Power's still out, Lights I actually used

Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

A wind storm ripped thru Tulsa, OK last night with sustain winds of 50mph, gusting to 95 mph.

Knocked out power last night at aprox 10:30pm, power is still down.

When power went off, my boys was watching Samari shampoo. Naturally I had my EDC Li14430/CR2 on a neck lanyard. Whup that out and was functioning.

My boys went straight for my desk to grab a light. I said whoaaa... where's your lights? So I made them find their infinity ultra-G's.

I grabbed my Surefire U2, then my rayovac headlamp, then found the tri-Ubin 2C m#g.

was having big time fun of course. remembered I need to test out a custom LSH-P with UWOH with hand soldered PCB. So I grab that to survey damage outside.

with headlamp on and tri-lux burning in pocket. I wheeled out my 5,500 watt Honda generator and hooked up the house.

About that time my tri-lux low voltage triggered, switched out li-ion pack and was up again. Since triton is run off a car battery. stuck low li-ion pack on triton.

lit a few candles, but realized lionheart on 168 pila would run for many hours on low. So I setup lionheart in standup position on low for rest of the night.

remembered my new Gladius,,,, pulled that out. took outside to survey damage. pretty good throw.

Out comes the tri-Ubin again to light up the huge Oak trees outside. A huge branch had crashed down!

So custom LSH-P along with tri-ubin got most burntime.

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Hey Cy, we got a pretty good one this morning (OKC) also about 5 am.. Man it was wicked.. but the lights didn't go off /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
But my wife and 2 year old woke me up freakin out from the thunder.. glad you are ok up there

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Nice.... cy, you have various u-bin lights..... which bin code in the ubin family do you like the best?

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Stories like these always interest me. The lights we play (Orb Raw, Mag85, whatever) with are not necessarily the ones we grab when the lights go out. Nothing against the Raw and the Mag85, etc. They have their roles too.

best regards

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

wow, UWOH, didn't think those exsisted. Thats about the best luxIII bin you could get!! wow!

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

I lost power here about the same time as cy did. I had a few energizer accent lanterns set up around the house and a 2led energizer folding lantern where I was. I used several headlamps including a 12x26kmcd LED headlamp I made to set things up. The power came back on near noon here. It started getting sticky late last night so I used a cheap $1 pocket fan loaded first with 2 nicad AAs, then when they died probably from not charging them for a month I switched to freshly charged nimh 2300 energizer AAs. I was using AAs nimh in the accent lanterns also. Now I am looking for a nice battery powered fan that I can either run off nimh AAs or an SLA 6 or 12v battery.

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

[ QUOTE ]
Stories like these always interest me. The lights we play (Orb Raw, Mag85, whatever) with are not necessarily the ones we grab when the lights go out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hence the reason I love my L1 and other variable power lights. It's really amazing how little light one needs when it really is dark. Modern flashlights with super long run times on a single battery really have supassed candles in run time, safety, multi-function capability and overall ease of use. Heck a 9volt battery with a 5mm LED makes a heck of a long running/reusable candle and costs a pittance in money and just a few moments of time and know how.

Chris

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Aye. I like my LH and all, and find the low levels are quite useful for puttering around the apartment at night... but for when I need a light for emergencies, I have a PAL Survival Light in my backpack running off a 9V. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Easy to find, and easy to use.

Of course, I also have a shake-light for times when I need to find other lights... and a lot of rechargeables. I really do need to find myself another Mag with a drop-in, however, for when I need a long-lasting light with a common battery.

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Helly Cy,

Don't you just love camping out... at home. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Tom

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Its always interesting to hear about real-world flashlight usage. Good job being so prepared. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Last night was your turn, cy! Our power only flickered briefly, but a couple of weeks ago a large swath of our area lost power around 10pm due to a substation failure. The neighborhood streets quickly became an impromptu watch party, everyone with a flashlight.

One lady showed up with a multi LED headlamp, another neighbor with a Sharper Image Luxeon light I had given her husband, and there were the obligatory Mag lights, of course. For me the U2 was the item. With no ambient light, I kept it on the low setting. Pumping it up to high it did an impressive job of illuminating the immediate neighborhood, but that was a bit too much. I then retrieved my Pelican Lux1 headlamp and prepared the generator for use (never did fire it up). Really, there is no substitute for a headlamp when you actually need to do something in the dark.

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Great job! The variable power lights are especially cool because you can crank them up for damage control or area flood and then dial them down when you need 'ride through' power, just like your LionCandle application /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

wasblinded,

I'm with you! You can't replace a headlamp when you have do something in the dark.....especially when the task requires the use of your hands!

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

"""
My boys went straight for my desk to grab a light. I said whoaaa... where's your lights?"""

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Thats a good one.
I had to say the same thing to my sister a few months ago.
You try to tell them, theres only certain lights you really want them touching.
But they always want to go for the ones you dont even trust yourself with /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

[ QUOTE ]
cy said:
lit a few candles.

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif lol

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

[ QUOTE ]
colterbay2005 said:
wasblinded,

I'm with you! You can't replace a headlamp when you have do something in the dark.....especially when the task requires the use of your hands!

[/ QUOTE ]

That is why I have over 8 headlamps, just in case 7 of them go bad I have an extra one to fix them with. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

[ QUOTE ]
jtice said:
"""
My boys went straight for my desk to grab a light. I said whoaaa... where's your lights?"""

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Thats a good one.
I had to say the same thing to my sister a few months ago.
You try to tell them, theres only certain lights you really want them touching.
But they always want to go for the ones you dont even trust yourself with /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's one that's slightly better.

"Someone get a light!"

As the Surefire-equipped family (thanks to the resident flashaholic) breaks out the 2D Eveready dollar specials.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

.. they won't even get their OWN Surefires /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Nobody around me knows anything about flashlights so after the power outage either I already gave them the light they are using or they want one like one I bought myself for such emergencies. I was at a walmart tonight and ended up helping a lady buy a mess of lanterns for her kids. She was buying a bunch of coleman incan with the variable output, I got her instead to buy a folding 15watt coleman lantern a 10 dollar generic 9watt fluorescent lantern and a few cheapo rayovac kids 4AA incan lanterns. She wanted all area lights so I couldn't interest her in much else. I was suprised only the lanterns were being cleaned out at walmart and none of the flashlights seemed to sell as they had everything in stock minus the dorcy 1AAA... which sell out within a week of getting some in anyway.

I myself have 2D and 6v lanterns scattered around in case of emergencies.. I keep all the *good* stuff in my room. That way when anyone wants a light they don't get my nice stuff.
I was dissapointed that the power outage didn't last longer but kind of glad it didn't because without my computer and TV set and air conditioning it was boring and sticky here, two things I dislike.

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

Haha...what KevinL and Jtice said! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

I guess that privilege of being a flashaholic is to have fun and play flashlights when everyone else was busy looking for light sources to use. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif And what does work, what is reliable and sustainable always shine in those moments.

Re: Power\'s still out, Lights I actually used

[ QUOTE ]
nemul said:
[ QUOTE ]
cy said:
lit a few candles.

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif lol

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, dont knock the candles !!!

I have thousands of $$$$ of lights in my house, and guess what the very best long runtime room light is?

yep, CANDLES !