Freeplay Energy - Energy for Life

Fully charged, the Indigo provides up to 2 ½ hours of continuous ultra bright light, and 70 hours of night light, using the LED cluster.  Similarly, the integrated directional light will shine for up to 35 hours continuously when fully charged.  A 60-second wind at 120 rpm will provide about 2 hours of shine time (on the lowest setting).

For best results, the battery requires a conditioning charge before first use, or after long periods without use.  This can be done by administering several vigorous 30-second wind cycles.  Alternatively this can be done by fully charging the battery using the wall adapter (if you have one).  The product can, however, be used immediately in the wind-up mode if required.

The light is an LED (light-emitting diode) with up to 100 000 hours of useful life and never requires replacement.

Using an AC adapter, it will take about 15 hours to fully charge the battery.

The battery will retain about 75% of its capacity after 1 month, 55% after 2 months, 40% after 3 months and 15% after 6 months.

No, you cannot over-wind the internal mechanism.  It consists of simple gearing which drives the alternator, providing power to the internal battery.

No, the winder handle can be cranked in both directions.

No, it is not waterproof.  It is splash proof and will work in rainy conditions.

Freeplay Energy plc is committed to a world of responsible energy.  This commitment extends beyond the environmental impact mitigation of our products to the sustainable provision of energy in developing communities and humanitarian initiatives.  The names we choose for our products tell some of our stories:

The Tuareg are often called “The Blue people” because the indigo dye they use to color their clothes bleeds onto their skin.  The Tuareg and Toubou rebellions rocked Niger during the 1990s.  Although peace accords have been signed and the government is actively promoting an environment of peace and stability, small arms are still prevalent and poverty is endemic.  In February 2002 thousands of guns were exchanged for Freeplay radios as part of a ground-breaking initiative.  A partnership between the government of Niger, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Freeplay Foundation sponsored a unique new project to encourage Nigeriens to exchange illicit guns for Freeplay radios in an initiative called Radios for the Consolidation of Peace (RCP). In Agadez illicit weapons were exchanged for radios and then symbolically burned in a “Flame of Peace” ceremony.  The charred weapons, of Russian, US, French, Belgian, Italian, German and Egyptian origins, were cut into pieces by the military and can never be used again.  The project is a crucial step towards peace and stability in reducing the number of illicit guns which had flowed into Niger during the rebellions in the 1990s and which are a constant threat to security in Niger.

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Yes; the charging current is designed to be low enough to be non-damaging if left
on charge continuously.  (Unplugging may extend the life of the battery, but note that repeated deep discharges will shorten it.)

Rechargeable batteries deteriorate over time, especially if drained nearly completely (to extend the life of your battery, limit how often that happens).  However, in many cases they can be "conditioned" back to life.  This can be done by administering several vigorous 30-second wind cycles.  Alternatively this can be done by letting the product run from the battery until it stops, and then, with the product turned off, fully charging it using the wall adapter.