Blog of Dmitry Evtifeev. How to choose a powerful rechargeable LED flashlight
To an uninitiated person it may seem that there is nothing complicated in choosing a flashlight. Really, what is there to choose from? Light bulb, battery and housing.
However, in reality everything is not so simple. Modern LEDs have long been used instead of light bulbs, the variety of batteries and accumulators can make your head spin, and the technologies and materials used in modern flashlights have migrated straight from the space field. Therefore, when choosing the device that is right for you, you need to take into account many different factors and characteristics.
Purpose of purchase
First of all, you need to decide what functions the flashlight should perform. Perhaps you just need to illuminate yourself in a dark entrance. Then the model should be extremely compact and economical.
It's a completely different matter if you're going out into nature or going on an evening bike ride. In the first case, a head-mounted model is best suited, as it leaves your hands free. Cyclists should pay attention to the presence of a powerful beam, an emergency flasher and the possibility of mounting it on the handlebars.
Each flashlight is designed to be used in specific situations, so you need to think about this before purchasing. For example, the popular Convoy C8 flashlight is not very compact in size, so it is unlikely to be suitable for daily use.
But this model has a durable aluminum case with moisture protection. The flashlight features a powerful, narrow beam that can shine up to 200 meters. Therefore, Convoy C8 is ideal for use outdoors, in the countryside, or in any situations where you need to illuminate very distant objects.
The flashlight has several brightness modes. In addition, there is an SOS signal mode, which can be useful in an emergency situation.
Main settings
After determining the goal, you should proceed to a careful analysis of the technical characteristics. By the way, there are not so few of them. To understand some of them, you will have to brush up on your knowledge of the school physics course.
Here is a short list of characteristics:
- Brightness determines the amount of light coming out.
- Luminous intensity shows how effectively brightness is used. It characterizes the quality of the optical system: LED, reflector, focusing system, electronic control circuit.
- Range is measured in meters and records the distance at which illumination remains at 0.25 lux.
- Operating time is defined as the time period during which the brightness drops from maximum to 10% value.
- Protection against environmental conditions is determined according to the international standard IEC 60529 and is indicated by an alphanumeric code. More information about the degrees of protection can be found in.
What should you pay attention to first?
First of all, we should be interested in the brightness of the device, on which other parameters depend. However, it should be taken into account that different manufacturers may use different methods for determining the luminous flux for their flashlights. Some measure the luminous flux coming out directly from a lamp or diode, without taking into account losses in optics, which allows one to obtain slightly inflated values.
Other manufacturers indicate the luminous flux at the exit of the flashlight, taking into account losses on the reflector, glass or lens. This method of measurement is more objective, but the output numbers are smaller than in the first case.
To restore order, a special standard, ANSI/NEMA FL-1, was adopted in 2009, allowing for more reliable comparison of device parameters. Most popular LED flashlight manufacturers now use it.
A good example is the JETBeam E10R flashlight. It has a miniature size, which allows you to easily carry it in your pocket, purse or even handbag. At the same time, the brightness of the beam is 650 lumens, which is more than enough in urban environments.
The presence of five modes in the JETBeam E10R significantly expands the scope of its application. So, the minimum level allows you to simply illuminate a few meters in front of you. But in maximum brightness mode, the beam hits the eyes so that it can be used to protect against attack.
The anodized body of the flashlight is reliably protected from water and can survive a drop from a height of up to one meter. The presence of a built-in microUSB charger for an AA-size battery means you don’t have to worry about buying batteries.
Nutrition
Modern flashlights can use different batteries and rechargeable batteries as an energy source. The brightness of the beam, operating time and the final cost of the device depend on the type of power supply, so this issue should be taken seriously.
If you need a flashlight from time to time, you can use regular AA or AAA batteries. They are inexpensive and are sold at any retail outlet.
The price of batteries is much higher, and you will also have to take care of a special charger. However, this investment will quickly pay off if you use the flashlight regularly.
