''FIND YOUR DRINK IN A FLASH'' COASTERS

''Find Your Drink in a Flash'' Coasters, retail $1.75 (small), $1.95 (large)
Manufactured by (Unknown)
Last updated 02-26-10




The "Find Your Drink in a Flash" coasters are drink coasters that you put under a cold glass of liquid to prevent those ugly white rings from forming on coffee or end tables. But what sets these coasters apart from other coasters is that these coasters contain LEDs that flash and blink whenever the glass is set down on top of them.

The large one is powered by two lithium CR2016 coin cells, and the small one is powered by two unknown size/type cells. The large one has two red LEDs; the small one has six red LEDs.


SIZE



To use one, just set it on a table. Whenever you place your drink on the coaster, the edges of it will flash and blink in red, and will continue to blink until you lift your drink from it.
Yes, it really is as easy as that.



The batteries in the smaller of the two coasters do not appear to be changeable; I can't even tell what kind of cells are in it without breaking it.
Yes, I disassembled it to find this out.

To change the batteries in the larger coaster, use a small (#0 or #00) phillips screwdriver to remove the four phillips screws holding the case halves together. Throw the screws in the garba...er...um...set them where you won't lose them.

With the coaster still facing right side up, lift off the translucent (slightly milky) top, and set it aside.

Remove the two used CR2016 cells from the bottom, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Turn the bottom of the coaster so the side with the circuit board faces away from you. Insert a CR2016 cell in the left-hand chamber so the button-side (-) negative faces up, and insert the second cell in the right-hand chamber so the flat-side (+) positive faces up.

Lay the top half of the coaster over the bottom half, orienting it so the square section on it lines up with the circuit board on the bottom half. Screw in the three largest screws into the screw holes on the top of the coaster (at roughly the 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 positions with the rectangular portion facing away from you), and screw the smaller screw into the screw hole in the square section (at roughly the 12:00 position), and there, you're done.

Unable to measure the current consumption due to how the coasters were constructed.



This product is meant to be used as a coaster, not as a flashlight meant to be carried around, thrashed, and abused, so I won't try to flush it down the toilet, bash it against a steel rod or the corner of a concrete stair, let my housemate's kitty cat's ghost go to the bathroom on it, run over it with a 400lb Rascal, or perform other indecencies that a regular flashlight might have to go through. So this section of the web page will appear significantly more bare than this section of the web page on a page about a flashlight.

As a coaster, it appears to be more than reasonably sturdy, and won't just fall apart on you during normal use.

*** VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!!! *** Both of these coasters are NOT dishwasher-safe; you'll need to handwash them with a damp rag when they need to be washed.

The smaller coaster features six LEDs which light in sequence, giving the impression of rotation. The larger of the two coasters has two LEDs which fade and blink in a number of different patterns - far longer than I can take a movie of. The movie of it below does not show ALL of the coaster's LED patterns - please know that going in.



Photograph of the larger coaster, illuminated.


Spectrographic analysis
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this coaster.



Photograph of the smaller coaster, illuminated.


Spectrographic analysis
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this coaster.

USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.





Quicktime movie (.mov extension) showing the smaller coaster's LED "rotation".
This clip is approximately 1.1 megabytes (1,229,888 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than five minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
I cannot provide it in other formats, so please do not ask.

Quicktime movie (.mov extension) showing the larger coaster's LED patterns.
This clip is approximately 4.5 megabytes (4,788,768 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than twenty five minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
I cannot provide it in other formats, so please do not ask.



TEST NOTES:
Test units of the coasters and a cigerette lighter/LED flashlight combo were sent by a fan of the website and were received on 07-13-05.

Product was made in China. A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Neat-O!!! :-)
Really can help you "find your drink in a flash"
Prevents those ugly white rings from forming on wooden tables


CONS:
Not waterproof or submersible - this is what lopped off that last star


    MANUFACTURER: Unknown
    PRODUCT TYPE: LED-lighted coasters
    LAMP TYPE: Red LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 6 (small), 2 (large)
    BEAM TYPE: N/A
    SWITCH TYPE: Pressure-activated switch on top of coasters
    BEZEL: N/A
    BATTERY: 2xCR2016 cells (large), 2xunknown type (small)
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Splash-resistant at maximum
    SUBMERSIBLE: NO WAY HOZAY!!!
    ACCESSORIES: Probably batteries
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





''Find Your Drink in a Flash'' Coasters *






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