glow-sticks....now what??

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

ok, I went to the dollar store today..."must get glow sticks....must get ponchos..."....yay, they have them...so I bought a whole bunch. Get home and see on the package "do not use in high temperatures". Ack! I bought them for our JULY IN FLORIDA trip!!! Now what...has anyone had any problems with glow sticks because of the HEAT??

 

[undertheseas]

We took some in late June/early July last year. Ours worked but they weren't as bright as I had hoped. I don't know if it was because they were in a hot car for a few days or just a bad lot but they worked well enough that we'll be buying taking more this year.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

thanks for the reply. ...what I really want the glow sticks for is to help my son in dark rides (if necessary)! Hope they work!

 

[MickeyMacks]

Seems to me I read elsewhere on these boards about keeping them refrigerated (or maybe frozen??) so they will last longer once activated. I'm not sure if that's true, but worth a shot!

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

Seems to me I read elsewhere on these boards about keeping them refrigerated (or maybe frozen??) so they will last longer once activated. I'm not sure if that's true, but worth a shot!

ooh, good thinking!!

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

That is interesting..I never knew that heat affected glow sticks.

 

[clombardi]

ok, I went to the dollar store today..."must get glow sticks....must get ponchos..."....yay, they have them...so I bought a whole bunch. Get home and see on the package "do not use in high temperatures". Ack! I bought them for our JULY IN FLORIDA trip!!! Now what...has anyone had any problems with glow sticks because of the HEAT??

We have used glow sticks many times in Jamaica in July and have never had a problem due to heat.

 

[pirateparrot]

That is interesting..I never knew that heat affected glow sticks.

Heat speeds up the chemical reaction so they generally glow brighter but don't last as long. You can try this experiment by refrigerating and activated one and then warm it up and it glows brighter.

 

[lajones81]

Seems to me I read elsewhere on these boards about keeping them refrigerated (or maybe frozen??) so they will last longer once activated. I'm not sure if that's true, but worth a shot!

My sister and I always bought glow sticks and, then, froze them afterwards. They last for years - yes, I said years!

 

[Harligirl]

thanks for the reply. ...what I really want the glow sticks for is to help my son in dark rides (if necessary)! Hope they work!

I always bring one of those small flashlights you can hook onto your purse. The kind you push the top and it lights up. Its not bright enough to annoy others but bright enough to take the edge of dark rides.

Have fun!

 

[SammieG]

they sell glow sticks in the parks..so you will have no problems with them there.

I would have thought a small flashlight would work better than a glow stick for your son. I would have thought a glowstick might be annoying for other riders...

 

[Selket]

The glow sticks we bought at the dollar store were much less bright than the ones we got at Target. The Target ones are more expensive but much less hassle (the connectors are already on) and glow brighter/longer. We like the bracelet ones.

 

[Capt_BJ]

put a couple in the glove box of the car once - seemed like a good idea for emergency. I use 'em all the time on night dives so I tossed a couple in the car.

after 12 months I opened one to see if they worked or needed to b replaced.....dead as a door nail and some of the juice had leaked.

heat kills 'em. OK for a day or so, but not long term. Shelf life will be extended by keeping 'em in the fridge.

note - the decent ones always have an experation date on the package. Believe it. Shipboard we use these on life jackets and religiously replace per the expire date.

p.s. exposure to light also kills 'em even if the chemicals aren't mixed, if you take it out of the package to play with and later break the tube .... nothing will happen

 

[pamouselover]

Walmart has glow sticks

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Our Dollar Tree shut down.. What other Dollar stores are they available at? Where in Walmart can they be found? Thanks!