Thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely look at the stoves, since I'd like something to cook on if I have zero power (generator or otherwise).

What's the advantage of a coleman stove over, say, a minature propane grill? Portability? Multifuel?

Cool. That's pretty much all I'd use mine for. Just quick stuff that's not worth turning on the generator for (since I'll probably bring it inside (turned off!) for the night).

Fluoresecent is ok, light wise. What's the battery life like?

I agree, the Innovage looks like a much better deal. For $10, it's worth a try.

Interesting CPF thread. Lots of good suggestions there, too.

Thanks!

I never tested the runtime on the Steelbeam lantern - ended up giving it to a family member. On a quick Web search, I'm seeing quotes of 16 hours of battery life for this one.

And here's another lantern that seems to be pretty popular on CPF (I haven't tried one):
Energizer 4D Folding Lantern
It's fluorescent, and supposed to get 40 hours of battery life if you turn on one fluorescent tube, 20 hours if you use both.

Hey! I saw that in the CPF thread you posted. I'm going to get one and find out. The CPF post was very positive about it. I like the variable brightness too (one or two tubes).

BatteryStation has lithium D cells. Cool. Wouldn't be my first choice for long term use (cost), but a set of those would be great to put in the lantern for storage.

having spent some time with the power off, I'll tell you what I find is generally the BEST way to deal with the lack of light at night (NOT evening)

GO TO SLEEP

Make like Ben Franklin - Early to bed, early to rise. Particularly in the summer (Hurricane season) - Wake up with the dawn (say 5:00am), work your butt off all day, by 8:30pm or so - you'll be happy to hit the rack and SLEEP

Heheheheheh. Ok, granted, that's good advice. But it's totally not for me. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I get up around 10:00 or so, make it to work by noonish and work late into the night. I'm not what you'd call a morning person. So just about the time I get warmed up, the sun's going down. Inconvenient, really.

What we need is a binary star system... big primary for a well defined day, and then a very small / distant secondary for late dusk level illumination at night. This whole "day / night" thing isn't optimal.

Trust me - turn off your power for a couple of weeks, and give you no options - you'll become a day person

Heck - I bet I could turn you into one in, say, 4 days

I'll take you outside in a tent, I'll wake you up, say 7:00am the first day, and I'll make you do physical work till your ready to drop at dinner time - say, 6:30pm - you eat, clean up, and are so tired you fall asleep. Wake up naturally the next day, and have so much work to do, that you can't hang around - run yourself ragged again - till your ready to drop right after dinner - the next day, we'll wake you up, but take it slightly easier - so that your mearly tired at 6:30 - By the 4-5th day, you'll be glad to sack out at 7:00pm, and if your not exhausted, 10-12 hrs later, you'll wake up - and then start working

The trick? NO CLOCKS/WATCHES, no TV, no books, no "time" cues except daylight

Won't take. Here's why.

Me being a night person starts with the fact that it's easier for me to stay up late working on a problem than to get up earlier and work on a problem. I think if I were retired, and had no one to answer to, I'd chase myself around the clock over a period of six months or so. Staying up later each night, and getting up later the following day. That, and I usually need to be awake for a while before I feel creative enough to bother sitting at the keyboard.

Your original point still holds, though. When the only light is natural light, adjust your schedule accordingly. Though I suspect this is easier done in the northern hemisphere during the summer. A power failure in the winter, especially at northern latitudes, would mean getting a LOT of sleep. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Fortunately, this is not currently a choice I have to make. Generator + inverter + tv + dvd player == Happy Groo. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

there might be other options... as many american people have found, according to the great number of births which happened 9 months after some big power outages... ....

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />