A rechargeable lighting device has a rechargeable power source with a positive electrode located at its rear end, a main power circuit that powers a light source and includes the positive electrode, a charging circuit configured to be enabled when the lighting device engages a charging device, and at least one charging contact located on the exterior of the lighting device at or near its tail end. A microcontroller and switch are located at the rear end and the microcontroller wakes up to either turn on the main power circuit and isolate the charging contract from a charging ground path or turn on the charging circuit in which case the charging contact acts as part of the charging ground path.

Provided herein is an improved apparatus and system for providing a flashlight and charging base system. The flashlight of may include a light source, a power source having a charge level, a housing defining a major axis along which the housing extends, an adjustable ring disposed about the housing, where the adjustable ring is configured to be rotated between at least two positions, where each of the at least two positions define a different mode of operation, and a switch located proximate the barrel, where the switch is configured to turn the flashlight on and off. The adjustable ring may include a magnet, where the housing includes a Hall effect sensor, where the at least two positions of the adjustable ring are recognized by the position of the magnet relative to the Hall effect sensor.

A compressible decorative structure can be easily converted from a non-compressed configuration to a compressed configuration. The structure includes an inner support that is attached to a base. A movable ring slides along the inner support and is held in the compressed configuration by retaining clips. Naturally biased connectors, formed of a flexible material, return the structure to its non-compressed configuration when the retaining clips are disengaged. Alternatively, the structure includes a rope and a top cover that engages the rope. Springs hold the structure in the desired configuration.

An outdoor light unit has plural self-contained mechanisms for producing electricity for powering the light unit, the light unit including a support, an electrical lamp, photovoltaic material at its top, an electrical generator, and water impingement blades and wind turbine blades to turn the generator to power the lamp. A rainwater collector collects rainwater running off of the photovoltaic material and directs it onto the water impingement blades. The generator and the rainwater collector are mounted to pivot with respect to the support, and fins cause the wind turbine blades to face into the wind.

A method of advertising includes using light towers for new uses. Specifically, a skeleton may be employed to connect to a frame supporting at least one LED light from a frame connected to a mast of the light tower. The skeleton may locate a first display at a desired distance from the at least one LED light to backlight the first display. While first displays may be used with many embodiments, still other embodiments may have a second display as a vertically oriented display along a portion of the mast. The second display may deploy with the extension of mast portions for at least some embodiments.

An LED bulb, lamp holder, or adaptor includes a module that extends beyond a shade, cover, or other light blocking element to permit signal or light transmission to or from the module.

A hybrid light tower includes an engine, a mast, a generator configured to be driven by the engine, a battery coupled to the generator, a light assembly having a light, and a controller in communication with the battery, the engine, and the light assembly. The controller is configured to operate in a hybrid mode where the controller is configured to monitor a cell voltage of the battery, determine if the cell voltage of the battery is below a charging threshold, upon determining that the cell voltage of the battery is below the charging threshold, start the engine and charge the battery in a constant current mode, while charging in the constant current mode, determine if the cell voltage is above a constant voltage threshold, and upon determining that the cell voltage is above a constant voltage threshold, charge the battery in a constant voltage mode.

A hybrid light tower includes an engine, a mast, a generator configured to be driven by the engine, a battery coupled to the generator, a light assembly having a light, and a controller in communication with the battery, the engine, and the light assembly. The controller is configured to operate in a hybrid mode where the controller is configured to monitor a cell voltage of the battery, determine if the cell voltage of the battery is below a charging threshold, upon determining that the cell voltage of the battery is below the charging threshold, start the engine and charge the battery in a constant current mode, while charging in the constant current mode, determine if the cell voltage is above a constant voltage threshold, and upon determining that the cell voltage is above a constant voltage threshold, charge the battery in a constant voltage mode.