@cfg83 Sometimes, the device containing the battery is at fault. Over a decade back, Costco sold a three-pack of what seemed like really nice LED flashlights, but the entire batch had a fatal flaw; they didn’t use a hardwired physical on/off switch for power. Their electronic power control circuit put a steady relatively low drain on the three AAA batteries, and would reliably drain them flat inside a month. If you didn’t swap the cells out right away, they would typically leak within 60 days after installation. A great many of them got returned. For those with a DIY bent, it was possible to replace that “smart” control with the very dumb switch from the then-current free-with-any-purchase el cheapo LED flashlights at Horror Fraught. I still have them around here somewhere.
@cfg83@mediocrebot I feel like this is a very weighted religious image but can’t quite focus it out. The concept that the priest has 6 times the voltage of the bride/groom seems like it must mean something…
@cfg83@werehatrack Yeah, I bought a pack of Duracell flashlights at Costco some time ago that have the same problem (mine use C-cells). One of them sits near the front door for night-time trips outside. We unscrew the cap when not in use to keep the batteries from draining - PITA, but it’s otherwise a nice-ish light.
@ddbelyea@mediocrebot Yes. I am also trying to figure that one out. The priest is “… closer to the Lightning” because both electrodes are on the top of his head.
D-cell Batteries, Ugh, HEAVY and costly. But, well, maybe. I’ll sleep on it. meh items are getting more expensive now always around $20 +. is that Tariffflation?
“Was $87.71 at Amazon” - now “Currently unavailable” Because being sold on meh.
/showme prudish-fine-roadrunner
@JohnQ118 Well it’s got an internal lithium as well, that’s nice. I need some solution to plug my huge amount of random crap into and give them some electrons every couple months to keep the batteries alive…
I don’t remember whether the one I bought was from Costco or Sam’s, but it’s still here and still works - and served us well during extended power outages due to the derecho and other nasty weather events. Under the current tariff mess, it’s hard to say whether the price is excellent or merely tolerable (or even meh), but as I already have one, I’ll pass. (I also have a number of other LED lanterns and magnetic work lights and WAY too many flashlights.)
OBTW, I agree with the sentiment above concerning Duracell batteries. Too many leakers over too many years. (That said, Rayovac used to be even worse.)
Lately, I’ve pretty much swapped to high-capacity NiMH as a replacement anywhere I can’t switch to lithium easily.
I live in hurricane country and have two very old, D-cell-only lanterns (one or both might not be LED). Something like this, that can be recharged by USB-C or solar, seems ideal. Anyone in Katrina-land have something like this that can weigh in to help me choose?
@KlfJoat I’m a little more North in Tornado Alley 🌪 (Tulsa, OK) but in addition to various AA and AAA cell lights and lanterns I have a couple of wind-up radio/flashlight combo devices. I recommend them highly in case of prolonged power outages.
D cell stuff is ok, I guess, but I go with rechargeable options or smaller battery lights.
This light would be ok, I suppose, if it catches your eye. You could do worse things with a Jackson. ¯\(ツ)/¯
There have been a bunch of variants of this light. Costco sells them sometimes, for around this price. They are useful though the UI is kind of lame. I wouldn’t bother with the D cells under most circumstances. Just keep them charged up through USB and maybe have a power bank around if you’re worried about outages. The solar panel might be ok for outdoor use (charge up all day and use a little bit in the evening) but it’s mostly too small.
/showme battery powered camp lantern as the just opened ark of the covenant, raiders of the lost ark, energizer bunny ghosts flying around as bad guys watch, widescreen.
Shocked. Just shocked I say. meh selling a 4.8 star item? Is someone in purchasing sick with the “I forgot I worked for a 2 to 3 star product to resell company” flu? What is meh coming to?
@Kidsandliz Next thing you know, they’ll be selling shirts that actually fit, and then it’s only a short hop to their turning into a respectable outfit.
@st_ellis I feel like we are creating commercials for all these products. Imagine everybody in ancient times being wowed by the overpowering light until the end when you get the reveal.
@mapaya According to the product listing on Tractor Supply, this lantern has five lighting modes—High, Low, Auto Power Saving, Red Emergency and Auto On/Off ambient light sensor—so it does have a red emergency lighting mode (it can flash red).
‘user16255429’ asked reference the color temperature (typically provided in Kelvins/K), not brightness (provided for in this spec chart in lumens/lm). FYI.
@user16255429 I have one. I’d put the color temp somewhere between 5500 and 6000K, which means you’ll hate it. (If you’re really curious, I actually have a color temp meter, and can test it.)
