wind-up radios/torches etc

jlj_2

I have one of the wind-up battery chargers. It took a good couple of minutes of frantic winding but is worth it in an emergency if your batteries going. I got it to take to a festival and was glad I did as it also doubled up as a wind up torch....not a huge amount of light but enough for me to see in my tent.
I have one of those big farriday torches at home, they are the ones that you shake and a magnet goes up and down and makes power which is stored in a metal coil. 3 minutes of shaking gives half an hour of light.

marksward

tescos for 14.99 for bush wind up torch radio

Skiduck

lots of original freeplay stuff here:

http://www.freeplayenergy.com/index.php?section=products&PHPSESSID=aa2e0134b6e27e169790100dca8d2d5b

quickstepqueen

Bought a wind-up torch/radio from M&S about 2 xmas' ago for and it is absolutely fab. I didn't think it would last or even work properly as it was in the gift section for men at xmas (a quick last minute gift purchase) and it wasn't the original Freeplay.

We too have lots of powercuts and it is great to get the local news on the radio, to hear which roads are closed in snowstorms or how quick the electric company are fixing stuff. Wouldn't be without one now and wished I'd bought 2 at the time, one for my OH and one for his dad. An absolute must-have.

deanos

Windup torches are now £3 instore @ Woolies :j

http://www.woolworths.co.uk/ww_p2/product/index.jhtml?pid=50475331

Testee

I have a wind-up torch that I bought to light my way home from the station (no streetlighting) and it does the job well but I have to admit the strength of light is not as good as a regular torch, it always seems to glow like a torch running out of power but maybe I'm just not winidng it enough. We have a big torch at home that's rechargeable and that's the one we go for in a power cut. On the subject of power cuts don't forget that you need a regular non-digital telephone in the house as your digital phones won't work without electricity (yes I know it seems obvious but it's one of those things you just don't think about).

Quasar

I bought two windup torches in Maplin. £14.99 each. They are a combination of:

torch
radio
mobile phone charger
red flashing emergency light
siren

they are not much bigger than the average torchlight.

pollys

Hi

We have the Freeplay wind-up torches and they are great. Not cheap at £29.99 but the children have had loads of use out of them and the light they give is brilliant. Good for camping.

arkonite_babe

My local Woolies had a wind up torch/mobile charger reduced from £13.99 to £6.99

This may only be certain stores though. Have a look and see in your local if interested.

bud-miser

There is a wind-up central heating system available to replace gas-fired, electric etc.

It consists of a ten ton weight which you position in your garden outside. This is attached by rope to a winch which is located in an upstairs bedroom. All members of the family grab hold of the (generously large) turning handle and strain like **** for half an hour, until the weight is lifted into view.

They will then discover that they have become more than adequately warmed up and household energy bills can be dramatically reduced. I find it odd that Uswitch have yet to mention this one.

The system resets itself by the simple expedient of releasing the handle, although I have found that visiting tradesmen, postmen and the like have expressed a preference for the installation of a warning buzzer.

I think it's marketed by wind-ups'r'us.com and was launched on April 1st at the Ideal Home Exhibition...