Good LED flashlights most often use 18650 batteries. They have become popular due to their reliability, safety and long service life. Such elements provide high energy density, cope well with high discharge currents and can operate over a wide temperature range.
A typical flashlight with a similar battery is the EagleEye X2R. It has a medium-sized, durable aluminum body with a diamond-shaped notch, thanks to which it fits securely in the palm of your hand. The device has IP65 dust and water protection.
EagleEye X2R shines a focused beam of neutral white light up to 100 meters away. There are three brightness modes, switching between them using a button located on the end.
The flashlight is powered by one 18650 battery. The main feature of the EagleEye X2R is the presence of a built-in charger. On the case there is a microUSB connector closed with a tight plug, and next to it there is a colored charging indicator. Owners of this flashlight can save on a separate charger and recharge the battery directly in the flashlight.
The sun gives the Earth 380 septillion watts of energy every day, but even that is not enough when you want to take a walk somewhere or fix the wiring. For this you need led flashlight, which is much more necessary at night than in daylight. Thanks to the lanterns presented here, you will learn not to step on LEGOs at night and scare the neighbor kids.
LED flashlights are now considered better than traditional lamps - they are more energy efficient thanks to LED clusters, and produce more light than a single lamp. Using an LED flashlight, you will receive a constant source of light at any time of the day without the fear of a dead battery - such flashlights provide brighter light with minimal energy consumption. Moreover, such flashlights burn out much longer than incandescent lamps - as a result, you get an environmentally friendly, economical and uninterrupted light source. This definitely deserves a medal - or purchasing a flashlight like this.
Nebo Redline – tactical fire
Price: $24.99
The lighting experts have once again brought us one of the best inexpensive tactical flashlights. This is a great set of LEDs with three power levels and a strobe light for when you need to signal during disasters. Plus, the jagged metal body will help you in any fight - you can brush off intruders and parry any of their blows without sacrificing excellent visibility. The flashlight produces 220 lumens of pure white light, for which it requires only 3 AAA batteries.
Nitecore TM15 Tiny Monster – tiny “monster”
Price: 277.82 – $403.00$
It’s not for nothing that Tiny Monster received such a humorous name, since at the output it produces a whopping 3500 lumens, which are ideal for scaring off any target - in any case, such a flashlight will blind anyone. There is probably nothing on the market like TM15 - no one can drive away shadows so effectively or print a message to a space station. Tiny Monster uses four powerful CREE XM-L LEDs, so even if one of them gets damaged, you'll still be left with no light. But, it consumes just a huge amount of energy - so you will need either 4 18650 batteries or 8 CR123 for normal operation of the device. The flashlight has 8 operating modes, starting from the weak “Check your mail?” to the powerful “Solar Lighting”. But with it it is worth remembering that the harder the work, the more the powerful flashlight warms up.
Fenix TK41 – the best AA light
Price: $109.95
Many LED flashlights have high power, but they cannot use small standard batteries, which are much easier to find. This is where the TK41 can shine - it runs on 8 AA batteries and can be used in 4 power modes. The flashlight operates for 240 hours at a minimum power consumption of just 10 lumens, which can easily be overclocked to a maximum of 860 lumens for illuminating a small stadium. There is a strobe light in the flashlight, and the serrated handle only proves the reliability of the flashlight in any dangerous situation.
Streamlight 88850 - the heaviest of the Hombres
Price: $36
The 88850 was a great flashlight for a survival kit. Its body is made of impact-resistant polymer, which can easily withstand impacts and illuminate the road. C4 LEDs allow you to get powerful brightness from a compact flashlight that can easily be thrown into a bag or pocket - or you can take it out and let it show off the full power of 130 lumens. The device is equipped with CR123A lithium batteries, which can operate continuously for 3 hours and much longer with infrequent use. The switch located at the end of the handle makes it easy to use the flashlight with a pistol - in addition, it contains brightness and strobe controls. Thus, this is one of the best waterproof (up to 1 meter) lanterns with a cover that will help you in any flood or hurricane situation.
Streamlight 90512 Survivor – multi-purpose
Price: $145.49
The Survivor ranks almost exactly the same as the 88850 in the overall flashlight rankings, but it's designed for more than just survival thanks to its interesting design. For extra practicality, you can clip the light to any belt or bag strap: powerful C4 LEDs with 140 lumens (or 50 on low energy-saving settings) will light up any path you take. This is the best choice for work in a garage, a mine or a prison camp mine - thanks to the 4.8-volt Ni-Cd battery, it will work for a long time, but like all flashlights with such a battery, it may stop lighting your way in the most critical moments.
Fenix LD01 – more than just portable
Price: $35
Miniature LED flashlights can be found almost everywhere today, but it is unlikely that you will be able to easily purchase an original flashlight and not a fake that will easily let you down at any moment. However, if you want a powerful light in a miniature body that fits easily in your pocket, use one of the smallest LD01 flashlights. It is only 3 cm long, but is capable of delivering 82 lumens for an hour and a half and 9 lumens at low power settings. Aircraft-grade aluminum allows the flashlight to be certified to the IPX-8 waterproof standard, and thanks to the use of just one AAA battery, the LD01 flashlight becomes an indispensable item when leaving the house.
Stanley SL5W09 Spotlight – Honorable Mention
Price: $31.99
When you need a flashlight with a wide beam of light, conventional tube flashlights won't cut it - the SL5W09 Spotlight is what you need to provide you with long-lasting, reliable and environmentally friendly lighting. The flashlight will give you 5 watts and 192 lumens, which covers quite large areas. Another interesting thing is that the flashlight does not have a brightness control - instead, a dimmer is installed, which allows you to set the size of the light beam. The flashlight has an ergonomic handle that is comfortable for long-term use, so you can take it hunting or walking and use it with maximum comfort.
Dmitry (M3dad)
Let's consider LED products, ranging from old 5 mm to super-bright high-power LEDs whose power reaches 10 W.
To choose the “right” flashlight for your needs, you need to understand what kinds of LED flashlights there are and their characteristics.
What diodes are used in flashlights?
High-power LED lights started with 5mm sensor devices.
LED flashlights in completely different designs, from pocket to camping, became widespread in the mid-2000s. Their price has dropped noticeably, and the brightness and long service life of a single battery charge have played their role.
5mm white ultra-bright LEDs consume 20 to 50 mA of current, with a voltage drop of 3.2-3.4 volts. Luminous intensity – 800 mcd.
They perform very well in miniature keychain flashlights. The small size allows you to carry this flashlight with you. They are powered either by “mini-pen” batteries or by several round “tablets”. Often used in flashlight lighters.
These are the types of LEDs that have been installed in Chinese lanterns for many years, but their life is gradually coming to an end.
In search lights with a large reflector size, it is possible to mount dozens of such diodes, but such solutions are gradually fading into the background, and the choice of buyers falls in favor of flashlights with powerful Cree-type LEDs.
Search light with 5mm LEDs These flashlights operate on AA, AAA batteries or rechargeable batteries. They are inexpensive and inferior both in brightness and quality to modern flashlights with more powerful crystals, but more on that below.
In the further development of flashlights, manufacturers have gone through many options, but the market for quality products is occupied by flashlights with powerful matrices or discrete LEDs.
What kind of LEDs are used in high-power flashlights?
Powerful flashlights mean modern flashlights of various types, ranging from those the size of a finger to huge search flashlights.
In such products, the Cree brand is relevant in 2017. This is the name of an American company. Its products are considered one of the most advanced in the field of LED technology. An alternative is LED from the manufacturer Luminus.
Such things are significantly superior to LEDs from Chinese lanterns.
What Cree LEDs are most commonly installed in flashlights?
