Raynic 5000mAh review

What it is and who it suits

This is a handheld crank radio with a built-in 5,000 mAh lithium polymer battery, a flashlight, a reading lamp and a USB output for a phone. Raynic's website lists two radios in this family, the CR1009 and the CR1009Pro. The Pro's manual is the one that describes an automatic weather alert, so that is the manual this review follows. Raynic's plain CR1009 manual describes a simpler alert that works only while the radio is switched on and tuned to the weather band, so check the model number on the listing before you buy.

It suits a household that wants one radio for the hall closet or the car, with news on AM and FM and warnings from the National Weather Service. For a bedside radio that can be limited to your county, see Midland's WR120B review.

Five ways to power it

The manual lists five power sources: the hand crank, the solar panel, a micro USB input fed by a 5V/2A adapter, the built-in battery, and three AAA batteries that you supply. When the built-in battery runs low, the radio switches to the AAA cells on its own, and it switches back when the AAA cells fade.

Raynic gives charging times for the built-in battery. Cranking takes 5 hours to reach 30 percent and 17 hours to reach full, solar takes 36 hours to reach 30 percent and 120 hours to reach full, and the wall adapter takes 1.8 hours to reach 30 percent and 6 hours to reach full. It says to crank at about two turns a second and that the solar panel mostly maintains a charge, because fully charging from it is difficult. Plan to fill the battery from a wall outlet or a power bank now, and treat the crank as a last resort.

How the weather alert works

Press the WX ALERT button once to enable alerts from all seven NOAA weather channels. You then pick how long alert mode stays on: 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 hours, or ON, which is the default and keeps it running until the batteries are empty. When an alert arrives, a siren sounds, a red light flashes, and the radio switches to the channel that sent it when you press any button.

Raynic says alert mode works with the radio switched off, and that a fully charged battery can keep it running for up to 65 hours. The manual says the radio meets the National Weather Service's criteria for use of the NWR All Hazards logo. It describes no county code entry, so expect warnings for the whole broadcast area, not just your county. Our weather radio comparison shows which models do filter by county.

Phone charging, light and extras

A phone plugs into the USB output port on the side. If the radio is flat, the manual says 8 to 15 minutes of cranking gives a phone enough power to start up, which is a start, not a full charge. For regular phone charging, a dedicated power bank is easier to manage.

The flashlight has two brightness levels, and the solar panel flips up 90 degrees to serve as a table reading lamp. A separate SOS button turns on an alert light and sound. A lock button disables the controls so they are not pressed by accident in a bag. The manual lists AM at 520 to 1710 kHz, FM at 87 to 108 MHz and shortwave from 2.3 to 23 MHz.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want the lightest pocket radio for a go-bag, if you need alerts filtered to one county, or if you would rather have a plain bedside unit. Raynic's manual does not give a weather-resistance rating, so keep it out of rain. The power outage checklist covers where a radio fits in the wider plan.

Does the Raynic radio wake up for weather alerts?

Yes, in alert mode. Raynic's manual says that after you press WX ALERT, the radio can receive alerts while standing by or switched off, and sounds a siren and flashes a red light when one arrives. Pressing any button silences it and switches to the weather channel that sent the alert.

Can I filter alerts to my county?

Raynic's manual does not describe county codes. It says the alert function covers all seven NOAA weather channels, so assume you will hear warnings for the whole broadcast area. A S.A.M.E. radio such as the Midland WR120B is the better match if you want county filtering.

Is the solar panel enough to keep it charged?

Raynic says no for a full recharge. Its manual rates the panel at 30 to 50 mA and calls it mostly useful for maintaining the battery, with 120 hours of sun to refill it from empty. Charge from a wall adapter first, and use sun and crank as top-ups.

What batteries does it take?

The built-in 5,000 mAh lithium polymer battery is the main source, and the radio also takes three AAA batteries, which are not included. Per the manual, it moves to the AAA cells automatically when the built-in battery is low.