The best lights for power cuts!

[British Red]

We recently filmed a video giving general advice for "what to do in a short term power cut" - say up to 24 hours. The video proved popular but we got a lot of comments and questions from people who have recently experienced power cuts for significantly longer (some for well over a week).

To answer those questions we've decided to film some individual topics from a hope point of view about coping with extended power outages. The first is about lighting. whilst I'm sure some people here have enough lanterns to rival the Blackpool illuminations , the filming itself may be interesting as we locked the cameras aperture, exposure and focus (otherwise it tries to compensate for low light). I was quite surprised by our direct comparison of a dozen or so different lights - because of course our eyes do adjust to low light so having an objective comparison was quite....illuminating (sorry)

 

[Robson Valley]

Excellent. At night of course it is SO DARK. I need light first. The furnishings in the bathroom can't be rearranged so there's nothing to trip over. On the counter, by the sink, is a touch light. All I have to do is find the bathroom then fumble around and touch the top cap and it's on, 3 levels of brightness. For me, it's finding that very first light.

 

[slowworm]

We've found our own beeswax candles provide enough light to happily walk around the house and do basic tasks. I've picket up a cheap 5 candle candelabra and five beeswax candles in it provides plenty of light to read and cook by.

For serious tasks I've just picked up a 2nd LED lamp that works with my tool batteries as that gives virtually normal mains powered lighting and with the batteries I have probably well over a weeks worth of normal evening lighting in winter.

 

[British Red]

For me, it's finding that very first light.

That's an excellent point. I have a torch on my keys and my keys live in my pocket. We have those little battery lanterns in the bedrooms just in case too

 

[British Red]

We've found our own beeswax candles provide enough light to happily walk around the house and do basic tasks. I've picket up a cheap 5 candle candelabra and five beeswax candles in it provides plenty of light to read and cook by.

For serious tasks I've just picked up a 2nd LED lamp that works with my tool batteries as that gives virtually normal mains powered lighting and with the batteries I have probably well over a weeks worth of normal evening lighting in winter.

I keep meaning to look into those add ones for my DeWalt tools - I believe there's one that makes a USB charger too

 

[Toddy]

Cheap led lights. The poundstores have their camping supplies in again. Worth a wander through. We found that the ring of lights meant to clamp onto the pole of the parasol worked really well when put on top of a candle stick to make a really decent table lamp.
No fuss, no bother, just a good light.
I have the little touch lights in the bedrooms, the bathroom and loos. It's much kinder on the eyeballs, and easier to slip back to sleep, if using them instead of the electric sun in the ceiling, when up in the middle of the night.
It's surprising just how quickly your eyes adjust to their light though when there's a power cut. One wee battery and they last for 24 hours.

I have three Tilley lights, I have Uco lanterns, I have oil lamps and lantersn, and candles, but I have to admit, those little led lights are easier and simpler, and safer, and less fuss, than any of the others.

 

[Broch]

I am so disappointed in you BR; there's no mention of the quality of the brandy in the glass!

Good vid

 

[Jared]

Has any used moveable wick candles?
The candle itself is without a wick, so essentially just a block of wax.

Wicks appear to be made from pipe cleaners, twisted in such a way to be free standing, and then dipped in wax. When lit, melts wax beneath for fuel, and when it's low, pick the wick up and move it.

 

[British Red]

I am so disappointed in you BR; there's no mention of the quality of the brandy in the glass!

Good vid

Ahhhh IIRC it was Calvados - I do really like Calvados!

 

[British Red]

Has any used moveable wick candles?
The candle itself is without a wick, so essentially just a block of wax.

Wicks appear to be made from pipe cleaners, twisted in such a way to be free standing, and then dipped in wax. When lit, melts wax beneath for fuel, and when it's low, pick the wick up and move it.

Never even seen one!

 

[Jared]

Here's a pic

https://tacda.org/product/triwick-120-hour-candle/

Tin of wax, wicks, tweezers to move hot wicks about. Guessing the metal bits are for pot stand for heating food.

 

[British Red]

Here's a pic

https://tacda.org/product/triwick-120-hour-candle/

Tin of wax, wicks, tweezers to move hot wicks about. Guessing the metal bits are for pot stand for heating food.

Fascinating stuff

 

[Bishop]

For most folk you can't really go wrong with LED, even gear at the cheap end of the market performs relatively well these days. Remember the time when the best you could brave the night with was a Pifco rubber torch or a three D-cell maglite!

 

[SaraR]

Cheap led lights. The poundstores have their camping supplies in again. Worth a wander through. We found that the ring of lights meant to clamp onto the pole of the parasol worked really well when put on top of a candle stick to make a really decent table lamp.
No fuss, no bother, just a good light.
I have the little touch lights in the bedrooms, the bathroom and loos. It's much kinder on the eyeballs, and easier to slip back to sleep, if using them instead of the electric sun in the ceiling, when up for a middle of the night piddle :roll: It's surprising just how quickly your eyes adjust to their light though when there's a power cut. One wee battery and they last for 24 hours.

I have three Tilley lights, I have Uco lanterns, I have oil lamps and lantersn, and candles, but I have to admit, those little led lights are easier and simpler, and safer, and less fuss, than any of the others.

I've got two sets of little waterproof disc lamps with LED lights in different colours that can be dimmed and controlled by remote control. They are great dotted around the room.

 

[stevec]

I have a couple of solar rechargeable lamps. One was a cheapy from Lidl, it looks a bit like a translucent nalgene bottle. The other is a luminaid packlight nova usb, which collapses nicely. They both live in the attic where they get light through a velux. Currently the Lidl one is on duty in the bathroom as we are painting so took the light down

 

[Tengu]

Jared; would be simple enough to make one; I have a load of candle stubs...and some pipecleaners.

What wold the advantages be over ordinary candles?

 

[Jared]

Think it's just the ease of making them, and can use a lot more of the wax before having to remelt the block

Here's a DIY article

DIY Moveable Candle Wicks

At Survival Resources we are proud to be your source for Survival, EDC, Bug-Out, Bushcraft, and emergency preparedness products.

www.survivalresources.com

 

[Tengu]

And of course, you get to play with MOLTEN WAX

 

[Robson Valley]

I'd like to have a unit that plugged into the mains. The mains hold a relay open so they don't light up. BUT, in the event of a grid failure, the relay closes and a battery light comes on.
Industrial "watch-light?"

 

[British Red]

I'd like to have a unit that plugged into the mains. The mains hold a relay open so they don't light up. BUT, in the event of a grid failure, the relay closes and a battery light comes on.
Industrial "watch-light?"

Something like this?

Bright Source 4w LED Emergency Twin Spot - Non Maintained

Bright Source 4w LED Emergency Twin Spot - Non Maintained at LampShopOnline. The Twin Spot emits light over a wide angle with adjustable heads.

www.lampshoponline.com