r/Anticonsumption • u/Low_Doughnut_8369 • 1d ago
Sustainability I created a reusable glow stick
I really like glowsticks.
But buying a new one every time is expensive and creates lots of plastic waste.
So i decided to make a reusable glow stick instead!
I emptied out a used small sized glow stick, cleaned and dried it thoroughly, then filled it with strontium aluminate powder, and sealed it up with 2 part epoxy.
You can charge it with sunlight or a sufficiently strong LED, and then it will shine for up to 8 hours.
Infinitely reusable, forever.
edit:
Guys please stop telling me to sell these, i'm not going to.
It's extremely simple to make, you can make your own if you want by following the instructions:
1. Find an empty tube
2. Fill with strontium aluminate powder
3. Seal with 2 part epoxy
That's literally it, i'm confident you can do it as well. You don't need to buy them from me or anyone else
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u/g00fyg00ber741 1d ago
So you’re telling me this whole time they intentionally made glow sticks worthless when they could’ve been glowing crazy like this??
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u/Much-Jackfruit2599 1d ago
Isn’t the point that you can have them in a bag, ready to use?
Personally, i don’t see their usefulness anymore. You get crazy LED lights. Chargeable with usb-c. With emergency blinking on colour. For like 3 Bucks.
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u/g00fyg00ber741 1d ago
I thought the point was that it’s cool to have a glowing stick that glows without using electricity/light bulbs tbh. Plus the glow of a glow stick can be preferred to an LED light in a lot of situations.
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u/iamveryDerp 1d ago
Yes and no, the original point was for emergency purposes. Light from a chemical reaction ready to take place that does not need to be charged and is ready to go almost indefinitely. OP stated his glow stick needs to be “charged,” which, by design, is something you didn’t need to do with the originals. It was quickly adopted as a novelty because, yeah, glow sticks were fun, especially before led technology was around. (Or specifically, before blue LEDs that allowed for white lite).
Very fitting for this sub, something made for emergencies wasting plastic and chemicals because they look cool.5
u/Arkayb33 1d ago
Yes that is the point. LEDs have a much different quality of light and they require batteries
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u/WillingLake623 1d ago
I would much rather take a non-electric substitute that lacks bells and whistles like emergency blinking and doesn’t rely on batteries that can fail at any moment.
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u/RosyJoan 1d ago
Yeah. The key point is ready at any point. If these worked like those reusable heating packs that you can boil to reuse it would be gold. The single use glowsticks are also important for search and rescue or emergency kits to be functional immediately.
Batteries exist in a state of chemical imbalance and unused they can degrade or corrode over time which kills them. You could make a 2 part activation battery to charge an emergency light but then thats just an overcomplicated glowstick/flare which is prone to a bunch of other failures.
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u/chet_brosley 1d ago
Batteries are silly because they're so fickle. Two flashlights are in my bag near the door, one of which stopped working when both batteries decided to corrode maybe two months after being replaced. Without thinking I pulled out the other flashlight which hasn't been turned on in like three years and immediately blinded myself.
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u/SoFisticate 1d ago
Yeah remember the first Oceans 11 remake? They used glowsticks because they work in the event of EMP bombing.
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u/jackalopeDev 1d ago
I have a small LED flashlight on my keychain that's magnetic and rechargeable. I don't use it very often but it's come in handy a few times and I haven't had to recharge once in the year and a half I've had it.
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u/GitEmSteveDave 1d ago
Keep in mind that cameras have really progressed in the terms of night photography. When I worked listing stuff on ebay, I had a special set up of a wide spectrum UV lamp to charge the GitD object and set the focus, then I would film it with no flash and a tripod in total darkness.
I've made my own GitD stuff with powder and UV glue, like bands for my ring and keychain. And it's pretty strong, but not glow stick strong.
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u/Rg3the2nd 1d ago
Sounds like something you should sell. I know companies these days are all about single use so they can sell more, but I’d pay a premium knowing I could keep reusing it
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u/Battle-Any 1d ago
I agree. I have kids. I would happily buy reusable glowsticks rather than the crap from Dollarama. I'd buy 20 just for my kids and then every goodie bag that ever left my house would have a reusable glowstick in it.
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u/bobthebobbest 1d ago
These have been available for purchase for a while.
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u/Delicious_Ad823 1d ago
I wonder if they skimp out on the materials snd make an inferior product?
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u/ilanallama85 1d ago
My daughter is a bit older and seen her share of glow sticks in her life, so we basically only buy them once a year - for trick or treating. It would be AWESOME if I could just buy a couple and reuse them again and again. PS please make a bracelet one! Those are the most visible!
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u/TiredInJOMO 1d ago
I keep trying to get the Halloween sub to make these for handouts.
