AcuRite 02020 Portable Lightning Detector Black, 2½L x 1W x 2¾H

So far, I've only used it once, while hiking in the woods near a mountain lake in New Jersey. Weather that was a little iffy was close by, and it could turn into something or it could not. There was no storm, but the unit went off during our six hours out there, claiming lightning at various distances, sometimes less than a mile, which never happened. While this false positive occurred repeatedly, I didn't mind because there was atmospheric instability in the general area, and the unit was kept in the outside web side pocket of my backpack the entire time, away from any metal or electronic, such as a cell phone or other battery-carrying device. Storms must begin somewhere, and they frequently do so at extremely high altitudes before descending to the ground. It's always a little surprising when you hear thunder for the first time - Something is starting or happening within earshot, and possibly eyeshot, and I'm just giving you a heads up. It makes you think about where you are outside and your options for cover, continuing on, turning back, and so on. br>br>Another thing about this unit is that, as previously stated, it frequently goes into a stuck mode, requiring you to move to a different position. I'm not sure why this happens, but I figured it wouldn't bother us on our hike because we were on the move so much. (The manufacturer claims it happens when the unit is left idle for an extended period of time. ) But, like other users, I decided the quickest and most convenient way to deal with the problem was to simply turn the unit off and wait a few minutes. Turn it back on after three seconds. Sure, you'll lose track of how many lightning strikes have occurred, but do we really care? Overall, the unit is small, has a display that tells you what you need to know, runs for a long time on two AAA batteries, has a good audible alarm, and costs half as much as the more precise unit. I had one of these for about five years before it went haywire and stopped working properly. It was the one that appeared to be an old-fashioned typewriter. Pager in the style of a pager, with small LEDs that also indicate whether the lightning is approaching or moving away. It was, and still is, around $75, has a lot fewer false positives, and never wants you to move, but it was more difficult to interpret and turn on and off. As a result, I recommend the AcuRite 02020 for its price and important features. I'm not sure how long this little guy will last me, but I'm going on a complete wilderness boat and camp trip next week, and I'll be using this detector if there's any chance of instability or even the slightest chance of bad weather up there. Anyone who spends time outside of a shelter should have one of these items with them.

- br>br>Further feedback after a full season of use, as well as the possibility of t-shirt printing Storms are raging in the vicinity. Some users have reported that the unit locks up. It's fine if you shut it down and restart it, but I wish it didn't because it gives the impression that the situation is worse than it actually is if you rely solely on what this device is telling you and ignore the skies. However, I don't consider this to be a bad thing. Take a moment to consider this. Wouldn't it be better if your attention was drawn to the weather instead of something on the ground, causing you to miss a developing problem that you could have addressed 30 minutes earlier? Hiking uphill in rocky terrain or going fishing on a lake are two excellent examples. It's easy to just unwind and enjoy yourself, but experience has taught us that constant vigilance is required, no matter how much you wish you could just unwind and enjoy yourself when you're outside. br>br>As a result, I've decided that I like the unit and will continue to use it despite its flaws. I'm confident that it will keep me alert to the skies at all times. Isn't that what we're looking for it to do? And, once it has locked onto an approaching storm, it does an excellent job of informing you of it and what you need to know. The rest is up to you, and most of it falls into the category of "do the right thing. ".

Eliseo Vega

| Apr 12, 2021

br>However, I must deduct one star because the directions are completely insufficient. I'm not sure how many people will muck around with this long enough to be disappointed, not take the time to understand the engineering, and expect it to work for them. "Interference, please relocate" is the first message you get out of the box. So I did. Floor. Ceiling. In front of a window, to be more precise. On a cabinet made of wood. On a wire shelf, to be precise. There is a room that connects to this one. At the breaker panel, I turned off all of the lights in the house. All of the phones should be turned off. "Interference, please relocate," the message remains the same. br>THIS IS THE PROBLEM: When you turn it on, it appears to calibrate itself for a few seconds, as do many measuring instruments. Place it where you want it to be used, in the conditions you want it to be used, and then turn it on without moving it. It adjusts to that location and continues to function satisfactorily until something changes (for example, someone turns on an appliance or something moves). Turn it off and wait a few seconds before turning it back on before going to bed, after everything else is turned off. Adapts to the circumstances. Then it works fine for the rest of the night. br>br>I haven't tried using machinery while wearing it on my belt; Under those circumstances, I expect it to be a little buggy. Especially if you can't seem to put your phone down.

Odin Nichols

| Dec 15, 2021

Last year, I bought one for my bassboat, and it's fantastic! These devices work by detecting the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that lightning strikes create in the atmosphere. br>br>They won't work under metal awnings, in trailers, or in areas surrounded by metal structures, so don't expect them to work under your carport; they're designed to be used outside with a clear view of the sky. However, I've discovered that putting it on a window sill in our house works. When clipped to my car's or truck's shoulder strap, it works. It doesn't work well on the dash because it appears to pick up the electronic ignition of the car. br>br>This is a must-have item for anyone who works or plays in the outdoors. I can tell if a storm is approaching or moving away from me by keeping track of the distance between each strike, and then decide whether to run for the boat ramp or continue fishing. I purchased one for each of my sons because it works so well.

Coen Allen

| Feb 26, 2021

Doesn't work the way it's supposed to! It was fantastic because it identified hundreds of strikes! But, because it was telling me that the strikes were 1 mile away, I began to suspect it wasn't accurate. Perhaps it was cloud-to-cloud discharges, I reasoned. TODAY: br>br> Nothing is happening while I'm driving and watching lightning strikes! On the AM band on the radio, I'm hearing RF interference, but nothing! Then one hits, and I see that I need to move it to detect it, which I do. Then it detects some, but there are no strikes that I can see. Then I see strikes and it doesn't register them, then it won't detect while I'm holding it in my hand and looking at it, then it does detect one but I don't see it, then the lights dim three or four times, I hear thunder, and this thing does nothing! br>br>UPDATE: FINAL UPDATE: FINAL UPDATE: FINAL UPDATE: FINAL UPD br>I wanted to return the unit and get a new one because it was defective. The replacement arrived in record time! (Amazon is my favorite! ) Because I had two units, I decided to do a side-by-side comparison. There are four photos in total, including a map of where lightning struck that day and a side-by-side comparison of the two units registering different things. Las Vegas is more than a thousand miles away from me! Obviously, none of this works! I believe it was once triggered by a car alarm. If I could, I'd give it a lower rating. They were both returned to me.

Ava Forbes

| Oct 21, 2021