Ray-O-Vac

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Ray-O-Vac
Topic Started: Aug 23 2012, 11:26 PM (407 Views)
Trotsky	Aug 23 2012, 11:26 PM Post #1
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	I bought a very nice flashlight on sale and it either came with Ray-O-Vac batteries or I popped 2 alkaline D-cells (expires DEC 2014) in. The flashlight was strictly for emergencies and I kept it in a bedroom dresser. I tried it recently and the light barely came on. Seems one of the batteries leaked and oozed a corrosive goo and white crystalling glop onto the other corroding it too, an unholy mess. I took them out and washed the inside of the flashlight AND MY HANDS and found that the shiny reflector behind the bulb was mostly eaten away, rendering the flashlight useless. I called Ray-O-Vac and they said "send us the flashlight and batteries and we'll replace them." I DESPISE shipping merchandise so I asked would a couple pictures do. They said fine, so I e-mailed them. Long story short, they responded with a very nice apologetic letter complimenting me on the quality of my photographs and sent me a snazzy new flashlight with 14 new D-cells that cost them $14.90 to SHIP. So Ray-O-Vac gets a nice bouquet from me. (The parent company is REMINGTON: <ak47.gif> <ak47.gif> <ak47.gif> ) Edited by Trotsky, Aug 23 2012, 11:33 PM.



FuzzyO	Aug 23 2012, 11:34 PM Post #2
Posts: 16,968 Group: Administration Member #710 Joined: March 30, 2010	I doubt I would have thought to follow through with the manufacturer under those circs, well done T. Edited by FuzzyO, Aug 23 2012, 11:34 PM.



Darcie	Aug 24 2012, 12:19 AM Post #3
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	That is good to know about that company. I have one of those flashlights that you shake and the light comes on, have had it for over 30 years and it still works. I haven't seen any like that around lately and I don't know what you call them.



Trotsky	Aug 24 2012, 01:15 AM Post #4
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	Darcie Aug 24 2012, 12:19 AM That is good to know about that company. I have one of those flashlights that you shake and the light comes on, have had it for over 30 years and it still works. I haven't seen any like that around lately and I don't know what you call them. I've tried a couple. Ostensibly the magnet going through the coili of wires creates a tiny current to charge a small battery. My experience is that they last as long as the original battery charge, no longer, and then NADA. I even took one apart and got a BIG bellylaugh. The tiny copper wires from the "generator" were connected to NOTHING, can you imagine? The battery was high and dry and connected only to the bulb so when it went dead, so did the flashlight...forever. I think that junky construction like this is what is responsible for these flashlights disappearing. Also the masturbatory look of someone trying to get a good charge. :cow-IthinkIamgoingmad: Edited by Trotsky, Aug 24 2012, 01:19 AM.



campy	Aug 24 2012, 01:18 AM Post #5
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	Yes but it still doesn't solve the problem does it? There is a saying. Where is a good place to store dead batteries? In a flashlight. All batteries will leak eventually because of their chemical composition. If you want to preserve your flashlight, or any other appliance using batteries, leave the batteries out until you need to use it and store the batteries with it close by. It only takes a few seconds to pop the batteries in when you need the flashlight and they won't go dead as quickly. I have found that rechargeables don't leak as readily as ordinary batteries. By the way. The best way to clean corroded battery terminals is with a combination of water and baking soda. The leaks are acid.



Darcie	Aug 24 2012, 01:19 AM Post #6
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	Why has mine lasted so long - do you have any idea Trotsky?



FuzzyO	Aug 24 2012, 01:19 AM Post #7
Posts: 16,968 Group: Administration Member #710 Joined: March 30, 2010	I have one of those shake-it ones, and also a crank one. The shake-it doesn't give a lot of light, but enough to find the matches and candles if neeed I guess.



Trotsky	Aug 24 2012, 01:20 AM Post #8
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	Darcie Aug 24 2012, 01:19 AM Why has mine lasted so long - do you have any idea Trotsky? You were lucky. (At the end of their popularity 5 years ago they were ALL OVER the Dollar stores...and then they were gone.) campy, Batteries will last equally long in or out of a flashlight as long as the flashlight is not used. The battery has no idea where it is being stored. P.S. I have found Duracells to last longer without leaking than alkaline Ray-O-Vacs...but they are rarely on sale. For high usage items I have nothing against plain zinc-acid regular batteries, except they are disappearing from the market...and no longer very cheap compared to alkalines. (I am fond of rechargeables too but not for flashlights...when you need them they are dead. Best for frequent high drain use, like our cameras.) Edited by Trotsky, Aug 24 2012, 01:27 AM.