Models are called consisting of three or four characters, separated by a hyphen. So diodes Cree XR-E, XR-G, XM-L, XP-E. Models XP-E2, G2 are most often used for small flashlights, while XM-L and L2 are very versatile.
They are used starting from the so-called. EDC flashlights (everyday carry) range from small flashlights smaller than the palm of your hand to large, serious search flashlights.
Let's look at the characteristics of high-power LEDs for flashlights.
| Name | Cree XM-L T6 | Cree XM-L2 | Cree XP-G2 | Cree XR-E |
| Photo |  |
|||
| U, V | 2,9 | 2,85 | 2,8 | 3,3 |
| I, mA | 700 | 700 | 350 | 350 |
| P, W | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Operating temperature, °C | ||||
| Luminous flux, Lm | 280 | 320 | 145 | 100 |
| Illumination angle, ° | 125 | 125 | 115 | 90 |
| Color rendering index, Ra | 80-90 | 70-90 | 80-90 | 70-90 |
The main characteristic of LEDs for flashlights is luminous flux. The brightness of your flashlight and the amount of light that the source can provide depends on it. Different LEDs, consuming the same amount of energy, can differ significantly in brightness.
Let's look at the characteristics of LEDs in large floodlight flashlights :
| Name | ||||
| Photo |  |  |  |  |
| U, V | 5,7; 8,55; 34,2; | 6; 12; | 3,6 | 3,5 |
| I, mA | 1100; 735; 185; | 2500; 1250 | 5000 | 9000...13500 |
| P, W | 6,3 | 8,5 | 18 | 20...40 |
| Operating temperature, °C | ||||
| Luminous flux, Lm | 440 | 510 | 1250 | 2000...2500 |
| Illumination angle, ° | 115 | 120 | 100 | 90 |
| Color rendering index, Ra | 70-90 | 80-90 | 80-90 |
Sellers often do not indicate the full name of the diode, its type and characteristics, but an abbreviated, slightly different alphanumeric marking:
- For XM-L: T5; T6; U2;
- XP-G: R4; R5; S2;
- XP-E: Q5; R2; R;
- for XR-E: P4; Q3; Q5; R.
The flashlight may be called “EDC T6 Flashlight”, there is more than enough information in such brevity.
Flashlight repair
Unfortunately, the price of such flashlights is quite high, as are the diodes themselves. And it is not always possible to purchase a new flashlight in case of a breakdown. Let's figure out how to change the LED in a flashlight.
To repair a flashlight, you need a minimum set of tools:
- Soldering iron;
- flux;
- solder;
- screwdriver;
- multimeter
To get to the light source you need to unscrew the head of the flashlight; it is usually attached to a threaded connection.
In diode test or resistance measurement mode, check that the LED is working properly. To do this, touch the black and red probes to the LED terminals, first in one position, and then swap the red and black ones.
If the diode is working properly, then in one of the positions there will be low resistance, and in the other - high. This way you determine that the diode is working and conducts current in only one direction. The diode may emit faint light during testing.
Otherwise, there will be a short circuit or high resistance (open) in both positions. Then you need to replace the diode in the flashlight.
Now you need to unsolder the LED from the flashlight and, observing the polarity, solder in a new one. Be careful when choosing an LED, consider its current consumption and the voltage for which it is designed.
If you neglect these parameters, in the best case the flashlight will quickly dry up, in the worst case the driver will fail.
A driver is a device for powering an LED with stabilized current from different sources. Drivers are manufactured industrially for power supply from a 220 volt network, from a car electrical network - 12-14.7 volts, from Li-ion batteries, for example, size 18650. Most powerful flashlights are equipped with a driver.
Increasing the power of the flashlight
If you are not satisfied with the brightness of your flashlight or you have figured out how to replace the LED in a flashlight and want to upgrade it, before buying heavy-duty models, study the basic principles of LED operation and the limitations in their operation.
Diode matrices do not like overheating - this is the main postulate! And replacing the LED in a flashlight with a more powerful one can lead to this situation. Pay attention to models in which more powerful diodes are installed and compare them with yours; if they are similar in size and design, change them.
