11th Nov 2008
Crank Flashlights: One Good Turn Requires Another
Another option in the world of battery free flashlights is the crank flashlight which gets its power by the user turning a crank. These lights are different from the shake flashlights in that cranking seems to produce more energy in less time, although I should note cranking may also take significantly more of your energy than simply shaking.
Like the shake flashlight users, many people have been unhappy with the quality of light produced by their crank flashlight. Those people are generally the ones who either A, expect their battery free flashlight to perform like a battery powered flashlight or B, have not purchased a quality crank light. As with all of your emergency lighting, take the time, spend the money and buy a quality piece of equipment.
That said, let’s look at a few of the features offered by better crank lights:
Variable power switch: This is a great feature on any of your flashlights as it allows you to save power by switching off some of your available LED bulbs.
Optional wall charger: Obviously, these allow you to charge your flashlight when you have power by plugging it into the wall (that means no cranking!)
Radio: Having an alternately powered radio with your emergency flashlight is a good package. The radio feature generally increases the size of the flashlight, but if you take this into consideration, this is a nice feature.
Battery/cellphone/ipod charger: These chargers get mixed reviews. In theory, they are great, and it is very convenient to be able to power multiple items with your emergency flashlight. In practice though, you have to realize it takes many, many cranks to run these chargers, significantly more than it takes to light the flashlight. Additionally, finding a charger that fits your cellphone can be tricky.
Wrist strap: With the increased bulk and weight of crank flashlights, a wrist strap is very handy in allowing you to safeguard against accidentally dropping your light and carry other things with the light.
When you do get your crank flashlight, be sure to read and hang on to the instructions. The manufacturer may have special suggestions to help increase battery life and decrease the number of cranks you need to make.
So, when you’re buying your emergency crank flashlight, remember to look for a quality light and expect to crank that light again, and again, and again. And when the power is out and you need that light, it will be completely worth it.
Another option in the world of battery free flashlights is the crank flashlight which gets its power by the user turning a crank. These lights are different from the shake flashlights in that cranking seems to produce more energy in less time, although I should note cranking may also take significantly more of your energy than simply shaking.
Like the shake flashlight users, many people have been unhappy with the quality of light produced by their crank flashlight. Those people are generally the ones who either A, expect their battery free flashlight to perform like a battery powered flashlight or B, have not purchased a quality crank light. As with all of your emergency lighting, take the time, spend the money and buy a quality piece of equipment.
That said, let’s look at a few of the features offered by better crank lights:
Variable power switch: This is a great feature on any of your flashlights as it allows you to save power by switching off some of your available LED bulbs.
Optional wall charger: Obviously, these allow you to charge your flashlight when you have power by plugging it into the wall (that means no cranking!)
Radio: Having an alternately powered radio with your emergency flashlight is a good package. The radio feature generally increases the size of the flashlight, but if you take this into consideration, this is a nice feature.
Battery/cellphone/ipod charger: These chargers get mixed reviews. In theory, they are great, and it is very convenient to be able to power multiple items with your emergency flashlight. In practice though, you have to realize it takes many, many cranks to run these chargers, significantly more than it takes to light the flashlight. Additionally, finding a charger that fits your cellphone can be tricky.
Wrist strap: With the increased bulk and weight of crank flashlights, a wrist strap is very handy in allowing you to safeguard against accidentally dropping your light and carry other things with the light.
When you do get your crank flashlight, be sure to read and hang on to the instructions. The manufacturer may have special suggestions to help increase battery life and decrease the number of cranks you need to make.
So, when you’re buying your emergency crank flashlight, remember to look for a quality light and expect to crank that light again, and again, and again. And when the power is out and you need that light, it will be completely worth it.
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Emergency Flashlight, Manual Power Flashlight, crank flashlight 
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