Author Topic: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights  (Read 4915 times)

billt

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2018, 06:50:36 AM »
.....I only buy alkaline batteries for all of my flashlights. If there's a power outage I don't have any way to recharge any type of rechargeable batteries, but I can replace alkaline batteries with spares.

Agree 100%. Aside from laptops and cell phones, I'm not sold on anything rechargeable. Especially now with Lithium batteries available, and coming down in price. After several cycles of recharging, they last less and less, until you have to replace them as well. And that can be expensive, as well as a PITA to find the proper one.

I currently have a older, inexpensive Toshiba laptop that needs a battery replacement. (It only lasts about 12 to 15 minutes on battery power). Not only is it expensive, but they make over 100 different ones! And they all look the same. And the places in town that stock them want over $100.00 for them. I can get them online for much less. But I don't have the confidence that I'm buying the right one. Or that it's not a Chinese POS. And returning anything online is a PITA. So I just live with it.

Jim Kennedy-ar154me

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2018, 11:03:42 AM »
I currently have a older, inexpensive Toshiba laptop that needs a battery replacement. (It only lasts about 12 to 15 minutes on battery power). Not only is it expensive, but they make over 100 different ones! And they all look the same. And the places in town that stock them want over $100.00 for them. I can get them online for much less. But I don't have the confidence that I'm buying the right one. Or that it's not a Chinese POS. And returning anything online is a PITA. So I just live with it.

I work in I.T. and this is usually the cheapest place I know of if you want to check them out. One advantage is it walks you through picking the battery by manufacturer, model, sub-model, etc...


http://www.kahlon.com/
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les snyder

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2018, 09:49:59 PM »
if you live where there is a potential for a long term power outage, I urge you to invest in some form of generator...I did not have one for the 9 day outage in 2004, but had both a 3500W Honda and 2200W Chicom inverter generator for Irma....even though the outage for Irma was only a little over 3 1/2 days, the difference having electricity made the recovery so much easier... one of the lesson's learned was the need for an additional charger for the AA Eneloops... and a dedicated power strip so multiple chargers can be run off the same outlet

Big Frank

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #13 on: February 07, 2018, 11:57:52 PM »
No hurricanes here, and tornadoes only hit once every few decades.

The only things I can think of right off hand that knock out power are:
1. Critters getting fried in substations. I think the power gets re-routed right away.
2. Cars hitting utility poles really hard. The power may be out for awhile.
3. Trees and tree branches knocking down wires. I think that causes the majority of the outages. It's mostly ice storms that knock them down, and that mainly happens farther north. Sometimes high winds will drop a branch on the wires but that doesn't happen very often either.

Last year my power went out and came back on within a second, twice that I can remember, but it could have been 3 or 4 times. It's enough to shut off my computer and make the clock on my VCR/DVD player say 12:00. Everything else seems unaffected. I think it was about a year ago that my power went out for a few hours. I kept my freezer closed until the power came on and everything stayed ice cold. I sat around and read by my florescent camping lantern. It takes 2 6-volt batteries that last for years and years. If they died and the stores are closed and all of my flashlights and spare batteries died I might still be able to get batteries. They use the same kind in the flashing lights on orange barrels and barricades. With road construction going on 9 months a year I should be able to locate some. I would steal them if I had too, but I'll never have to.

I have city water that's supposedly safe to drink now, so I never have to worry about a well losing power. I should have plenty of heat, light, and water, as long as the situation doesn't last several times longer than it ever has before. If the water quits flowing I'll drink Powerade until I run out. I have propane to cook with if the natural gas quits flowing too. Earthquakes in Michigan are rare and small enough to sleep through, so they shouldn't cause any problems.
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

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billt

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2018, 03:06:28 AM »
.....Last year my power went out and came back on within a second, twice that I can remember, but it could have been 3 or 4 times. It's enough to shut off my computer and make the clock on my VCR/DVD player say 12:00. Everything else seems unaffected. I think it was about a year ago that my power went out for a few hours. I kept my freezer closed until the power came on and everything stayed ice cold.....

I'm the same way. It only goes out for a couple of seconds. And only about twice a year. The longest it was out was for about 20 minutes. I have a small Honda Generator, but I haven't run it in several years. It got to be too much of a PITA to keep fresh gas for it. (I have no lawn to mow or snow to blow like I did in the Midwest).

So the thing fell into disrepair. I've never tried to start it in years, so I'm sure it's gunked up. I should take it in to Honda and have it gone through, but then the same thing would happen. It would be nice to have a whole house generator, but I can't justify the expense, or work to keep it running.