If your flashlight is smaller, additional cooling will be required. We wrote more about making radiators with our own hands.
If you try to install such a giant as the Cree MK-R into a miniature keychain flashlight, it will quickly fail from overheating and it will be a waste of money. A slight increase in power (a couple of watts) is acceptable without upgrading the flashlight itself.
Otherwise, the process of replacing the brand of LED in a flashlight with a more powerful one is described above.
Police lights
LED Police flashlight with shocker Such lanterns shine brightly and can act as a means of self-defense. However, they also have problems with LEDs.
How to replace the LED in a Police flashlight
The wide range of models is very difficult to cover in one article, but general recommendations for repairs can be given.
- When repairing a flashlight with a stun gun, be careful, preferably use rubber gloves to avoid electric shock.
- Flashlights with dust and moisture protection are assembled on a large number of screws. They differ in length, so make notes from where you unscrewed this or that screw.
- The optical system of the Police flashlight allows you to adjust the diameter of the light spot. When disassembling the body, make marks on the position in which the parts were before removal, otherwise it will be difficult to put the unit with the lens back.
Replacing the LED, voltage converter unit, driver, and battery is possible using a standard soldering kit.
What kind of LEDs are used in Chinese lanterns?
Many products are now purchased on Aliexpress, where you can find both original products and Chinese copies that do not correspond to the stated description. The price for such devices is comparable to the price of the original.
In a flashlight that claims a Cree LED, it may not actually be there; at best, there will be a diode of a frankly different type, at worst, one that will be difficult to distinguish from the original in appearance.
What might this entail? Cheap LEDs are made in low-tech conditions and do not produce the declared power. They have low efficiency, which is why they have increased heating of the case and crystal. As has already been said, overheating is the worst enemy for LED devices.
This happens because when heated, the current through the semiconductor increases, as a result of which the heating becomes even stronger, the power is released even more, and this avalanche-like leads to breakdown or breakage of the LED.
If you try and spend time searching for information, you can determine the originality of the product.
Compare the original and fake cree LatticeBright is a Chinese LED manufacturer that makes products very similar to Cree, probably a coincidence of design thought (sarcasm).
Comparison of the Chinese copy and the original Cree On the substrates these clones look like this. You can notice the variety of shapes of LED substrates produced in China.
Detecting counterfeit by LED substrate Counterfeits are made quite skillfully; many sellers do not indicate this “brand” in the product description and where the LEDs for flashlights are produced. The quality of such diodes is not the worst among Chinese junk, but it is also far from the original.
Installing an LED instead of an incandescent lamp
Many people have horse races or incandescent lamps collecting dust in old things, and you can easily turn it into LED. For this, there are either ready-made solutions or homemade ones.
Using a broken light bulb and LEDs, with a little ingenuity and solder, you can make a great replacement.
In this case, an iron barrel is needed to improve heat removal from the LED. Next you need to solder all the parts to each other and secure with glue.
When assembling, be careful - avoid shorting the leads; hot glue or heat shrink tubing will help with this. The central contact of the lamp must be unsoldered - a hole will form. Pass the resistor lead through it.
Next you need to solder the free lead of the LED to the base, and the resistor to the central contact. For a voltage of 12 volts, a 500 Ohm resistor is needed, and for a voltage of 5 V – 50-100 Ohms, for power supply from a Li-ion 3.7V battery – 10-25 Ohms.
How to make an LED lamp from an incandescent lamp Selecting an LED for a flashlight is much more difficult than replacing it. It is necessary to take into account a lot of parameters: from brightness and dispersion angle to heating of the case.
In addition, we must not forget about the power supply for the diodes. If you master everything described above, your devices will shine for a long time and with high quality!
A flashlight is an indispensable thing not only in the household, but also on vacation, fishing, hunting, when repairing a car and much more. Conventional devices that need to be held in the hand are inconvenient to use, as they significantly limit a person’s capabilities. Therefore, it is worth purchasing a comfortable headlamp, the bright beam of which will always be directed to the desired point.