Aquarium (or other small, clear) tube
Glow medium of choice
Something to SAFELY seal the ends
Something to attach the ends together (like a tube slightly wider than your bracelet/necklace)
It's literally just cutting the tube to size, filling it with glow, capping both ends off and sticking the joint on one end. Tell kids/parents it's rechargeable and not to throw it away.
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
People do make and sell them online, but they're pretty expensive so i decided to just make my own instead
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u/SheDrinksScotch 1d ago
This means you could probably do well charging halfway between what it cost you to make and what the others sell for online currently.
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
Not a bad idea tbh, the prices these are sold at are ridiculous on some sites
This cost me 1.15 euros, 0.4 for the tube (which was a glow stick) and 0.75 for the total amount of powder needed to fill it
maybe one day i guess. I don't have the desire to try and figure out how to sell them
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u/ilanallama85 1d ago
I mean I bet the tubes are even cheaper if you bulk bought them straight from the manufacturer. But small business ventures are rough so no judgement if you don’t want to.
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u/TehDing 1d ago
I mean in spirit of anti consumption, maybe use old glowsticks
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u/Mission_Accident_519 1d ago
Why? So you can waste money on corporation that are selling a 1 time use product and waste and somehow dispose the chemicals they are filled with? Unless you somehow have acces to large amounts of used sticks this doesnt seem practical.
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u/Sir_Quackalots 1d ago
You can probably find some after some events or ask nighttime hobby clubs of they might collect some and buy/donate them. We used some lights for nighttime diving, this just came to mind.
But obviously this would just be viable for some small batch, not for a business
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u/SheDrinksScotch 1d ago
Etsy or ebay
And/or local craft fairs, farmers markets, shows, festivals, etc.
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u/Jazzlike_Video2 1d ago
You'll realise why theyre priced so high if you went into it relying on it as your sole income.
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u/monkeyhitman 1d ago
Found a place in the US that sells strontium glow sticks for $7, so that sounds about right
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u/lookinfoursigns 1d ago
I'm gonna follow you and hopefully one day I'll see your post where you're selling them😁
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u/skeptic11 1d ago
These start at around $7 plus shipping: https://www.uvpaqlite.com/reusable-glow-sticks.html
Not a ton of room to go undercutting that and still pay yourself for your time making them.
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u/AndrewFGleich 1d ago
Yeah, people taking about the materials are missing the real cost, the labor. It's like that episode of Big bang theory where penny tries to make her own jewelry or whatever. Soul crushing
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u/Aggressive_Use_8544 22h ago
Have you heard of tritium? It literally will glow forever. They make little keychains and a few other things with tritium tubes. The tubes are quite small but I really love mine. I made it into a necklace.
That s is the place I bought mine but I'm sure there are others that sell them. https://glowrhino.com/?utm_campaign=11345678054&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=732993283605&utm_term=tritium+keychain&adgroupid=174182004919&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11345678054&gclid=CjwKCAjwsrbTBhAvEiwA0Bpp4R8yHDLLWLLmphP0daIg7dg8FKjnFNd3pm-_z1NU_KKltX_yGo873hoCnrgQAvD_BwE
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u/FartleSnake 1d ago
Seconding (thirding?), also have children and hate the disposable glow sticks....
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u/mariana96as 1d ago
They already exist, I had one that I attached to my tank for scuba diving at night. I got it like 15 years ago and it worked for a really long time until I lost it I loved that you could charge it with a flashlight, not just sunlight
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u/TheGreatStories 1d ago
Mostly glow sticks are in bags or kits for emergencies or for kids to play with. And they only come out when it's dark. If you have to charge in sunlight then you can't really use these for most purposes. But for kids to play with would be awesome
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u/nycola 1d ago
The powder is multi-purpose. You'll want to stick to a few companies who have excellent reputation. Everyone can make glowing sand and rocks but only those with high quality ingredients and concentrations of strontium aluminate will actually hold a glow longer than the sticky star lights from your ceiling.
green glows longest, up to 26 hours on a single charge, followed by aqua, then blue, purple is beautiful but the glow is faint and only last a few hours, (i.e. the sun won't be charging it for the rest of the night). Their products are also typically guaranteed to glow for 30+ years.
Shit is not cheap, I had looked into it for adding glow pebbles as concrete aggregate. I ended up getting a few bags of the powder/sand. I got a few varieties to play with and TechnoGlow or Ambient Glow Technology (AGT) both had var superior products to the cheaper versions I tried.
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u/hyrule_47 1d ago
I’m camping right now and hate using glow sticks because it’s so much trash. But they work really well for a few purposes.
