It's safer and more sustainable to rely on battery-free flashlights and hand-crank radios for emergencies. Not only will you save money without disposable batteries, but you'll be able to count on having light and a link to the outside world when you need it most.
More to know about flashlights and radios
- Look for LED flashlights. Long-lasting LED bulbs are far more durable and efficient than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs.
- Choose capacitors instead of batteries where possible. High-quality "shake" flashlights have no batteries. Instead, they have magnets to generate electricity and capacitors to store it. Beware of cheap knock-offs that have button batteries and toy magnets. We tested a batch of these, only to discover that when the battery lost charge the flashlights stopped working!
- Recharge your batteries. Some products require batteries, which can store more energy than capacitors. Be prepared to check and recharge batteries on a regular basis. The most common type of rechargeable battery--nickel metal hydride (NiMH)--loses charge faster than disposable alkaline batteries.
- Recharge in the sun. If your flashlight or radio has a solar panel, you can leave it in the sun to ensure that it is fully charged whenever you need it.
No comments:
Post a Comment