For those above who mentioned being displeased with the thought of using alkaline D-sized batteries, do not forget about D and C adapters/spacers for old-school devices, while using modern Li-Ion AA batteries. For example, for my old-school devices that still use D size batteries (that for one reason or another, the household cannot yet discard), I have long ago switched to using Panasonic eneloop AAs, just as I do with other modern devices that use AA size batteries, but with Panasonic eneloop-branded D adapters/spacers.
Hope that helps. Not that I am recommending for or against this lantern. Just offering an additional user-installable Li-Ion solution, in addition to the built-in.
@bartsimpson The design of the D-cell holder in this device does not lend itself to any easy or useful lithium adaptation, but as the light has an internal lithium battery with a charging port, it can be used without them. It also works well with NiMH D-cells, and recently there have been D-cells of that type with a capacity that rivals alkalines. I’ve been switching over.
@bartsimpson I’m seeing adapters that each take three 1.5v AAs and output 1.5v; you’d need 12 AAs but the capacity could be pretty epic. And, there is a warning in the package regarding ‘optical radiation’ if you get too close!
I’ve been using this for a few days now and I have some minor complaints. I had no intention of ever putting batteries in this. The plan was to hopefully charge it in the sun and then have it run at night in an area that I don’t have electricity in my yard. However, the solar charger is not good enough to do that. Charging it via solar only lasts a few hours. Even where I live where the sun is constantly shining. Second it says on the documentation that a red light will turn on when you are charging, either by solar or by USB. That red light does not exist.
I’m able to charge it during the day via USB C, and use it at night and it lasts until the morning. That’s good enough.
@Fuzzalini I am actually able to see a tiny red light when I charge it, it’s very hard to see and some charging cables block the light entirely. It turns green when charged, and when it turns green it’s much easier to see.
Anyway, it’s working the way I had hoped it would and I can even get two nights of illumination out of a single charge.
@Fuzzalini That little built in panel likely doesn’t have enough power to fully charge the internal batteries. However there are a large variety of ~5W panels with USB C output like this one that possibly could work.
Specs
Product: Duracell 1,500-Lumen Multi-Power Lantern
Model: 2622117
Condition: New
What’s Included?
Price Comparison
$50 at Amazon
Warranty
90 days
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Feb 26 - Monday, Mar 2
You! You light up my life!
This deal is lit, yo.
/8ball Do I need another lantern from meh.com?
Don’t count on it
@heartny I gotta use this more.
Concentrate and ask again
/8ball Will I find the lantern of my life on meh?
I am traumatized by Duracell battery sulfation, so I would use non-Duracells in these.
/showme Post Traumatic Sulfated Duracell battery.
@cfg83 Here’s the image you requested for “Post Traumatic Sulfated Duracell battery.”
@mediocrebot Egg-zactly. The lantern, however is not to blame.
@cfg83 @mediocrebot For some reason, I just remembered the Dinacell batteries I found as a kid.
@mediocrebot @zhicks1987 WTF? There were knock-offs of duracell???
/showme Battery named Duracell getting married to battery named Dinacell.
@cfg83 Here’s the image you requested for “Battery named Duracell getting married to battery named Dinacell.”
@cfg83 @mediocrebot I’m getting a charge out of that preacher!
@cfg83 Sometimes, the device containing the battery is at fault. Over a decade back, Costco sold a three-pack of what seemed like really nice LED flashlights, but the entire batch had a fatal flaw; they didn’t use a hardwired physical on/off switch for power. Their electronic power control circuit put a steady relatively low drain on the three AAA batteries, and would reliably drain them flat inside a month. If you didn’t swap the cells out right away, they would typically leak within 60 days after installation. A great many of them got returned. For those with a DIY bent, it was possible to replace that “smart” control with the very dumb switch from the then-current free-with-any-purchase el cheapo LED flashlights at Horror Fraught. I still have them around here somewhere.
@werehatrack Yeah, I have dremeled little slits into lanterns that I didn’t trust in order to manually break the circuit.
@mediocrebot @therealjrn He’s a busy guy. When he’s not doing weddings, he’s helping me to listen to games during the baseball season.
@cfg83 @mediocrebot @zhicks1987
@cfg83 @werehatrack yes Harbor freight is a lifesaver sometime. They have such unique and needed tools at bargain basement prices.
@cfg83 @mediocrebot I feel like this is a very weighted religious image but can’t quite focus it out. The concept that the priest has 6 times the voltage of the bride/groom seems like it must mean something…
@cfg83 @werehatrack Yeah, I bought a pack of Duracell flashlights at Costco some time ago that have the same problem (mine use C-cells). One of them sits near the front door for night-time trips outside. We unscrew the cap when not in use to keep the batteries from draining - PITA, but it’s otherwise a nice-ish light.
@mediocrebot @tydalforce @zhicks1987 Wowee wow wow!
/showme Battery husband named Duracell and wife battery named Dinacell with child battery named Duravel.
