"Huge" wrote in message
...
Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch? My elderly B&D one has given
up
the ghost, the cheap bazillion power spotlights in the sheds have
batteries
made of lard and Maglite want hundreds of pounds(!) for their
"rechargeable
torch system".

I want one that I can leave plugged in all the time and it would be nice
if
it recharged from 12V as well as mains and came on automatically in a
power
cut.


I got a cheap UniRoss one from Argos and it has been active and plugged in
for probably 8-10 years. It starts flashing if the mains goes off (assuming
the switch is in flashing mode - the flashing stops when an active charge is
detected). The batteries probably don't last as long as they might now but
still long enough for emergencies. I think it cost £8.99 at the time. They
still do the same torch (restyled) for £9.99 and it has 12V car adapter
(which mine didn't). Given my experience, for emergency use, I would buy
this.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Huge wrote:

Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch? My elderly B&D one has
given up the ghost, the cheap bazillion power spotlights in the sheds
have batteries made of lard and Maglite want hundreds of pounds(!)
for their "rechargeable torch system".

I want one that I can leave plugged in all the time and it would be
nice if it recharged from 12V as well as mains and came on
automatically in a power cut.

Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge yourself
without needing a mains supply?
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Huge wrote:


Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch? My elderly B&D one has
given up the ghost, the cheap bazillion power spotlights in the sheds
have batteries made of lard and Maglite want hundreds of pounds(!)
for their "rechargeable torch system".

I want one that I can leave plugged in all the time and it would be
nice if it recharged from 12V as well as mains and came on
automatically in a power cut.


Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge yourself
without needing a mains supply?

Can you really get those - are are you just winding me up?

On Thu, 6 Oct 2005 12:37:56 +0100, "Set Square"
wrote:

Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge yourself
without needing a mains supply?

There is also a torch which can be shaken. It comprises a tube with a
fixed magnet at each end. In the tube is a third magnet which is free
to move. Around the tube is a coil. Shake the torch and it charges a
capacitor which in turn powers the light.

http://www.gadgets.co.uk/dual-power-...ake-torch.html

Huge wrote:
Richard Conway writes:

Set Square wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Huge wrote:



Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch? My elderly B&D one has
given up the ghost, the cheap bazillion power spotlights in the sheds
have batteries made of lard and Maglite want hundreds of pounds(!)
for their "rechargeable torch system".

I want one that I can leave plugged in all the time and it would be
nice if it recharged from 12V as well as mains and came on
automatically in a power cut.


Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge yourself
without needing a mains supply?

Can you really get those


Oh, yes. Several kinds.

Nah, you're just cranking my handle now!

Huge wrote:
(s--p--o--n--i--x) writes:

On Thu, 6 Oct 2005 12:37:56 +0100, "Set Square"
wrote:


Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge yourself
without needing a mains supply?

There is also a torch which can be shaken. It comprises a tube with a
fixed magnet at each end. In the tube is a third magnet which is free
to move. Around the tube is a coil. Shake the torch and it charges a
capacitor which in turn powers the light.

http://www.gadgets.co.uk/dual-power-...ake-torch.html


Which then goes out at the exact moment you need it shone directly on
something...

I suspect that anything that comes from 'gadgets.co.uk' is probably a
totally worthless gimmick. Functional but not practical comes to mind.

"Richard Conway" wrote in message
...
Huge wrote:
Richard Conway writes:

Set Square wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Huge wrote:



Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch? My elderly B&D one has
given up the ghost, the cheap bazillion power spotlights in the sheds
have batteries made of lard and Maglite want hundreds of pounds(!)
for their "rechargeable torch system".

I want one that I can leave plugged in all the time and it would be
nice if it recharged from 12V as well as mains and came on
automatically in a power cut.


Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge
yourself
without needing a mains supply?

Can you really get those


Oh, yes. Several kinds.

Nah, you're just cranking my handle now!


They really exist. We bought one when we went wandering around the Amazon.
It has two light settings but with full charge it only lasts about 5 min on
the brightest. They now make them with LEDs instead of a bulb so they might
last longer. You also get ones that you shake instead of winding up. As you
can imagine that caused many comments when someone started recharging it
before leaving the pub.

Found a shake torch on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tem=8701321486
and here is a wind up one http://www.ogormans.co.uk/freeplay.htm


Simon

Richard Conway wrote:

I suspect that anything that comes from 'gadgets.co.uk' is probably a
totally worthless gimmick.

The LED shaker torch is actually a pretty useful piece of kit. Modern
LEDs and supercaps make it viable.

They're about 30 quid from most places, but I've also seen them for a
fiver at a local garage. Certainly worth the fiver!

Huge wrote:
Can you really get those

Oh, yes. Several kinds.

I bought a few of them in Makro a few weeks ago. Use LED bulbs and 1 mins
winding give 30 mins light apparently. Axminster do one that will also
recharge your mobile!

I have seen one where you shake it up & down to charge it - I'd be a bit
careful about where I did that!

Dave

On 6 Oct 2005 05:06:59 -0700, wrote:

Richard Conway wrote:

I suspect that anything that comes from 'gadgets.co.uk' is probably a
totally worthless gimmick.

The LED shaker torch is actually a pretty useful piece of kit. Modern
LEDs and supercaps make it viable.

They're about 30 quid from most places, but I've also seen them for a
fiver at a local garage. Certainly worth the fiver!

Around a fiver on ebay too.

s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

Around a fiver on ebay too.

And Makro.

Dave

wrote:
Richard Conway wrote:

I suspect that anything that comes from 'gadgets.co.uk' is probably a
totally worthless gimmick.

The LED shaker torch is actually a pretty useful piece of kit. Modern
LEDs and supercaps make it viable.

