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Archive for the ‘Battery Lanterns’ Category
Be Prepared!
Never Again!
Here a few days ago, the wife and I went shopping to an Air Force Base in rural North Dakota. It was about 20 miles in the middle of no-where and not much surrounding it other than wheat and corn fields. We finished shopping, got a bite to eat and started heading home about 9:30-10:30 at night. As you would guess, we had a flat tire and On-Star told me that it would take at least 2-hours to get a repairman out.
I thought no-problem, I do have an emergency kit in the trunk with all the essentials: tools, jumper cables, and a flashlight. However, to my surprise, the batteries were dead in the flashlight. I was a-little reluctant to start in the dark, when I couldn’t even see the lug nuts. Of course, the wife wasn’t much help; she was definitely concerned about the frozen food items she had placed in the cooler, they were starting to thaw!
I know some of you have been there, done that, and can visualize exactly what I’m talking about. It wasn’t very pretty! The very next day, I purchased an emergency light/ flashlight that not only works on batteries but can be recharged by a built in solar panel, a little crank generator and/or through a vehicle adapter – NEVER AGAIN will this happen to me!
“Must Have” Lighting Devices!
LED Head Lighting!
I do resist change as much as the next person. However, I’m quick to embrace it if it makes my life simpler and/or more enjoyable. The positive improvements made in the outdoor and emergency lighting industry have been unbelievable. I can remember going out on a 7-day camping trip and being really concerned about whether I had brought enough batteries/bulbs for our flashlights and lanterns.
However, today, with the development and steady improvement of Light-emitting Diode (LED) technology, that concern has been strongly minimized. Lighting devices can now be obtained that have increased battery life, a brighter light-output, and they’ll even provide more resistance against heat, shatter, and water. Considering this, today’s flashlights and lighting devices maintain a lighter-weight and are an easier-to-use design than most previous standard models.
Practical Lighting!
Safe and Functional Lighting
Battery and Solar powered lighting are reputedly the safest, and controvertibly the most practical outdoor lighting in use today. They are easy to function and require little or no maintenance. But, both have some limitations that must be considered.
Solar lighting needs periodic sun-light to operate properly. They will not function at 100% if the weather does not oblige. The down-side to battery operated lanterns is recharging. Batteries are not prone to long life in cold weather, and the bright light seems to dull rather quickly. However, many batteries can be recharged with a vehicle’s electrical system or the 110 volt in-house current.
The up-side, with battery operated lanterns, is that they can be used safely anywhere in the camp site. But, I would suggest taking extra bulbs (if appropriate) and the development of a battery recharging capability.
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