Freeplay Emergency Light Center

I purchased these items 10 Sept 2012. I saw the reviews about bad batteries, but I wanted to like the product, so I told myself it was an isolated and/or fixed issue. Apparently not, as all three of my flashlights had completely dead batteries. I followed the instructions about charging for 24 hours, but they were still completely dead. The alternator in the flashlight works and powered the LEDs, but only if you continuously crank the handle. Do not buy this product.

Purchased the unit for by new home. I relocated and eventually found a new home. 4-months of storage and I unpacked the Lighting Center and the batteries will not charge. They are shot. The light in general is great. However, I think we found the low bidder on the batteries. If you purchase this unit, you WILL change the batteries sooner or later. I scored the unit 2-stars because of the quality of the batteries.

I bought several sets at once. The flashlights itself are really solid and look and feel great. I don't think you will easily have one with better materials. But... soon I discovered that charging by the charging centre didn't really work. Also after cranking it was soon empty again. Contact with the service centre from Freeplay didn't really gave a solution. Well, I decided to solder new batteries in it. I bought some solderbatteries from Eneloop (the best batteries for these things). There are three batteries in each light. After that it are the best lights I ever had. With only one minute of cranking it really gives one hour light! Tested several times. That's really great. So if you would like to spend an hour soldering for a whole set you will have the best flashlights. With the new battery the charging centre does work too. Conclusion: Great light, bad battery, replace battery for Eneloop batteries. edit: one of the reviewers says that all the 'negative' reviews are from negative people or people who didn't buy exactly this flashlight. I have bought exactly this one, and even the faq on the website tells that the battery is bad. That doesn't make the flashlight bad if you are able to solder (in fact it's the best one after that), but know what you are buying.

These Freeplay emergency light stations are excellent. These Sherpa LED flashlights have two buttons one is full bright and it is bright the other is a lower light level that saves battery time. The crank works great also because I've taken it on trips without a charger and when I crank it for a few minutes it'll burn for 20 minutes. My son and I have both had these for many years...probably about 8 years and they are still going strong. My little grandkids take them to bed to read and in the morning they are still on!!!! The charging station is great, you can mount it on a wall and it keeps all three flashlights fully charged. I've read some negative reviews here and found them to have no credibility whatsoever. I even looked up all the reviews by one of the negative posters and found that every review he has ever posted is negative. All his posts are 1 star negatives. Another poster with a negative review is reviewing some other light, not the Freeplay light station so that review should be ignored as well. Hope this sets the record straight.

I had also read the reviews, gone to the Freeplay website and taken a gamble, twice! The first time I ordered these lights, the concept seems great. I have had Freeplay lights for years and thought these would make a great addition for my family preparedness. What I received the first time was a system where two of the three lights worked as described. The third light did not work on battery power but would only illuminate with the crank being operated. My though was to return these lights and purchase another system thinking that perhaps I had a bad batch. My second purchase, through another vendor on Amazon, arrived yesterday. Once again, I followed all the instructions again by charging for at least 12 hours. The result... all three flashlights not working. A review of the Freeplay website indicates questions towards this end. their answer is either a bad battery or control board in the light. Their advise for repair; this is unrepairable. In the end, don't buy this light. If you have one, test it to make sure they all work.

Freeplay Emergency Light Center I LIVE IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. LAST WEEK THE WEATHER REPORTS WERE FORECASTING A TERRIBLE STORM. I HAD PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED A FREEPLAY EMERGENCY LIGHT CENTER ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO AND WHEN I MOVED BACK TO BUFFALO I HAD IT INSTALLED ON THE WALL OUTSIDE MY BEDROOM. IT SEEMED REASONABLE TO CHECK IT OUT. IT WORKED PERFECTLY AND IT HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF CONSOLATION TO ME EVER SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I PERIODICALLY CHECK IT. I BELIEVE IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND HAVE PURCHASED OVER THE YEARS A NUMBER OF FLASHLIGHTS AND A RADIO FROM FREEPLAY IN ANTICIPATION OF A WEATHER MISERY THAT HOPEFULLY WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

Emergency Centre arrived but unfortunately after fully charging, the lights only flicker for a second before going out. All three red torches are the same. Looking at the Freeplay website it seems to be a known "bad battery" issue - (but on all 3 ?!!! how could I be so unlucky - bad batch perhaps?). Website suggests reconditioning via rapid 30 second manual cranks - makes no difference. Very disappointing given I have owned an Indego Lantern by Freeplay for years which still works flawlessly.

Pros: Very solid feel and a good concept. Cons: The flash light doesn't actually work unless you're continuously cranking it. I have a feeling that mine were defective. Normally, I would just get an exchange, but there were three flash lights and all of them were defective in the same way. The box says that you should be able to crank it for a minute and get a few minutes of light before having to crank it again. All three lights would just flash on then immediately off if I was not continually cranking them. If I charged them for 24 hours all would sustain light for a short period only on the low setting. The high setting would immediately turn off. If left off the charger for a few days, none of the flash lights would work without cranking them constantly. I did email the manufacturer and received no response. The FAQ section on their website mentions a similar defect and says it is not repairable.