Home Built Flashlight

Home built flashlight FARM SHOP Miscellaneous 16-1-8 "Being in the cattle business for over 30 years has meant countless nighttime trips outside during calving. We've tried every type of flashlight, including the new rechargeables, but finally decided we could make a better one ourselves," says Arthur Habke, Plumas, Manitoba. Components of the home-built light include a 1-gal. plastic cooking oil jug with a molded handle, a small 12-volt motorcycle battery, a 12-volt tractor headlight, a long-stemmed on-off toggle switch, a 2-connection trailer plug-in, a short piece of automotive electric wire, and various electric connectors. "First I cut a `door' in the back of the jug that's big enough to fit the battery inside. The headlight bolts to the front of the jug and the toggle switch mounts next to the handle so it can be turned on or off easily with your thumb. "The wire from the light runs to one terminal on the switch and another wire runs from the second switch terminal to the positive post on battery. The negative post is grounded to the headlight by an-other wire. I wired the female wire on trailer plug to positive post on the battery and the other wire to the negative post. "Then I placed the battery in the jug, leaving the trailer plug hanging out over the top of the door, which is securely taped shut with black electrician's tape. The other half of the trailer plug is wired to a small battery charger in the house. "To recharge the battery, you just plug the trailer plugs together, plug the charger in and set the timer. "The result is a flashlight that produces three times as bright a light as any commercially available rechargeable. All components are readily available over the counter. The light isn't heavy and can be carried for a long time with no problem. You can't buy a flashlight this good." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Arthur Habke, Box 331, Plumas, Manitoba Canada ROJ 1PO.

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