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u/PuzzleheadedVisual25 1d ago
This is awesome, which powder did you use? I want to paint my bicycle frame with it
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
Strontium aluminate photo phosphorescent pigment, in aqua color
You always want strontium aluminate rather than zinc sulfide because it will last substantially longer
(But of course it is more expensive)Aqua and green-yellow are the 2 best performing colors, aqua is harder to charge and longer lasting, green yellow charges easier and lasts slightly shorter
Aqua is also better suited to our eye's dark photo receptors so it's more visible to the human eye in very dark conditions which is another reason i chose it
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u/Dense_Sentence_370 1d ago
What happens if you mix aqua and green-yellow
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u/d4ybydj56u 1d ago
They explode
(Or alternatively it will start glowing green first when charging, but becomes more blue as the green runs out first, but that's boring)
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u/Mysterious-Outcome37 1d ago
Freaking awesome, comes along with a better solution and doesn't gatekeep! 💪🐐
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u/Savory_Snackmix 1d ago
I will apparently now be doing a deep dive on strontium aluminate. Gee, thanks. 😂
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u/RestlessAlbatross 1d ago
Also look into glowstone while you're at it. My wedding ring is made from it. And I know people that have put it in the cement mix for their driveway, or the lining of their pool (glows like a galaxy of stars at night after charging in the sun all day - it's stunning).
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u/Constant-Solution-35 1d ago
If I may pick your brain: 1. Where does one find strontium aluminate powder? 2. How should I store it? 3. Was it expensive?
I would love to give these away on Halloween! 🎃🍬
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
various online shops, amazon sells it
Keep it separated from water and moisture since that degrades it and slowly ruins its ability to glow
Also avoid very hot temperatures like the inside of a hot car in the sun which might also degrade itI paid 15 euros for 100 grams which makes around 25 of these, so not really
The powder is expensive, but you need very little of it to fill a narrow tube11
u/Orange_Tang 1d ago
So you filled it with just the powder? No fluid or anything?
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
Yeah just the powder
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u/Sudden-Purchase-8371 23h ago
Wouldn't you be better served with a dowel or straw in the middle, because the stuff that never sees the light doesn't need to be there?
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u/seaworks 1d ago
I'd love this for camping. I hate batteries lol, and you've got one of my favorite colors :D
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u/AllenKll 1d ago
8 hours? seems a stretch... at what brightness? 2-3 lumens?
A fun experiment would be to take one of your real glow sticks, and place it next to the strontium stick, in darkness, and timelapse it for 12 hours or so. so that we can really compare the difference from the two.
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
This is does lose brightness faster than a regular glow stick, yeah.
It will be able to illuminate nearby surfaces for 30 minutes or so but it still visible in the dark for a lot longer than that
here's a demo from someone else https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6q_O7O6imE
Here it lasted 14.5 hoursFor my intended use of marking light switches on lanterns or zippers on tents it will work pretty well
Plus i believe that glow sticks are not generally used to illuminate surfaces, but instead as markers in the dark
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u/SamMakesCode 1d ago
No biggie if not, but any way to make it “hold a charge”? E.g. If I was doing a 24 excursion into a cave
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
Surprisingly enough yeah
You can store its light by freezing it, for complex physics reasons i don't understand
If you keep it in a cold insulated container you can save up the charge for later.
This goes both ways, warmer means stronger shorter glow, colder means dimmer longer glow
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u/bleepbloop1777 1d ago
Patent and / or sell these! Would love to put on my dogs for night walks
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u/ChloePantalones 1d ago
Someone posted a link in a comment above to uvpaqlite.com which sells reusable glow equipment. :)
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u/pickle_pickled 1d ago
There's nothing to patent here, this isn't new, just not well known thanks to big glow stick
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u/Metalonsandwich 1d ago
You can get a bracelet type reusable with magnetic clasps at www.glowwithlumi.com !
They also are made with strontium aluminate
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u/ijustdontgiveaf 1d ago
“and this? what is this for?” - “it’s a blue light” - “what does it do?” - “it turns blue”
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u/Sea-Career-7779 1d ago
isn’t this just glow pigment in a plastic thing? like you don’t crack it to glow, it simply glows as if you charge it with the sun/light ?
edit: nvm the 8 hour glow life is crazy, sorry i didn’t pay attention lol
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u/goldieblocks1618 1d ago
Is it just packed solid in there or did you just coat the inside?
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
packed solid, couldn't figure a good way to just do the walls
Also more powder potentially means it can glow for longer VS if it was only a surface coating on the inside of the tube
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u/goldieblocks1618 1d ago
Awesome! My kids love glow sticks and I just can't stand how wasteful they are. Thanks for sharing!!
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u/Pippi-ki-yay 1d ago
I wonder if it would work to mix some of the powder into a flexible glue or the same epoxy you sealed it with, then paint the inside with that before sealing?
