I have tea lights and matches in case of power cuts. They're the failsafe in case some of my many torches fail.
I've come to the conclusion that sealed rechargeable batteries are not everything they're cracked up to be and that includes solar. It doesn't stop me from living in hope and buying more, though, especially as I keep getting so many normal batteries failing by leaking. I try to remember all of them in my monthly maintenance trip around the house. I've found that just leaving without using leads to a higher fail rate.
Anyone else notice AA/AAAs leaking before (if you keep spares like I do) or in use? They never used to!
My sight is getting worse in the dark so I have battery-operated motion sensor lights dotted up the stairs, in the bathroom, on the landing and a few other places (eufy by Anker in case anyone's interested). Only a few have failed and those that did were either because I'd left them in the bathroom so the insides had rusted or because batteries had corroded in them.
I also have some plug-in torches that are motion-sensor action. They're from Lidl. I recently replaced a few that were starting to fade and fail. I've had those for several years - possibly a decade. They've gone up from the £4.99 I paid for the first lot to £7.99 when they were in store a few weeks ago. I bought several to give as gifts. Not glamorous but very practical.
I'll only replace stuff that I've been pleased with so that's the highest praise I can give to these items. Of course, the replacements might not be the quality of the old lights I'm replacing, as is the way these days.
I bought a small rechargeable UV torch last year that I use to recharge some items I have (works great on glow-in-the-dark stuff) and to find pet stains. Not from our dogs but from the feral neighbourhood cats who had started sneaking in when the dogs were in the garden. I have to keep doors closed in the summer these days
. I was so impressed that I bought a normal version from Amazon when it was offer for Black Friday. I've no idea how long it'll last but it's a fab little thing. It's always in my pocket as it's small and light and always in there. I can't rely on my phone as sometimes if I've used it I'll have forgotten to put it back in my other pocket. I hope these last as they're so practical. If they do I'll replace straight away.
I guess I’ve been lucky that mine have worked and still do.
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