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Author Topic: Hand crank lights/radios??  (Read 929 times)

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Offline gypsyman

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Hand crank lights/radios??
« on: December 20, 2011, 10:20:53 AM »
Don't have any at this time, but plan to purchase several in the real quick future. Keep seeing an ad pop up for one of the online news source's going to give one away free if you purchase their regular paper. But, I figure that if it's free, it can't be very good. Better then nothing, but??
Anybody had any real world experience with one of these handcrank jobs. I see where some have a recharge station for a phone, good idea, if it works. Some are like a lantern, some like a flashlight. Wouldn't mind getting one or 2 of each, as when a power outage hits, having several around the house would be handy. gypsyman
 
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Offline tacklebury

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2011, 02:07:11 PM »
I have a small squeezey one next to my monitor that works really nice.  That way when the power goes out I just pick it up and start squeezing.  ;) 
 
*edit*
Oh have shake lights in each car and a bigger crank flashlight/radio in emergency gear.
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Offline powderman

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2011, 02:07:23 PM »
I bought one 12-13 yrs ago that works on a crank, solar, or bttys. We've had many power outages since then and have never needed bttys, or the crank. It sits in a sunny window and recharges just fine. One of the free things you spoke of is a ruse to get a credit card #. I get all channels withing 60-70 miles from me. Try to find one with all 3, not sure how much cranking it would take to listen to the news or anything else. POWDERMAN.  ;D ;D
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2011, 02:15:03 PM »
I bought a bunch of the Hand Crank emergancy lights...they will be stocking stuffers this year.
 
Go to the Harbor Freight store...I was getting some nice ones for about ~$7.00 each....And that may be high.  ???
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Offline keith44

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2011, 08:51:03 PM »
trinkets, gizmos, and gadgets.  give me plain ole candles, hurricane lanterns, and my solar powered battery charger
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2011, 02:54:35 AM »
Ive got a couple of them I got off of ebay. They work fine. You dont have to crank constantly to listen to the radio, mine take AA batterys and also have built in rechargable batterys so you crank for a bit to charge them up and then you listen. Like keith i too have a small foldable solar pannel that i can use to charge the rechargeable batterys i use in radios, flashlights, walkie talkies ect. Still nice to have a back up unit if the batterys go bad.
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Offline charles p

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2011, 08:23:55 AM »
Still waiting for the hand crank alarm clock.  Have a radio somewhere.
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Offline bilmac

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2011, 11:58:11 AM »
I have a question about them. I have had the crank flashlights in the glove boxes in my vehicles for several years now. Of course the batteries are dead now. I can crank them up when I need to. Is it better to recharge my dead batteries periodically, or just let them remain dead until I need them?
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Offline keith44

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2011, 08:15:11 PM »
it depends on the type of battery they use, so you probably will not get an accurate answer.


Most dry cell batteries have a "memory" and need to be fully charged and completely discharged regularly.  Wet cell batteries survive the longest with a constant level of charge (like car batteries) however there are exceptions to both
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Offline Rock Home Isle

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2011, 02:31:23 AM »
As I understand it:
 
NiCd batteries have memory and must be discharged completely before being re-charged, or this memory will eventually make the battery useless as a storage device. A standard NiCd battery will discharge about 20% of its energy on its own per month.
 
NiMH replaced the earlier NiCd batteries as they were less affected by the memory problem and have a higher Charge Capacity, but again they do not have a very good shelf life. Periodically both NiCd and NiMH batteries need to be reconditioned, so that they will maintain their charge capacity. To recondition them they must be fully charged and then completely discharged several times in a row.
 
Becareful about rechargers...the NiMH and the NiCd batteries can both be over charged, which will lead to the battery loosing charge capacity and failing. The chargers designed for these types of batteries will either stop charging when capacity is reached or switch to a trickle charge to help maintain the battery at full charge until it is used.
 
Li-Ion battery is more energetic and thus has no memory charging issues. Due to this higher energy the Li-Ion battery does not have to be discharged completely before they are recharged. A Lithium Ion Battery can handle hundreds of recharge cycles without any degridation in the battery's operation, and they cannot be over charged. But they do have a draw back, they will gradually degrade and thus only have a life expectancy of 2-3 years (measured from when they leave the factory) before they must be replaced. Storing the Lithium Ion battery in the freezer seems to slow the degradation process, while exposure to elevated temperatures likewise seems to accelerate the process.  A Lithium Ion battery will only loose about 5% of its stored energy on its own per month.
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“Lost?? Hmmm... been fearsome confused for a month or two, but I ain't never been lost!”
Henry Frap the "Mountain Men"

“Ain't this somethin'? I told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Mother Gue said to me; ‘Make your life go here, son. Here's where the people is. Them mountains is for Indians and wild men.’  "Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.”
Del Gue in "Jeremiah Johnson"

Offline teamnelson

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2012, 12:37:49 PM »
So what'd you buy? I had a solagen when we lived in Africa ... it was okay. Now we have one of the Eton solar/crank AM/FM/SW/NOAA Flashlight and Phone charger. Its not as rugged as I'd like. Bought one of those crank laterns at Target, Eddie Bauer brands. Handle busted pretty quick and the solar panel on it never charges the batteries.


I'm thinking tis better just to get a solar charger, lion batteries, a few good quality cree flashlights, and a Yaesu handheld radio.
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Offline Duke0313

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2012, 05:20:15 PM »
All of mine have worked fine for several years.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2012, 02:04:32 AM »
you could do like i did and buy a couple cheap ones. I figured not much goes wrong with a radio and if it did ive got a backup. About the only thing i could see failing is the crank and the batterys. To solve that i bought a pile of rechargable batterys a charger and a small solar panel to charge them. Chances are like that id never even need to rely on the crank. That way too i have a way to keep my flashlights, two way radios and other things in batterys.
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2012, 02:21:44 AM »
the shake light wasn't that great. the crank radio was nice mine is 10+ years old.
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Offline SwampThing762

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Re: Hand crank lights/radios??
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2012, 08:06:10 AM »
I have the Eton Corp FR160 and FR300 models.     The FR160 charges okay by solar power.    If I need power quicker, I just plug it into my computer or 12-volt charger[theFR160 stays in my car].   The FR300 I simply charge by hand crank power.    I like to listen to talk radio during the day, and I charge the radio while watching TV in the evening.

My recommendation for anyone wanting these types of lights and radios is to get a small solar charger panel of like 5 watts or so and a power inverter.

ST762
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