Got me thinking about light

[Drummer101]

Currently there is a really really bad storm going on and the lights are dimming every once and awhile.

When the lights go out what do you use?

(I am passively looking for a small 3-4inch LED/XENON/something flashlight with AA batteries)

[Hank15]

Power outage is a bigger PITA than it is a threat to your well being.

For floods, storms, and anything that causes power outages, you want a night light/flashlight combo.

You want something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-Night...4614694&sr=8-1

Place them in active areas such as stairs, hallway, bonus room, etc.

The above would be for you and/or your family's convenience. It's rather cost effective as well (anywhere from $5~$20).

For defense purposes, you want a LED with a momentary switch and preferably 60 lumens or more.

I have a Surefire 6P LED, and I find it to be a very good flashlight for the money. However, it is uncomfortable to use with certain grips.

I recommend the Z2, as it handles much nicer: http://www.surefire.com/Z2L

But like I said, power outage is a bigger PITA than it is a threat to you.
If you don't want to shell out $60+ for a flashlight, go to your local home depot/Lowe's and pick up one of their LED flashlights. I'd get an LED maglite.

Hope that helps.

[Lost Sheep]

There are battery powered LED lights that are controllable with a remote hand-held actuator. There are plenty of tactical scenarios where being able to turn on a light BEHIND or on the flank of your potential adversary would be an advantage, you think?

Just be sure you have the RIGHT remote in your hand.

Attaching your entry way light controller to your bedroom door might give you a tactical advantage. A remote-controlled light to the flank of a potential adversary might provide a diversionary distraction that gives you a tactical distraction well worth the $25 or so it will cost you.

As always, plan your scenarios.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

[Bill DeShivs]

Look at www.billdeshivs.com

[booker_t]

In a storm, I'm old school:

http://www.amazon.com/Quake-Kare-6E-...xp_grid_pt_0_1

or

http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Mist-Hou...ef=pd_sxp_f_pt

Inexpensive and effective.

[kraigwy]

If the power goes out, I fire up my generator.

[ZeSpectre]

Booker_T,
I'm "old school" too (I collect and restore kerosene and other types of lanterns) but I shudder every time I hear people advocate open flame/plain old candles during an emergency. There have been FAR too many unintended house fires.

If someone wants to use candles then I recommend having something like the UCO candle lanterns or "Candileer" that puts the flame in a housing and reduces the chances of fire if left unattended.

For most power outages what you really want is DURATION even more than a super bright light. Coleman makes a variety of fluorescent and LED based lanterns that will run for many hours on one set of batteries.

There are also, of course, any number of excellent flashlights out there at this point. A good LED based light that has multiple brightness settings will give you bright light if you need it, and the ability to dim the light down for "nightlight" use if necessary.

Finally, in a power outage situation I can't say enough about headlamps (again, LED based ones with multiple brightness settings). You look dorky with one on your head, but there are so many times you'll appreciate having both hands free to do other things. One of my absolute favorites is the "EOS" line from Princeton Tec. They aren't cheap, but they are a versatile and reliable light that you'll have for a lifetime.

[thesheepdog]

Mag Lite LED 2D is my emergency light.

[rtpzwms]

I do one of two things, for the really bad hop in the truck and take off with the camper. Not too bad I just get one or two of these out of the camper. I have two because most of the time I only need one for the camper, I need two to run the AC. If one fails I still have a second if both are working it costs a little more for gas. On power save they run for about 20 hours per gallon of gas. The coolest part is they are real quiet.

BTY I have a boat load of flashlights too.

[MTT TL]

We use everything:

- oil lanterns
- battery lanterns
- crank lanterns
- candles
- flashlights
- spot lights (1MCP+)
- flashlights
- weapon lights
- head lamps

And if need be a generator. It all depends really.

Finally, in a power outage situation I can't say enough about headlamps (again, LED based ones with multiple brightness settings). You look dorky with one on your head, but there are so many times you'll appreciate having both hands free to do other things.

Be sure to get those with directional beams too. Otherwise you will blind people by looking at them.

[griz]

Head lights are very useful to keep your hands free. I'm sure there are lots of levels of quality, but the ordinary one from Walmart is cheap, light weight, and uses common AAA batteries. It's nice to be able to read in the dark too. Kinda tough work to keep the light on the page and hold the latest issue of Rifle magazine at the same time.

For Flashlights, I just got a Maratac AA light. It isn't tactical and uses a twist switch. But it is very small, and has low, medium, and high modes. I really like it, and it's less than $30 for a quality light. Sort of incredible to me to have a light this tiny and still have it out perform an old Surefire G-2.

[Kreyzhorse]

Damn...... I'm unprepared. When my power goes out, and its rare when it does, we use a couple of mag-lites and a few candles. I've got a couple of battery powered lanterns as well but I couldn't tell you the last time it was used.

[ClayInTx]

Regardless of all the fancy and “safe” stuff the only lamp which will store for years and be useable in moments is a candle. Store these where you can find them in the dark; the batteries in your flashlight (electric torch for you Brits) might be dead.

Regardless of all the fancy and “safe” stuff the only lighters which will store for years and be useable in moments are matches, the old style kitchen matches. Store these in one of those metal cans for mints. Store these where you can find them in the dark (see above, re: dead batteries).

You can get lampshade type holders for the candles. These should be bought now while the lights are still on. Wal-Mart won’t sell in the dark.

And....
of course...
You need a regular old flashlight (Brits, yes, yes, I know) which you always keep in a kitchen drawer and it’s never placed anywhere else after using it; yes. use it to be aware of the dead batteries.

After you’ve retrieved the flashlight to find the matches and candles and have the candles lit you can then go about getting the “fancy stuff” working.

BTW, why do we call flashlights flashlights? They don’t flash and half they time don’t light.

[ZeSpectre]

Regardless of all the fancy and “safe” stuff the only lamp which will store for years and be usable in moments is a candle. Store these where you can find them in the dark; the batteries in your flashlight (electric torch for you Brits) might be dead.

Just so you know, Lithium batteries in an LED flashlight have a typical shelf life of 10 years.

Regardless of all the fancy and “safe” stuff the only lighters which will store for years and be usable in moments are matches.

Or plain old bic lighters.

be aware of the dead batteries.

The easy method of staying prepared is to check your supplies each time you reset your clocks for daylight savings. That's also a good time to replace the batteries in your Carbon Monoxide detectors and smoke detectors.

BTW, why do we call flashlights flashlights?

Because in the early days (1920's and earlier) batteries and bulbs both sucked. The batteries held very little power and the bulbs had a very short lifespan, so flashlights were all designed with a momentary switch and you "flashed them on" to look around and then turned them off.


Just as a side note, one other important part of disaster prep is to be stealthy so if every other house in the neighborhood is dark don't light your place up like a runway, it'll attract goblins and leeches from all directions.

[ClayInTx]

An amusing (well, I think so) tale about the lights going out.

Living out in a rural area where the electricity would go off occasionally and stay off awhile.

Happened one night just as we were sitting down to supper.

Put some candles on the table and started eating.

The children, both preteen, thought it was “cool”. “Gosh, we’re living just like the pioneers did.”

Five minutes later the lights came back on. Moaning from both sides of the table, “Aw, gosh, now we got to eat supper just like always.”

The grumbling got serious to the point that I relit the candles and turned out the lights.