Today there are many varieties of such devices on the market, the most popular of which are rechargeable LED headlight models. They are characterized by a long service life and low cost. Often, such flashlights can operate in strobe mode, so that if you get lost in the forest, you can signal your location to friends. Diode headbands shine with a brighter beam, which will be clearly visible at a great distance.
To decide how to choose a headlamp, you need to pay attention to the characteristics, which we will consider in more detail.
Characteristics of headlamps
To purchase the best headlamp, check the following device parameters before purchasing:
Brightness
This parameter determines how well objects located far enough from the light source will be illuminated. The choice of a headlamp should be made based on the purpose for which you need it. If you are buying a headlamp for repairs or, for example, to read books, then choose a model with lower brightness, which will be enough to shine at a distance of 1-2 meters.
If the product is needed for a hike or evening fishing, then it is necessary to take into account the climatic conditions. In rain or fog, more will be required, so in this case it is worth giving preference to models with the highest brightness.
The number of LEDs determines the brightness. The best models are those with 1 red diode and several white LEDs of different power. Such headbands switch to different modes, depending on weather conditions.
Lighting range
Headlamps must have at least two illumination range modes:
- Flood - in order to illuminate the entire camp with diffused light.
- Narrowly targeted - for a distant object.
Also pay attention to the light output. With an indicator of 65 lumens, you can easily see everything that is happening at a distance of up to 50 meters. If you prefer night fishing, you will need a more “serious” device with 180 lumens or more.
Battery life
The operating time of the best headlamps depends on the mode of the lighting device. If you choose a headlamp with red and white LEDs that operates in several modes, you can significantly save battery life. Red light does not require much power and can be used for reading or searching for things in the closet. The white diode produces a more powerful light beam, so it will consume its charge faster.
Ease of use
A headlamp should be equipped not only with a horizontal elastic band for fastening, but also with a vertical one. This way the product will stay on your head well and will not slip off at the most inconvenient moment.
The weight of a headlamp depends on the number of LEDs and the battery of the product. To choose the most comfortable device, try it on in a store and evaluate how long you can wear it on your head.
If you need a compact flashlight, then choose a device with the fewest number of LEDs.
Waterproof
Those who choose a headlamp for fishing should definitely pay attention to this parameter.
The IP marking indicates the degree of protection of the mechanical and electronic elements of the product from dirt and water. If instead of these letters an X is indicated, then the flashlight can easily fail at the slightest contact with moisture.
If the headlamp has a mixed marking, for example, IPX4, then this means that the product is not protected from dust, but is waterproof class 4 (can withstand splashes, but will fail if immersed in water).
Sealing and impact resistance
Headlamps for hunting and fishing should be the most sealed, as such products are most susceptible to dust, dirt and shock.
A regular headlamp is a reflector with diodes placed in a pencil case with a battery. The case of budget models is most often made of low quality plastic. Such lights quickly fail after the first unsuccessful landing. If you want to purchase a reliable headlamp, then you should look for more expensive products with a sealed aluminum housing.
The degree of protection against mechanical influences is indicated by the letters IK, followed by numbers indicating the height (in meters) from which the product can fall without any damage.
Having decided how to choose the most powerful headlamp that is resistant to moisture and mechanical damage, all that remains is to decide on the manufacturer. Let's look at the most popular models of headbands.
The best headlamp models
If you search for headlamps, you can find a lot of offers. The cheapest Chinese models will cost from 300 rubles, but such devices will not last long. Therefore, we will not consider headlamps from Aliexpress in detail. Let's immediately move on to higher quality products costing from 2,000 to 6,000 rubles.
