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FLEXiT is a magnetic bendable LED flashlight that shines light where you need it

The best thing about LED flashlights is that they provide light when you need them, but one of the worst things about most LED flashlights is that you need a hand to hold them. The FLEXiT Flashlight from Striker Concepts is an LED flashlight that you can stick it to a steel surface and you can bend it to customize where you want the light to shine.

FLEXiTs come in four different models. There’s the FLEXiT Auto that’s been designed for use with your car, the FLEXiT Task for general use, the FLEXit 2.0 and 4.0, and the FLEXiT Solar. These LED flashlights feature 180 – 500 lumens depending on the model and the price ranges from $24.95 up to $49.95 from The Grommet and Amazon.

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FLEXiT is a magnetic bendable LED flashlight that shines light where you need it originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 21, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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SANSI 30W LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Light review

We’re in the middle of remodeling the exterior of our house. It had wood painted wood siding and it’s currently (I can hear the contractors hammering right now…) getting vinyl siding. As luck would have it, a few weeks ago SANSI contacting me to ask if I might like to review their 30W LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Light (model C2440-FW). Since we’ve been actively replacing all the indoor incandescent lights with LED lights, I was happy to start the process outdoors as well. Let’s see how the update turned out.

What is it?

The SANSI 30W LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Light is a bright light that is designed to be installed outdoors and automatically turns on the light when motion is detected.

What’s in the box?

SANSI LED Security Light
Bar shaped mounting plate with 3 screws
Waterproof gasket
3 Wire connectors
Mounting bolt
Rubber screw plug

This outdoor security light looks similar to other motion activated security lights that I have on the outside of my house.

The SANSI has a swivel motion sensor in the center with two banks of lights on either side.

Where this security light differs from my others, is that the lights have LEDs instead of expensive halogen bulbs that can be a hassle to replace.

Each bank of lights has 4 LEDs arranged in a line. SANSI sells a different version of this light that has the lights in a 2×2 configuration instead of a 1×4 configuration like you see above.

The light has 3 wires coming out of the base, and there are two switches and a light sensor on the bottom of the motion sensor.

The switches can be configured to set how long the lights will stay on (1, 5, or 10 minutes) and the motion detection range.

Most people will want to use this as a motion activated light, but you can set it to manual mode which only works at night and can cause the light to be on for up to 6 hours at a time. When I asked for more details about this mode, here’s what the SANSI rep told me:

Manual Mode (Working Mode) Which is similar to dusk to dawn mode, because the default mode of this product is the Motion Sensor Mode. If you need the Manual Mode, you may have to set it up to Manual Mode every time you need.
Set-up: Flip the light switch off for one second then back on to toggle between AUTO and MANUAL mode.
Function: Under Manual Mode, the light could be on at night for 6 hours.

*Note: Manual mode only works at night and with the ON-TIME switch in the 1, 5, or 10 minutes position.

Installation

I was going to install the SANSI light myself so I could write about any issues that came up while doing so. But the contractors saw the box and did the install before I even realized it. The included instructions are pretty straight forward and with only 3 wires it is probably hard to screw up the install, so let’s just say it was really easy especially if you’re replacing an existing light. Just know that the SANSI light has to be connected to a 120V power source.

This is what the SANSI 30W LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Light looks like when it’s installed.

You can adjust the angle of the motion detector as well as the lights.

Although the image above doesn’t really give a good indication of how bright the SANSI security light is, let me tell you, it’s a very bright flood light! It’s much brighter than the light I previously had in the same spot. The LEDs are equivalent to 250W incandescent light. I have noticed that the SANSI LEDs have a colder look instead of the warmer yellow light of my other security lights. The specs say that the SANSI LEDs are 5000K Daylight. All I know is that they are bright.

They’ve been installed for about a week and are working as expected. I have them set to come on when motion is detected and stay on for 1 minute. The motion sensor is triggered when I walk under the light and when I pull out of the garage every morning when it’s still dark outside. The sensor has a range of 180 degrees and max 50 feet. I have it set for my short driveway and it’s been working great.

