We had quite a humid scorcher yesterday and even before I got home I knew it would rain in a couple of hours. About a half hour after I got home, the wind started to blow VERY hard. I even saw a young sapling bend down so far it must have touched the ground. At that point I figured I better hurry up and start cooking just in case. I never really had any power outages where I live (maybe 2 hours once and some hiccups every full moon), so I wasn't expecting anything that would last, but was kinda hoping since I don't get to be the only light on very often. The power had 2-3 major hiccups while I was cooking and I asked the gods to just let me finish cooking this (don't have a barbecue and didn't feel like bringing out the camping stove).
It was dark, but really DARK… like night time dark! I figured I better keep the TK45 close by and shoved my Malkoff MC-E in my underwear elastic (it was really, really hot). At precisely the moment I decided my steak was done, the power went out (see, the gods listen sometimes) and I disconnected my PSP charger from the wall and plugged it in my computer's UPS (preparedness, man.) All my windows where still open to let the smoke out and I proceeded to eat with my TK45 in turbo tail standing next to me. I swear I never saw my food so clearly. With all the smoke and bright light pouring out of my window, the neighbors from across the street must have thought I was running a diesel generator in my apartment. I should have gone outside and taken a look for myself, because for sure some people must have been staring at me eating my steak while they're in the dark eating carrots with not even a candle. Then it started pouring and the thunder was real close, so I shut all the windows.
Once I finished eating, I figured that the power never goes out this long and no one is stupid enough to climb in a wet pole with that kind of wind and thunder. With the TK45 getting pretty warm by now, I decided I should switch for my LD40 while doing the dishes. I spent the rest of the evening playing on the PSP, talking on the phone and switching between lights to let them cool off. I had to get the TK40 and TK15 at one point. I switched the batteries from the TK40 to the TK45 with the LD40 on (the challenge is specific on using your light on maximum and the TK45 is better at dissipating heat.) It was too dark to keep the lights off with the PSP in my face, so I kept switching lights every now ant then. In the end I drained one set of batteries for the TK45 and one set for the LD40, the PSP was still almost fully charged and I went to bed with the TK15 and a red filter on it. Thinking about those poor unenlightened people across the street probably stuck eating cold or half cooked, doing dishes in the dark and headed for bed early, I was laughing my head off "business as usual here!"
The power only came back after I fell asleep, so I can't say how long it was out. My frozen meat was fine this morning, but I might have lost 2 tubs of ice cream and had plenty of hot water for my shower. I hope the ice cream will still be at least edible because today is another hot humid one with no A/C at home and about 26 batteries to charge.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FROM THIS? Not much I didn't know, but I learned a few.
Precious modes, man… I kinda missed my precious lower modes.
If you're going to blast the lights during a power outage, don't forget to close the blinds. I'm sure I was the only thing on for a lot of people last night.
Keep watching for overheat. It is not so much an issue as it used to be, but you wouldn't want to burn out that 150$ light now, would ya?
When your high output LED flashlight switches down because the batteries are getting tired, you might not notice at all, especially if you're busy. Check every now and then because even if you have the impression you're still on turbo, you actually might be on medium by now, which indicates your batteries are dying on you.
Aiming a powerful light at the wall (if it can't tail stand) can be too bright in the context where you can't use a lower mode. I aimed my LD40 inside the desk where objects are darker and reflect less so I didn't see my face in the PSP.
You can't fix the table with a light in hand. Ceiling bounce is the best here because you can see pretty much everything, not just the table or part of it.
Being prepared is key. Mentally prepared is as important as physically prepared. A ups will not keep a computer running for long, but it can charge your batteries. Turn it off if not in use, but don't wait too long before using that precious juice either, as the battery will slowly drain on its own. Charge your batteries early rather than too late.
I just realized I totally forgot about my HID which definitely is more than sufficient for the 250 lumen challenge. It also has a 12V outlet that could have kept me charging batteries for extra hours after the UPS would have been drained, but right now I'm thinking in terms of freaking the neighbors out (thinking about National Lampoon's Christmas vacation when he turns the lights on and the neighbors get sunburns.)
Use your hot water while it's hot and clean those dishes or take that shower you might need. Definitely start with the shower if that's the case.
Eat your ice-cream before it melts. Meat will stay frozen longer and will keep for a good 24 hours in a fairly full freezer as long as you don't open that door more than the one or two times you need to get that ice-cream tub out then in (unless you're a total pig and eat the whole thing, then your meat might keep a little longer…)
It was dark, but really DARK… like night time dark! I figured I better keep the TK45 close by and shoved my Malkoff MC-E in my underwear elastic (it was really, really hot). At precisely the moment I decided my steak was done, the power went out (see, the gods listen sometimes) and I disconnected my PSP charger from the wall and plugged it in my computer's UPS (preparedness, man.) All my windows where still open to let the smoke out and I proceeded to eat with my TK45 in turbo tail standing next to me. I swear I never saw my food so clearly. With all the smoke and bright light pouring out of my window, the neighbors from across the street must have thought I was running a diesel generator in my apartment. I should have gone outside and taken a look for myself, because for sure some people must have been staring at me eating my steak while they're in the dark eating carrots with not even a candle. Then it started pouring and the thunder was real close, so I shut all the windows.
Once I finished eating, I figured that the power never goes out this long and no one is stupid enough to climb in a wet pole with that kind of wind and thunder. With the TK45 getting pretty warm by now, I decided I should switch for my LD40 while doing the dishes. I spent the rest of the evening playing on the PSP, talking on the phone and switching between lights to let them cool off. I had to get the TK40 and TK15 at one point. I switched the batteries from the TK40 to the TK45 with the LD40 on (the challenge is specific on using your light on maximum and the TK45 is better at dissipating heat.) It was too dark to keep the lights off with the PSP in my face, so I kept switching lights every now ant then. In the end I drained one set of batteries for the TK45 and one set for the LD40, the PSP was still almost fully charged and I went to bed with the TK15 and a red filter on it. Thinking about those poor unenlightened people across the street probably stuck eating cold or half cooked, doing dishes in the dark and headed for bed early, I was laughing my head off "business as usual here!"
The power only came back after I fell asleep, so I can't say how long it was out. My frozen meat was fine this morning, but I might have lost 2 tubs of ice cream and had plenty of hot water for my shower. I hope the ice cream will still be at least edible because today is another hot humid one with no A/C at home and about 26 batteries to charge.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FROM THIS? Not much I didn't know, but I learned a few.
Precious modes, man… I kinda missed my precious lower modes.
If you're going to blast the lights during a power outage, don't forget to close the blinds. I'm sure I was the only thing on for a lot of people last night.
Keep watching for overheat. It is not so much an issue as it used to be, but you wouldn't want to burn out that 150$ light now, would ya?
When your high output LED flashlight switches down because the batteries are getting tired, you might not notice at all, especially if you're busy. Check every now and then because even if you have the impression you're still on turbo, you actually might be on medium by now, which indicates your batteries are dying on you.
Aiming a powerful light at the wall (if it can't tail stand) can be too bright in the context where you can't use a lower mode. I aimed my LD40 inside the desk where objects are darker and reflect less so I didn't see my face in the PSP.
You can't fix the table with a light in hand. Ceiling bounce is the best here because you can see pretty much everything, not just the table or part of it.
Being prepared is key. Mentally prepared is as important as physically prepared. A ups will not keep a computer running for long, but it can charge your batteries. Turn it off if not in use, but don't wait too long before using that precious juice either, as the battery will slowly drain on its own. Charge your batteries early rather than too late.
I just realized I totally forgot about my HID which definitely is more than sufficient for the 250 lumen challenge. It also has a 12V outlet that could have kept me charging batteries for extra hours after the UPS would have been drained, but right now I'm thinking in terms of freaking the neighbors out (thinking about National Lampoon's Christmas vacation when he turns the lights on and the neighbors get sunburns.)
Use your hot water while it's hot and clean those dishes or take that shower you might need. Definitely start with the shower if that's the case.
Eat your ice-cream before it melts. Meat will stay frozen longer and will keep for a good 24 hours in a fairly full freezer as long as you don't open that door more than the one or two times you need to get that ice-cream tub out then in (unless you're a total pig and eat the whole thing, then your meat might keep a little longer…)