My air compressor is over 30 years old, but still runs good. I've thought about getting a gas powered one with greater capacity. They even have multi use units that have an air compressor and a generator in the same unit. I could at least keep it running because I use compressed air for cleaning my guns and filling my tires. So the engine would get run regularly. This one is a pretty nice unit.

https://wholesalepowertools.com/mi-t-m-ag2-ps14-08m1-portable-gasoline-two-stage-air-compressor-generator-combination-15-7-cfm-14-hp-subaru-8-gallon-3500-watt?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI16bHlZu52AIV1RSHCh0tgQAMEAEYASACEgJV7PD_BwE#.WnwSirdy53F

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #15 on: Today at 04:34:04 AM »

PegLeg45

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2018, 12:22:02 PM »
if you live where there is a potential for a long term power outage, I urge you to invest in some form of generator...I did not have one for the 9 day outage in 2004, but had both a 3500W Honda and 2200W Chicom inverter generator for Irma....even though the outage for Irma was only a little over 3 1/2 days, the difference having electricity made the recovery so much easier... one of the lesson's learned was the need for an additional charger for the AA Eneloops... and a dedicated power strip so multiple chargers can be run off the same outlet

Thanks to Irma and the longest power outage in my life, we now have an 8750w generator. Some time later in the year I plan on purchasing a 4000w and setting up a heavy pigtail to tie into our well system.




I'm the same way. It only goes out for a couple of seconds. And only about twice a year. The longest it was out was for about 20 minutes. I have a small Honda Generator, but I haven't run it in several years. It got to be too much of a PITA to keep fresh gas for it. (I have no lawn to mow or snow to blow like I did in the Midwest).

So the thing fell into disrepair. I've never tried to start it in years, so I'm sure it's gunked up. I should take it in to Honda and have it gone through, but then the same thing would happen. It would be nice to have a whole house generator, but I can't justify the expense, or work to keep it running.


If you get it back running, keep the tank full with non-ethanol gas and add Sta-Bil. The storage grade Sta-bil is good for 24 months. After filling the tank, run it to get the stuff in the carburetor so it won't gum up.
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Solus

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2018, 02:03:06 PM »
If I could afford it, I'd go with a "whole house" Natural Gas...and one that will run on LP or gasoline too..

They are wired so that should the power go out, they kick in automatically.

Hooked to your Natural Gass supply line, it is n ot like.y that both electricy and NG will go out together...earthquake might do it..

And, unlike gas stations, the local NG facility will have backup power...they have a load of NG on hand for that...

Here is were you can find out more

https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/power/natural-gas-generators.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAh_DTBRCTARIsABlT9May3hUh732ysyDRwf4WmKYPPunF-Jm5Nmo5DK-d5-n0wqdvIQN0A3saAuY7EALw_wcB
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Big Frank

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Re: A Couple Of Good Inexpensive Flashlights
« Reply #17 on: February 08, 2018, 03:50:17 PM »
I'm the same way. It only goes out for a couple of seconds. And only about twice a year. The longest it was out was for about 20 minutes. I have a small Honda Generator, but I haven't run it in several years. It got to be too much of a PITA to keep fresh gas for it. (I have no lawn to mow or snow to blow like I did in the Midwest).

So the thing fell into disrepair. I've never tried to start it in years, so I'm sure it's gunked up. I should take it in to Honda and have it gone through, but then the same thing would happen. It would be nice to have a whole house generator, but I can't justify the expense, or work to keep it running.

My air compressor is over 30 years old, but still runs good. I've thought about getting a gas powered one with greater capacity. They even have multi use units that have an air compressor and a generator in the same unit. I could at least keep it running because I use compressed air for cleaning my guns and filling my tires. So the engine would get run regularly. This one is a pretty nice unit.

https://wholesalepowertools.com/mi-t-m-ag2-ps14-08m1-portable-gasoline-two-stage-air-compressor-generator-combination-15-7-cfm-14-hp-subaru-8-gallon-3500-watt?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI16bHlZu52AIV1RSHCh0tgQAMEAEYASACEgJV7PD_BwE#.WnwSirdy53F

One of my friends has a Honda generator and a Yamaha generator. He said the Yamaha is better than the Honda. When my power goes out it's like someone flipping a light switch off and on with no waiting in between. An air compressor/generator sounds like it would be good for you since you use an air compressor anyway.

I got a little Campbell Hausfeld air compressor at Sears that was cheaper than a generic Harbor Freight air compressor of the same or similar size. The Harbor Freight compressor didn't even have a hose or air chuck with it, but the Campbell Hausfeld did. I think it was around 80 bucks. It's only a 2 gallon tank but I thought it was 3 gallons. It won't inflate my truck, trailer, and ATV tires all on a single tank full like the big ones. But it works well enough for me unless I let my tire pressure get way too low. Before this I've only had inflators with no air tank. Mine looks like this but the end of the model number is slightly different. https://campbellhausfeld.com/air-compressor-2-gallon-hot-dog-oilless-36-cfm-33hp-120v-3a-fp209000av-1.html?category_id=62
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

 

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