Light Sticks

[NorthernRaider]

Chemical Light Sticks (Cyalume and Lumica)

Chemical Light Sticks (glo-sticks) are gaining popularity in the Prepper community after finding very broad acceptance in the military and industrial environments’, they are an ideal alternative to candles and battery hungry flashlight in many survival situations. Light sticks are finding their way into commuter kits, BOB’s, caches, power failure kits and survival supplies right across the prepper community.

There are dozens of different types and makes of light stick, some good some rubbish the easiest way for you to make sure you are buying quality light sticks is to only by them that have NATO Stock Numbers NSN. Lightsticks that are accepted into the NATO system have been made to a set standard and quality system and must meet NATO specified quality control

NSN Light sticks are normally supplied in packs of ten Lightsticks and each one should be individually wrapped in a foil packet. The packet will display the NSN number, who made the light stick, what colour it is and how long it will burn for (normally 8 or 12 hours)

Buying Light Sticks
As of November 2011 I find it is cheaper to buy packs of ten light sticks off E bay rather than online shops as very often you can get them post free.


Cyalume Technologies (American made)

6260-01-074-4229 95270-53 83289 6” Green, 12 hr.
6260-01-178-5559 95277-19 U3268 6” Red, 12 hr.
6260-01-178-5560 95277-20 U3268 6” Blue, 8 hr.
6260-01-195-9752 95275-01 83289 6” Infrared, 3 hr.
6260-01-195-9753 A-A-55134 58536 6” Orange, 12 hr.
6260-01-196-0136 A-A-55134 58536 6” Yellow, 12 hr.

6260-01-218-5146 A-A-55131 58536 6” White, 8 hr.
The Cyalume ChemLight is a green military grade chemical light stick measuring 6″ long, for providing instant 360 degree illumination, that may be seen up to a mile away for up to 12 hours in optimal conditions. The ChemLight is waterproof, non-toxic, and non-flammable. To activate the light stick, bend, snap and shake the tube. The light stick has a hook and gate top, for hanging or attaching the light. The ChemLight meets Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) specifications, and National/NATO Stock Numbers (NSN) are printed on each product. Each light stick is on an individual basis foil-wrapped for shelter from light and moisture, and has up to a four-year shelf life from date of manufacture.
The durable, waterproof, external body of the light stick is made from low density polyethylene (LDPE), and is phthalate free for safety. The internal illuminating chemical substance is non-toxic and non-flammable, and the elements of the light stick are recyclable. The light stick floats in water and works best amidst 40 to 80 degrees F (4 to 27 degrees C), and even though the light stick works at higher or lower temperatures, it is less effective in colder temperatures.
All sticks are tested at a temperature of 72 degrees F (22 degrees C) to determine the illumination duration. Each 10-degree C (50-degree F) increase or decrease in temperature doubles or halves the reaction rate, and consequently the luminance and duration. For example, the same light stick that emits approximately 30 lux (a unit that describes how much light is visible over a square meter) at 15 minutes after activation at 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) will be half as bright but glow twice as long at 14 degrees C (57 degrees F). At 34 degrees C (93 degrees F), the same light stick would be twice as bright, but glow half as long. Storage at elevated temperatures (above 120 degrees F or 49 degrees C) will decrease shelf life and start out to soften the plastic tube, and increase the peril of a leak. Exposure to cold temperatures will not affect the light sticks if they are warmed above 40 degrees F (4.5 degrees C) before activation, unless they are frozen (which occurs at -15 to -20 degrees F, or -26 to -29 degrees C). Once light sticks have been frozen, they will still construct a heap of light, but performance will not be as reliable. Humidity and atmospheric conditions do not affect the light sticks.
Light sticks are chemiluminescent substances in plastic tubes that provide hours of illumination in a number of safety, industrial, and military applications. Light sticks are waterproof, non-flammable, and non-sparking, which makes them utile in highrisk situations where sparks or flame could cause an explosion. Duration is determined by the alchemy of the formulation. Brightness is affected by temperature: the warmer the temperature, the more magnificent the light will appear. All sticks are tested at a temperature of 72 degrees F to determine the illumination duration. Viewing distance may be affected by temperature, moisture, and other elements. Exposure to direct sunlight may reduce shelf life and effectiveness.
Cyalume Technologies manufactures chemiluminescent merchandise applied for safety, industrial, and military applications. The company founded in 1970 and headquartered in West Springfield, MA, makes productions under ChemLight and SnapLight brands. ChemLight productions meet military specifications, and the company meets ISO 9001 standards.
Lumica Light Corporation (Japanese made)
Product Description
Lumica are the new leaders in glow stick technology, they are used extensively by Military Forces and Emergency Services so you know they are not the "Party" light sticks. These sticks have been developed through years of extensive research in the natural process of photoluminescence.
They allow you to have a light source indoors or out with no risk of fire and are safe and non-toxic, non-flammable and waterproof.
They are individually wrapped and have a long shelf life, they have a NATO stock number stamped on every stick so the quality will speak for itself.
Suitable for all sorts of applications - Mountaineering, Caving, Diving, Outdoors, Camping or anywhere you need a safe and reliable source of light.
• 155mm/6" Sticks
• 8 hour duration
• NSN 6260-01-218-5146
• Long shelf life

