Daringly Different........renewable light

Gerhard Gerber · **on:** January 18, 2016, 10:20:18 AM

Hi Everybody

My hate-affair with all things battery powered (thus completely non-renewable) continues, not the end of the world but my latest LED Lenser headlight's battery saver function is just the newest cause/example

Which made me think: Are there any good, or at least functional non-battery-powered lights out there?

One local chain store carries little wind-up LED torches, considered them many times but the quality is not great, and the price high!
Also, the weight made me suspect there's some form of rechargeable battery in there?

Wondered while I was typing if there are "capacitor-powered flashlights "..........and realized that's an easy enough google-search

.....and yes, you do

5.11 PC3.300 still has to be charged.....

Anything remorely good out there?

dks · **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2016, 10:25:45 AM

I have bought some of the windable ones and usually the handles break, they need to be charged, they are weak.. Usually you can use them directly, as you wind them, or they store the energy in a battery, and they can be used any time you want them.

Maybe there are some that work with a spring, where winding tenses the spring and then it runs a dynamo.

Gerhard Gerber · **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2016, 11:23:15 AM

Your first suggestion is..........non-renewable

dks · **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2016, 11:29:41 AM

sorted:

Not much help, I know..

Etherealicer · **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2016, 11:38:09 AM

Well, Carbide lamps are great. It has good shelf life and gives good light. Although I think its not so widely available anymore (might even be restricted depending on where you are).

Etherealicer · **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2016, 11:40:06 AM

More renewable but less portable would be the GravityLight

gregozedobe · **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2016, 12:13:06 PM

Last time I looked ( a couple of years ago) there were no good quality crank-type lights (and a lot that were just rubbish).

In terms of practical, available renewables how about a conventional LED light (torch/flashlight depending on where you live), running on rechargeable eneloop AA batteries charged up by a solar panel charger ?

Gerhard Gerber · **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2016, 12:47:45 PM

Quote from: Etherealicer on January 18, 2016, 11:40:06 AM

More renewable but less portable would be the GravityLight

Very Cool

Gerhard Gerber · **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2016, 01:19:45 PM

Quote from: gregozedobe on January 18, 2016, 12:13:06 PM

Last time I looked ( a couple of years ago) there were no good quality crank-type lights (and a lot that were just rubbish).

In terms of practical, available renewables how about a conventional LED light (torch/flashlight depending on where you live), running on rechargeable eneloop AA batteries charged up by a solar panel charger ?

Thanks for the replies on crank-type lights.....saved a few $$ not finding out for myself

gregozedobe - Your suggestion is good, and it made me question my parameters.

Simple fact is I have enough AA and AAA rechargeable batteries and chargers, and as long as I take the Petzl instead of the LED Lenser I should have light for longer than any trip I've ever done, so normal situations are not a problem.

I've often wondered about but almost never needed light when I fall out of the hammock at 2am to take a leak, but what if it's another call of nature around the camp.........? And I'm not headed home in 2 days, but out there for the long haul.....?

I have no problem trusting electronics, no moving parts, the problem is always just the power source.

Corwyn · **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2016, 01:22:10 PM

Had crank flashlight, looked cool. Was useless. Gave it away in a Secret Santa Geocache

Etherealicer · **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2016, 10:20:58 PM

Quote from: Gerhard Gerber on January 18, 2016, 01:19:45 PM

Quote from: gregozedobe on January 18, 2016, 12:13:06 PM
Last time I looked ( a couple of years ago) there were no good quality crank-type lights (and a lot that were just rubbish).

In terms of practical, available renewables how about a conventional LED light (torch/flashlight depending on where you live), running on rechargeable eneloop AA batteries charged up by a solar panel charger ?

Thanks for the replies on crank-type lights.....saved a few $$ not finding out for myself

gregozedobe - Your suggestion is good, and it made me question my parameters.

Simple fact is I have enough AA and AAA rechargeable batteries and chargers, and as long as I take the Petzl instead of the LED Lenser I should have light for longer than any trip I've ever done, so normal situations are not a problem.

I've often wondered about but almost never needed light when I fall out of the hammock at 2am to take a leak, but what if it's another call of nature around the camp.........? And I'm not headed home in 2 days, but out there for the long haul.....?

I have no problem trusting electronics, no moving parts, the problem is always just the power source.

This sorta sounds like you never had a flashlight with a lithium-ion battery. Those last very long (unlike alkaline batteries who loose their charge over time). You should also get one with a very low setting.

Personally, I love my Olight S10R. It has a runtime of about 48h on its lowest setting (5 lumens, enough to navigate a forest in the dark) or over 5h at about 50 lumens. And if needed you can crank it up to ridiculous 500 lumens. When I want to use it as headlamp I attach it to a baseball cap.

Steinar · **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2016, 09:11:19 AM

If runtime and simplicity are the deciding factors, http://9voltlight.com/ is good stuff. They have ridiculous runtime on their low-light mode. I have those scattered about at home.

Gerhard Gerber · **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2016, 02:38:43 PM

Well the answers have been educational, love the concept of those 9V lights........taking the KISS-concept all the way

Still, all the answers come down to x-number of hours @ x-number of Lumens.......I assume I'm looking for sausage in the dog box...

Etherealicer · **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2016, 03:23:05 PM

Quote from: Gerhard Gerber on January 19, 2016, 02:38:43 PM

Well the answers have been educational, love the concept of those 9V lights........taking the KISS-concept all the way

Still, all the answers come down to x-number of hours @ x-number of Lumens.......I assume I'm looking for sausage in the dog box...

No, what you want exists but it's not so pocket friendly... buy a bike