They're about 30 quid from most places, but I've also seen them for a
fiver at a local garage. Certainly worth the fiver!

Id go for the wind up, shaking is a very inefficient process.

NT

On Thu, 6 Oct 2005 12:06:59 UTC, wrote:

Richard Conway wrote:

I suspect that anything that comes from 'gadgets.co.uk' is probably a
totally worthless gimmick.

The LED shaker torch is actually a pretty useful piece of kit. Modern
LEDs and supercaps make it viable.

They're about 30 quid from most places, but I've also seen them for a
fiver at a local garage. Certainly worth the fiver!

8.99 or thereabouts from CPC. Work OK, but should be shaken (not too
hard) in a hrizontal plane to avoid the risk of internal damage due to
the magnet hitting the end too hard. Rather a narrow beam, but OK.

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

On 6 Oct 2005 05:06:59 -0700, wrote:

I suspect that anything that comes from 'gadgets.co.uk' is probably
a totally worthless gimmick.

Nope but don't expect it to match a D Cell Maglight but for moving
about in the dark and not stubbing your toe they are fine. Trying to
do much work with one as the sole source of light would be a pain as
the run time is only about 5 min after 30 to 60s of shaking. But for
finding the fuse box and reseting a breaker or finding more
sunstantial emergency light sources no problem. The big plus being
that it will almost certainly work, no bulb to go phut, no battery to
self discharge and leak. Even if the capacitor goes tits up the magnet
going through the coil produces a bright pulse of light.

They're about 30 quid from most places,

=A330! FING HELL!!! Don't pay more than a tenner inc postage and VAT.
Take a look on ebay, "forever flashlight" produces 17 items, some as
auctions, some as BIN with a range of prices but most if not all
ending up with a total less than =A310 inc.

but I've also seen them for a fiver at a local garage. Certainly
worth the fiver!

Definately worth a fiver. One lives by my bedside in case of night
time power cuts.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 11:45:25 GMT, s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

There is also a torch which can be shaken. It comprises a tube with
a fixed magnet at each end. In the tube is a third magnet which is
free to move.

No the black things at each end of the tube are bits of rubber to stop
the thing making a racket as you shake it. Be warned that the magnet
is powerful, it'll almost stick the torch to a vertical steel surface
and it's a good 3/8" from that surface. Probably not a good idea to
have one in the same bag as a wallet/purse containing mag strip
cards...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

wrote:
Id go for the wind up, shaking is a very inefficient process.

I've got a nice (Ferm IIRC) windup 3 LED torch. Don't know where it
came from as it was a present. It lives in the car/caravan and is very
useful and plenty bright enough for most purposes.

Chris

--
Spamtrap in use
To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 12:40:31 +0100, Richard Conway wrote:

Have you considered the wind-up variety - which you can recharge
yourself without needing a mains supply?

Can you really get those - are are you just winding me up?

I think in most of the "wind-up" or "clockwork" torches the winding
action directly operates a dynamo that recharges some NiCd batteries.

Digging about on the web shows that Tervor Bayliss and Baygen have
done a torch that uses a spring but it also has batteries (so the
light can stay on as you wind the spring back up). Not knowingly seen
these in the UK.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Bob Mannix wrote:

"Huge" wrote in message
...

Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch? My elderly B&D one has given
up
the ghost, the cheap bazillion power spotlights in the sheds have
batteries
made of lard and Maglite want hundreds of pounds(!) for their
"rechargeable
torch system".

I want one that I can leave plugged in all the time and it would be nice
if
it recharged from 12V as well as mains and came on automatically in a
power
cut.



I got a cheap UniRoss one from Argos and it has been active and plugged in
for probably 8-10 years. It starts flashing if the mains goes off (assuming
the switch is in flashing mode - the flashing stops when an active charge is
detected). The batteries probably don't last as long as they might now but
still long enough for emergencies. I think it cost £8.99 at the time. They
still do the same torch (restyled) for £9.99 and it has 12V car adapter
(which mine didn't). Given my experience, for emergency use, I would buy
this.


Purely a footnote. It's easy to rebattery most rechargeable torches.
The cost is minimal and the performance comes back to "as new".

Regards
Capitol

Dave Liquorice wrote:

Digging about on the web shows that Tervor Bayliss and Baygen have
done a torch that uses a spring but it also has batteries (so the
light can stay on as you wind the spring back up). Not knowingly seen
these in the UK.

Been there right from the beginning.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

On 6 Oct 2005 09:36:05 GMT, (Huge) wrote:

Anyone recommend a good rechargeable torch?

No. Alkalines are cheap and store better. Stock up on twin AA
Maglites, triple D maglites, the 4 quid Osram fluorescent flat torches
from Lidl. Then fill the lot with Ikea's cheap alkalines.

Rechargeables are for regular daily use and overnight charging. They're
a damned pain if you're using it intermittently.

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 21:05:28 GMT, Chris J Dixon wrote:

Digging about on the web shows that Tervor Bayliss and Baygen have
done a torch that uses a spring but it also has batteries (so the
light can stay on as you wind the spring back up). Not knowingly
seen these in the UK.

Been there right from the beginning.

In the UK, as I said I've never knowingly seen a *clockwork* rather
than direct drive dynamo torch in the UK.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Huge wrote:

Capitol writes:



[29 lines snipped]



Purely a footnote. It's easy to rebattery most rechargeable torches.
The cost is minimal and the performance comes back to "as new".


Yeah. Right. The bazillion candlepower one I bought from the shed whose sealed
gel-cell failed after a couple of weeks, a replacement battery was enough
to buy about another dozen torches.


` Very few torches use gel cells! Why not replace it with a smaller
Nicad collection?

Regards
Capitol