Originally published December 7 2005
Product review says shake lights are practical but far from perfect
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Connie Thompson gives consumers a no-frills look at magnetic shake lights, or flashlights that generate light based on how long you shake them.
If the power went out at your house right now, how long would it take you to find a working flashlight?
This "Does It Work" test sheds light on flashlights that promise to last forever.
They're no-battery flashlights, also called magnetic "shake lights".
There are a number of different brands and all work on the same premise: when you shake the flashlight, a movable magnet inside passes through a coil of wire and creates electricity.
So much for the science: how well does it work?
volunteer for this test is Kathleen Whitmore.
First off, we read the instructions: "Hold the unit parallel to the ground and shake it with moderate force about 2 or 3 times per second."
The longer you shake, the longer the light lasts.
The light has a bluish tint and projects a fairly decent beam to the wall across the room.
Others shake lights have a greenish tent.
When the light starts to dim, just give it a shake.
We had enough light to continue reading the instructions, which urge caution: the strong magnetic field can cause damage.
No computer disks, no video tapes, credit cards, televisions, " Kathleen says.
In order to prevent damage, the magnetic flashlight must be at least a foot away from anything sensitive to magnets.
The particular model we tested, called Forever Light, cost just under $22.
"You could spend $20 on batteries in a year," Kathleen pointed out.
According to the instructions, a 10 minute shake provides 4 hours of bright light.
"I think it's very good for an emergency," she added.
But she points out you have to shake it a lot to keep the light going.
And the light is "adequate" not consistently great.
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