Emergency light

I'm looking for a good emergency light for the car. While there are lots of different situations and issues you might want such a light to address, the key is dependability. Whatever other features such a light might boast, it has to have a really long life in the 'off' position. I want something I can toss in a storage bin, confident that it will work when I need it, even if that moment doesn't roll around for years. Everything else is secondary.

What do I need to think about when looking for a flash with super endurance in the off position?

Two questions you should ask in that case:

1) How bright do I need the light? Do I need a Lux V for a car-stashed emergency light, or will something with less output do?

2) Environmental conditions and usage - are you going to be keeping the car in the sunlight in a place like Texas? That'll kill the circuits on most lights as it is, especially those delicate beasts running Lux's. What're you using the light for? Are you just going to be poking around the car, using it to signal, etc?

One thing you might consider is one of those non-battery-powered LED lights - perhaps a squeeze-type light might work here? Or one of the NiteStar-style 'shake and use' lights.

[ QUOTE ]
Haesslich said:
> How bright do I need the light?

Longevity comes first; I'll take what I can get in the brightness dept. if I have two candidates left with equivalent lifespan.

> are you going to be keeping the car in the sunlight in a place like Texas?

New England.

> What're you using the light for? Are you just going to be poking around the car, using it to signal, etc?

Yes.

> One thing you might consider is one of those non-battery-powered LED lights - perhaps a squeeze-type light
> might work here? Or one of the NiteStar-style 'shake and use' lights.

That makes a lot of sense. I'm going to go Google now under 'shake and use'. That the right term?

Take a look at this hand-crank led light. It will hold a charge for several months.

I took mine apart to find out why ....well it seems that you're charging a NiMH battery! Pretty maintenance free light as long as you don't attack it with a screwdriver and take it apart.If you do...look out for all the gears....the case you pry off is what holds the gears in place!!!!

fhapgood: Try 'shake light' or 'Nitestar' or even 'Forever Flashlight' and you'll get some hits that way. I prefer the hand-crank or squeeze-to-spin-generator versions myself, if only because it involves a smaller light and less arm movement.

Roy: That looks like a nice idea, though they don't ship to Canada. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif But, given that it's a NiMH battery, it won't do all that well outside, given what I know of winters in New England. A batteryless solution, while less versatile, would probably be more survivable out there.

I have a SL TT 2L in my glove box, and the lithiums added with the ability to use both xenon and leds makes it a great combo for me. Else something else that's absolutely bombproof for a car and long term storage is a Ultra G or Gerber Ultra with a AA lithium battery installed. A headlamp would be a nice thing to have as well for a car breakdown/tyre change, etc for handsfree usage too.

P/S, I should point out that Lithium batts are what I'm trying to bring up here, they have high tolerances in heat and cold... and long shelf life as well. Also, go with the simplest possible solution, i.e. twist on/off instead of a switch if possible, this is to lessen possibilities of a malfunction in times of need.

If you don't want to be shaking or cranking in an emergency situation - then emergency light reliability boils down more or less to the reliability of the battery, i.e. something which uses lithium cells.

I haven't done this long enough to get experimental verification but I put 1xCR123 bowling pin lights into my cars and feel reasonably well covered. They use simple electronics, are inexpensive (maybe $12 each) and are bright enough for me.

I wrapped an elastic band (the kind used to tie hair) around the tail switch groove to make sure it won't turn on by itself. Pull the elastic off (easy with metal clip on it) and it should work for 5+ years, even in So Cal heat.

If you want, one of the cheap small lights which plug into the cigarette lighter would also be a useful second emergency light for those cases where you retain battery power.

Again, opinions only. Only time I used the thing, it worked fine, but so would have the Dorcy 1xAAA and Arc LS I was carrying at the time... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

For a small backup light in your car.....hang a Swiss Solar Cell LED from your rearview mirror! It only has one small led, but it will get you started in finding a bigger light buried in the trunk of the car. Solar cell keeps the battery charged.

My solution is to keep a cranker in the glove compartment, and several lithium-powered lights on my person. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

If nothing else, you can use the cranker to help you find the more powerful lights... though with one at my belt, a second in my pocket, and a third in a jacket or backpack, I'm usually able to find mine. But the cranker's good for when you want to save your juice, or if you don't need THAT much light... such as when you're reading maps.

i would opt for a Streamlight Twin Task 1L or 2L. that way you also have a light that provides good light for things such as changing a tire, or pulling over to take a leak on the highway. etc. but you'd probly use the LED's most of the time. here you HAVE to use lithium batteries in your light if you're going to leave it in your car all winter, or they'll fall short of expectations.

Get a good resistored DD light that uses lithium cells---something like Inova X5 is ideal. The multiple LED design will also give some redundency to the light. I wouldn't suggest "shake light" or "crank light". You will find them very annoying if you have to go through the whole night exercising your arms.

Something with Lithium battery(ies) and LEDs.

