Check Your Gear

Kanewpadle

Kanewpadle

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Just a friendly reminder, check your gear. If you rely on it to defend yourself and or loved ones, check it frequently.

Had a power outage the other night. Reached for my supposedly best flashlight, it was dead. No light. Got my back up out of a sock drawer. Worked just fine.

I won't name the brand but it is one of the more popular out there. A compact LED that uses two 123 batteries. Changed batteries. Nothing. Tapped it on the counter and it flickered but would not stay on. Won't be buying that brand anymore. It's only two years old if that.
 
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Thanks for the reminder. My lovely mentioned that her StreamLight PROTAC 1L I bought her a few years ago was "Kind of dimming out" after only being on for a few seconds. Yep, it runs on ONE CR123 and the battery needed to be replaced.

Being that she can't carry a firearm at work (Psychologists working for The State of Tennessee) and that the only gun she had fired before meeting me was a single shot 22LR rifle when she was in the Girl Scouts 32 years ago when she was 11 Y/O I outfitted her with a flashlight, a "CIA" non metallic carbon fiber neck knife, a pair of carbon fiber non-metallic "brass" knuckles and a carbon fiber razor blade. Yes, the carbon fiber razor blade will cut the hell out of you and the "CIA" neck knife will do the same. The carbon fiber knucks will "Leave A Mark" as they say.

Best thing I bought her was a gym membership where a high school buddy of mine teaches Krav Maga. She has been taking lessons now for four years. Being that she is 14 years my junior she has promised that she will whoop my *** and I won't like it. She definitely could.


Class III
 
This is why I now buy only maglites and duracell or energizer batteries. I have had very expensive flashlights that broke in record time for no good reason, and I have had too many off-brand batteries explode on me.

That said, for better or worse my house is never dark enough to need a flashlight inside. I have nightlights throughout the house so visibility is never an issue.
 
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I have small emergency kits made from metal Band-Aid boxes they have a SAK, butane lighter, first aid stuff and a Maglite Solitaire (1 AAA) flashlight in them, I leave them at work, car glove box, and lots of other places.

5 years ago (2014) we sold the farm, and as I was cleaning tools out of the barn, I found one of the kits. I opened it up and saw it was a very old one. The Pepto-Bismol tablets had an expire date of 9/1994 on them. So it was probably 3 to 5 years older than that! The Solitaire worked! for 10 or 15 seconds, but it still worked. I put a new Energizer AAA in it, refreshed the first aid stuff, and put the kit back in service. That a battery didn't leak after 20 years basically outdoors is fantastic!!!

My newer kits use a single CR-123 light instead of AAA lights. I still put a Quarter in the kits, for a pay phone, but that has become pointless!

Ivan
 
One of the funny things I noticed about the household emergency flashlights. Once the kids grew up and moved away, The flashlights all seem to work. Before they moved out you usually found the first or second one you came to DEAD! A kitchen drawer full of new batteries and the emergency flash light was always dead! I found the guilty party, his name was "NOT ME!"

Revenged is sweet: I have 6 grandkids, 5 are old enough to talk. They all have the middle name of "Not Me!"

Ivan
 
I keep a AAA led light in my pocket as part of my "daily carry"...gets used most days so I know it works...... if the power goes out it gets me to......

.... several lights/lanterns are kept on a bedroom shelf with batteries held to the outside with a rubber band.

I also have several AA and AAA "Battery Caddy" in the cars and truck for "reloads" on the road
 
Ivan the Butcher said:
One of the funny things I noticed about the household emergency flashlights. Once the kids grew up and moved away, The flashlights all seem to work. Before they moved out you usually found the first or second one you came to DEAD! A kitchen drawer full of new batteries and the emergency flash light was always dead! I found the guilty party, his name was "NOT ME!"

Revenged is sweet: I have 6 grandkids, 5 are old enough to talk. They all have the middle name of "Not Me!"

Ivan
Click to expand...

Ivan: FYI - Not Me's cousin, "I don't know", lived in our home when our kids were young. Now that the kids are grown up and gone, I haven't seen or heard from "I don't know" in years. Strange coincidence - no?

Regards,

Dave
 
If you use AA or AAA batteries, I strongly recommend eneloop rechargeables. They hold a charge for years if laying in a drawer, and can be recharged a few thousand times.

I also use rechargeable batteries in my non AA / AAA Malkoff lights in the 16340, 16650 and 18650 sizes...though lithium rechargeable batteries require more scrutiny and maintenance as opposed to the eneloops.

Worth the investment imho...and no leaks either.
 
Kanewpadle said:
Just a friendly reminder, check your gear. If you rely on it to defend yourself and or loved ones, check it frequently.

Had a power outage the other night. Reached for my supposedly best flashlight, it was dead. No light. Got my back up out of a sock drawer. Worked just fine.

I won't name the brand but it is one of the more popular out there. A compact LED that uses two 123 batteries. Changed batteries. Nothing. Tapped it on the counter and it flickered but would not stay on. Won't be buying that brand anymore. It's only two years old if that.
Click to expand...

One reason I don't like to rely on things like lasers as my sighting system. Murphy has a way with things electronic.
 
fredj338 said:
One reason I don't like to rely on things like lasers as my sighting system. Murphy has a way with things electronic.
Click to expand...

YA THINK??!!

And that's only one good reason.

My newer kits use a single CR-123 light instead of AAA lights. I still put a Quarter in the kits, for a pay phone, but that has become pointless!
Click to expand...

There are still pay phones out there donchano! Not many but if you need one you will need that quarter. :D

As for flashlights, I keep them everywhere. Even though I have automatic night lights in a couple of places I like to keep modern flashlights around as blinding tools and because the nightlights are insufficient for anything important.................
 
I'm at least a little OCD, so I check my primary flashlights daily as part of my "start-the-day" routine (well, my nightstand flashlight gets checked before I go to bed). I carry two flashlights on me, a Nitecore MT1A in my pocket and a Nitecore keychain light on my keys.

ISCS Yoda said:
There are still pay phones out there donchano!
Click to expand...

I stopped at a highway rest area once and saw a pay phone there. I think it was the first pay phone I'd seen in years. I have to admit, I was surprised.
 
blues7 said:
If you use AA or AAA batteries, I strongly recommend eneloop rechargeables. They hold a charge for years if laying in a drawer, and can be recharged a few thousand times.

I also use rechargeable batteries in my non AA / AAA Malkoff lights in the 16340, 16650 and 18650 sizes...though lithium rechargeable batteries require more scrutiny and maintenance as opposed to the eneloops.

Worth the investment imho...and no leaks either.
Click to expand...

I'll second and third the Eneloops. Have 2 of the single AA ARC lights on my keychains and several of the AAA into a C adapter small flashlights. They are also in anything that uses AA or AAA batteries.

Been using them for 15-20 years now and they are more than worth the higher cost. Once charged, they will still retain 80% of the charge after 5 years. Eveready or Duracell rechargeables don't even begin to compare. I still have and use the very first ones I bought back in the 90's (?).

VERY good kit!

Wet
 
I had one of those old metal flashlights that holds 3 D batteries.
Someone left it standing with the flash pointed down so did not
notice it was on. Obviously the batteries went dead.
I put three fresh batteries in and set it on my desk. After a while I
reached over to get it, and it burned my hand. Had to throw the
whole works in the garbage.
What's that all about?
 
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