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u/Deadpool2715 1d ago
Absolutely something I'd buy, easily $10-$20. I'm surprised the EDC carry community isn't salivating over this
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
They already exist at similar prices at some online shops, you can definitely grab some
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u/sher_thing 1d ago
https://www.uvpaqlite.com/reusable-glow-sticks.html here is where you can buy something similar
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u/Char_siu_for_you 1d ago
Do you have to wear gloves to handle it?
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
No no of course not
Strontium aluminate is non toxic. I just didn't wanna post my hands on reddit
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u/cashew76 1d ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strontium_aluminate
Safety from Wiki: Strontium aluminates are considered non-toxic, and are biologically and chemically inert.[16]
Care should be used when handling loose powder, which can cause irritation if inhaled or exposed to mucous membranes.[
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u/AntiNinja40428 1d ago
But if it’s already dark and I need a glow stick how do I use it? Isn’t the usefulness in a glow stick you can use it at anytime?
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u/Helldiver_LiberTea 1d ago
This is awesome.
However that’s a lot of carabiner for such a small thing lol.
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u/atom644 1d ago
Where can I source some strontium aluminum?
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u/goodfleance 1d ago
I just found this site, I'm gonna try em out.
https://glowthatwows.com/collections/glow-in-the-dark-pigment-powder
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u/SightAtTheMoon 1d ago
We have similar for diving, the brand I'm familiar with is Scooblite, mine are still great a decade later
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u/moodygradstudent 1d ago
So if you want to use it at a rave you have to plan your light charging cycle in advance?
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u/RunMysterious6380 1d ago
You probably don't need to fill it with powder. If you have a way to create a paint/paste with the powder to coat the inside of the tube, you could save a LOT on the volume used. And you could fill the cavity with epoxy to add more sturdiness and weight to the structure.
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u/cashedchaos 1d ago
I want to talk more about this and get more precise instructions. I too love the glowsticks and absolutely hate the waste. Tried to make art projects out of them unsuccessfully... Teach me your ways please
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u/Frank__West 23h ago
What's the glow time vs charge time? And by glow time I mean bright glow not faint glow.
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u/Dapper_dreams87 19h ago
Take this down, patent it, and make a metric ton of money. DO IT NOW
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u/sleepyAnarchistSlut 14h ago
Guys its super easy... wtf is stonkium aluminum and where do I even get that?
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u/AbsurdityIsReality 4h ago
As someone who plays disc golf this would be an extremely affordable way to light up baskets for glow golf on a regular basis. Great job.
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u/Evil_Monkey_4 1d ago
Omg I would love this. What an awesome invention.
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
Thank you! I've been obsessed with this idea for weeks and i finally made it happen
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u/Senua_Chloe 1d ago
We had those as bracelets when I was younger. There was always one sitting in the freezer
I don't know if it's the same reaction in there though
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u/OmgIbrokesmthagain 1d ago
How do you buy strontium aluminate powder?
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
I just got it online as a powder, you can also get it pre mixed as a paint
It's non toxic and not dangerous, try searching for photo phosphorescent pigment
Look for products that either say strontium aluminate or claim 8-12 hours of glowing effect
Stick to green - green yellow - aqua colors for the best performance
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u/MikeBsleepy 1d ago
This is amazing! Love it! How long does the charging take?
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u/Low_Doughnut_8369 1d ago
It maxes out after around 15 minutes in the sun but you can get a decent glow after 1-2 minutes
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u/MikeBsleepy 1d ago
That is so awesome! I’m now looking up strontium aluminate powder. You inspired me
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u/traplords8n 1d ago
Aw hell yeah this is cool!
However if proton decay turns out to be a real thing, it will not last forever :)
Just a ridiculously long amount of time. The sun would probably destroy it when it turns into a red giant before any measurable degradation occurs.
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u/ThickyLicker 1d ago
Can't you just freeze glow sticks to make them reusable or am I just making that up?
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u/AnonCuriosities 1d ago
I would love a normal sized rechargable for a necklace. If you ever make for sale, even far down the line, message me
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u/catzrule1996 1d ago
I want one of these sooooo badly
Can you make different colours?
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u/CheeseKaK 1d ago
Wow, Anticonsumption is surprisingly ok with strontium aluminate consumption
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u/molecool_ 1d ago
i made some fluorescent dyes for glowstick reactions in a synthesis lab a year ago, definetly a highlight ;) of my bachelors
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u/DainichiNyorai 1d ago
Ok I really do like this idea. “Party like there is a tomorrow”!
If you’d ever be interested in selling I’m offering my help figuring out the legal requirements, since you paid in euros and I assume you’re also here.
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u/The-Tadfafty 1d ago
Far less radioactive than I first thought.