A portable lighting system comprised of a plug-in lamp and a rechargeable power pack having a single phone jack and two parallel circuits to the battery. When upright, a discharge circuit containing a mercury switch connects the battery to the lamp. When inverted, the discharge circuit is opened and the parallel circuit containing a diode allows current to only pass into the battery from the jack coupled to a battery charger. The system will provide light to table surfaces for commercial use such as restaurants, retirement homes as well as in private homes, such as for swimming pool areas and nurseries.