Declare it as a hobby - then the expense immanently needs no justification
Iāll be using mine for camping mainly but also to be able to light my house in a rare case of power outage. Fortunately we do have a fairly stable power grid in my country so this is more a prepping effort than actual need.
Iām eager to be able to replace my trusted old petroleum Petromax which has served me for years without issue but is a pain to take on a camping trip.
One LT1 will light a shed which has no electricity.
Mine had improperly bridged solder pads from the factory so I just went ahead and did them all. No regrets. If I need more battery life or it it gets too hot I just run it a little dimmer than the max (itās never gotten too hot though). This actually works well for me since I prefer warmer color temperatures and so with the auto tint ramping it keeps things on the warmer side at the levels I tend to use it.
While I have been using my LT1 daily since I got it, I had my first ālegitimateā use last night. We had a fire break out in Santa Barbara last night, and I spent probably an hour or more over the course of the evening up on the roof watching the progress. The LT1 provided a wide spray of light in all directions and helped keep us relatively safe up on the roof. I didnāt think to take a picture of the LT1, but I did take one of the fire. Flames 100ās of feet in the air, and at one point a portion of the fire distinctly looked like the eye of Sauron. By the time I got my phone it had changed, it was eerie for sure. The picture was from earlier on and the flames donāt look as big or as dramatic as later in the evening.
We fortunately did not need to evacuate, but lots of people did. Last I heard no injuries or homes lost (one outbuilding lost), which is certainly a minor miracle. The fire spread from on top of the ridge to within about a mile and a half from my house in less than 2 hours. While 0% contained, it seems like they have really knocked it down and with rain on the way tonight the worst is certainly over.
Wow. Be safe for sure. Thatās the real deal there! Glad to hear the LT1 is working for you. I have been using mine in a way more mundane fashion. Love it. Hopefully I wont need it for a situation like that. Best.
The plan is the same as itās been since I got my first one. Itās being used every night as a nightlight in case the power goes out, though with the ground frozen now conditions would need to be pretty bad for that to happen (this year).
The second one? One is none and 2 is one, that philosophy drove the desire for it. I have spares for everything thatās worth having. And if LT1 #2 needs to be put into use I have it.
LT1 #1 has already been used for one power outage and it worked fine. The prime Q8 is now what it was intended to be all along, a flashlight, and is no longer used as a lantern.
The GB thread is immense and posts go away quick so I figured Iād post this here.
Not a true response to the OP, but no matter how I use it itās good to have a plan B.
USB-C is not ubiquitous in my world yet, in light of that I ripped apart a USB Micro>C adapter and wrapped some heat-shrink around it so Iāll have it in case thereās no USB-C handy. It tucks away nicely inside the bottom cap.
Certainly not rigid enough for everyday use, but will work in a pinch.
Perhaps Iāll ruggedize V2 with some epoxy.
Itās cold during summer as well. A few years back, we went around August, it was hot during the day but it was really cold at night. I was wearing long sweat pants and thermal. It was crazy!
Florida native. Well versed on hurricanes and Floridaās 4th-world-quality power grid. Iām sure my LT1s will see plenty of use. Hopefully theyāll arrive before we get a storm.
For Hurricane Irma (2017) I used a mix of Mr Beams MB480 lanterns (4000K), Fenix CL20s, and USB bulb-style lights when the generator was off. Also had a pile of the Mr Beams motion-activated/low-glow lights around the place. Higher-Kelvin color temps may be desirable for flashlights, but for extended use I find the neutral and warmer tints more civilized. We actually had a neighbor come knocking on our door, asking if we had power.
Iām also a sucker for dim LED lights which will run forever. Iām imagining using the LT1ās button light the majority of the time. I also have a pile of Mr Beams MB500 stair lights. Very dim, but perfect for my uses.
Currently my lt1 sees most use hanging under the garage awning as I do work after dark. it will definitely be a component of my molle emergency gear. Momās is sitting on the microwave (not far from her sp36) handy for a power outage.
I finally got to take my camping recently. The gentle glow of candle mode while we sat by the fire was awesome. Just enough light to see our surroundings, but not blind us or our neighbors. It gets used daily at home, but as we near the longest day of the year, not as much as winter time. When was the last time I charged it?
Just got mine two days ago.
Tested the Sofirm 3000mAh cells, all were above 3000.
Played with the LT1 and set the Steps to where I think I want them.
Now Iām waiting out a high run time test. Almost there.
I like how the lamp will step down noticeably if the light is powered up with low volts on the batts.
Use? We have good power here, but clearly this will make an awesome emergency light.
Donāt camp as much as we used to, but man on man, I wish I had something like this 40 year ago.
It will certainly go along on trips to a friends ranch where the power goes out all the time.
Where, by the way, are several D battery lanterns that are used mostly to store leaking batteries.
I showed it to a caver friend. Heās in love.
Wantās to get one for underground camps. Weight is not so important there.
My wife got me one for Christmas (ishā¦ ordered before, came after, you know how it goes).
It has seen a ton of use as a ādrop lightā (seems to have a few different terms - check the image search here for what I mean) around the house as Iāve done a lot of home improvement work since buying a house in September. It also serves well as a nightstand lamp on a low and warm setting.
