a couple of boxes of CR123 (shelf life - 10 years) for backup. Whatever light you choose, keep enough backup batteries for several days. :candle:

FS: Solar Powered & USB Chargers -2 panels added
Norm

Ok, a typical flashlight with a high power LED such as a CREE XM-L, and running on 18650 batteries, you can expect it to run continuously for over 30 hours on the "low" power setting. I know this because mine only draws 0.05 amps at the tailcap in "low mode", and my 18650s have a stated capacity of 2400mAh (though I measured an actual capacity of just under 2000mAh in a discharge test using my hobby charger). So just keep a couple of charged 18650's around and you'll have a week's worth of light for about $20 worth of batteries

Your other option is to use your car as a power source, assuming you actually have enough fuel in it. You can either use an inverter to convert the car's 12V DC into 240V (or 120V) AC, and then power your regular chargers or whatever, or else use a DC-to-DC converter to change the car's 12V DC into say 3.7V DC and directly power the LED lights with a long extension wire

Solar power would also be good. Again, a DC-to-DC converter would be very useful here. You just set the output to 4.2 volts and connect it across the lithium battery you want to charge, connect the solar panel across the input, and there you are.

Other ideas:
A brushed motor with a fan (for example, extract the radiator fan of an abandoned car) can also double-up as a windmill.
Hand powered flashlights (you shake it for 5 minutes and get I think 30 minutes of light). Or similarly, use the internals from wind-up radios.
Connect a car alternator to an exercise bike and use that to recharge a spare car battery, from your own pedalling.

I have several AA and AAA powered lights with multi modes and A Solar charger for the batteries. I will have light for years even without electricity.

Cottonpickers solar charger, and my 4sevens charger for the car. XML lights aren't more effecient at lower drive currents.

I have about 16 AA Dura-Loops, two E2L-AA's and a AA Solar charger packed away nicely in a new Pelican 1300. The solar charger also has adapters that I can then use to charge other items (phones/i-pod/whatever).The E2L's (AA or CR123) are nice for this, as they give you the option of super long runtime, but also have the option of high throw when needed, unlike a low, long running drop-in that's limited to 1 stage.

A couple of AA lithiums would be good as well, in the event of a volcanoe/nuclear winter, as sunlight may be scarce in those days, or even just to assist in getting you thru the winter.

@LMF500-
Thank you for the suggestion. I learned new something today. By the way i own aa and aaa eneeloops. Is there a solar charger for this?

@angelofwar-
I will check E2L

Ian2381 said:

I have several AA and AAA powered lights with multi modes and A Solar charger for the batteries. I will have light for years even without electricity.

Click to expand...

What solar charger are you using for your AA and AAA lights?

I own aa and aaa eneloops

Bought one in Ebay but actually it has yet to arrive. I will eventually check how efficient or how long it will charge the batteries once it arrives and it will be placed in my waterproof container.
I have two waterproof containers with different set up for BOB. One contains 2 Lithium AAs and 1xAAA, 3 AA Eneloop 1xAAA, Nitecore D10 and Fenix E01 A flint, lighter and multi tool. The Other one is a project in a making, It already contains 4xAA and 3xAAA Eneloops, 3xAA and 1xAAA Lithium, a Petzl Tikkina 2 Headlamp, 4sevens MiNi AA and a Solar keychain light. I will include the solar charger in this group and Im all set for my emergency lights.

On top of these I have Flashlights in every bag with batteries in them. also have several Eneloops and Lithium AAs on standby.

cottonpicker's also have Nimh chargers, and Another light I would want would be the ITP Christmas set, with a solar panel-USB output-flashlight-battery thing to charge the included R01, or anything on usb, even without sunlight.

Shakelights aren't very bright but they might fit your need, beware of the poor quality ones that have batteries. I have the original Nightstar shakelight (uses a capacitor) that has worked fine for about 5 years, but I don't use it since I have better battery powered lights.

Think outside the box. Well actually, outside of your house.

Raid some of your solar garden lights to use during the night?

about a month back, transformer blew and we did not have any electricity for 2 nights. Those worked great.....

I brought in about 8 and stick them in a ceramic mugs and place them around the house. They are not too bright but I have flash lights for when I need more lights but its enough to walk around, use the bathroom, eat by, etc etc.

Try it, you will love it. Best of all, they are not expensive.

Regards,
newuser

Invest in a hobby charger and any car parked on the street becomes a recharging station.

Alternatively, a $10 - $15 dollar Duracell CEF23 or one of the better Sanyo chargers - travel chargers - can plug into your auto outlet and charge in 4 hours.

I stock lots of cells - months worth of light is pretty easy to manage - and plenty more can be scavenged from clocks and remote controls if things really are that bad / protracted.

I like the idea of solar but aside from stealing garden lights (which we have and would bring indoors if needed for passage way lights) I don't plan on investing in a solar specific charger that likely will never get used until that day it really is needed and then is determined to be inoperable or lost. Better to have a plan to use the stuff you use all the time, I think.

I have done that, but it doesn't quite work: they don't stand very well.

Batang Regla said:

By the way i own aa and aaa eneeloops. Is there a solar charger for this?

Click to expand...

One comes with the larger solar panels linked above.
Norm

Thanks norm. Sorry i didnt browse it cause i thought the seller sells only for lithium ion.

@Tandem
i will look for a good brand of hobby charger in my country.

@srfreddy
Im also intrigued with the itp christmas set and photon rex rechargeble led. (with optional usb and solar charging kit.

But i think the problem with solar charger is you need to really charge too long to get even 30minutes of light.

1. If power is going to be out for a few days, the best torch is one that can use as many battery types that are readily available AA or AAA.

2. If power is going to be out for a few weeks, then you want one that can be recharged from a car's 12 volts or solar.

3. If power is going to be out for a few months, solar recharging is your only option.

4. If it's a nuclear winter, hand-crank recharging is your only option - if you think it's worth it.

Batang Regla said:

@LMF500-
Thank you for the suggestion. I learned new something today. By the way i own aa and aaa eneeloops. Is there a solar charger for this?
@angelofwar-
I will check E2L

Click to expand...

The E2L is extra nice with the fact that the head (KX1B) is compatible with all there other E-series lights, so you could run it off a single CR123 if needed.

Here's some pic's of my set-up



And here a pic with the solar panel stowed in the case

To the OP:

I think your premise is skewed.

This is the 21st century. If you want runtime in an emergency YOU CAN HAVE IT without going solar, blah, blah, blah.

Here's the deal: Buy a PakLite and three 9v batteries. Cover the terminals of the spare batteries with tape and put them into your pocket.

That should give you 2400 hours of usable light on low -- even during a nuclear winter -- and that whole kit will fit in just one pocket.

Don't get me wrong. I'm worried about tomorrow -- I'm doin' solar recharging, but hey, come on, for what you want, blow off the solar and just buy a PakLite and a few batteries -- You'll run out of food and water WAY before you run out of light in that scenario

Just keep a tank of gas in your car and get a decent car charger for LSD nimh batteries and a small supply of backup lithium batteries. I went over 4 days without power exclusively off nimh batteries charged in my car. I charged 24 batteries and drove the car every day to pick up food and ice and stuff and even though half the gas stations were not open after a week most of the city had power back.