LED Lenser
The products of this manufacturer are very popular among fishermen and tourists. The product line includes a variety of models that are suitable for any purpose. You can choose a Led Lenser headlamp based on the following parameters:
| Model | Beam range, m | Duration of work, h | |
|---|---|---|---|
| H7 | 180 | 140 | 85 |
| H7R | 200 | 150 | 75 |
| H7.2 | 250 | 160 | 75 |
| H7R.2 | 300 | 160 | 60 |
| H14.2 | 350 | 260 | 60 |
Products of this brand are distinguished by gold-plated electrical contacts that are not subject to corrosion, thanks to which the devices are rightfully considered extremely reliable. Headbands operate in several modes (scattered and focused beams).
Such lanterns cost from 2,000 to 4,500 rubles.
Zebralight
The Zebralight headlamp also comes in several versions depending on the brightness of the LEDs. Also, Zebralight models are characterized by good water resistance.
| Model | Maximum light output, lumen | Waterproof index |
|---|---|---|
| H302 | 480 | IPX7 |
| H302W | 446 | IPX7 |
| H502L2 | 278 | IPX7 |
| H502DL2 | 190 | IPX7 |
| H600FW MK II | 970 | IPX7 |
The headlamps have Cree and Philips LUXEON LEDs. The cost of products ranges from 4,000 to 8,000 rubles.
Boruit
The Boruit headlamp is also suitable for both household needs and outdoor recreation. The best models of this brand are:
| Model | Brightness, lumen | Lighting distance, m | Duration of work, h |
|---|---|---|---|
| SH-G020 | 300 | 100 | 4 |
| HL 721 | 1400 | 1000 | 9 |
| HL 723 | 1800 | 1000 | 9 |
| HL 722 | 1600 | 1000 | 9 |
| RJ 3000 | 1800 | 1200 | 8,5 |
Separately, it is worth noting the characteristics of the Boruit RJ 3000 headlamp; in addition to the main mode, it also works as a strobe. In this case, the brightness of the device increases to 6000 lumens. Today, such a “strong” forehead protector can be purchased from 700 to 1,500 rubles. The cost depends on the configuration, seller and delivery conditions (free delivery or with payment). Agree, this is a more than affordable price for a powerful and reliable gadget.
The waterproof body of the products is made of aircraft aluminum, thanks to which the flashlights of this brand can be confidently called the most durable and durable.
In addition to the flashlights described above, it is also worth paying attention to Phoenix products - these are also high-quality and reliable headbands that will serve well for any purpose.
In custody
If we consider flashlight models based on price/quality considerations, then the optimal products of this type are the Boruit HL 721, 722 and RJ 3000 headlamps. A headlamp is a necessary thing in the household, even if you don’t go fishing, such a lighting device can always come in handy.
When purchasing or assembling new LED flashlights, you should definitely pay attention to the LED used. If you are purchasing a lantern only to illuminate a dark street, then there is a huge choice - choose any one with a bright white LED. But if you want to buy a portable lighting device with characteristics for more complex tasks, the important point here is the choice of the appropriate luminous flux, that is, the ability of the device to illuminate a large space with a powerful beam.
Main characteristics
LEDs are responsible for the quality of light that the flashlight emits. The stability of lighting depends on many characteristics, including current consumption, light flux and color temperature. Among the trendsetters, it is worth noting the company Cree; in its assortment you can find very bright LEDs for flashlights.
Modern pocket models are created using a single LED, the power of which reaches 1, 2, or 3 W. The indicated electrical characteristics are the properties of various LED models from well-known brands. The intensity of the light rays or luminous flux is an indicator that depends on the type of LED and the manufacturer. The manufacturer also indicates the number of lumens in the specifications.
This indicator directly correlates with the color temperature of the light. Light-emitting diodes can produce up to 200 lumens per watt and are produced today in different temperatures to glow: warm yellowish or cool white.
Lanterns with a warm white tint produce a pleasant light to the human eye, but they are less bright. Light with a neutral color temperature effectively allows the smallest elements to be seen. Cool white lighting is usually typical for models with a huge beam range, but can irritate the eyes during prolonged use.
