Recommend emergency flashlights for my cars?

Tumbleweed48 · 2019-10-06T16:02:10.000Z

I know it sounds ‘unromantic’, but I believe emergency flashlights for vehicles (that are left in the vehicle perpetually) should be rugged, cheap 2xAA lights from the hardware store, fuelled with Energizer Ultimate lithium primaries.

Let’s face it, most of us carry something better every day anyway, either on our person or in a bag of some sort. Vehicle lights tend to get forgotten until a genuine emergency shows itself - which might be years down the road, or (hopefully) never.

Tweakmeister · 2019-10-06T16:06:41.000Z

18650 is fine. Something that mixes flood and throw with run time. Having the ability to recharge via USB is a plus.

I put some Fenix PD35tac’s in my vehicles (battery has USB micro plug) and made sure to unscrew them so they don’t suffer from parasitic discharge. They’ve come in handy.

Something more like a FT03 or TK75 is even better.

Lightbringer · 2019-10-06T18:43:43.000Z

There are 18650 lights that can take a pair of ’123s, like the MH20 (compact) and SP32Av2 (tubelight).

Both are e-switch, so you need to lock ’em out by unscrewing the tailcap a half-turn or so.

Or get a NexTorch from Illumn. Nylon-body P60 that comes with either a hotwire bulb or 1W LED kit. Not terribly bright (unless you upgrade the drop-in) but are nigh indestructible and have loooooong runtime.

KeepingItLight · 2019-10-06T18:51:21.000Z

In addition to the handheld flashlights you keep in the car, you may want a headlamp. Keeps your hands free in case you have to change a tire or look under the hood. Best is something with little or no hot spot. Skillhunt used to sell one that allowed you to remove the reflector so that it could be used as a mule (i.e., a flashlight with no reflector or lens). Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact model name.

Mules are great for close work. There is no hot spot at all.

I keep a cheapo AA headlamp in the car, and, and, on a good day, I may have my ZebraLight H600Fd III headlamp with me.

You may want to pack a couple of extra lights in the car so that your passengers will all have flashlights after a breakdown.

Lastly, I have Nitecore's orange diffuser/traffic wand.

drewski · 2019-10-06T19:37:13.000Z

Literally anything is better than a 3x C cell maglight LED with e-switch. Mine can completely drain 3 fully charged Tenergy C cells in just a couple months with its parasitic drain. I like lithium 123s or AAs for my cars. Although I have kept an 18650 light in my car through the hot NC summer and semi-cold winter without any significant performance issues— not that I’m recommending that of course.

Macka17 · 2019-10-07T01:02:24.000Z

Same as “keeping light” Above…

I have a no name XML-Hi dual battery 18650 variable output headlight
gives good at zoom and spread, for a decent time.
Plus. in each car. again. No name. very nice build. XML With 18650 cells.
Wide to Zoom, with 100m usable pencil beam in the REAL dark.

In Caravan and boats. Haikelite HT08 Aspheric.
Bought as novelty. (quite interesting, and useful in fact).
Beam goes from full dia a foot in front of your toes
for a decent 50ft or more. To a usable pencil with flare either side.
Out to as far as you’d want in a close area as that .
I can see IN the windows of Ted’s kitchen across park.
at 82mtrs on Google.

You can stand at stern of 34 ft yacht.
and it lights up the WHOLE deck of boat in the one spread
from your bloody toes. Amazing.
Not powerful. Not long ranging,
It’s usefully. Just GOOD for certain applications.

LedTed · 2019-10-07T01:04:04.000Z

I used to keep (old style) ThruNite T10s in my and my wife’s cars. They are easy to stash, take easy to find batteries, and have the handy diffuser.

Boaz · 2019-10-07T01:19:55.000Z

I have a few in my car but that's because I have a bazillion lights .

the cheapie in my console is a free light I got from a vendor a long time ago . It's a plug in the lighter light . Kind of an odd side button two mode with next mode memory and a strobe in the mode order . It's a pure junk light that actually gets used more than you'd think . has either an xpe ? or a fake emitter with a bunch of throw for it's size . I'm guessing it's worth about $5. but it's paid for itself ....Glad I didn't buy it :P

I keep 18650 lights in the car but don't leave them there expecting them to be fresh as a daisy until the next coming ice age . Like any light I check / rotate /use or play with ...at a minimum once or twice a year.

I don't see bugout and my car as the same thing.The light in my car gets used 20 times a year and in a few years will be replaced with something better

If bug out is your game and you're not willing to ever touch a light than put a pack of lithium primaries batteries in the light or pack candles

firedome · 2019-10-07T06:49:00.000Z

I do not like to keep anything expensive in the car, because it is subject to extreme temperatures or the risk of theft. So I keep a S2 in the glove box and a cheap 2xAA COB in the toolbox. I like the magnet on the COB.