The TT2L as mentioned uses Liths, has 3LEDs which are good for some 80-85% of my needs, and has a Xenon beam that is decent quality and brightness for everything else.

Even simpler, and probably better, would be an Inova X5, maybe with an XO or XO3 in the same place for brighter needs. None of these Inova lights use a switch as such, so should be ULTRA reliable!!!

Streamlight Twin-Task 2L

I currently keep an Inova XO in the glove box, along with an ARC AA. Since both of these use Lithium batteries, shelf life and leakage should not be too much of a problem. The ARC AA is most accessible, and it's lower light level is less of a distraction for the driver; the fact that it can use batteries available at most convenience stores or gas stations is also a plus. Don't store a light in the car with Alkalines. . . I've ruined most of the MagLites I used to carry by doing this, they all leaked. Together these two lights still take up way less space than my old 2D Mags. I'd use the Gerber Infinity Ultra if you don't have an ARC AA. . .for this purpose, I think they are functionally identical (I've been using lithiums in an Ultra for some time with no ill effects).
I also carry a small toolkit in the back of the car, and I've got a UK 4AA eLed. This light is also able to use Lithiums, it runs for a really long time (but not as bright as some other lights), and since it's a dive light, should perform well in the rain when I use the jumper cables or other stuff in the tool box.

I've had a old style inova x5 in my glovebox for over 2 yrs. I forgot all about it untill I read this thread. I just went outside to check it out and it works like a charm. I just now replaced the batteries for piece of mind, and it's gona stay in my truck with the xo I placed next to it.
Sounds like a winning combo for me...Now if I can only get my lazy a$$ to buy jumper cables and a jack I'll be much better off...lol I'm a mechanic and I can't even jump my own car or change a flat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

[ QUOTE ]
tequilathursday said:
I've had a old style inova x5 in my glovebox for over 2 yrs. I forgot all about it untill I read this thread. I just went outside to check it out and it works like a charm.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's encouraging. . . I only switched to Lithium powered lights early this summer. Hopefully, no more trashed lights with leaky batteries!

Oh yes. The first and simplest choice is to find a light with simple electronics like just a resistor, which can use lithium cells. I had a Mag AA with Sandwich handy, so that's my backup which I put in the trunk (it's usually a little cooler in there). With a pair of half-used lithium AAs in there, it still works well despite having sat in the car for 2 Perth summers already (I imagine similar to Texan summers).

In my glove box is an el-cheapo hand cranked which I modded to with a rectifier, voltage regulator, 3F worth of supercapacitors and a couple of LEDs. I used to have a Nightstar, but that was a little too bullky. After about a minute of cranking, you get about 15min of good light.

Alternatively, if you can find something like the one linked to above. Also linked here? This version that I bought claims the use of rechargeable lithium button cells (2032 sized, IIRC). A minute of winding gets you 30min on one LED, 10 min on 3. I have verified that this is very very close to actual performance. The light is bright, so I guess the 5mm LEDs are getting at least their rated current.

However, there is one thing I am wondering. I'm told that some of these el cheapo magnets will lose their magnetism with repeated exposure to cycles of heat and cold. So I wonder how reliable will be the el cheapo handcranked lights? Or even for that matter, the clones and copies and the original Shakelight? Does it matter whether it uses rare earth magnets or just ordinary ferro magnets?

1. No light is perfectly reliable. Any light can fail. If you want protection against that, have a backup, e.g. your EDC light.

2. If you're in a very dark place, you don't need a whole lot of light to see what you're doing to change a tire or whatever. The Photon II on your keychain is really enough. In a brighter place (roads with streetlights), you might not even need a flashlight.

3. Part of preparedness is knowing that your stuff works. So asking for a light that you can forget about for years and years is showing an expected lack of preparedness. Even if it still works, will you have forgotten that it's there? Best to just make a point of checking your light when you rotate your tires, a couple times a year or whatever.

4. If it's an emergency light and not a convenience light, you can store the batteries outside the light. So if they leak, they won't leak in the light. And by leaving them in the original sealed package, you'll know they're unused. You still may to rotate them out every so often. Put new ones in the car and open up the old package and use them in something else.

5. The TwinTask 2L is a really good choice; it's small, runs on lithiums, has a bright high beam and a long-lasting LED low beam; not much can go wrong with it.

I had a cheap 2D light in my glovebox for years but I think I never used it. More recently I switched it to a PT Surge on general principles but rarely use that. The main thing I've used it for is looking for house numbers from the car.

2X2C Mag's with 3X123's. One with 6 cell bulb and the other with 1watt luxeon. Relatively cheap, tough, reliable, somewhat compact. At least compared to a six cell Mag. Or if money is no object, a 3X123 Sure Fire with a P 90 and KL3 LED. Add another 3X123 light with one of the obove for redundancy.

Try the UK 4AA eLED with Lithium AA's. Great run time, moderate output, sturdy construction.