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August 29, 2019 Jody St-Laurent

What makes a flashlight powerful

The flashlight models that are in the market today have made remarkable progress over those that existed in the past, as is the case with most technology related products. Advances in LED technology and battery efficiency have led to flashlights that are smaller in size, lighter and brighter than in previous years. The main parts that usually make up a flashlight are the following:

  • Case: The tube that surrounds parts of the flashlight, including the batteries and the lamp.
  • Contacts: A very thin spring or metal strip (usually copper or brass), which creates the electrical connection between the various parts of the flashlight.
  • Switch: The power flow is switched on when the switch is in the ON position, and switched off when the switch is in the OFF position.
  • Reflector: A plastic part, coated with a shiny aluminum layer, which rests around the lamp and redirects the rays of light from the lamp to present a stable beam of light.
  • Lamp: The light source of the flashlight. In most lenses, the lamp is either a tungsten filament diode (incandescent lamp) or a light-emitting diode (solid state lamp), also known as LED. LEDs are widely regarded as unbreakable and are not replaceable.
  • Lens: The transparent, plastic part on the front of the flashlight that protects the lamp, because the lamp is made of glass and can break easily.
  • Batteries: When turned on, the batteries are the electrical source for your flashlight.

    • Since 2009, the ANSI FL1 standard has ensured that flashlight models are tested and calibrated in the same way. Compliance with this standard is optional and manufacturers make their own tests, but most now include the following performance data in their packaging:

    Brightness

    It is measured in lumens. It is the unit of measurement of the intensity of light coming out of the flashlight. A multi-function flashlight uses different lumens in each (eg high-light mode, energy-saving mode, etc.). The lumens can range from a low number (eg 20 lumens, ideal for reading a book) to about 3500 (almost daylight).

    Beam distance

    It is measured in meters. It is how far the light will travel before it begins to decay to the same extent as the full moon. This distance varies depending on the brightness setting you selected.

    Duration

    It is measured in hours. It is how long the light lasts until it is reduced to 10% of rated power (with new batteries), rounded to the nearest quarter of an hour. Light intensity may decrease gradually over time or remain steadily strong for a while and decrease suddenly. The operating time is usually indicated for each of the flashlight adjustment options.

    Shock resistance

    The flashlights are tested by casting them 6 times on a hard surface. This test is mainly done to ensure that the flashlight remains operational after occasional accidental throws. This test, however, does not mean that the flashlight will withstand any heavy object, or use it to hit other objects.

    Water resistance

    It is rated with the IPX system. Water resistance is important when using the flashlight in the rain or around a source. There are three ratings: IPX4, IPX7 and IPX8.

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