If the temperature reaches approximately 50 °C, then the life of the crystal can be up to 200,000 hours, but this is not justified from an economic point of view. For this reason, many companies produce products that can withstand operating temperatures of up to 85 °C, while saving on cooling costs. If the temperature exceeds 150 °C, the equipment may completely fail.
The color rendering index is a qualitative indicator that characterizes the ability of an LED to illuminate a space without distorting the actual shade. LEDs for flashlights with a color rendering source characteristic of 75 CRI or more are a good option. An important element of the LED is the lens, thanks to which the angle of dispersion of the light fluxes is set, that is, the range of the beam is determined.
In any technical specification of an LED, the angle of radiation must be noted. For any of the models, this characteristic is considered individual and usually varies in the range from 20 to 240 degrees. High-power LED flashlights have an angle of approximately 120°C and generally include a reflector and an additional lens.
Although today we can see a strong leap in the production of high-power LEDs consisting of multiple crystals, global brands are still producing LEDs with lower power. They are produced in a small case that does not exceed 10 mm in width. In a comparative analysis, one can notice that one such powerful crystal has a less reliable circuit and dispersion angle than a pair of similar elements simultaneously in a single housing.
It would not be amiss to recall the four-pin “SuperFlux” LEDs, the so-called “piranha”. These flashlight LEDs have improved specifications. The piranha LED has the following main advantages:
- the light flux is distributed evenly;
- no need to remove heat;
- lower price.
Types of LEDs
There are many flashlights with improved features available in the market today. The most popular LEDs are from Cree Inc.: XR-E, XP-E, XP-G, XM-L. Today the latest XP-E2, XP-G2, XM-L2 are also popular - they are mainly used in small flashlights. But, for example, Cree MT-G2 and MK-R LEDs from Luminus are widely used in huge models of search lights that can operate simultaneously from a pair of batteries.
In addition, LEDs are usually distinguished by brightness - there is a special code thanks to which you can sort LEDs by this parameter.
When comparing some diodes with others, it is worth paying attention to their dimensions, or rather, to the area of the light-emitting crystals. If the area of such a crystal is small, then it is easier to concentrate its light into a narrow beam. If you want to get a narrow beam from XM-L LEDs, you will need to use a very large reflector, which negatively affects the weight and dimensions of the housing. But with small reflectors on such an LED, a fairly effective pocket flashlight will come out.
Application area of LEDs
Mostly, when choosing flashlights, consumers choose models with the maximum beam of light, but in many cases they do not need this option. In many cases, such equipment is used to illuminate a nearby area or an object that is no more than 10,000 m away. A long-range flashlight shines at 100 m, although in many cases with a rather narrow beam that poorly illuminates the surrounding area. As a result, when illuminating a distant object with such lighting devices, the user will not notice those objects that are located in close proximity to him.
Let's look at a comparison of the tonality of light produced by LEDs: warm, neutral and cold. When selecting the appropriate flashlight light temperature, the following important points must be taken into account: LEDs with a warm glow can minimally distort the color of the illuminated objects, but they have lower brightness than neutral-spectrum LEDs.
When choosing a powerful search or tactical flashlight, where the brightness of the device is an important point, it is recommended to select an LED with a cold spectrum of light. If a flashlight is needed for everyday life, tourism purposes, or for use in a head-mounted model, then proper color rendering is important, which means LEDs with warm light will be more advantageous. A neutral LED is the golden mean in all respects.
Not taking into account the cheapest flashlights, which only have a single button, many flashlights have a couple of operating modes, including strobe and SOS modes. The non-brand model has the following operating options: the highest power rating, medium power and “strobe”. In addition, the average power is basically equal to 50% of the highest brightness of the light, and the lowest is 10%.
Branded models have a more complex structure. Here you can control the operating mode using a button, rotating the “head”, turning the magnetic rings and a combination of all of the above.
Boruit heavy duty headlamp. For lighting during fishing, hunting and household work.
