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The Advancedmart Dynamo Powered Light/Radio/Cell Charger utilizes
a crank which is folded against the back of the light for power. Turning
the crank charges a set of small internal rechargeable cells
which then provide power to the rest of the built-in systems. The lighting
portion of this device consists of three 5mm LEDs behind focusing
lenses. However, there is also an FM radio and a siren which
can be powered by the batteries, and the unit can be used to charge
a Nokia type cell phone with the included charger cable.
Body: The body of the unit is silver plastic with a
black plastic ring around the bezel. Since it uses a
crank to charge the system and it needs to withstand
the torque of twisting the crank, its design is fairly
sturdy.
Bezel: The front of the light contains three
5mm LEDs behind a trio of focusing lenses, one for each LED.
Behind the lens system are the three LEDs, each in a silvered
plastic reflector to help focus the light forward. One or three
LEDs can be selected with the switch.
Output: Output is in the form of a tight spot of light with
some rings around the periphery. The lens system does a very
good job of collimating the light into a very usable and focused beam.
As is typical for 5mm LEDs the light produced is a little bluish
in tint. Overall output is more than sufficient for most normal
tasks in near or total darkness.
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Level
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1 white
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77 (8.77)
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100 (1.00)
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3 white
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232 (15.23)
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288 (2.88)
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All
throw readings are in Lux
at one meter. The numbers in parenthesis are for comparison
in the Comparison
Charts.
Beam at one meter at target center, low and high
Runtime Plot: Since this light is designed to be easily
recharged with the attached folding crank, a runtime plot will
not be run. The more you crank it (to a degree) the longer your
runtime will be.
Switch: The switch is a simple slider switch just below
the head of the light. Slide forward to light all 3 LEDs, slide
back to light only 1. Using only 1 LED will give you longer
runtime on a charge. Just below the main LED switch are controls
to tune in radio stations, reset the tuner, and set of the (rather
pathetic) alarm. I really don't know why manufacturers insist upon
including an "alarm" on these things. They're never loud and
piercing as would be necessary to really get attention. On the side
of the unit is the rotating switch/volume control for the radio.
Seals: Well, there really aren't any seals other than
the tight fit of the parts. The speaker on the top of the
unit is an exposed opening. I would avoid getting this wet.
Indoor or sheltered use only.
Ergonomics: It's big and chunky, but it does a lot so they
had to cram a bunch of components into it. Cranking
the system does not take excessive effort, but it does by necessity
have some resistance to it.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Batteries: Three little rechargeable batteries can
be seen if you carefully remove the bezel and let the
reflector unit hang by its wires. These are not designed
to be user replaceable. Since the crank is used as the
power source you can use the unit as a generator to
charge a Nokia type cellphone. The charging port (with
nearby headphone port) is covered with a rubber cover.
A charging cable is included.
Accessories: The only accessory included is the charging cable
for the Nokia type phone.
What I Liked:Never needs batteries, always
able to produce light when you need it, good output.
What I Didn't Like: Useless siren, not
designed to handle moisture.
Other Things I Noticed: n/a
Conclusions: Actually, this unit is not
bad at all. It produces a good amount of light and is essentially
perpetually rechargeable. You can get radio stations in an
emergency and if you have a Nokia type cellphone you can charge
it up without any other power sources. The charging mechanism
seems pretty sturdy and the entire unit is of reasonably good
quality. Good addition to an emergency kit.
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