A weatherproof light is one of the great conveniences of outdoor life, and Eveready's Energizer brand floating lanterns are a durable example of the breed. The relatively bulky 6-volt battery will need to be changed occasionally, but will provide many hours or even days of use once installed. Changing a battery is very simple and takes only seconds, even if you're doing it under poor conditions.
If you have the older version of the lantern, with a traditional 6-volt incandescent bulb, you may have a burned-out bulb instead of a dead battery. It's always prudent to carry a spare bulb or two when you head into the woods.
Newer versions of the lamp use three small LED lights, which provide significantly longer battery life. Older lanterns were rated for approximately 15 hours of use on a new battery, while the LED version is rated for up to 65 hours of use.
Grasp the body of the light firmly in one hand and hold it upright with the lamp assembly facing up. Grip the black plastic ring surrounding the lens and lamp assembly and turn it counter-clockwise until it comes free from the lamp.
Set the ring on a nearby surface and lift out the lens and lamp assembly. The lens is just a thin piece of plastic and it will blow away easily, so it's best to put it inside the ring and then place the lamp assembly on top. Keeping the assembly together reduces the risk of losing the lens and also protects the LED lamps from water and dirt.
Point the open body of the lantern downward and give it a light shake to slide the old battery from the compartment. Preserve it and dispose of it safely, in accordance with local law.
Remove the packaging from your replacement battery and slide it into the battery compartment, with its springs facing upward.
Locate the fork-shaped metal flange at the bottom of the lamp assembly. Line this up with the ridge of plastic you'll see inside the lantern's body, opposite the switch for the lamp. Drop the lamp assembly into place and position the lens and ring on top of it.
Screw the ring clockwise, until firmly seated, to re-seal the battery compartment. Press the on-off switch to test the light and to make sure that it's working properly.
Tips
References
Tips
- Always carry an extra bulb and battery for your Eveready floating lantern; both are widely available at any full service hardware store or home center such as Lowe's or Home Depot.
Writer Bio
Fred Decker is a trained chef and prolific freelance writer. He grew up in rural Nova Scotia, and had learned to skin a rabbit with his pocketknife by the age of seven (whenever the pocketknife wasn't lost). He was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and seldom loses a pocketknife anymore. You'll find his articles on game, foraged foods and other outdoor topics at major sites including eHow, Leaf.TV, Livestrong, OurEverydayLife and many others.