Final thoughts

If you want to update your outdoor lighting to LED lights that are as bright (or brighter) than incandescents, but use less electricity, SANSI’s 30W LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Light is a good choice.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by SANSI. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $59.99
Manufacturer: SANSI
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Very bright
  • Easy 3 wire install
  • LED bulbs should last for many years
  • Motion settings for time and range
Cons:
  • None

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SANSI 30W LED Security Motion Sensor Outdoor Light review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2017 at 12:15 pm.

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Mychanic Pod Light Review


“Oh cool” was my son’s reaction when he saw this… thing.  What is this thing?  It’s called the Pod Light from Mychanic, a unique take on the work light that goes almost anywhere.

 

  • Sphere is 3.5” in diameter
  • Base is 2.25” in diameter
  • Sphere + Base is 4.5” tall
  • 250 lumens
  • Weight: .6 lbs
  • Includes 3 AA Duracell(R) batteries
  • Durable ABS housing
  • Patent pending

The first thing I noticed:  Batteries included!  It also meant it wasn’t USB rechargeable, something I’ve been looking for in lights recently.

Let’s take a look at that base.  It’s magnetized on both the concave side (to hold the pod) and the flat side, for mounting on a metallic work surface.

Feeding time!  The Pod Light takes three AA batteries.

There’s a single diamond-shaped button on the top of the softball-sized light.  You get a low (6 surround LEDs) and a high (all LEDs) setting.  There’s no setting for just the central LED.

Here’s the Pod Light, mounted on a metal part under my hood.

How long does the Pod Light stay lit? To try this, I installed a set of regular rechargeable Eneloop AA batteries and let it sit on the brightest setting.  After a few hours, the LED intensity dropped.  I’d say the listed 7 hours is pretty accurate.

By the next morning, it was more like a dim night light. The Pod Light kept putting out a faint glow of light (not very useful) for nearly 36 hours before going completely dark. I’m not sure how alkaline AA batteries would fare, but the discharge curve is probably a little different.

Mychanic states that “you won’t be able to put it down” and I think they’re right.  The sphere shape just feels fun, and I ended up going around the house to see where I could stick the magnetic base (appliances, shelves, car door).  I still wish the Pod Light was USB rechargeable, but at least they were good enough to include AA batteries.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Mychanic. Please visit their site for more info.

 

Product Information

Price: $19.99
Manufacturer: Mychanic
Requirements:
  • 3 AA batteries (included)
Pros:
  • Two brightness modes. Base sticks to any magnetic surface
Cons:
  • USB rechargeable would have been nice.

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Mychanic Pod Light Review originally appeared on on June 29, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light review


Adding additional light to a place with no electrical outlets can be a challenge when you don’t want to pay an electrician. Stick up lights are one solution, but they usually run on batteries and require the flip of a switch to turn on the light. The Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light looks like a much better alternative. Let’s take a closer look at this oddly named light.

What is it?

The Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light is a micro USB rechargeable LED light that sticks where ever you like and turns on when it detects motion.

What’s in the box?

Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light
micro USB cable
3M adhesive sticker
Instructions

The Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light has two parts. The light or what I guess would be considered the UFO module, and the base.

On the bottom of the light is a magnetic ring that attaches to the steel ball in the base.

The ball allows the light to swivel and rotate so you can aim the light where you want the beam to point.

The light actually has two parts. An outer ring and an inner light. Tilting the outer ring provides access to the switches that can be set so that the light automatically turns on when motion is detected.

You can set the outer ring to light up by itself.

Or you can set the inner and outer lights to light up at the same time.

The image above makes the light look amber. It’s not. It’s a white light. For some reason my camera would not capture the true color when both lights were on.

The tilting outer ring also provides access to the micro USB connector for charging the built-in battery.

Installing the Fredorch wall light is simple. Using the included two-sided 3M adhesive sticker, you put the sticker on the base, then attach the base to the wall, and the light to the base.

I decided to install the light in a closet that only has a one bulb pull string fixture in the ceiling. That light works pretty well if all I need is a towel on one of the upper shelves, but if I need to find something lower or on the floor, I can’t see anything without using a flashlight.

Adding the Fredorch wall light now lets me find what I need and I don’t even have to pull a string or press a button. As soon as I open the door, the light detects motion and turns on. There’s no delay at all. And when I shut the door, the light will turn off within 15 or 20 seconds.

