PROTECT-A-PET
FLASHING SAFETY LIGHT

Protect-A-Pet Flashing Safety Light, retail $1.99 (www.bartelldrugs.com)
Manufactured by (Unknown) for D.P. Productions (No URL known)
Last updated 09-18-04




The Protect-A-Pet Flashing Safety Light is a flashing LED light that you affix to your dog's collar to make him or her more visible at night.

It comes in a bone-shaped plastic body, with what looks like reflective facets moulded into it. It has two red LEDs (one on each end of the "bone"), which can be set to flash alternately, flash in unison, or run steady-on.
A pair of AG3 button cells inside the case powers those LEDs, and a spring-loaded clip allows you to affix it to your pet's collar.


SIZE



The unit comes ready to use as soon as you remove it from the package.

Using the spring-loaded clasp, affix it to your pet's collar, with the button in the center and the two screw heads on the ends facing forward (toward you, as you're affixing it to your pet's collar). It is on a swivel attachment, so this part is not super important.

Press and release the small black pushbutton in the center of the light once to flash the LEDs alternately. Press and release it again to flash both LEDs in unison. Press and release it again to turn both LEDs steady-on, and finally, press and release it again to turn the light all the way off.

Just like it reads on the back of the shampoop (or shampee) bottle, "lather, rinse, repeat". In other words, pressing and releasing the button again starts the LEDs flashing alternately.

The unit is very light in weight, and in my opinion, would not impose a burden on a dog of any age, size, or breed. You can put it on the collar of a chihuahua, laborador, or a great dane.

I do not have a dog, so I cannot provide any "action" photographs for you.



To change the batteries in your Protect-A-Pet, unscrew and remove the two phillips screws on the front using a #1 phillips screwdriver (3.8mm diameter shaft). Remove the upper half of the casing - be careful to watch for that clasp assembly as it will probably fall off. Set the upper half of the casing aside - or dash it to the floor and stomp on it if you like to break things.
Set the clasp assembly aside too.

Remove the circuit board, and turn it over. You'll see two metal battery holders, each one holding one of the cells. Using the end of a pen or the screwdriver you just used, push the used cells out of their holders, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Slide new AG3 cells into the battery holders, button-end (-) negative down. Turn the circuit board back over so the switch faces up, and set it into the lower half of the casing, orienting it so the two round holes on its ends go over the two female screw posts on the case.

Place the upper half of the case over the lower half, being sure that the screw holes match. Before you have it on there, place the small metal ring of the clasp assembly arond the post on the upper half of the case, then you can lower the upper case half onto the lower case half. Hold the two case halves together so they don't come apart.

While still holding the two halves together, insert and screw in the two screws you removed earlier.

There, done.



The Protect-A-Pet appears to be at least *reasonably* durable, but for $1.99, you kinda do get what you pay for. Dropping one on carpeting should not damage it, but dropping one on a hard surface like concrete or stepping on it might be enough to crack or break it. I did whack it against a steel rod ten times, and did not crack or break it or cause it to malfunction.

The Protect-A-Pet is lightly sprinkle- and weather-resistant, but it is not waterproof or submersible. So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of wild boar pee, slush piles, mud puddles, tubs, toilets, sinks, fishtanks, dog water dishes, or other places where water or water-like liquids might be found.

If it fell into water or you suspect it might have gotten flooded, take it apart (as you would for a battery change) and set the parts in a warm dry place for a day to be sure it's dry before you reassemble it and put it back on your dog's collar.

If it fell into seawater or if the dog lifted his leg on it, douche out the pieces with fresh water before setting them out to dry. You don't want the Protect-A-Pet to smell like seaweed or dog piss when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or potty) can't be very good for the innards.

The Protect-A-Pet appears to have reflective facets moulded into it, but they do not behave like reflectors should behave. I believe they are there primarily for decorative purposes; the LEDs inside provide most of the visibility you buy these things for.

The Protect-A-Pet is on a swivelling attachment, and the LEDs are aimed sideways, so there really isn't a significant difference in visibility whether the unit is facing forward or backward.

When the Protect-A-Pet is set to continuous-on mode, the LEDs really aren't continuously-on. They strobe rapidly, most likely using a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) driver to help extend battery life. The Protect-A-Pet looks steady-on, but when the unit is waved about rapidly, you can see the LEDs strobing with a duty cycle of approximately 66% (66% of the time on, 34% of the time off).



Photograph of the unit turned on, in continuous-on mode.



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was seen on a small register display at Bartell Drugs on 09-18-04, so of course, I bought it for this website sakes.

Packaging indicates the product is made in China.
A light's country of origin really DOES matter to some people, which is why I mentioned it here.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: Unknown
    PRODUCT TYPE: Pet safety light
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm red LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 2
    BEAM TYPE: N/A
    SWITCH TYPE: Small pushbutton on/mode change/off on front of unit
    BEZEL: N/A
    BATTERY: 2xAG3 button cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Splash-resistant at best
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: 2xAG3 cells
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Protect-A-Pet Flashing Safety Light * (URL not known)






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