CatherineS2 Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 The other night I was watching the program Dragons Den on TV, it's the one where inventors pitch their ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs in the hope that they will invest in the product. This chap came on and demonstrated something that was EXACTLY what I have been looking for. It's a nightlight that plugs in to any electric socket. So far, so what.... But, the nightlight part of it is a detachable torch, and whilst it is plugged in, it is constantly being recharged. Then, if there is a power cut, unlike an ordinary nightlight, the torchlight stays on, and even better, the torchlight can be detached and used to find your way around. On the program, the "dragons" were pooh-poohing the idea, they just didn't get it, whilst I was screaming at the television at their short-sitedness! I have been looking for something like this for ages to replace my current system of keeping torches in all the bedside tables and hoping that the guests don't move them or use up the batteries. In the end, one of the dragons, who has a holiday home in Spain finally "got it" and decided to invest in the produce. Halleluyah! This is the website: http://www.safetlight.co.uk/index.asp I emailed the inventor, and he just called me and we had a long chat and I have ordered two continental versions for our house. From what I can gather, they have only just created a "schuko" 2-pin version and I don't think they've got many in stock yet but they will have soon. I'll post again once I receive them (which won't be until mid-April as we are off to Florida on Thurs for 2 weeks).EDITJust found a link to the D.Den episode: http://www.bbc.co.uk/broadband/mediaplayer/players/bbc2/bb_rm_console.shtml?package=4588095&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&clip=ep5_clip2# Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Good idea for all of us who suffer from power outages, too. My torch is either flat or the builder has 'borrowed' it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 How very strange, back in 1968, in Zambia, we had those in the control room. I guess inventions go full circle eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 These were available everywhere in Los Angeles. We had them in every room and they came in handy for any power cut. Of course, we mostly had them because of earthquakes. Once you've been through a big shaker where the whole city is blacked out, you do NOT want to be walking around barefoot in the dark trying to find an unbroken torch. PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I bought one of these in Ikea a while ago. Very cheap (3 quid or so) and works well. I seem to recall that Black & Decker do one too. So what was new about this pitch to the Dragons? Someone hadn't done their market research methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 They are very common for use in computer rooms / data centres if theres a power outage. try here http://www.cybermarket.co.uk/ishop/923/shopscr3332.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Not sure about the others but the link above is to standard rechargeable nightlights - none seem to double as a torch. Maybe that's the difference?Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 These things have been around for years. Mine is primarily a torch with a night-light to locate it in the dark. The toarch bit turns on as you remove it from the holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 You mean one of these then http://www.nightsearcher.co.uk/acatalog/Focus1.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Yes exactly except that is a lot posher (and a lot more expensive) than mine. I'm still wondering about the Dragon's Den and how this could possibly be pitched as a 'New' idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris the inventor Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Hi PierreSafeTlight is a totally new idea as it was designed to quite literaly 'plug the gap in safety' a plug in device that turns any power point into an Emergency lighting point in the home but still leaving the power point free to use.In a public place emergency lighting is a provision by law but in our homes it is suggested we have a torch. when my mother had a power cut she nearly fell down the stairs while trying to find the torch; in effect she was less safe at in her own home and that inbalence I had to correct.I looked at what i could buy and found that it was a comprimise between a torch with a recharger and cable that would not look very attractive pluged in on the landing and was bound to be un plugged when she wanted to do the vacuming and i just knew would not be pluged back in again so defeated the whole objective; it was also in the instructions that the rechargable torch was not designed to be plugged in perminantly. Then there were industrial emergency light units which were not designed for a home which i could put a cable on and plug in, that also blocked the plug the same as above, So I invented SafeTlight which is a totally new idea for which i recieved a British Invention Double Gold Award in October 2006 and a Gold Medal for design.SafeTlight often gets compared to a night-light like the ones you refer to that can be purchased for a few pounds with a 7watt filament bulb but its a little like comparing a push bike to a car they will both get you from A to B but that is there only similarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 7 watts is quite (very) high for a night safety light. All the ones I have (French) are 1 watt and that gives out a lot of light when one gets up in the night (in darkness) - more than enough.In these days when we are being encouraged to do things like unplug chargers when not in use, etc., and given how long the light is actually on for I would have thought something less powerful (wattage wise) might have been better).Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris the inventor Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I quite agree 7 watts is to high but most of the night-lights being sold in the UK are a 7 Watt filament bulb so when you take into account the extra £2.00 worth of energy they use every year plus the bulbs only last any thing from 6-12 months they are not so cheap. There is also another consideration, child safety; filament bulbs may be fine on the ceiling, on a table lamp but at skirting board level , in the play zone, they are an electrocution risk to children as they are so badly manufactutred the protectivecover over the bulb is very easily broken leaving a bare 240 volt bulb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makfai Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 CatherineS2 have you received the product and what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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