Lightbringer · 2019-10-07T16:51:07.000Z

Was gonna suggest to anyone who’s not afraid of keeping an 18650 in a car, try the Nitefox UW360 worklight.

4 LEDs on an Al plate, magnetic base, membrane switch (high/low/off), gooseneck between base and head, quite nice to stick onto the side of the car if you’d need to change a tire, etc.

It’s a mule, so forget about throw, but it’s a quite nice area-light. I got 2 of ’em, but use both of them indoors.

Oh, usb charging, too, and included (protected) cell.

BOO5TED · 2019-10-07T17:30:34.000Z

My vote is a Nitecore MH12GTS, it takes CR123s, 18650s and uses the same usb charging cable as my phone. I always have the usb cable in my truck so if the light is low I can plug it in to charge up quickly. I’m in ATL and that light has seen 120 inside the truck during the summer to single digit temps(only a couple times lol) in the winter and never had any issues with it.

wle · 2019-10-07T19:20:20.000Z

i would not get AA or AAA - you will ignore the light, it is hot in the car, the thing will leak, invariably when you need it, it won’t work
plus it may be corroded beyond repair
unless you can remember to check the thing 4x a year

also, what is its real purpose?

i only consider my car light ‘the last resort’ - since if i can get the main EDC light out, i won;t go for the inferior car light.
so it almost never gets used
except maybe to look at something inside the car at night, while driving - again how often is that?

I just have some $4 CR123A twisties that are super small, 1 mode only
CR123As - in addition to not leaking - also have super long shelf life, like over 10 years

i’m also in atlanta

wle

amishbill · 2019-10-07T19:39:39.000Z

Another Atlanta guy….

I’ve had some double AA lights in my car for a while now. They’re old, and surprisingly dim in comparison to the turbocharged lumen monsters I’ve gotten used to, but they’re simple and durable. Yeah… Dim. Maybe 100-150 lumens… But, let me tell you. when you’re stuck at night in the middle of nowhere, it only takes a handful of lumens to make the difference.

WLE - the answer you seek is non-rechargeable lithium AA. They have all the benefits of non-rechargeable CR123, with the bonus of also accepting standard AA off the shelf of absolutely any store you’re near.

I’ve thought of using something small, simple and internally rechargeable like the Sofirn SC31 as a car light. If kept out of direct sunlight (like in a console or glove box) I’m not overly worried about the heat they’ll be exposed to, and being able to recharge with a USB cable is a definite mark in its favor. All you need to do is remember to check them once or twice a year and top off their charge. Yeah - you’re not supposed to keep Li-ion full charged if you want the best life out of them… BUT, how much good is a light that only has a half charge when you suddenly need it?

Lightbringer · 2019-10-07T20:23:43.000Z

Youse can all use alkaleaks in AA/AAA lights just fine. Just keep the cells separate and in a plastic bag so that even if they do leak, the corrosive ick won’t go beyond the confines of the bag.

Spares too, in case the main cells take a dump.

But in those cases, I’d just skip those hateful little alkaleaks entirely and stick with NiMH cells or Li primaries.

wle · 2019-10-07T21:03:46.000Z

i;ve used the lithium 1.5V, not impressed, they seem to have very low total energy

i forgot nimh as an option, but they have pretty high self-discharge.

but again, if you carry a good light in your pocket, when would you realistically use a car light?

i also agree that li-ion is probably ok even in heat and cold, for a non critical use

wle

Lexel · 2019-10-07T22:05:53.000Z

emergency light
use AA or CR123 primary lithium 3V battery

amishbill · 2019-10-07T22:20:03.000Z

wle:

…
i forgot nimh as an option, but they have pretty high self-discharge.
…

Older NiMH - can’t argue with you.

New “Precharged” NiMH have a much lower self discharge rate that the non-precharged versions. It’s worth looking into.

Lightbringer · 2019-10-08T00:56:32.000Z

Yeh, enelooops and amaloops are pretty good in that regard. LADDA cells (eneloops in drag), too.

SIGShooter · 2019-10-08T02:08:55.000Z

I keep a Sofirn 2 AA light, a cheap 3 AAA headlight, a 3 D cell maglite, and a 12v spotlight with the cable in my car. The maglite is something I have left over from decades ago and I figured I might as well leave it in the car. I have primary lithium batteries in the AA and AAA lights and also spare enloops in a plastic bag.

That’s on top of an Olight AAA light on the car key ring and a Convoy S2 that I normally carry.

cm64 · 2019-10-10T12:05:39.000Z

I keep one of these in my car. Cheap & quite good for close up use.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833798268.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dzIGuhg