CAP Talk

Operations => Tools of the trade => Topic started by: winterg on September 23, 2015, 12:56:49 PM

Title: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: winterg on September 23, 2015, 12:56:49 PM
Task O-0001 for Ground Team Equipment.
Paragraph 2.a.2.b.5: 1 Chemical Light Stick, Green

Has anyone replaced their chemical light stick with one of the new electric ones?  The market appears to have seen a boom in recent years in new versions that is possibly making them a viable option.  I found one thread here from about 6 years ago but the links were broken for the two models discussed so I thought I would bring it up again.

[Electric glow stick] Pro: Lasts thousands of hours or rechargeable.  No shelf life.  Can turn off when not needed.  Con: More expensive. ($5 - $20)

[Chemical Glow Stick] Pro: Much cheaper. ($0.50 - $1.00)  Con: 4 year shelf life.  Cannot turn off when not needed.  Only on for up to 12 hours.

UV PAQLITE     https://www.uvpaqlite.com/reusable-glow-sticks.html (https://www.uvpaqlite.com/reusable-glow-sticks.html)
An interesting rechargeable model a member of my squadron brought up.  Not electric, you can use your flashlight or ambient light to recharge it.  Backup maybe?

EVEREADY LED GLOWSTICK    http://www.amazon.com/Eveready-LED-Glowstick-Kids-Lanyard/dp/B002NGAXN8] [url]http://www.amazon.com/Eveready-LED-Glowstick-Kids-Lanyard/dp/B002NGAXN8 (http://[url)[/url]
Runs on watch batteries. Good reviews.

LED GLOWSTICK     http://www.lifegear.com/glow-stick (http://www.lifegear.com/glow-stick)
These are the ones I saw at my local WalMart that got me thinking about them.

Has anyone switched to an electric model? If so, what one are you using and how well does it work?
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Capt Thompson on September 23, 2015, 01:19:33 PM
I carry both. I found a battery operated model on sale for a little over $1 last year and bought a few, I keep 2 in my 24 hour pack and a couple in my flight bag. I also have a few chemlights in my 24 hour gear as well. I can easily hand off the chemlights to someone who needs one, without worrying if they'll remember to give them back, and for everything else I use the battery powered ones.

They are almost as bright as the chemlights, but not quite, but for most operations they work quite well.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Sapper168 on September 23, 2015, 05:10:21 PM
My question is, if need be are you willing to part with a battery operated one to use for marking trails, items, etc?  The chemlights aren't actually for personal 'light', that is why the equipment list includes a flashlight and a spare flashlight in addition to the chemlight.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Capt Thompson on September 23, 2015, 06:27:08 PM
Again, the cheap chemlights go first for trail marking, but if need be the battery operated ones are only a couple bucks, and cheaper if you find them on sale. We shouldn't be marking trails and then leaving them out there anyway (low impact) but if I lost one and was out a couple bucks I wouldn't be that upset.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Holding Pattern on September 23, 2015, 06:43:00 PM
Couple things:

Chemsticks shouldn't be left out. They should be collected after use. While not always possible, there are very few CAP situations where ORM would prevent you cleaning up after yourself.

While the plastic ones are bad, electric ones are worse for the environment in that batteries will lose their seal and dump into the environment with sufficient time.

If you are worried about not being able to see the chemlight to pick it up when it is inert, consider buying a pack of orange zip ties (100 for ~$2 on amazon, you should be able to kit a squadron out pretty cheaply) to tie to them to make them more visible.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Ed Bos on September 23, 2015, 06:45:11 PM
I carry an electric one. It's also my backup light and has a whistle. Multi tasking is good, IMHO.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Spam on September 23, 2015, 07:28:06 PM
I have a set of three (blue/red/green). Mine have an integral white LED flashlight at each end of the head, with one LED projecting down the 'stalk' to illuminate it. Mine also have a pushbutton which cycles around a rotary function:  flashlight mode from the front end, lightstick mode, flashing lightstick mode (approx. a 2 Hz cycle time), and off.  They have a lanyard fitting to hang them, and oddly enough, even have a whistle molded into the tip of the stalk for acoustic signaling.


I think they were $4.50 each at Home Depot about five years ago, and despite use on many FTXs and actuals none of them have died yet, since LEDs have such low power consumption. I probably should replace the hearing aid batteries on a PM basis, though.


Hah, just found a link:  http://www.homedepot.com/p/Life-Gear-4-in-1-LED-Blue-Glow-Stick-Flashlight-LG116/203425272?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cBase&gclid=CPLq3qTxjcgCFYEvgQodBncMMQ&gclsrc=aw.ds (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Life-Gear-4-in-1-LED-Blue-Glow-Stick-Flashlight-LG116/203425272?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cBase&gclid=CPLq3qTxjcgCFYEvgQodBncMMQ&gclsrc=aw.ds). Four bucks even.


They don't seem to offer the red, currently. Maybe Garibaldi would know better on this one.

V/R,
Spam



Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Al Sayre on September 23, 2015, 09:23:52 PM
They make them in red, I've got 4.  They make great wands for directing aircraft at night.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: winterg on September 24, 2015, 01:15:06 PM
The real test for the electric glow sticks will be at my squadron's monthly rave.  :D

(For the comedically challenged, that was my attempt at humor.)