[Skean Dhude]

I have a stack of these in my stores and in my car.

I've used more to demostrate them than I have used them. I used them once on a icy road when a car had broken down and dozens showing how they work. Go figure.

[bigpaul]

not something i really considered before, but OH thought it might be useful to have some, just in case, so i've ordered 10x12 hour ones and another 10x4hour ones, there will be times when we dont need light for a whole 12 hours.

[JD1]

I picked up a bag of 30 Cyalume's from ebay for a tenner. Only used them so far for testing but they are miles better than some of the cheapos I had got from the pound shop.

Other than providing light they are very handy if you have kids to look after as well, you can tie one to their pack or coat, great for markers as well. They are also pretty robust, I had packed a couple in the bottom of my work bag and forgotten all about them for a couple of years. The bag used to get thrown about all over the place and generally abused. When I finally found them I tested one and it worked perfectly.

Well worth getting a few

[grumpy old man]

got loads of these their great for power cuts so the kids can use them with out any danger and dont need batteries ;.)

[Reality Jones]

I bought some of these off e-bay the other week and to be honest i'm not that impressed.
I got the Lumica light. 6" Saftey light stick in white. 8 hr duration.military and industrial grade, Nato cage code KD1YO (whatever that means?)

They just didn't give out the intesity of light that I was expecting, are there more powerful ones that I should be looking out for?

[NorthernRaider]

(17 November 2011, 16:32)Reality Jones Wrote: I bought some of these off e-bay the other week and to be honest i'm not that impressed.
I got the Lumica light. 6" Saftey light stick in white. 8 hr duration.military and industrial grade, Nato cage code KD1YO (whatever that means?)

They just didn't give out the intesity of light that I was expecting, are there more powerful ones that I should be looking out for?

RJ the Cage number is the place in the standardised depots where they are kept, as for intensity the longer they last the dimmer they are. you can get High Intensity Light sticks that are hellishly bright, but only last about 30 to 40 minutes. Then you have the normal range sticks that can run from 8 til 12 hours. I hope I'm not trying to teach my granny to suck eggs but you are aware it takes your eyes 35 minutes to adapt to a nightime situation illuminated only by night sticks? The best on the market traditionally have been cyalume and lumica, but some of the liesure brands are coming along quite nicely. If you require something similar but possibly more intense you could try a Krill Light, Its chemoluminescence light triggered by a battery.

[tony6125]

To clear up a few doubts about Light Sticks, Cyalume are the world leaders in chemiluminescent technology.
Cyalume brand Light sticks come in 2 forms. Chemlight and Snaplight, Chemlight has a different hook, a camo foil and an IR version, whereas Snaplight does not and they have a colour coded foil.
Cyalume Chemlights are the only Light Sticks in the NATO system, Cyalume are the sole manufacturers and suppliers to NATO. Other Light Stick manufacturers may claim to be NSN standard, they may even have the NSN printed on them, but Cyalume are the only ones to have been tested against the specifications. I could put SAS on my CV, that does not mean to say I served in the Regiment!!!
The Light Sticks (Cyalume) come in a range of sizes from 1.5" up to 15" in the full range of colours. Durations are from 5 minute ultra-hi (ideal for the Trip Flare Plate) all the way up to 24 hours. The Green, Yellow and Orange colours are the brightest versions generally. Cyalume also has disc versions called 3" Lightshapes which have an adhesive peel off backing for easy attachment. There is also 2 versions that are rectangular in shape. The Military version is about 11 x 6.5 cm called Visipad and the commercial version is the Glowpatch at 9 x 6 cm and again, both have an adhesive peel off backing.
The most common version is the 6" size, made in either France or in the US. The 6" Chemlight has a 4 year shelf life with the Snaplight having a 5 year shelf life.
Yes Cyalume are a tad more expensive than the copies, but the quality and performance is unsurpassed.