Freeplay Energy - Energy for Life

With a fully charged battery the radio will play for approximately 25 hours on normal volume.  A 30-second wind at 120 rpm will provide about 30 minutes of play time (normal volume).

Using the crank, it will take about 40 minutes, if you constantly wind at 120 rpm.  Or when the solar panel is in direct sunlight and the radio is turned off, it will take about 32 hours.  Note however that it is usually unnecessary to fully charge the battery, as the radio will play directly from the solar panel, or with occasional cranking as needed.

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.

The radio requires direct sunlight to operate solely off the solar panel.  If the solar panel is placed in direct sunlight while the radio is switched off, solar energy will gradually charge the battery.

The Lifeline Radio is available to aid and development agencies and is not sold commercially.  You can help those in need to get one by donating to the Freeplay Foundation.

This is for easy grip and winding by all ages, including children. And the crank handle has sufficient clearance that the radio can be comfortably wound while on the ground, a table, or a lap.

No.  Because this radio is primarily used in deeply rural areas where there is no grid electricity, the ability to charge from the grid has not been added.  The radio is powered only by its solar panel or by self-charge.

The overall size and shape of the Lifeline is a direct result of feedback from potential users.
Size and shape:

• Teen-age girls indicated that if the radio was shaped like a ‘handbag’, it would be easier to carry. (Many Lifeline radios are being used to support child heads of households, and teen-age girls make up the largest number of these.)
• Holes in the bottom of the Lifeline prevent the accumulation of sand or dust.

Controls (volume and tuning knobs, dial scale, band selector switch):

• The knobs were developed to be simple and easy to use, especially for users who might not be familiar with such devices.
• The volume knob, recessed inside the speaker grill for protection, is positioned where the sound emits from the radio.
• The tuning knob is in the centre of the dial scale, and the tuning needle centres on the same point.
• The dial scale is an arched display that surrounds the tuning knob. Each band is brightly coloured. The frequency text is large and legible to the visually impaired.
• The dial scale uses special inks, for color retention and UV resistance.
• The lens of the dial scale is scratch-resistant high-impact polycarbonate.
• The band selector switch is positioned below the dial scale and aligns with the selected band once in the chosen position.

The design focus of the Lifeline has been strength and durability, making it ideal for use in harsh, rural environments.  Here are some of the key elements of construction that make the Lifeline so durable:
Strength:

• Thick walls for good structural integrity, impact strength and durability.
• Ultra violet light (UV) stabilized for color retention and stable mechanical properties.
• Cadmium and chlorine free, and recyclable.

Transmission Casing:

• Thick walls with multiple screw fasteners for strength.
• Separate internal casing to limit dust and contaminant ingress.
• ABS for dimensional stability and strength.

Lifetime and Durability Testing:

• Drop tested to 48 inches (1.2 m) without breakage.
• Drop tested to 60 inches (1.5 m) without functional loss.
• Splash tested (direct water spray) without damage or functional loss.
• Sand and dust tested without damage or functional loss.
• Exposure tested for four weeks under strong sunlight and 48 hours of direct rain without damage or functional loss.
• Tested to 500,000 crank handle turns without failure. This is equivalent to about 5 years of use, with one hour of listening per day using wind-up only.  Solar use obviously places no load on the mechanism and extends the useful lifetime indefinitely.

Those other products were not designed for the aid and development market. The Lifeline was specifically designed with the rural user in mind, and went through many design changes as each iteration of the design was field-tested in Africa to make sure that it was durable enough and functionally fit the needs of the user. It is the only fit-for-purpose radio in the aid and development market.
     The radio is also designed to support up to 40 listeners with good sound quality, which means that the cost per listener is roughly $1, lower than other products.

Because when a telescopic antenna is extended it can easily break. Not only is the Lifeline’s antenna practically impossible to break, it can easily be replaced if necessary with a piece of fencing wire, coat hanger wire, etc.

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.

The warranty offered to Aid and Development customers depends on the location.  Given the relative inaccessibility of many developing areas, it is often difficult to retrieve, repair and return a radio that has suffered a failure.  Freeplay Energy will, at no further cost to the customer, provide in lieu of warranty an additional number of radios upfront amounting to 0.5% of the total ordered.  For example, for an order of 30k radios, Freeplay will include an additional 150 radios.
     For individual sales, the warranty is 2 years.

The colour was arrived at by first asking focus groups in South Africa, Rwanda and Kenya, and then checking feedback and acceptance among test respondents.  As a bonus, the tsetse fly, which spreads sleeping sickness, is repelled by the colour blue.

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