Flashlights are very important tools at home and at work. However, they do not last forever and some have a very short lifespan. Here are some common problems with flashlights or inexpensive flashlights (as they are called in the UK) and some possible solutions for them.
Headache number 1: The batteries have mysteriously depleted and the light may have been on a shelf for a long time without use. This problem often occurs with cheap lights, but it is not always the case.
Solution to headache number 1: Check the flashlight housing for small fingerprints. A small person in the house may have borrowed the light and left it on all night (to keep monsters out in the closet or under the bed). Of course, this person would have put the light back in its original place, the next day. If this is the problem, you may need to speak to the culprit and perhaps invest in a light bulb.
Another solution for headache number 1: Cheap lights are known to drain batteries. You can try removing the batteries after each use (which is a lot of trouble and inconvenience). You can install a special switch that takes the batteries out of the light with the push of a button, but this could be even more troublesome and inconvenient than the first solution.
Headache number 2: Your flashlight seems to have developed a mind of its own. Sometimes it will work and other times it just stands there and plays dead.
Solution to headache number 2: Ditch the cheap tool and spend $ 20 to $ 30 on something low-quality. You don’t want a thinking flashlight, just something that provides light when you need it (and is only dead when the switch is off). Troubled flashlights like these are not worth the constant frustration and stress.
Headache number 3: You’ve just spent your hard-earned money on batteries and your light still doesn’t work.
Solution to headache number 3: Put down the flashlight and go shopping. If your batteries are worth more than the flashlight, it’s time to buy a new one.
Headache number 4: Your flashlight will work after making adjustments like stretching the spring or putting aluminum foil in the right place, but from time to time it still malfunctions.
Solution to headache number 4: Perform a final procedure that is guaranteed to correct the problem (and all the others). In fact, this is a surefire cure for dealing with cheap and troublesome flashlights. Disassemble the unit and remove the batteries. Place the batteries in a toolbox or on a shelf. Now, grab the outside of the flashlight and twist it, making sure it lands inside the trash can.
Conclusion: The best way to deal with an inexpensive flashlight (which is giving you trouble) is to replace it with one that is well-made and a little more expensive. Today’s best flashlights come in LED models that help conserve batteries, and while they cost more, they’ll pay for themselves with batteries, not to mention savings on pain relievers for all the headaches you’ll avoid.