Final thoughts

The Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light is very useful. It’s one of those things that make me say “Why didn’t I get one of these a long time ago?” Now that I have this one, I will be thinking of other places in my house that can use some extra light.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Fredorch. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $15.99
Manufacturer: Fredorch
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Turns on when motion is detected
  • Easy to install
  • Tilting and rotating
  • Rechargeable
Cons:
  • None

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Fredorch UFO 360° Rotating LED wall light review originally appeared on on June 6, 2017 at 7:00 am.

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Loftek 15W Portable Floodlight review


I’ve got quite a few flashlights, but I don’t really have a portable “floodlight” when I need to light up a large area.  This time I got to try out something different. It’s not quite a flashlight, and it’s not really a camping lantern.  It’s the Loftek 15W Portable Floodlight.

Specification

Includes: 1xUSB cable, 1x 15W floodlight, 1xuser guide
Power: 11 watts (white light); 2 watts (blue light); 2 watts (red light)
Input: 5V DC (0.5-2A)
Output: 5V DC (2.1A)
Lumen value: 650lm (maximum brightness mode); 380lm (power saving mode)
Shoot Distance: 20m
Beam Angle: >120 degree
CCT (Correlated Color Temperature): 5500K-6000K
CRI (Color Rendering Index): Ra>70
Battery capacity: 6600mAh
Working time: More than 4 hours; Charging time: 6 hours
IEC rating: IP65—Dust tight and Protected against low-pressure water jets (do not submerge in water)
Warranty: 12 months, unlimited when purchased from LOFTEK. Contact us for additional support if needed

The very first thing I realized was that the handle is attached by two screws that would require a hex key to adjust.  I didn’t see one in the package.  If you’re not careful, the stand won’t keep the light upright.

On the back is a fairly sturdy metal clip.  That could come in handy.

Here you can see the SOS and Power buttons.  The SOS button makes the light flash red and blue.  The power button select from a high and a low light setting.  In practice, I found these two buttons very difficult to tell apart in the dark.  That “indicator” is a LED that glows red when recharging, and green when fully charged.

There’s also a rubber flap covering the microUSB charging port, and a “normal” USB port to turn the lamp into a 6600mAh battery pack to charge your accessories (5V, 2A).

Speaking of SOS, the light alternates between red and blue.  While it would get your attention, the color pattern is somewhat similar to what emergency vehicles might use.  I also noticed in the specifications that the colored lights are rated at 2W each, and the white light at 11W, totaling 15W.  I was led to believe that the main white light was rated at 15W, but I’m not so sure.

The light really produces a very wide flood beam.  In this example, the photo in the upper left is of my son’s room with a regular table lamp.

The upper right was taken with just the iPhone LED.

The two bottom photos were taken with the flood lamp at the high and low settings (left, right).  The difference is a little hard to photograph.  Note the “whiteness” of the flood light is a much cooler white.  It’s rated at 5500K-6000K.

How long does the battery last?  The listed working time is stated at “more than 4 hours.  Here’s what I found:

High setting:  5.5 hours
Low setting:  9 hours

I noticed that after a while, the LED brightness does seem to taper down quite a bit, so it doesn’t maintain even light output throughout the burn time.

I do like the light, but it’s missing a few things.  First of all, I replaced the screws with matching ones with wings to make it easier to adjust.  The difference is night and day.  In case you want to try this yourself (or if Loftek wants to start including these), I used an M6 x 10mm, 1mm pitch stainless steel wing bolt.

Next, I’m thinking about adding a hook or a magnet to the yellow handle to make the Loftek 15W portable floodlight even more useful.  Now if they could only make the buttons a little easier to use.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Loftek. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $59.99 MSRP
Manufacturer: Loftek
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • MicroUSB to charge (cable included), charger not included
Pros:
  • Bright, wide flood light with even coverage.
  • Lasts up to 9 hours on the low setting.
Cons:
  • Stand adjustment needs work to be useful.
  • Controls can be tricky to use in the dark or by touch.

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Loftek 15W Portable Floodlight review originally appeared on on May 20, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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