Tri-Solar LED Flashlight: because three panels are better than one
By Darren Murph 
posted July 22nd 2008 10:42PM
posted July 22nd 2008 10:42PM
[Thanks, Joe]
posted July 22nd 2008 10:42PM
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When this can charge my PMPs, call me!
"Built-in DC port for charging other devices, e.g. Mobile phone"
It pays to read.
SOLAR ENERGY PANELS and the materials being used to build them are going to be MAJOR STOCK CHOICES in the next 10 years.
You'd be smart to invest in up and coming companies working on projects like this.
Also, I'd suggest for those of you working blue collar industry, consider learning installation processes of solar panels. Solar Panels are going to be big when people realize they can cut their heating bills and even use them to run A/C in the summer.
Just bought it! Hehehe. If it doesn't work for iPhones I'm going to return it... ;-)
@Justin E
As it turns out, it doesn't... It costs $35! :p
For the time being, it does seem as if investing in companies that provide alternative energy solutions is a good bet, but let's be honest here, photovoltaics are a joke. They're woefully inefficient. With most solar panels, you'd need a panel the size of a newspaper, just to power a PSP. Solar works for trickle charging, but not much else. We could build a solar farm in the middle of the Nevada desert, but no one's willing to pay for it.
Flashpoint must be interesting to talk to:
A friend sees Flashpoint walking down the street. "Oh, hey Fred!"
(For the sake of this dialogue, we will be assuming/pretending that Flashpoint's real-world name is "Fred," and also that "Fred" has friends.)
Flashpoint (Fred) responds: "HI!"
Friend: "What's up?"
Fred: Just WALKING DOWN THE STREET, on my way to the McDonald's!"
Friend: "Cool, mind if I tag along?"
Fred: "No, but weren't you GOING SOMEWHERE?"
Friend: "Nah, I was just heading over to the bank, but it can wait. Besides, I haven't seen you in a while."
Fred: "True. Are you gonna get something then, or just TAG ALONG?"
Friend: "If you'd rather I didn't come, that's fine, dude, just let me know."
Fred: "No, no, I'd LOVE IF YOU CAME!"
Friend: "Fine, I'll see you later when you're in a more hospitable mood!"
Fred: "CHANGED YOUR MIND? All right, well it was GOOD TALKING TO YOU AGAIN!"
Message to Fred, er, Flashpoint: STOP periodically capitalizing words as if you were SHOUTING THEM!
@ Markarian
I get really frustrated when I see people pass off PV like it is good for nothing. I used to believe such negative banter, until I did my own research, and ended up getting solar panels for my home. My roof has a relatively small area, yet I fit 27 panels up their, and it provides my family and home-based business with more power than we use (on a year-over-year basis). How is that a joke?
Check out my new solar-powered shuriken. It doesn't do that good as a flashlight though, since us ninjas need no light.
l
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s
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r
On the other hand, this would be awesome if it had a port to charge cell phones...
That's pretty much all I use my dynamo-powered flash light for.. other than...you know....lighting things..
Sorry, change that "if" to "since."
Connfounded comment system and it's no edits.
I prefer a Solio from solio.com
same premise but no light. I've had mine for 2 years now and it's been charging my old nokia phone, 5g ipod, ds, and now my iphone.
so you can power your flashlight from the sun while using it to illuminate the -wait...
Who would remember to charge this thing up during the day and use it at night?
Anyone that leaves it by the window, like me :)
Oo darn the lights went out... no problem lemme just pull out my trusty solar powered flashlight and...
huh
Well golly thats odd, it's almost as if I need light to power my flashlight... no problem lemme just turn on the light here....
Ooh
Well at least I have my glow in the dark sun glasses so i can se...
No thats kinda useless too...
I suppose I could use my sound wave powered radio to here the news...
gosh * golly * darn * whatthe * what kinda useless crap will they think of next
Hey wait a minute....
how can a 700 mAh 4.8 V battery occupy such a small space???
technology, use it much?
It's probably 3 AAA cells in a series configuration.
You could always splay the 3 panels, attach it too a pole and take advantage of the wind on those not so sunny days
well your name does sound kinda sailory
Maybe catch UV? After all, the clouds only block 20% of UV rays.
This is interesting :)
They could have made the thickness of panels a bit lesser and could have included more panels.
What Battery Tech are these flashlights using. I hope it's Li-Ion or LSD NiMH ....
... just visited their site... it says "Built-in 700mAh/4.8v Ni-Hi rechargeable battery" Ni-Hi??? What type of battery is that.. they probably meant Ni-MH
Ordinary NiMH Self Discharge is a major issue.
http://www.cpfreviews.com My Flashlight Reviews Site.
"Tri-Solar LED Flashlight: because three panels are better than one"
tee-hee... it's funny because it's true
Those flashlights than have a small generator on board when you turn the crank are a MUCH smarter idea.
Much agreed! Solar flashlights don't make much sense to me.
I'm surprised no one of this sooner. I mean, satellites have been using fold out panels for as long as I can remember.
Let me guess, this is a Polish invention? Just like the helicopter ejection seat.
Umm...what's the use?
For me, I usually use a flashlight in a DARK place. But....having three solar panels isn't gonna help the flashlight keep the light on in a dark place....is it?
Duh, just reflect some of the light from the LEDs back to the solar panels and it'll power itself.
Steorn's already developed this technology and will be demonstrating the Orbolight next month.
b-line?
i am losing faith in society...
"The unit can operate with one LED on, three LEDs on or all three LEDs flashing"
Don't you mean: The unit can operate with one LED, two LEDs on or all three LEDs flashing
no, center led on, then adding the outside two as continuous or flashing.
no the one led is include in the three leds
Last Time I NeedeD A Flash Light was in the dark. with no sun to be found :-)
A little slow, Engadget...
If mine eyes don't deceive me, I was selling that last summer in Canada
Yup.. Canadian Tire.. I think they cost about $9.99 now.
Fail.
horrid design
*Copy qestionable Solio petal design. Check
*make the plastic black so it heats up stupdily, reducing life of internal lithium ion battery too, which hate heat. Check.
*make battery non-replaceable and non-swappable. Check.
*Charge and discharge 300-500 cycles before you toss this product into landfill like the rest because it can no longer hold suitable charge in the batt. Check.
Zed's dead baby, Zed's dead.
LEDs have bulbs now? Sweet
It looks just like the Microsoft oPhone!
Maybe I'm missing something here, but isn't a solar powered flashlight about as useful as a car with no wheels? Wherever you'd find enough solar power, you shouldn't need a flashlight in the first place. Couldn't you point the solar panels at the LED so it's powered by itself?
Canadian Tire was trying to sell these.. I bought one from a bargin bin for $20.. the little capaciter based batteries stopped holding a charge after about 2 weeks of use.