campy	Aug 24 2012, 02:20 AM Post #9
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	Quote: Batteries will last equally long in or out of a flashlight as long as the flashlight is not used. The battery has no idea where it is being stored. I beg to differ Trotsky. When you insert batteries into a flashlight or other device you have put them in series. I suspect there is a trickle of current running even though the switch is not closed. When you store batteries outside the case they are not connected to anything so no current can leak. All the batteries I have loose don't have any sign of corrosion. We will have to do a test to prove my theory because it's only my theory. Further to the discussion I saw this on another forum. It makes sense to me. Quote: Batteries contain corrosive chemicals, which causes a chemical reaction to produce electricity. Once you start using the the battery, the chemical process that releases the electricity is similar to the process that causes corrosion. If you stop using the battery, the corrosion continues at a very slow pace. It can corrode away the internal workings of the battery and cause a leak. Edited by campy, Aug 24 2012, 04:10 AM.



Delphi51	Aug 24 2012, 04:09 AM Post #10
Member title Posts: 13,967 Group: Administration Member #441 Joined: October 10, 2006	We have no more flashlights with bulbs. LED flashlights have taken over since the better ones got so much brighter in the last couple of years. Battery life is phenomenal. Even cheapo batteries last a long time.



Olive Oil	Aug 24 2012, 04:12 AM Post #11
Gold Star Member Posts: 4,747 Group: Member Member #785 Joined: June 10, 2010	I can't seem to find an old fashioned flashlight these days. Everything is LED. For some reason, DH with his poor eyesight does not see as well with LED. I don't know if they are using LED in streetlights but even with my good vision, I do not see as well as when the lights are warmer (more yellow tones rather than blue.) We have one working old style flashlight and I hope it will last. Sounds like Remington is a great company to do business with.



Trotsky	Aug 24 2012, 05:02 AM Post #12
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	Quote: When you insert batteries into a flashlight or other device you have put them in series. No, you reallly have not...you have just put them NEXT to one another and touching. A series connection demands a resistance and a flow of current. A series CONNECTION in a flashlight demands a switch on ON, and "connection," i.e., electron flow, is the operative word. (I was SO hoping that Ray-O-Vac would send me an LED...but no, just a bulb. Ever try replacing one of those bulbs? They cost more than the whole flashlight. I love LED and they operate at a higher frequency light so they show even more detail...albeit coldly.) Delphi, What is the advantage in lumens per watt for an LED over a little incandescent bulblet. Have you seen anything about life-expectancy comparisons in a flashlight? Edited by Trotsky, Aug 24 2012, 05:10 AM.



campy	Aug 24 2012, 03:21 PM Post #13
Handyman Extraordinaire Posts: 28,720 Group: no politics Member #204 Joined: February 2, 2006	If one battery dies in a flashlight and the other is still good the flashlight won't light. A sure sign that it is a series circuit. The resistance is in the bulb. Don't quote me on this. I read it on the internet.



Delphi51	Aug 24 2012, 04:13 PM Post #14
Member title Posts: 13,967 Group: Administration Member #441 Joined: October 10, 2006	I can confirm that the batteries, bulb and switch are all in series. It may be that the switches are poor and leak current, though. We still have flashlights with bulbs at grocery and hardware stores; not the same quality as in the old days, though. I haven't measured flashlights but in RV light bulbs vs LED panels the advantage in power use is at least a factor of 7 - measured it myself. Many LED flashlights are not as bright as a bulb one - only the more expensive ones are. They are generally bluer than bulbs. You can't go by the number of LEDs. I worked on a lady's computer one day and she gave me a very nice looking flashlight with a single LED when I crawled under her desk. That one LED, abut the size of the letter "o" here was as bright as a bulb flashlight. She told me to keep it and it is my favourite one. I bought a $10 (sale price) LED work light at Canadian Tire - a lot of LEDs, a Lithium Ion battery and charger. It is the size of an old flashlight and is bright, a little on the blue side. Works great, holds a charge for months. Edited by Delphi51, Aug 24 2012, 05:38 PM.



Trotsky	Aug 25 2012, 01:30 AM Post #15
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	campy, A series circuit exists if it is a CIRCUIT. It is NOT a circuit or a series connection or much of ANYTHING if the switch is off (copper elements NOT connected) or the bulb is missing or blown. In either of those cases the two batteries in the flashlight are NOT electricallly connected in any way shape of form and have no influence on one another because no electrons can flow. They might as well be on opposite sides of the Earth. Quote: You can't go by the number of LEDs Yes, I have found that too. I have a THREESY that is far brighter than a twelvsy. I see they are often rated in WATTS but this confuses me because a 1 Watt LED is very bright but I suspect that it cannot actually take this kind of power or it would eat batteries like I eat chocolates. With only a couple milliamp rated current draws I cannot imagine this 1 Watt LED???? (Perhaps it means something like "as bright as a 1 Watt tungsten BULB??">) Edited by Trotsky, Aug 25 2012, 01:37 AM.



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