@cfg83 Here’s the image you requested for “Battery husband named Duracell and wife battery named Dinacell with child battery named Duravel.”
@macromeh @werehatrack Egg-zactly. Duracells must be isolated to keep them from sulfating (knock on wood).
@mediocrebot So cute and full of energy … until I get through with them.
@ddbelyea @mediocrebot Yes. I am also trying to figure that one out. The priest is “… closer to the Lightning” because both electrodes are on the top of his head.
D-cell Batteries, Ugh, HEAVY and costly. But, well, maybe. I’ll sleep on it. meh items are getting more expensive now always around $20 +. is that Tariffflation?
“Was $87.71 at Amazon” - now “Currently unavailable” Because being sold on meh.
/showme prudish-fine-roadrunner
@JohnQ118 Hmmm?
/showme prudish fine roadrunner
@JohnQ118 I guess there is something nasty in the text combo.
@JohnQ118 Well it’s got an internal lithium as well, that’s nice. I need some solution to plug my huge amount of random crap into and give them some electrons every couple months to keep the batteries alive…
@JohnQ118 ISTR that the price was closer to $30 when they were at Sam’s or Costco several years back. Tarrifflation minus closeout = $20, it seems.
@JohnQ118 It’s on Amazon - the link goes there now. They fixed it from earlier when it went to where you saw it.
I don’t remember whether the one I bought was from Costco or Sam’s, but it’s still here and still works - and served us well during extended power outages due to the derecho and other nasty weather events. Under the current tariff mess, it’s hard to say whether the price is excellent or merely tolerable (or even meh), but as I already have one, I’ll pass. (I also have a number of other LED lanterns and magnetic work lights and WAY too many flashlights.)
OBTW, I agree with the sentiment above concerning Duracell batteries. Too many leakers over too many years. (That said, Rayovac used to be even worse.)
Lately, I’ve pretty much swapped to high-capacity NiMH as a replacement anywhere I can’t switch to lithium easily.
@werehatrack
Same, and now I’m in the process of switching to Lithium 9-volts, AA’s, and AAA’s [mostly from Coast.com so far].
I liked their proprietary Li battery for my clip-on headlamp, and that started me looking into their other Li batteries.
YMMV
well it seems to be available via stateside Amazon too for $49.99.
https://a.co/d/03hoy6pI
@Octomeh Absolutely not worth fifty bucks. At twenty, I call it “An okay price if you don’t already have something similar.”
@Octomeh Thank you! I didn’t catch the .ca domain this time. I’ve adjusted
I live in hurricane
country and have two very old, D-cell-only lanterns (one or both might not be LED). Something like this, that can be recharged by USB-C or solar, seems ideal. Anyone in Katrina-land have something like this that can weigh in to help me choose?
@KlfJoat I’m a little more North in Tornado Alley 🌪 (Tulsa, OK) but in addition to various AA and AAA cell lights and lanterns I have a couple of wind-up radio/flashlight combo devices. I recommend them highly in case of prolonged power outages.
D cell stuff is ok, I guess, but I go with rechargeable options or smaller battery lights.
This light would be ok, I suppose, if it catches your eye. You could do worse things with a Jackson. ¯\(ツ)/¯
@KlfJoat I think you would want a combo unit in your bugout bag.
Generic
https://www.amazon.com/crank-weather-radio/s?k=crank+weather+radio
Vs just a flashlight that might work if you remember to take it out during the day
@KlfJoat @therealjrn
I will wait for the Jackson Fairy before I mehmbibe …
There have been a bunch of variants of this light. Costco sells them sometimes, for around this price. They are useful though the UI is kind of lame. I wouldn’t bother with the D cells under most circumstances. Just keep them charged up through USB and maybe have a power bank around if you’re worried about outages. The solar panel might be ok for outdoor use (charge up all day and use a little bit in the evening) but it’s mostly too small.
@phr I don’t disagree but I’d just buy something better. D-cells are dumb unless you’re a security guard with only a flashlight
/showme a battery powered lantern so bright it’s like the “it’s beautiful” ark of the covenant scene in raiders of the lost ark
@zippyus Here’s the image you requested for "a battery powered lantern so bright its like the “its beautiful ark of the covenant scene in raid…”
Something went terribly wrong. Please try again.
@mediocrebot I mean yeah, don’t look at it whatever you do.
@zippyus this lantern really is pretty bright!
/showme battery powered camp lantern as the just opened ark of the covenant, raiders of the lost ark, energizer bunny ghosts flying around as bad guys watch, widescreen.
@zippyus Here’s the image you requested for “battery powered camp lantern as the just opened ark of the covenant, raiders of the lost ark, ene…”
/giphy Jim dressed as dwight prank
@mediocrebot @zippyus Wow, energizer blew that commercial opportunity.