It looks like they are a viable option to add to my kit.  I'll give it a whirl.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: TheSkyHornet on September 24, 2015, 02:01:45 PM
Quote from: winterg on September 24, 2015, 01:15:06 PM
The real test for the electric glow sticks will be at my squadron's monthly rave.  :D

(For the comedically challenged, that was my attempt at humor.)

It looks like they are a viable option to add to my kit.  I'll give it a whirl.

Comedic challenge:
"Cadet, go find me some chem light batteries so we can turn these on...."
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: winterg on September 24, 2015, 02:16:51 PM
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on September 24, 2015, 02:01:45 PM
Quote from: winterg on September 24, 2015, 01:15:06 PM
The real test for the electric glow sticks will be at my squadron's monthly rave.  :D

(For the comedically challenged, that was my attempt at humor.)

It looks like they are a viable option to add to my kit.  I'll give it a whirl.

Comedic challenge:
"Cadet, go find me some chem light batteries so we can turn these on...."
Yeah. I guess that joke won't work anymore. Haha. We still have propwash and a yard of flightline though. 
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Spam on September 24, 2015, 02:18:55 PM
Quote from: winterg on September 24, 2015, 01:15:06 PM
It looks like they are a viable option to add to my kit.  I'll give it a whirl.

Non comedic (just the facts, Ma'am): 
putting a standard chemlite on a half meter of 550 cord and whirling makes for a pretty decent ground to air visual signal at night (from personal experience, I was able to discern our GT pretty easily from altitude on a VFR night, in a high clutter environment). We have the whirling technique in our units Field Skills training modules:  http://www.ga045.org/documents/Field_Skills_III_v2011.pdf (http://www.ga045.org/documents/Field_Skills_III_v2011.pdf) which I may have already mentioned to you in another thread.


Comedic answer, of sorts:
"Cadet, the chem light batteries are stored next to the prop wash and the left handed monkey wrenches. Be sure to get the LEFT handed monkey wrench to help me change the chem light batteries. They're all in the Beano Locker, now scoot..."  "Negative, cadet, this is a RIGHT handed monkey wrench, go back and get a LEFT one. Oh, and bring me two meters of flight line while you are at it".


(For those of you without USN/USMC experience... the Beano Locker is based on 1MC shipboard announcements beginning with "There will Be No movie tonight, there will Be No liberty for the afternoon watch", etc.)

V/R,
Spam


Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: TheSkyHornet on September 24, 2015, 03:02:37 PM
Quote from: winterg on September 24, 2015, 02:16:51 PM
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on September 24, 2015, 02:01:45 PM
Quote from: winterg on September 24, 2015, 01:15:06 PM
The real test for the electric glow sticks will be at my squadron's monthly rave.  :D

(For the comedically challenged, that was my attempt at humor.)

It looks like they are a viable option to add to my kit.  I'll give it a whirl.

Comedic challenge:
"Cadet, go find me some chem light batteries so we can turn these on...."
Yeah. I guess that joke won't work anymore. Haha. We still have propwash and a yard of flightline though.

Hahaha. I hadn't heard about "a yard of flightline." That's a good one.

You can always use chemlight batteries to check an exhaust sample for contamination....
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: SarDragon on September 24, 2015, 09:08:12 PM
There used to be a commercial product called Prop Wash, which was a cleaner for helos rotors.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: JC004 on September 25, 2015, 02:12:37 AM
I have a battery-powered Krill from the AF.  It's alright.  I still have chem sticks.

It looks like this:
(http://media.backpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/krill1_445x260.jpg)
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Cadet Snuffy on October 16, 2015, 04:45:07 AM
I keep both in my pack. The electronic one is better tbh because you don't gotta keep buying more after one use. I use an energizer brand. It's got a flashlight in it too. They sell them any place that sells camping stuff. So Walmart, target, cebelas, dicks, any of those.
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Hummingbird on June 06, 2016, 05:42:13 PM
Hold on, what's the name of this manual? I can't find it, and this post just reminded me.

Also, I grabbed an electric glowstick for around $3-$4 dollars the other day. I think it works great(so far. I can't tell what the future holds.).
Title: Re: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Holding Pattern on June 06, 2016, 06:38:50 PM
Quote from: Hummingbird on June 06, 2016, 05:42:13 PM
Hold on, what's the name of this manual? I can't find it, and this post just reminded me.

Also, I grabbed an electric glowstick for around $3-$4 dollars the other day. I think it works great(so far. I can't tell what the future holds.).

All ES Task Guides can be located here:
http://www.capmembers.com/emergency_services/operations_support/education_and_training/ (http://www.capmembers.com/emergency_services/operations_support/education_and_training/)

Hopefully now that they have pushed past the 10 year mark they will get re-evaluated soon.
Title: Chem Sticks (Glow Sticks)
Post by: Storm Chaser on June 06, 2016, 07:05:46 PM
You can use battery glow sticks, but should still carry some disposable chem glow sticks to use in certain applications, unless you're willing to part away from your battery one.