Light Longevity

John Spilsbury · May 19, 2014

I know that all chemical based snap lights ( star lights, glo lights etc_ have a shelf life of maybe a couple of years or so, after which you discover that they faded away long before you snapped them. Is there any truth in the rumour that they remain viable far longer if kept in the freezer? I would experiment but don't fancy the two year wait, sitting outside the freezer door.

The bad one · May 19, 2014

Whether storing them in the fridge before snapped for working I don't know. But storing after use in the freezer does work. I've had several evening sessions out of one on the river.

rubio · May 20, 2014

I believe it's a chemical process that starts once it's been snapped and that cooling down slows the process. For a fiver each you can bet something that will last a decade or so tho

smufter · May 21, 2014

Spend a little more and buy "proper" isotopes.
Last for donkeys years.

robtherake · May 21, 2014

smufter said:
Spend a little more and buy "proper" isotopes.
Last for donkeys years.

Isotopes aren't really bright enough for float fishing though, unless it's under the rod tip. If you buy chemical lights from Aldi during one of their fishing promotions they're so cheap that cost hardly comes into the equation.
Having used both, I prefer the chemical lights for everything save bobbins, where it's more convenient to use an isotope rather than changing chemical lights at the start of each session.

smufter · May 22, 2014

robtherake said:
Isotopes aren't really bright enough for float fishing though, unless it's under the rod tip.

Ooops. Agree, although I didn't realise the OP wanted them for float fishing.
Having said that, I've used the snap ones before and most of the time come away very disappointed with how little light they emit.
Maybe I've just bought old stock that's been sitting around for ages, but it's very rare that I got one that was as bright as I really wanted

mick b · May 22, 2014

Many many years ago Isotopes were not easily available in the normal tackle shops, you had to go to a specialist angler shop like Alan Browns in Hitchen.......

Well those of us who are old enough will know that superb commercial grade Isotopes were 'available' (shall we say) but only one at a time AND required a bit of a risk inorder to obtain one (or two if you were blind stupid)......

mg:

Personally I didn't avail myself as my then car, a custom sprayed 'S' was very well known and stopping on the hard shoulder would have been to much of a risk.

Ah those were the days.......

Still don't think the modern offerings are as good as the '70's freebies.

.

smudger172 · May 22, 2014

The 70s freebies seemed so much bigger, like mars bars and wagon wheels. so many punctures.

The bad one · May 22, 2014

Yeah right you didn't Mick! I know both the AA and RAC boxes in Cheshire Shropshire and Staffordshire never had any in them. Strangely there was a lot of dangling green lights on all the bream meres.

Light Longevity

John Spilsbury

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The bad one

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rubio

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smufter

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robtherake

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smufter

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mick b

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smudger172

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The bad one

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