Its a blackout, You forgot where the batteries are... Your last fancy LED flashlight got lost/stolen/misplaced/broken, AND it needs some ultra rare MV-3534 cell you would never find in a store in a million years anyways.

Introducing: The Eternalight

Powered by a Betacell this small steel bodied Flashlight will most likely never fail when you need it.

The Betacell uses Beta radiation from Tritium gas combined with a special semiconductor diode surface to produce a electric current. It is expected to give power for about 10 YEARS, the LED has a similar useful lifetime.

The Betacell is sealed inside a Ultrahard Biosteel-Epoxy composite which is then permanently sealed inside a Titanuim cannister. The LED and other electronics are sealed inside the case along with the Betacell, a magnetic reed-switch mechanism allows for a TOTALLY sealed unit. Its water-proof, but it won't float. The outer casing is a stainless steel tube with a yellow Radiation symbol emblazoned on it to scare/impress your friends, the front simply exposes the LED's outer expoy surface. The top switch is simply a sliding on/off type. Its diameter is about the same as a 'D' cell battery, with a slightly longer length. Nearly all of its weight is from shielding. Its not 'heavy' but would make a OK paper weight.

Expected costs would be high considering the materials and design, over $100US would be expected. It has a lifetime (10 YEARS) warrenty, should it ever fail it would be replaced.
-- Melchior, Jan 18 2006

//The last flashlight you will ever buy for 10 years// Was this deliberately funny?

Introducing the Betacell, and its big brother, the Betamax.

//will most likely never fail// oh, that's priceless.

I have never seen a sales pitch which shot itself in the foot so comprehensively. If it was deliberate, then it's the most screamingly funny thing I've seen in ages. Not sure about the product, but bun for the laugh.
-- moomintroll, Jan 18 2006


What's the half-lite of a mag-life? Or... something.
-- roleohibachi, Jan 19 2006


Why bother with the switch (another point of failure). Just have it be on for 10 years, with an optional cap to put on the thing when darkness is required.
-- cowtamer, Dec 21 2010


//Your last fancy LED flashlight got lost/stolen/misplaced/broken, AND it needs some ultra rare MV-3534 cell you would never find in a store in a million years anyways//

Whereas this device will get lost/stolen/misplaced/broken BUT NOT need some ultra rare cell.

//Why bother with the switch// Why, indeed, bother with the beta cell, the LED, and the electric current? Convert the radiation directly to light. Manufacturers of tritium exit signs have been doing that for years.
-- mouseposture, Dec 22 2010


Or a wind-up flashlight?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 22 2010


I'd welcome it. Those triple-A batteries must be bought or recharged, and they go missing. On the whole it's hard to tell if a battery is flat or not just by looking at it and it's inconvenient to keep replacing or charging them. Also, if you're in Antarctica or on Mars, other batteries would drain faster, but not this. Corner shops are a long way from Mars and most or all of Terra Australis.
-- nineteenthly, Dec 22 2010



random, halfbakery