Best wind up radio

[Thumbcocker]

Sitting here with the power off. Stove is full of 2 year seasoned locust and maple. The wind up radio is playing country music and Mrs. Thumbcocker has made 5 quarts of deer chili. Just wondering if anyone had an opinion on wind up radios. Our old free play is getting some miles on it and we are thinking about upgrading.

[Bad Water Bill]

C C Crane makes some excellent wind up radios.

Their guarantee and customer service are top drawer a well

[skruske]

Take a look at the products Eton offers.

I currently keep an FR-1000 at the ready. Amazon usually has pretty good prices as well.

[WILCO]

Sitting here with the power off.

Hope it comes back on soon.

I have one of those Radioshack Dynamo radios. Found it at the thrift store for $3.00.

Has worked really well. I'm able to charge my cell phone, it has a flash light, am/fm/short wave settings. Used it during the last power outage around Christmas.

It's always a tag-along when I'm off somewhere secluded.

[bhn22]

We have two Grundig FR200s. I think they're now being offered by Eton now.

[geargnasher]

I have one of the Dynamo GH-858s. It's cheap but it works.

Gear

[Pb2au]

Grundig, very simple and rugged.

[MaryB]

Solar panels, deep cycle battery, watch TV...

[jonp]

I had an eton bought at llbean by an ex for several years. Sat in my camp during winters undergoing freeze thawscevry year. Comes in great and still works but due to constant freezing it doesnt hold a charge like it used to. The flashlite is a nice touch too

[Jailer]

Solar panels, deep cycle battery, watch TV...

Car, inverter, watch TV, run fridge, run freezer, charge cell phones, charge laptop, listen to radio, run lights......

:wink:

[TXGunNut]

Have an Eton, used very little but seems to be workable.

[MaryB]

Well I cheat a little, 464amp hour battery bank and these

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/Solar-panels-complete.jpg

[Ben]

I just purchased this one. It isn't a wind-up radio, but it has an 18 V. Lithium Ion battery in it that will run it for MANY, MANY days.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/4WLN2_AS01.jpg



Features:
360 Degree Premium Sound
4-Way Speakers
Integrated Subwoofer
Offers up to 2x more sound power output than previous generation Power Box (PB10-CD)
Digital Media Bay
Weather Sealed
AUX IN port for MP3, digital media & CD players
USB Port for playing MP3 and WMA digital music files from USB Thumb Drive Storage Devices
Powered USB port for charging most USB-enabled devices
SD Memory Card Port for playing MP3 and WMA digital music files from SD/MMC cards
Rugged strap for securing most digital media players
Battery/Charger Bay
Charges Bosch 14.4V and 18V Li-Ion batteries
Power the Power Box 360 using charged Bosch 14.4V and 18V Li-Ion batteries when 120V AC is not available
12V DC Adapter
For powering/charging 12V DC devices (ex cell phones)
External Line Out Port
For transmitting sound to external radio/speakers with AUX Input
4-Way Power Outlets
External AUX IN Port
Rugged Aluminum & Rubber Roll Cage
Advanced AM/FM Digital Tuning
20 FM / 10 AM Station Presets
5 Preset Equalizer Settings
Separate Bass & Treble Controls
Large backlit LCD Digital Display
Weather resistant: IP rating of 54 (buttons, knobs, doors and speakers)

[Lead Fred]

Ive bought several wind up radios, every one has failed, to include the C Crane radio.
Im currently testing a Kaito (S?) radio. Its 6 months old now, and every time I use it, it works.
But so did the C Crane for 10 years, using them only 1-2 times a year

Which Is best? Id go with none.

Sure wish I could find a Heathkit kit radio

[Petrol & Powder]

I've got an older Freeplay Plus that's pretty good but they don't make them anymore. My GF has an identical one and the internal battery pack finally failed. It's nothing but three AA NiMH cells shrink-wrapped together (exactly like a cordless phone battery pack). I went to RadioShack and got a battery pack for a cordless phone and swapped them out. It's hardwired in so I had to cut the leads and solder the new one in but it's back up and running. 10 minute fix. There was a lot of room inside the case and if I had to do it over I would use a 3.6volt pack with a larger capacity.
Most of the wind-up radios I've seen, including mine, don't put a lot of good material into the spring generator. I think a solar panel, charge controller and a battery is a better solution most of the time. The power required to run a radio is fairly small.

And I'll second the good customer service from CCrane. They're top notch. I had the display die on a CCRadio and they fixed it for free even after the warranty had expired.

[Petrol & Powder]

Well I cheat a little, 464amp hour battery bank and these

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/Solar-panels-complete.jpg

That's cheating more than just a little, but I like it !

[zuke]

I have 2 generation's of ETON FR160's, both bought at radio shack.
Wind up and solar with built in flashlight's.AM,FM and weather band.
Think I paid less then $30 each.

[jonp]

Well I cheat a little, 464amp hour battery bank and these

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/Solar-panels-complete.jpg
Thats a little heavy to carry around isn't it Mary?

[MaryB]

Adding 8 more of them and 8 more batteries to bump me over 900 amp hours storage, will run the fridge and freezer, pellet stove etc.

[Petrol & Powder]

Adding 8 more of them and 8 more batteries to bump me over 900 amp hours storage, will run the fridge and freezer, pellet stove etc.
That would REALLY be cheating :wink:

[Petrol & Powder]

All jokes aside, A radio that works when you need it is extremely important to me. After basic needs are met (water, food, clothing, shelter, safety); the next thing is information. Radio is one of the most reliable forms of real time communication, even if it's only one way. Internet, cell phones, even landline phones are very susceptible to widespread failure; but radio works extremely well. It's low tech, requires little power, it's not dependent on fixed distribution systems (wires, cables, etc.) and the sources (transmitter sites) are dispersed.
I can happily live without TV. Internet is very convenient but prone to problems. Radio is a connection to the outside world and it always works.
Having a good radio that works without batteries or mains power; is just one of those simple little things that can make a big difference.
The best definition of a flashlight that I ever heard was, "a metal tube used to store dead batteries". A radio shouldn't be, "a cheap plastic box used to store dead batteries".

[John Allen]

I have this one. It is both wind up and solar powered plus of course batteries. I have been happy with it. 93001

[MaryB]

I have that red cross radio, also the black version of it. Both are okay but the cranks are known for failing.

[Mal Paso]

Solar panels, deep cycle battery, watch TV...

That's the way!

My radio is my audio player with battery powered speakers that can recharge from my inverter while I'm watching TV.

After splitting the wood for the fire etc, the radio can do it's own heavy lifting. [smilie=1:

[Petrol & Powder]

Solar is certainly less work 8-), The wind-up function is good when you find that you need the radio in the middle of the night and it wasn't charged up. Kind of a reserve tank, so to speak.