Re: ADVICE NEEDED - urban survival : short to medium term lighting

Quotes from a post allegedly made by 'itsastickup'...

"...short to medium term lighting..."

"...evening lighting..."

"...What would you advise?..."

Going by the tone of your post, 'short term' isn't just a quick trip to the
toilet, but an 'hours to days' length of time (prolonged power outage due to
ice storm, bushfire, flood, lack of enough repair crews, etc). In which
case, medium term implies a 'weeks to months' length of time (Pandemic Flu
Quarantine, extended lack of power/gas and other services due to resource
shortages, etc)...

With the above in mind, a *single* solution may *not* suit all your needs.
You'll have to recognise the various lighting needs you have, and make do as
best you can to meet them over time, using whatever means are to hand.

For example...

Level A. Personal 'Comfort' lighting. A single candle can have a
beneficial effect on morale during a blackout (even if it is barely adequate
for helping you go to the toilet, at least you know you aren't blind). On
the other hand, having to endure 'total darkness' for extended lengths of
time can have serious psychological consequences. One benefit is that your
eyes will adjust to the dim, gloomy lighting, making a single candle seem
all the brighter, and the room all the more brightly lit...

Level B. Nearby 'Task' lighting. Lighting for chores that require good
hand eye co-ordination (cutting meat and vegies for dinner, using tools for
repair work - hammer and nails). Or similar tasks that need enough light to
be aware of fine details (writing, reading, sewing, First Aid).

Level C. Wide 'Area' lighting. General lighting of area beyond arms reach
using both 'spot' and 'flood' lights, mainly for safety/security purposes
(think streetlights, and lights that light up business shop fronts and
parking lots).

Level D. Distant 'Target' lighting. When you absolutely *have to* see at a
distance, whether for 'search and rescue', or to detect a threat before it
gets to you, or to understand a problem (repair work).

Unfortunately, the down side to all of the above is that if you have light
in a blackout and others don't, you will have 'visitors', and sooner rather
than later...

In my opinion, both short and medium term solutions are best met by
battery-powered LED flashlights and headlamps - with either single use
alkaline batteries, or rechargeable NiMH Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries.

Note - Rechargeable batteries come in a variety of sizes and 'power packs'.
You can even get 'flashlight' attachments to fit the power packs used by
'cordless' drills and etc down at the hardware shop. If you have a laptop,
you can plug a USB task/reading light into it.

Why battery-powered LED torches (flashlights/headlamps)?

To start with, because LED torches can run on 'flat' batteries that can't
power other appliances (portable TV's, smoke alarms, radios, or even
'normal' incandescent bulb torches). This means you get better 'value' for
money from any batteries you have (or can scrounge). Use the fresh
batteries for other appliances, then when the batteries are too flat to be
useful in the other appliances, use them in LED torches

Secondly, reduced 'fire hazard' - unless they're *extremely powerful* LED
torches, or you're using 'lithium' batteries that are 'shorting' out, most
LED torches won't generate enough heat to be uncomfortably warm, let alone
be hot enough to start fires like say, a candle or fuel-powered lamp might.

Third, 'weatherproof'. You can't use a candle underwater, but quite a few
LED torches are 'weatherproof' to the point you can submerge them in water
to several feet without any problems. Note that some LED torches may have
an actual 'dive rating' that goes well over a hundred feet deep.

Fourth, 'run time'. A LED torch that is only good enough for 'Personal
Comfort Lighting' might get 50 or more hours of 'useable' light from a
single set of fresh alkaline batteries. In the case of some specialised LED
torches, you may get a *year or more* of soft 'moonglow' from a fresh
alkaline battery - the 'moonglow' enables the torch to be located in a dark
room, but you'll need to switch to a higher setting for most other uses.

Fifth, 'resource storage'. Consider this, how much does it take in cash and
space, to store enough 'resources' for your lighting needs for a week?
Compare runtimes of LED torches using 'name brand' alkaline batteries to
amounts needed of Kerosene fuel (or Olive Oil, if using old-fashioned cloth
wick lamps). Note that the storage life of properly stored 'name brand'
alkaline batteries is *5* or more years, so feel free to 'extend' the time
comparison to months or years if you want to.

Clincher? Local laws may restrict the amount of 'flammable' substances
(kerosene, diesel, petrol, Coleman fuel, shellite, LPG, etc) you can store
in your home or on your property. Note that vegetable oils such as Olive
Oil, usually have the lesser classification of 'combustible', which often
means you can legally store more than you can of 'flammable' class
materials.

Overall, you may find alkaline batteries to be a better 'consumable'
(non-renewable) option than wax candles, or liquid fuels (depending on the
situation). However, there are LED torches that *don't need* batteries, as
they have their own power generator inside them...

Nightstar 'Shakelight' LED Flashlight
http://www.nightstarflashlight.com/comersus7f/store/comersus_index.asp

....provides up to 20 Minutes of light with 25 - 30 seconds of shaking. It is
waterproof up to a depth of 2200 feet..."

You'll find plenty of 'cheap imitations' in the 'bargain' shops - the best
advice I can give is to get yourself something of 'decent quality', which
usually means a 'name brand' with a higher price tag. While the 'cheapies'
may do in a pinch, they're usually *not* as durable over the long term as
the more expensive 'name brand' items are (check the length of any
warrantee/guarantee).

