How do you store your lights?

With a light collections of five to six lights, this is never an issue. What to do when the collection grows to > 100 lights? Do you keep them all together? Do you try to display them so when people see them they say “what the heck is that”? Do you keep batteries in each one? How do you sort (order) them? By color? By size? By brand?

I used to just keep mine lined up on a shelf but that did get a bit untenable as the numbers grew, and my wife didn’t love it. And tbh it was a pain to dust. So I bought a few Pelican cases with the pick-n-pluck foam, which mean organizing mine by size, basically. And yes, many of them have cells in them. At least the ones I’m likely to pick out when I need one.

Old pic, they’re fuller now, but this is the last time I put them all together. As you can see I still have a few that have to live sitting out, but its much better than it was.

Pelican 1075

I store them in the original packaging as most of them were never unpacked in the first place. Same with all the arrow.com orders, ebay stuff or aliexpress items.

Not 100’s of lights, but I’ve been on a kick lately to organize and protect the few that I do have (not that any are expensive or irreplaceable). Primarily case them for travel in GHB’s, overnighter bags, or in my work truck to keep them from knocking around loose. Spare batteries, O-rings, charging cords, accessories in each case make it easier to maintain than fumbling around in a drawer or box for loose parts. I prefer hard cases over pouches. Picked out a few small electronics cases from the “Big Rver”. They do what I need them to do.

That’s an awesome and very well cared for collection emarked!
Mine are just on a shelf if not somewhere inside my house.
All parts and batteries are stored in bins and boxes

Impressive collections and storage systems.

Err, Piled in a box except for the ones I currently use.
Going to need a bigger box soon.
All the Best,
Jeff

I have 2 dedicated bookcases and several tubs holding them. If I can just keep the cat from knocking them over.

What’s the model number on those cases?

All lights get tested to be sure not DOA, then back into the original box and “stored” in tupperware coffins. Maybe I’ll use ’em, maybe I’ll sell ’em, maybe I’ll gift ’em, whatever.

Those I use “all the time” are out here and running around loose, with cells and charged.

Those that got obviated by other/newer/”better” lights, I still keep around, either TCLOed or minus the cells, but in a padded bag.

No fancy display cases or cabinets or nuttin’. No shelf-queens, only box-queens.

Exceptions are those lights that came in the Cheap White Flimsy Cardboard boxes that typically self-destructed as soon as it hit room-air upon unpacking. Those boxes are mulch by now.

Im guessing Air 1535

this one is a bit smaller size and price:
Storm iM2050

pros and cons
I like that they have handles,

the lights are vertical, so not a good display,

but excellent transport safety.


the first question one of my kids asked

How much money in flashlights, is inside that case?

Not much of a collection, but I keep them in an appropriate holster and box them. Others are about the house, workshop, car, toolboxes/totes.

First collection:

That lexicon has been updated and better glued

Second collection:

And lastly, the third collection:

And the boxes are in a bookcase.

Take them out for a walk-about on a rotational basis.

Had to re-educate my belt insertion - tail-end right loop, so to quickly attach the holster on the left hip.

I keep mine in two main places. A couple of larger deeper shelves in the back room. For the larger lights and the ones I don’t use as often. Although my partner knows she can go and grab any at the front and use them as needed. Not all of these have batteries in. Ones at the back are ones that get used rarely or are failed projects/unfinished.

The rest I keep in my office. I use most of them and try and keep a battery in all of them, so that I can just grab and go as required. I generally EDC a light for 1 battery charge. Then I’ll take the battery out and simply swap the light for another and so on.




I keep some on my cooler at work, some in their boxes in knock-off Pelican cases, and others on desks in my bed and junk rooms.

Rubbermaid (owned by Newell):

Nice shelving system Chickendrumstick! I do some home gaming woodworking and have a barn woodshop, and have been looking up ideas for building rack/shelf systems for my growing collection.

Currently I have been on a binge of buying a holster for every light I have that is over ~100 mm in lengt and doesn’t have a pocket clip. Once in it’s holster, it’s either in a custom made very basic wooden box I have made, or in a craftsmen/husky tool bag that I take with me to the car/truck/etc, batteries in everything, cycle through most except the largest ones on a daily basis and charge when needed. Still working on a decent system though, am interested In building small display cases of some sort.

The smallest black one is a Pelican 1450. It works great for smaller lights, mostly 16340/18350 stuff, although short e-switch 18650s also fit great, like Zebralights.

The middle-sized gray one is a Pelican 1500. Its basically the same depth as the 1450, just larger. So again, longer 18650 lights won’t fit, at least not standing vertically like this.

The largest tan case is a Pelican 1600. This one contains all my longer lights, everything from about the length of Convoy S2+’s and up.

Someone else already pointed out that there are cheaper versions of very similar cases on the market, and I’m sure that’s true. I’ve had these cases for years now and, while they were never exactly cheap, they just keep going up in price.

Gives ya a good excuse not to sell any lights, else you’ll have extra holes left over. :laughing:

Wow… those look like our better microphone cases we use for my live sound company. When I had a recording studio (a lifetime ago) I had a mic locker where all the smaller items (including mic clips, batteries, pop screens, etc) were stored when not in use. Some of those mics cost me well over $500 (a few in the thousands) and it was just wise to have a system where the minute they were done being used… they went into the locker.

In the four years I owned that studio (in SOCO Austin, TX in Stevie Ray Vaughan’s last house he lived it) I never had anything “walk” off. Man those were good years… made NO money but made some great music (and lots of friends!).

Now, I put my “queens” on one shelf (fighting for space with the Krinkle Claus collection from 1995- wife’s mom’s early inheritance).

The rest go into a few drawers in original boxes while batteries go into the fridge bottom drawer (next to the carrots) at 3.4V-3.7V. The ugly, scratched lights I’d NEVER gift or sell off tend to be in odd corners with laptop pulls in them waiting for a power outage.

The LT1 lanterns are always bedside- used nightly! Then the few cool new guys are by the back door, and kitchen countertop (where we charge everything with USB ports out the butt). Currently there is an IF25a, SC31 Pro, and C8F there and ready for most outdoor excursions.

Oh… and my OLD as hell C8 Convoy (rebuilt, and tweaked 4 times now) sits on my 22 semi at the back door for occasional varmint use.

And finally… my custom tweaked FET switching (thanks Lexel) rifle lights (direct driven C8F’s) are in the safe with my guns ready for mounting about three guns I use them on- as needed.

Damn… I have lights everywhere! :smiley: