Scivillage.com Casual Discussion Science Forum

Pertaining purely to my own personal use rather than the whole household, I've got just a couple of AAA-powered flashlights and one dinosaur using D-cell batteries (but very bright).

Thing about torches is that you need them to work when you need them to work. They all start off good but after a few years they have ways to fail like having to be struck repeatedly to get anything but the dimmest glow out of them. When there's a pride of rats under the floor you need a working torch to track them - this seems to mean a torch that is less than a year old. I have (somewhere) a D-cell dinosaur torch that still works after many years but many times I've been seduced by the latest AA or AAA technology - from halogen bulbs to super-LEDs. All useless after a few years. The current torch has to share its home with many other bits of useless junk - hence the tendency to favour small torches leaving the one actual working torch homeless and impossible to find when needed. My Mother-in-Law once gave me a pack of 6 LED torches for Xmas - imagine the convenience of having a torch in every place where you might need one. Imagine the inconvenience of trying to work out where you hid them after five years. Next time I see the D-cell torch I'm going to make space for it in the Torch Drawer and its going to be The Torch until it finally dies.

looks awesome !
i recall being told something to do with larger battery size torches being potentially longer lasting to thus give a bit more reliance over time.

those super duper new LED's coupled with a long lasting submersible drop resistant case that fits a 9 volt type new battery would seem like a real winner.

i have noticed a bit of a gap in the market between the new very bright torches and a torch you can put down that lights things ahead/around you.
there seems to be a bit of a gap in that any type of tripod or stand device is only effective on a very flat surface.
having a beam angle that doesn't diminish when it is sitting on its side or upside down, and yet still lights ahead and around a bit seems to be a great idea.

i wonder if once the recycling cost of torches is built into the retail price, then we might see a sudden jump in over all type and durability to be something like a hand-lantern type water proof, floating torch with a carry handle.

Earlier this evening I dropped something under a desk and couldn't see it. I found two torches - one with no batteries and one giving a dim light after being smacked a few times. With no help from either I found the thing I was looking for and for no particular reason I thought I'd just check the dim light torch was was turned off. So I'm peering at it looking for a glow. Click once - nothing - no surprise there. Click again and suddenly it goes for the the full glory of 500 candlepower (or whatever). I still can't see properly some hours later.

(May 12, 2019 01:21 AM)confused2 Wrote: [ -> ]Earlier this evening I dropped something under a desk and couldn't see it. I found two torches - one with no batteries and one giving a dim light after being smacked a few times. With no help from either I found the thing I was looking for and for no particular reason I thought I'd just check the dim light torch was was turned off. So I'm peering at it looking for a glow. Click once - nothing - no surprise there. Click again and suddenly it goes for the the full glory of 500 candlepower (or whatever). I still can't see properly some hours later.

Wonders never cease, especially if that one is waterproof. Tossed it into a river leading straight to the ocean and prayed I'd never see the thing again and hear of its specific, cursed afflictions. One out of two isn't bad.

Torches seem to be among the household objects most likely to exhibit demonic possession along with socks and Microsoft Windows.