Would be a perfect MEH product if it had a Bluetooth speaker!!! So close to the holy grail!
Shocked. Just shocked I say. meh selling a 4.8 star item? Is someone in purchasing sick with the “I forgot I worked for a 2 to 3 star product to resell company” flu? What is meh coming to?
@Kidsandliz Next thing you know, they’ll be selling shirts that actually fit, and then it’s only a short hop to their turning into a respectable outfit.
…
/showme Duracell 1500-Lumen Multi-Power Lantern atop lighthouse of alexandria.
@cfg83 Here’s the image you requested for “Duracell 1500-Lumen Multi-Power Lantern atop lighthouse of alexandria.”
@cfg83 nice! I was thinking more of “Gondor calls for aid!” myself, but this I like!
@st_ellis I feel like we are creating commercials for all these products. Imagine everybody in ancient times being wowed by the overpowering light until the end when you get the reveal.
can it really flash red?
@mapaya According to the product listing on Tractor Supply, this lantern has five lighting modes—High, Low, Auto Power Saving, Red Emergency and Auto On/Off ambient light sensor—so it does have a red emergency lighting mode (it can flash red).
Tractor Supply product page
(written by an AI that might be wrong, so feel free to double-check the source
@mapaya oh yes it does and it will get your attention! I haven’t unwrapped or even charged it yet!
@mapaya
What I really want to know is the color temperature of these. Nothing I hate more in the outdoors than glaring 5000+ K lanterns
@user16255429 It says it’s dimming
‘therealjrn’,
‘user16255429’ asked reference the color temperature (typically provided in Kelvins/K), not brightness (provided for in this spec chart in lumens/lm). FYI.
And yet, @bartsimpson you made not even the slenderist effort to answer the poster’s question.
Disappointing.
@user16255429 I have one. I’d put the color temp somewhere between 5500 and 6000K, which means you’ll hate it. (If you’re really curious, I actually have a color temp meter, and can test it.)
@user16255429 Yeah they are high temperature, cool white. On mine there are also red leds but it’s not the exact same model.
@werehatrack Above 5000K is all I really need to know. Thanks!
For those above who mentioned being displeased with the thought of using alkaline D-sized batteries, do not forget about D and C adapters/spacers for old-school devices, while using modern Li-Ion AA batteries. For example, for my old-school devices that still use D size batteries (that for one reason or another, the household cannot yet discard), I have long ago switched to using Panasonic eneloop AAs, just as I do with other modern devices that use AA size batteries, but with Panasonic eneloop-branded D adapters/spacers.
At AMZN, the 4-pack is at:
www.amzn.com/B00JRF2GHO.
Hope that helps. Not that I am recommending for or against this lantern. Just offering an additional user-installable Li-Ion solution, in addition to the built-in.
@bartsimpson The design of the D-cell holder in this device does not lend itself to any easy or useful lithium adaptation, but as the light has an internal lithium battery with a charging port, it can be used without them. It also works well with NiMH D-cells, and recently there have been D-cells of that type with a capacity that rivals alkalines. I’ve been switching over.
@bartsimpson I’m seeing adapters that each take three 1.5v AAs and output 1.5v; you’d need 12 AAs but the capacity could be pretty epic. And, there is a warning in the package regarding ‘optical radiation’ if you get too close!
/showme Gondor calling for aid, but instead of fires, they use a a Duracell 1500-Lumen Multi-Power Lantern
@st_ellis Here’s the image you requested for “Duracell Gondor calling for aid, but instead of fires, they use a a Duracell 1500-Lumen Multi-Pow…”
I’ve been using this for a few days now and I have some minor complaints. I had no intention of ever putting batteries in this. The plan was to hopefully charge it in the sun and then have it run at night in an area that I don’t have electricity in my yard. However, the solar charger is not good enough to do that. Charging it via solar only lasts a few hours. Even where I live where the sun is constantly shining. Second it says on the documentation that a red light will turn on when you are charging, either by solar or by USB. That red light does not exist.
I’m able to charge it during the day via USB C, and use it at night and it lasts until the morning. That’s good enough.
@Fuzzalini I am actually able to see a tiny red light when I charge it, it’s very hard to see and some charging cables block the light entirely. It turns green when charged, and when it turns green it’s much easier to see.
Anyway, it’s working the way I had hoped it would and I can even get two nights of illumination out of a single charge.
@Fuzzalini That little built in panel likely doesn’t have enough power to fully charge the internal batteries. However there are a large variety of ~5W panels with USB C output like this one that possibly could work.
https://www.amazon.com/Solar-Charger-Outdoor-Security-Cameras/dp/B0CJ5CH57P
KuoH