SOLAR/DYNAMO FLASHLIGHT/SIREN/AM-FM RADIO

Solar/Dynamo Flashlight/Siren/AM-FM Radio, retail $14.97(www.sportsmansguide.com...)
Manufactured by (Unknown) for Electro Brand (www.electrobrand.com)
Last updated 07-19-12




The Solar/Dynamo Flashlight/Siren/AM-FM Radio is a handheld device containing a five-LED flashlight, a siren, and an AM-FM radio (the kind with a loudspeaker, not the kind that requires earphones).

It comes in a matte-silver plastic body, and uses three AA cells for power - though you really don't need them because the product has its own rechargeable batteries; plus a dynamo and a solar panel for charging them.

It also serves as an emergency charger for many cellular telephones, thanks to the impressive array of charger plugs included with the unit - which you can store inside a lidded compartment in the product itself or keep elsewhere.


SIZE



To use the flashlight portion of the unit, slide the slide switch on the side of the unit (above and to the left of the unit's speaker) forward (toward the LEDs) to activate the LEDs. Set this switch to the "radio" position when finished using the flashlight.

To use the radio, slide the switch on the side of the unit (above and to the left of the unit's speaker) backward (toward the crank handle), turn the rotary potentiometer clockwise (as if tightening it) until it clicks, and continue turning it to increase the volume. Change the station (tune the radio) by turning the knob to the right of the volume knob.

To switch from AM to FM (or "vicey-versey"), slide the band selection switch located above and slightly to the right of the product's speaker to "AM" or "FM" as desired.

When using AM, rotate the unit until best reception is obtained; when using FM, extend the telescopic antenna and aim it generally upward.

To turn the radio off when you are done using it, rotate the volume knob counterclockwise (as if loosening it) until it clicks.

To activate the siren, slide the switch on the side of the unit (above and to the left of the unit's speaker) to the center position; a fairly loud siren will then sound and a flashing greenish-yellow light on the top of the unit near the dynamo's crank handle will also activate.


To use this product to charge a cellular telephone, plug the charging cable into the female "DC OUT" receptacle on the back side of the product, find the plug that fits the charger receptacle of your cellular telephone, connect the free end of the cable to the plug that fits your telephone, set the "power selector" switch on the front side of the unit to "DYNAMO", and start turning the dynamo handle clockwise.

***VERY IMPORTANT!!!***
You must continue cranking for as long as you wish to charge the battery in your cellular telephone.



To charge the internal batteries, set the "power selector" switch on the front side of the unit to "DYNAMO", unfold the crank handle, and turn it clockwise (it only functions when rotated clockwise!!!) approximately 120 turns per minute (~2 turns per second). According to the furnished instructional materials, cranking for 1 minute allows you to listen to the radio for 10 minutes. It does not state how long the flashlight or siren will operate on any given cranking time.

You can also charge the batteries in the sun. Set the switch on the front side of the unit to "SOLAR", and place the unit in direct sunlight so that the solar panel faces up.
There is no indication as to the charging time when using this method.


To change the disposable batteries in this flashlight/siren/radio, turn it on its side (so that the speaker and all of the switches face the floor), slide the battery door down approx. 1/8th of an inch, and swing it up on its hinges.

Remove the three used AA cells from the battery holder, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Install the first new AA cell in the lowermost chamber, orienting it so that it's flat-end (-) faces the rear of the unit (where the dynamo crank handle is located).

Insert the other two new AA cells into the battery holder, orienting each cell so its flat-end (-) negative faces the spring for it in each chamber.

Lower the battery door down, and slide it back approx. 1/8th of an inch until it clicks into place.




Because there is a transistor radio with speaker and some mechanical parts (from the dynamo charger) inside this product, the "smack test" really isn't that appropriate here.

Same with "The Toilet Test". This unit is NOT waterproof or submersible (mainly because of that speaker & dynamo). So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of wolf pee, slush piles, mud puddles, tubs, toilet bowls, cisterns, sinks, fishtanks, dog water dishes, or other places where water or water-like liquids might be found. A little rain or snow probably wouldn't hurt it though, so you need not be too concerned about using it in very lightly bad weather.

If it fell in water and you suspect it got flooded, take the battery door off, remove the batteries, dump the water out of it as much as you can, and set it in a warm dry place for a few days or so just to be sure it's completely dry inside before you use it again.

If it fell into seawater or if somebody or something pissed on it, douche it out with fresh water before setting it out to dry. You don't want the unit to smell like seashells or urine when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or wee-wee) can't be very good for the insides.

The beam has a slight bluish tint in its center; however this is completely normal with 5mm white LEDs and is nothing whatsoever to be concerned about. If you showed the beam to a group of people and asked them to tell you what color it was, I guarantee that they would all holler out "WHITE!!!".

Because the dynamo uses permanent magnets, you'll want to keep magnetism-sensitive objects (such as cassette tapes, bank cards, floppy diskettes, etc.) away from the unit, and keep this product a reasonable distance away from computers, CRT boob tube television sets & computer monitors, compasses, etc.



Photograph of its beam spot at ~12".
Measures 559,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
This equates to a value of 111,800mcd per LED.
This value is higher than expected because of the positive (magnifying) lenses in front of each LED.



Photograph of its beam spot on a wall at ~5 feet.


Spectrographic analysis
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this radio/siren/flashlight.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.


WMP movie (.avi extension) allowing you to hear the siren and see the flashing light.
This clip is approximately 1.88 megabytes (1,911,816 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than eight minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.



WMP movie (.avi extension) allowing you to hear the siren and see the flashing light.
I cannot provide it in other formats, so please do not ask.



TEST NOTES:
Test sample was purchased on the Sportsman's Guide website on 06-24-08, and was received on the afternoon of 06-26-08.

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: 06-22-11
I have given this product to my sister, so the dreadful "" icon will now appear appended to its listings on this website, denoting the fact that I no longer have ready availability of it for comparisons or additional analyses.a


PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: Unknown for Electro Brand
    PRODUCT TYPE: LED flashlight with siren and FM radio
    LAMP TYPE: White 5mm LED, small incandescent lamp
    No. OF LAMPS: 6 (5 LED, 1 incandescent)
    BEAM TYPE: Narrow flood with soft fall-off to corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Slide switch to ctrl LEDs, radio band, & siren; rotary knobs to ctrl radio & power selection
    BEZEL: Plastic; thick plastic window & lenses to protect LEDs
    BATTERY: 2x NiCd AA cells (internal), 3x alkaline AA cells (user-supplied)
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER- AND PEE-RESISTANT: No
    SUBMERSIBLE: NO WAY HOZAY!!! way Hozay!!!
    ACCESSORIES: Cellular telephone charger adapter cable,
    5 charging plugs, small shoulder strap, two NiMH cells
    WARRANTY: 90 days

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





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