Magnetic flashlights?

[Benzadmiral]

Those of you above a certain, hrm, advanced age will remember the old aluminum-and-red plastic flashlights, Ray-O-Vacs, etc., that took D batteries, and featured a module on one side with twin magnetic strips on it. The flashlight would thus adhere to flat metal surfaces like the face of a refrigerator, or the interior of your truck bed, etc. I'd like a flashlight something like those to fasten onto my refrigerator at home, in case of power outages at night. But --

-- I can't find anything like them! Modern flashlights I've located on the 'Net, if they have anything magnetic included, have only a magnetic base, or what the descriptions call a magnetic pocket clip. (I'd like to know how the latter would work, unless you're wearing steel armor.) Does anyone still make a small flashlight that will fasten to a refrigerator face or any other steel surface, ready for use? Or if I must, can I find a part with the magnetic strips somewhere else, remove it, and glue it to the modern flashlight body? Any ideas?

 

[PimTac]

I remember them. The Ray O Vac flashlights had a corrugated metal body. They were well built.

When they started to make dashboards out of plastic instead of metal the magnetic flashlight was doomed.

We also had a old RayOVac 9 volt lantern with the flashing red light and the sealed beam main light.

 

[supton]

Pretty sure I've seen some, but, they tend to be cheap and the glue gives out. Might be better going to Home Depot or the like and buying rare earth magnets and gluing to a light of choice.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
Does anyone still make a small flashlight that will fasten to a refrigerator face or any other steel surface, ready for use?

What is your definition of "small"?

If you want a single AA light, here are some options with magnet:
https://www.amazon.com/ThruNite-T10-II-Flashlight-NW/dp/B07GST3GMT

https://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-LA10-Lumen-Camping-Lantern/dp/B01KGLD3A6


There are more powerful Li-Ion based lights with magnets available as well. I have several. It just depends on your desired form factor and the type of battery you're comfortable with.

 

[vwmaniaman]

Harbor Freight has a pretty good one that is plastic andmany times it is a givaway. It has a magnet and a hook and two different lights. Have one on the fridge and one in the camper closet since it has a hook too. Have several around the house. They all work when grand daughter doesn't leave it turned on.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
Does anyone still make a small flashlight that will fasten to a refrigerator face or any other steel surface, ready for use?

What is your definition of "small"?

If you want a single AA light, here are some options with magnet:
https://www.amazon.com/ThruNite-T10-II-Flashlight-NW/dp/B07GST3GMT

https://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-LA10-Lumen-Camping-Lantern/dp/B01KGLD3A6


There are more powerful Li-Ion based lights with magnets available as well. I have several. It just depends on your desired form factor and the type of battery you're comfortable with.

That first one would be fine -- but "magnetic tailcap" sounds like "magnetic base."

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by vwmaniaman
Harbor Freight has a pretty good one that is plastic andmany times it is a givaway. It has a magnet and a hook and two different lights. Have one on the fridge and one in the camper closet since it has a hook too. Have several around the house. They all work when grand daughter doesn't leave it turned on.

I'll have to go look at that!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
That first one would be fine -- but "magnetic tailcap" sounds like "magnetic base."

Yes. Would that not work for you? It should stick to the fridge just fine.

Or just look for a magnetic stick-on light:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stick+on+light+magnetic&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
That first one would be fine -- but "magnetic tailcap" sounds like "magnetic base."

Yes. Would that not work for you?

It should stick to the fridge just fine.

You mean the entire ring is magnetic? That I could place the flashlight, lens down, against the freezer door, and the tail magnet would hold it in place?

 

[bubbatime]

Maybe just try and find a flashlight that comes with a normal chargin base. You can mount these to the wall with screws. If it HAS to mount to the fridge with magnets, then Im sure you could fabricate a mount with magnets that you could mount the flashlight base to.

On ebay you can get preowned police rechargeable flashlights from Streamlight and others for a bargain. I have a Streamlight SL20LP that I bought new from Amazon warehouse returns for like $20. I bought a Streamlight stinger for $15.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
You mean the entire ring is magnetic? That I could place the flashlight, lens down, against the freezer door, and the tail magnet would hold it in place?
Nope. If you want the lens to face down, then look for an angle flashlight with tail magnet, like this Manker E03H:
https://skylumen.com/products/manker-e03h-aa-headlamp

Not sure what your budget is. The one above can also be used as a headlamp. I have its smaller brother - E02H that runs on a single AAA.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
You mean the entire ring is magnetic? That I could place the flashlight, lens down, against the freezer door, and the tail magnet would hold it in place?
Nope. If you want the lens to face down, then look for an angle flashlight with tail magnet, like this Manker E03H:
https://skylumen.com/products/manker-e03h-aa-headlamp

Not sure what your budget is. The one above can also be used as a headlamp. I have its smaller brother - E02H that runs on a single AAA.

No, I don't need the lens to point down -- I was just thinking that if the magnet is at the tail, then it would make more sense to hang the flashlight rather than try to position it pointing up.

The Manker E03H looks good. Is that gray panel on it the cover for a magnet? Or maybe I could do what Supton suggested and glue some magnets to it?

The flashlight I've had on the freezer since, oh, 2002 was a little swivel-head pocket model that I picked up at Restoration Hardware back when they sold little things like that. It had the magnetic mount strips, and when you placed it on the flat surface, a tab was depressed that cut off the light to preserve battery power. Unfortunately I dropped it a month or so ago and the body has cracked (though I'll try taping it together). And RH doesn't offer any kind of flashlight now.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by Benzadmiral
The Manker E03H looks good. Is that gray panel on it the cover for a magnet?

The sliding thing is a diffuser to put over the lens if you want the light to be more dispersed instead of more focused.

To me personally, a better option for indoors is to take a more powerful flashlight and stand it up on its tail so that the light bounces off the ceiling. This way you get more uniform lighting in your entire kitchen as opposed to just next to your fridge.

BTW, here are some of my lights with magnets hanging off the fridge:

In the rare event that we lose power, sometimes I take the larger one (the one on the right), and hang it off the AC register in the ceiling, pointing down at the floor.

 

[Fawteen]

Eveready still makes them. They're plastic now, but have the magnet on the side.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by Fawteen
Eveready still makes them. They're plastic now, but have the magnet on the side.

Cue Linus exclaiming to Lucy: THAT'S IT!

 

[Benzadmiral]

There are some vintage Eveready Union Carbide models that are apparently in working condition on eBay, too. I don't need a flashlight that will stand up to heavy use; I have a modern LED one in the car's trunk for that. This is for a light when the power goes out during a hurricane, that will let me find and turn on the LED lanterns I keep for lighting purposes. Besides, an old metal one would look cool.