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- Self-Powered
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- Metal
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- Touch 'N Lite
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- Rubber
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- Everyday
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- Disposables
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- Spotlights
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- Rechargeables
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- Lanterns
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- Headlamps
Since L.E.D.(light-emitting diode) flashlights and lanterns entered the mass market retail segment a few years back, sales of L.E.D. lighting products have increased more than that of any other segment. We wanted to share with you what we have learned about L.E.D.'s and how they will affect our future.
L.E.D. = Longevity
= Efficiency
= Dependability
Incandescent bulbs vs L.E.D.s
Incandescent bulbs give off most of their energy in the form of heat. Only about 10% of the energy they produce is in the visible light spectrum. L.E.D.'s not only conduct electricity, they also produce light at the same time. The solid state design of L.E.D.'s enables them to withstand shock, vibration, and environmental extremes without compromising their longevity.
To get 200 hours of service from a quality incandescent flashlight, you'd have to buy 80 batteries and 17 new bulbs. To get 200 hours of serice from a quality one L.E.D. flashlight, you'd use fewer than 8 batteries and not a single bulb, since L.E.D.'s never burn out and last as long as 100,000 hours. L.E.D.'s can be as much as 70% more energy-efficient than incandescent lights. In other words, the L.E.D. in your flashlight will last for 6,000 to 18,000 battery changes depending upon the type of battery and brightness settings being used. In practical terms, the LED in your flashlight will never need replacing.
Watt: Power and power drain (longevity). In automobiles, the more horsepower one has, the less distance it can travel on a gallon of gas (energy). Same holds true with L.E.D.'s: the more wattage, the less time the flashlight will run on a set of batteries.
One L.E.D. is 1/10 of one Watt. Ten L.E.D.'s equal 1 Watt, 20 L.E.D.'s = 2 Watts, and so on. The more L.E.D.'s used does not necessarily mean the brighter the light. Brightness is affected by the quality of the L.E.D.'s, the quality of the magnificdation in the lens, and the type of power (batteries) used.
Lumens: Light output (brightness). The energy density hitting the object is given in lumens per square meter, generally known as Lux. What Lux really tells us is the "throw" of the light, or how good it is at projecting light over a distance, NOT the overall brightness or quantity of light produced. One L.E.D. (1/10 of a Watt) produces about 4 lumens; 1 Watt produces about 40 lumens, 3 Watts produce about 65 lumens.
Lux (lumens per square meter) readings are strongly affected by the reflector and lens design. When comparing lights against one another, the Lux numbers represent how much light is hitting the target in a narrow cylindrical area, and does not represent the amount of light surrounding that area (spill). The reading for Lux is takin only at the very center of the beam. This means that you could have a light with one L.E.D. that has all of the light focused to a laser-like beam that may read higher than a 5 Watt incandescent that has a broad, flood-like beam. The incandescent obviously puts out more light overall, but the L.E.D. can send its light out farther (throw), since it is so tightly focused. Garrity's K009 one L.E.D. is a good example of a concentrated beam.
Batteries: Batteries can be broken down into four basic types: Alkaline, Heavy Duty, Lithium, and Rechargeable (NiCad, Lithium Ion, or NiMH).
Alkaline: Available everywhere. and in a variety of sizes. Generally, the best choice for consumers in fhashlights. Shelf life of up to 7 years.
Zinc: 2 year shelf life, inexpensive, but with lower performance relative to alkaline, and with a shorter shelf life. Not generally used with L.E.D. lighting products due to the lower performance of zinc. Not commonly used with .E.D. lighting products.
Lithium: 10 year shelf life, but expensive as compared to alkaline.
Rechargeable: Come in a variety of sizes and are usually built into rechargeable flashligts, spotlights, and self-powered dynamo-type flashlights. Rechargeables are best used in applications where the light will be used frequently for relatively short periods of time, with time for recharging between uses.