The days are also becoming noticeably shorter. The need for lighting has increased. One of my favourite vloggers, Gadget John, has all sorts of tricks, tips and reviews, most of which will never be of use to me but all add to knowledge, and once in a while produce an "ooh, I must get that" moment.
So it is that I purchased a G5 pocket torch. As soon as John showed it to us, it answered the query that had been lurking at the back of my brain for a while but had never been brought forward for inspection. When I sit in the van on darker days or at night, I have a reading lamp (LED) that has served me well. However, it tends to not have the spread that a standard side lamp might have in one's living room. It's enough to work by, but ambience is a tad lacking. For some time, particularly when I'm in lounge/office mode, rather than bed mode, I have felt the lack of lighting on the other side of the van, albeit only a matter of about 150cm distance. Had I decorated in all white, that might have been different, but I favour (you've noted, I'm sure) darker, more house-than-van-style decor.
Lacking any power source on that side/corner, whatever I chose to put there would have to be a rechargeable USB unit. Aside from making the space a tad more welcoming when I have Mac1 or other visitors aboard, I also like to have a light behind any screen I watch for long periods, as it is better for the eyes. Beyond all that, I had also been pondering a lamp of some description that would assist at the hob. I have a length of LED lighting over the kitchen area, but the hob itself is shadowed because of its position, and a small light there would make life a lot less messy. There is also a larger 'camp light' over the prep area, but one doesn't always want that on for a quick sandwich make or cuppa brewing, so this wee gadget has proven to be the answer to it all!
You can see from the collage above that there are two different light modes. The spotlight, which is harsh white, like strip lighting in workshops, or the warmer 'bulb' light that resembles what you'd have at home beside the settee. In the first strip, you might notice, too, that the spotlight can be angled. Brilliant! That's the mode which helps at the hob, as I can place the lamp face down on the shelf above, and it shines through the batten directly onto the pans.
The observant among you may also note that in the first strip, the torch is protruding from the shelving - they are metal, and the lamp has a magnetic base! This is proving to be one of the best things about it. The second strip in the collage shows it in 'lounge' mode, clipped to the overhead basket.
The clip would be great for those who like gadgets suspended from their belts or straps (and I have used it a couple of times as a strap lamp), but it also works where the magnet doesn't. Of course, the angular design also lets it stand free on all sides, as you see in the other two strips of the collage. In that, you also see that there is a red and blue lighting option - something I have found ideal for low-light screen watching. These, naturally, would be useful if one were in need of warning lights on the roadside. The third switch on that part of the torch produces a blue/red flash (à la emergency services). The spotlight has two light strengths, and the third option is flashing - so, again, for use in need of warning or emergency.
It has good capacity, and when I used it in full lamp mode continuously, it lasted about six hours. When using it in reduced lighting mode, it would last at least double that. I have to say, this has been a fantastic purchase and has made a big difference to energy efficiency and general living in the van. It would be a great wee thing to put in the stockings at Christmas - I can't imagine anyone would be disappointed to have a G5 as a companion!
Although I didn't take a before-and-after, you have to imagine that in the next photo, without the G5 on the basket, the left side would be pretty much in shadow.
That's the living end in lounge/office mode. Even with the G5, you get a hint of how dark that corner has been, but now, in that overhead position, there's a real sense of this being a 'sitting room'. That's with the regular lamp being on. I have sometimes worked with that off and just used the G5, and it has been great. This also means that I am not drawing from the power bank for the main light. Although it is LED, that lamp does draw a fair bit.
Just for interest, here is a view down the van from me in bed mode (the pillows get turned around, the doona comes out from under the table), where I have deliberately left the back light on. To the upper left, on the top shelf, you can see the 'camp lamp' peeking over the rim. When I have visitors, I do use the full lampage... but mostly I don't have them on except to prepare food or do housework, in order to preserve energy. I am considering purchasing a second G5, one for each end... yes, they are that good!!!