You may want to check out the LED Museum for some independent information,
and other lighting ideas
http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm

...And the Candle Power Forums for 'real life' experiences
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/

That having been said, here's a few links to give you something to chew
over. Note that most of the LED torches shown are 'hand held' flashlights,
rather than being 'head lamps'. One reason for this is, if you find
yourself confronting a 'drug-addled offender' some day in the dark, they
tend to attack where the light is coming from - in the case of a hand held,
this can be a couple of feet away from your body if you hold the hand
carrying the flashlight out to the side, while in the case of a headlamp,
well, have you ever heard the term 'headshot'?

First off, LED flashlights that use a single battery - which is a good
thing, as you may not always have 'multiple' batteries that you can use, let
alone have 'multiple' batteries that are the same type, or are at the same
rate of discharge...

Arc Flashlight. Uses a single AAA battery.
http://www.arcflashlight.com/

Gerber Infinity Ultra Task Light (White LED), takes a single AA battery
http://www.gerberuk.com/index.php/product/id/7

Gerber Omnivore (White LED) only uses a single battery, but can use 3
different battery sizes - AA, AAA, or CR123 (button cell)
http://www.gerberuk.com/index.php/product/id/329

Inova Flashlight. Some models use only 1 battery
http://www.inovalight.com/

PAL Safe-Light LED Flashlight. Various models that use a single 9-volt
battery. Some are 'waterproof' (the no-frills 'Palm Lantern Flashlight'
model?), others are not. When you change the batteries in your smoke alarms
every year, recycle the 'old' batteries for use in these flashlights.
http://www.palights.com/


Now for lights that use multiple batteries...

Pelican Flashlights. Many are 'submersible', several are rated 'safe' for
use in explosive atmospheres (gas leak) - check the range!
http://www.pelican.com/lights_category.php?Category=%&LampType=%&Submersible
=%&New=%

Krill Lamp. Comes in various colours (green is brightest, with white not
far behind). The 'original' lights last over 120 hours per set of 2 AA
alkaline batteries. The 'extreme' lights are nearly twice as bright, but
don't last as long - only over 50 hours per set of 2 AA alkaline batteries.
The 180 degree ones are the better option, as they shed more light in only
the one direction than the 360 degree ones do (better for reading anyway, as
the one-way light doesn't get in your eyes).
http://www.kriana.com/pages/krianaintro.html

MagLite. C and D cell varieties are the most often recommended. A MagLite
not only provides light, but can deploy that light as a far-ranging
'spotlight', or near-area 'floodlight' just by turning one end. Further,
you can use the flashlight itself as a 'blunt weapon' (use the '*** end' if
using it as a 'club', or use as a 'police baton' or 'tonfa' if you have the
attachment). The LED varieties are more expensive, but recommended
http://www.maglite.com/D_Cell_LED.asp

If you're 'out in the sticks', or just where there aren't enough 'registered
voters' to 'prompt' politicians and power companies into fixing downed power
lines in a 'timely manner'... You might want to look at having your *own*
fully-renewable, 'ecologically friendly' power generation facility.

M+H Alternate Power (Solar and Wind)
http://www.mhpower.com.au/pages/rpower/rpower.html

A-600 Solar Series ('pro' quality deep cycle batteries ?)
http://www.mhpower.com.au/pages/rpower/a600.html

"...1600 cycles according to IEC 896T2. 12 to 15 years float lifetime at an
ambient temperature of 20C (with 80% residual capacity)..."

Long term solutions (years to decades, 'all on your own') need to look at
DIY 'renewable' energy sources (Wind, Solar, Water), as well as DIY
'grow-your-own' solid and liquid fuels (wood, beeswax candles, vegetable oil
lamps, alcohol).

A note on windpower. It can be used to supply you with a reliable power
supply 24-7-366, even without constant wind, or any sort of storage battery.

The secret is you use a 'farm windmill' to provide physical power to run a
mechanical pump. The pump stores water in an elevated container
(watertank), and you release the water in a controlled flow (trickle) to run
a small watermill-type generator.

The scale can be extremely small (providing only enough electrical power to
run a radio or LED lighting system), or scaled up to provide greater
electrical output (but you'd need a good-sized water storage, and multiple
windmill pumps).

The beauty such a set-up, is that it can be a relatively 'closed system',
with the water constantly recirculating as the wind-powered pump allows (or
if you want the exercise, by refilling the storage tank by hand bucket).

For some other 'long term' solutions, take a look at this lot's stuff,
especially their DIY vegetable oil lamp (webpages are free to view, but they
do have a 'printed version' you can buy)
http://www.inthewake.org/b1lightheat.htm

....If you have to 'bug out', rather than 'hunker down' or 'shelter in
place', then this free PDF from the West Australian Police may be useful...
http://www.police.wa.gov.au/YOURSAFETY/AidstoSurvival/tabid/1337/Default.asp
x

Hope this helps...

--
Yours, DBM - dbmacpherson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From Somewhere in Australia, the Land of Tree-hugging Funnelwebs...
....Remove inhibitions to reply...


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