# Interesting item found in attic... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 19, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265 "2003-10-19T00:01:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/1 "2003-10-19T00:01:27Z")
I was clearing out the attic at my mother’s house (in preperation for her moving), and came across this item, buried under a load of junk in a box, in its original packaging and apparantly unused: [http://patrickmorrissey157.mysite.freeserve.com/](http://patrickmorrissey157.mysite.freeserve.com/) I have no idea why anyone would buy this, and my mother hasn’t a clue how it got there. So, its mine to do with what I like. I just wonder what use I could put it to… Now, I just need to find a 12 volt battery… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/2 "2003-10-19T00:05:19Z")
Right ! Now! in Aisle 9! Get your very own Blue Light Special. Not a special marked by a flashing blue light, but a flashing blue light on special. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/3 "2003-10-19T00:08:56Z")
Get a 12 VDC power supply instead. I don’t know what the current draw on this unit is, but 1 amp or more ought to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/4 "2003-10-19T00:11:34Z")
Bye the way, its only about 4 inches across. Apparantly it strobes… but I’ve yet to hook it up. Maybe the cigar lighter in my car is 12 volts. Could make driving through rush hour easier… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/5 "2003-10-19T00:14:43Z")
Q.E.D.: It says 12 volts DC on the back. I’m a bit clueless about electrics… do you think an ordinairy 12V battery would work? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/6 "2003-10-19T00:24:26Z")
Sure. You could use either a sealed lead-acid battery, which can be recharged, or a regular 12 V lantern battery. A plug-in power supply will arun the thing too, without the need for recharging batteries or buying new ones periodically. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/7 "2003-10-19T00:25:44Z")
Oh and don’t use it in your car, except to test it at home. You can be issued a summons unless you’re an EMT or a firefighter. ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-item-found-in-attic/208265/8 "2003-10-19T00:29:15Z")
Its OK, I was just kidding about the car thing. I did wonder what it would have been used for though, and it looks a lot like the small flashers that poice use on unmarked cars. Maybe it has commercial uses as an alarm flasher. Still doesn’t explain what it was doing in the attic though…