Solar Inflatable Lanterns

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

First is the of business is my apologies to the member who already posted about these things... I can't find your post or thread about them that gave me the idea. Nor could I remember the product name but it seemed perfect for my situation bug ins here at the Waitingfordeath Apartment Building. I liked the idea of them so went ahead and googled inflatable lanterns.

I settled on 'luminAID'.


Got the ones that that just are just light.. and two that recharge phones and androids. Both types are USB and solar chargeable. Each comes with a short charging cord for the digitals.

They seem fine for me hunkering down here in a three or four day electricity emergency if I use them judiciously,  at less than high setting, as well as not all at once.

They did put a reasonable charge on my flip phone and kindle in an hour.

They make enough light on low for necessary movement, bedtime stories, snuggling in, and encourages going to sleep. 😉

Enough light on the next brightness up for hanging out and doing stuff. Sort of the amount of light a dying campfire gives the area.

The medium setting if fine in a pinch for doing everything, even cooking in my tiny kitchen and reading print.

High is good enough to keep doom and gloom at bay awhile.

They also will show how much battery is left and an on/off switch. Which may be typical and I just didn't know it.


What else is out there

[majorhavoc]

I'm a big fan of these.  They're small, collapsible, and very lightweight.  Perfect for backpacking or a BOB/go bag.

The solar generation capacity of these little lanterns in nicely balanced with their modest output, unlike a lot of cellphone powerbanks or emergency radios. They provide a few hours of very usable light each evening, fully recharge the next day even if it's cloudy, and are ready to go the following night.  That's important if you need them for an extended thru hike or a sustained emergency situation.

I have a couple of Mpowerd Luci lights which I believe is the original company making these inflatable solar lanterns. 

If it matters to you, Mpowerd is similar to LifeStraw in that they work with non-profits and NGOs to provide developing countries with sustainable and appropriate lighting and water purification technology.

I really like my Luci lights but they're both older models that lack the cool phone charging capability. Their newer models do offer that, so I'm tempted to upgrade.

[Anianna]

I've been interested in trying the LuminAid, but I can't get past the price tag.  I guess because they went on SharkTank and have brand recognition, they upcharge for it. 

Before LuminAid was a thing, I got d.light lanterns, which are still available, but no longer come up on Amazon when searching for them.  It doesn't pretend to be anything extra.  On low, it can stay on all night even on models several years old (I got my first one in 2014 and my last one in 2018).  I just store them near a window and they're always ready, even covered in dust.  They don't fold down for easy storage, though.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJELHS0/


I want the panel from this product:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0838DC8SX/

but they don't seem to sell it separately, so will probably just grab the bundle.  I've been really impressed with the capability of the solar panels on their lamps, so I think it would be a decent purchase.

[Zed hunter]

Curious. Do the solar cells degrade if you leave them in direct sunlight all the time?

[Anianna]

Curious. Do the solar cells degrade if you leave them in direct sunlight all the time?

They don't seem to, but I couldn't say for sure.  The one I bought in 2014 is still going strong even permanently stored in a window.