I don't know if they even make this model anymore but it is one clever design. Just keep squeezing and you have light courtesy of a little dynamo/generator operated by motion much like the old bicycle lights used to work with a tire connected generator. These sold for $10 or less.
An alternative to this model is a more modern but not necessarily reliable design. Remember you can never beat Russian reliability when it comes to basic items.
I "LOVE" the Russian Forever Flashlights. They are so well built one of my all time favorites! I own 25 of them in my flashlight collection! ;) These were originally developed in Germany and Holand during WW1 and more extensively used in WW2 trench war by Germany as troops in the trenches who could be deployed 6+ months at a time did not need to worry about replacing disposable dead batteries. After WW2 the Soviets moved the factory to Russia and further developed the design. With the USSR having such a large deployed army and difficulty procuring disposable goods like batteries these flashlights were designed to be reliable, maintainable, and just not ware out. They were very common in the Russian army and many old service men will still recognize the unique sound given off by these flashlights from years of their own use.
ReplyDeleteThat brings it down to me and my relationship with these flashlights. :) Myself as a flashlight enthusiast I have always looked for the "perfect" "timeless" flashlight. This flashlight would be durable enough to last generations of use of at least 100+ years and though not needing to be hundreds of lumen like new LED lights still put out good usable light you can work by. Fitting this bill are the old Soviet all metal crank lights and to a slightly lesser extent these Russian forever flashlights. They are durable but do not produce enough light and tire out your hand long term. For that in these flashlights I installed a high efficiency joule thief powering a LED hooked to a 6 Farad super capacitor. I rectify the dynamo through a "ultra low" forward voltage bridge. The result is a amazing flashlight that charges in 12 seconds of cranking and produces 20+ lumen of light for 4 min between cranking. I went with a super capacitor because rechargeable batteries wear out over time and their chemistry breaks down. However capacitors almost never wear out if well maintained. These hybrid flashlights will likely last 50-100+ years, can store indefinitely without any degradation, and are so easy to crank you never get tired. It kind of feels like having a battery flashlight that never wears out. After 40 years I finally made the "perfect" durable forever flashlight out of old and new tech! :) I am thinking of making a YouTube video on how to make these for those who may want too.
LED bulb is 50 lumen not 20. Not super daylight bright but decent usable especially for no battery. :)
ReplyDeleteHow many volts are these?
ReplyDelete