What To Look For
Before an emergency strikes--like a hurricane or an earthquake--it's wise to create an emergency preparedness kit. A crank flashlight, along with three days of food, water, first aid and other essentials, is an essential item you should include in your kit. Crank flashlights operate without batteries and generate electricity by converting rotational energy into electrical energy. When cranked, a dynamo generator moves around a coil-wrapped stationary magnet. Electrons move between the stationary magnet and the generator, creating an electrical current. The current is then stored in rechargeable batteries and used to power light emitting diodes, or LED's.
Common Pitfalls
Rechargeable batteries typically have a shelf life of five years. If your flashlight uses rechargeable batteries and you haven't used it in a while, you should replace the flashlight or the batteries. As a precaution, you should periodically power up the flashlight to ensure that it's operational.
Some crank flashlights take more effort to charge up than others and store energy differently. Many manufacturers recommend that you crank the handle at least two rotations per second and that one minute of cranking should generate a half-hour of light. Others are not as efficient. Read credible reviews from professional raters familiar with crank flashlights before you buy one. In addition, if you're stranded in the middle of nowhere, it's beneficial to have a flashlight that has a USB port for your cell phone. Increasingly, many crank flashlights have cell phone and radio capabilities.
Where To Buy
Many flashlight websites carry one or two crank models. Applied Innovative Technologies carries three LightStorm models, one of which comes with a cell phone charger and GPS. Amazon also carries the highly rated 5-LED Electrilite, which charges your cell phone along with a number of other online sites. Amazon also carries the LED Wind and Go, which is just a flashlight. SmartHome's CC Observer Portable Wind-Up offers AM/FM/Weather radio reception, a built-in LED flashlight and a cell phone charger. No batteries are required, and unlike hand cranks, this one has a self-winding crank.
Cost
Prices are quite reasonable considering how critical this item can be in an emergency. While the 5-LED Electrilite costs about $20, some cost as little as $10. The SmartHome's CC Observer Portable Wind-Up is pricier at $40, but the additional features make the purchase worth it.
