A rechargeable flashlight is a portable device meant to provide emergency or temporary light in a location for a certain purpose. The energy from the flashlight comes from an onboard battery pack which is capable of being recharged or from an onboard generator powered by motion. A rechargeable flashlight is most useful in situations where continued use of a traditional flashlight would cause a significant expense in batteries.
Most rechargeable flashlights have an onboard battery pack. This battery pack can last anywhere from several hours to dozens of hours, depending on the lamp source and its required output. In most cases, getting a few hours of use out of a battery is all that is required.
In some cases, a rechargeable flashlight may come with a docking station. This makes it convenient to recharge. When not in use, the most logical spot to store the flashlight is in its docking station. That way, when it is needed again, it is ready and fully charged. The docking station usually has an indicator light to show when the rechargeable flashlight has a full charge.
Most of the time, the battery pack for the flashlight will be able to be replaced when it is no longer able to hold a charge. Like all rechargeable batteries, those in flashlights will eventually find their ability to hold a charge diminished and in need of replacement. However, there may be rechargeable flashlights on the market that have a permanent battery pack sealed into the device. In such cases, the only option will be to throw the entire flashlight away and purchase a new one. Usually, these one-time use flashlights are cheaper than other models.
The battery life of a rechargeable flashlight depends on a number of different functions, including operating conditions and use. In extreme temperatures, battery packs may not function as well and need replacing more often. Also, because battery packs have a certain number of charges before they are no longer usable, recharging often could significantly shorten the overall life.
There is also a type of rechargeable flashlight that does not need to be docked or plugged in to be recharged. These are powered by hand cranks. Often known as a wind up flashlight or hand cranked flashlights, these offer some of the best peace of mind because they are no dependent upon an electricity source to be powered up. Often, just a minute of cranking can power the flashlight for up to 30 minutes. Sometimes a hand crank flashlight will be included as one of a number of other features of an emergency electronic device. Other features may include radios and even a place to charge a cell phone.