Go check your batteries.

So here I am 20 minutes into a power outage (yep, iPhone still works) and I just realized that its been a while since I spot checked some of my lights. Sure enough, the first flashlight I grab the lights turns on, then slowly fades to nothing.

Fortunately, like many of you people, years of paranoia has led to the fact that I have about 20 flashlights in my house. Ahhhh yes, the replacement ghosts of EDC gone by.

At any rate, I should have checked sooner. Had this been my only light it would have been rather embarrassing. BTW, most of my "in the house" lights are powered by enloop rechargeable batteries (for logistic purposes)

Now to get out the ole power box 800......

I am a big eneloops fan and I am using up all of the alkaline batteries I have on hand. They will not be purchased in the future. For "standby" duty I prefer lithium batts, L91 or L92. They will light brightly when you need them, even if left alone for months and months - and no leakage....

I use rechargeable LiIon in all my lights that will accept the higher voltage, and Eneloops in the lights that won't. I have several of each charged and ready to go (beside the ones currently in service in my lights).

Still, I keep about two dozen alkaline AA's and two dozen alkaline AAA's available as backups. Alkalines have got a fairly decent shelf life these days. Several years. A bit short of lithiums, but still not bad. And they are a whole lot cheaper than lithiums. Primary lithiums are good for things like emergency car kits.

I have liked enloop so far. I have a stash of none rechargeable batteries as well as a solar panel that could recharge the enloops if it were an extended outage. I don't blame the batteries in this case, it was my fault for not checking them in a while.

Excellent advice.

Thanks to Costco, I'll never run out of toilet paper or AAA and AA batteries.

I keep their big packages of Kirkland brand on hand.

Am also good for 123 batteries for a couple years.

Used my neck lanyard flashlight just this evening -- to locate dog doo.

Helps maintain good neighborly relations.

I am also a Costco battery person! Cheap to buy a huge stash of AA and AAA batteries at Costco. In fact, there is a Costco 3 blocks from me and I get all my gasoline there and batteries. I prefer some other TP, Costco is not such a great deal on the TP IMHO.

I did just order a HD camcorder from Costco, a nice bundle deal. I needed that for this summers Disneyland expedition

I buy one pack of 36 AA's each spring and fall when the time changes and rotate out the batteries in everything then put the rotated out ones in the stock for the kids to use.
I'm actually ahead of their usage now, gave the last pack to my parents.

Lithium primary cells (CR123, etc) have a shelf life measured in *decades* (usually about 20 years to 75% charge or so).

My car's glove compartment has a single-cell CR123 light as "lifeboat" gear - i.e., it should work as intended even without regular inspection & refurbishment / replacement.

There are more in the house, one on the ledge behind each toilet. When I lose power the bathrooms are the darkest areas in the house, so odd as it sounds it makes sense there.

The latest generation of Eneloop cells - not yet available in the US - are rated to retain 70% charge after 5 years. That's "lifeboat" territory, and Eneloop doesn't have all the safety and hazard issues even small Lithium cells have.

If you live in an area that sees extreme temperatures it's worth testing at those extremes. Many fully-charged batteries becomes useless below 0F.