Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
2009
Flashlight & Worklight Basics
“it is important to define what you
need lighting for or, to phrase it
another way, what you need the light to
do, in order to answer the question of
which light is best.”
Rob Vajko
5/29/2009
www.nationalsafetyinc.com
Flashlight & Work light Basics
Candlepower, Lumens, Xenon, Luminosity, LED… It can all get pretty confusing. What’s what and what’s
best? Well, that all depends on a number of factors. As in most cases, it is important to define what you
need lighting for or, to phrase it another way, what you need the light to do, in order to answer the
question of which light is best. So we are going to attempt to try to define some terms and try to make
sense of the difference available in work lights and flashlights in order to help you make the right choice.
To turn a screw you need a screwdriver. To pound nails, you need a hammer. Neither can be used very
well to do the job intended for the other. It’s the same with lighting.
Defining the terms
Candela
This measurement of light intensity has been used to replace candlepower since 1948 and is slightly
more than candlepower (one candlepower is equal to about 0.981 candela). Strangely enough, you will
rarely see lights rated in candela.
Candlepower
The term “candlepower” though it still shows up on different packages is pretty much obsolete. It was
originally defined as the amount of light generated by one candle weighing 1/6th of a pound and burning
at a certain rate per hour.1 Thus a flashlight that is rated at 100 candlepower is thought to be a light with
the intensity of 100 such candles burning at once.
Combination LED/Incandescent
This is a bulb that combines LED and Xenon technologies to produce a bulb that has a long running time,
that is extremely durable and that is also extremely bright.
1
The rate has been measured in “grains” using different substances from Spermaceti which is a high quality
substance that used to be used to make candles. At other times colza oil was used, others used the carbon
filament of a electric lamp or the output of a Hefner lamp. For more detailed information on the different ways
that candlepower has been measured, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlepower.
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Lumens and Candlepower
“Lumens” of a “Lumens” of “Peak beam
bulb is a LEDs is a candlepower”
measurement measurement is a measure
of the entire of all the light of the
output of the inside the brightest spot
bulb. (Focus is “beam angle”. in a focused
not beam.
considered.)
(Taken from the Streamlight website at http://www.streamlight.com/education/guide.aspx)
Incandescent
Incandescent bulbs are bulbs that are filled with xenon, Krypton or halogen gases. Their primary source
of light comes from heat. Most of the light given off, however, is outside the visible spectrum of light
which makes it less efficient than other forms of light.
• Xenon Bulbs – Filled with Xenon gas. Extremely bright and easily replaceable
• Krypton Bulbs – Filled with Krypton gas. Economical but not as bright as other options
• Halogen Bulbs – Filled with Halogen gas. Bright, white light. Won’t “Blacken” as much over time
as will Xenon and Krypton bulbs. Usually last longer than Xenon bulbs.
LED
LED stands for “Light‐Emitting Diode”. LED lights do not, unlike incandescent bulbs, heat up. Where
incandescent lights loose almost 90% of their energy through heat, LED lights use 70% of the batteries
power to produce light. This enables LED lights to burn substantially longer on the same batteries (i.e. . if
you wanted 100 hours of light you would use 40 batteries for an incandescent bulb and would need to
replace the bulb 3‐4 times. For the same 100 hours you might only use 2‐4 batteries and never replace
the bulb). Because the bulb isn’t heating up, it never burns out and can last upwards of 100,000 hours.
One LED uses only 1/10th of a Watt.
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Lumens
This is an International System of units (abbreviated “SI” from the French “Le Système International
d'Unités“) measurement for the luminous flux of light (See separate definition of “Luminous flux”)
Luminous Flux
A measurement of light as defined according to the sensitivity of the human eye which perceives light
wavelengths differently (see also “radiant flux”)
Lux
This is an International System of units (abbreviated “SI” from the French “Le Système International
d'Unités“) measurement for the intensity of light. It “takes into account the area over which the
luminous flux is spread. A flux of 1000 lumens, concentrated into an area of one square metre, lights up
that square metre with an illuminance of 1000 lux. The same 1000 lumens, spread out over ten square
metres, produces a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux.” (www.Wikipedia.com)
Radiant Flux
Also known as “radiant power” the radiant flux is a measurement of the amount of energy or power
(measured in light waves) generated by a light source. Unlike Luminous Flux (see “luminous flux”) which
measures only light that is visible to the human eye, radiant flux measurement include infrared,
ultraviolet and visible light.
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The issues that need to be considered in order to pick the correct light.
1. Do I need the light for close up work or to illuminate afar?
Some lights, while extremely bright at the source, diffuse quite a bit and don’t project much of a
beam. Lights with a deep reflector tend to focus the light beam and provide better illumination
over distance. By the same token, if you are working close‐up a flashlight which diffuses the light
might be a better choice.
2. Is true color an issue?
Certain types of light can actually affect the colors in their beam. Electricians, for example, who
need to make sure that they can see the exact color of the wires that they are working on will
need to carefully consider the type of light that they use (We also don’t want the bomb
disposable teams not being able to see the right color on the wires they are cutting).
3. How long am I going to need the light for?
For short, intermittent work, most flashlights will do. If, however, you are going to need to use
the flashlight to provide several hours of illumination, you will need to pay close attention to the
run time of the flashlight you are purchasing.
4. Will I be using the light in potential explosive environments?
If you are going to be working in confined spaces for example, that have the potential for
explosive gas build‐up, you will need an intrinsically safe flashlight. An “Intrinsically Safe”
flashlight is a light that is completely sealed so that there is no potential for a spark or for heat
that might cause an explosion.
Hazardous locations are classified by class and division
Classes:
a. Class 1 – is for locations that are hazardous because of flammable gases, liquids or
vapors
b. Class 2 – is for locations that are hazardous because of presence of a dust that have the
potential to become combustible
c. Class 3 – is for locations that are hazardous because of the presence of fibers or flying
particles that may ignite.
Divisions:
A. Division 1 – defines locations where the potential of combustion is present some of the
time or all of the time under normal operations.
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B. Division 2 – defines locations where the potential of combustion is no likely to be
present under normal operations. It is also used to define locations where Class 3
materials are being stored.
5. Do I prefer rechargeable or not?
Each one, of course has its’ benefits and drawbacks.
With rechargeable flashlights you are out of light when the light dies. With non‐rechargeable
flashlights you can simply put fresh batteries in when the light starts to dim.
As a general rule rechargeable flashlights are ready to go right from the charger. Non‐
rechargeable flashlights can tend to drain the batteries over time (who hasn’t stumbled around
in the dark to find a flashlight during a power outage only to find that the batteries in the
flashlight are dead). Over time, the cost of a rechargeable flashlight can be substantial less than
that of a non‐rechargeable one. While most rechargeable flashlight cost more upfront, the only
cost after that is the price of electricity to change it. Non‐rechargeable flashlights on the other
hand incur the cost of batteries to run. That can add up to a substantial difference.
Types of power for Flashlights
Type of Battery Advantages Drawbacks
Disposable Batteries
Alkaline ‐ Fairly inexpensive and economical ‐ Affected by heat and cold
‐ Fairly rapid drop‐off when power runs
out
Lithium ‐ Long shelf life without depleting ‐ More expensive than Alkaline
‐ steady power curve ‐ Affected by heat and cold
Rechargeable Batteries
Nickel‐Cadmium ‐ High performance ‐ Must be handled properly to avoid
(NiCd) ‐ Good value developing memory
‐ Rechargeable up to 1000 times ‐ Not environmentally friendly, must be
disposed of properly
Lithium Ion ‐ No memory issues ‐ More expensive than standard lithium
‐ Rechargeable up to 1000 times
‐ Easily disposed of
‐ Long run time
Lead Acid ‐ Not affected by temperature ‐ Size (they tend to be large)
‐ Long run time ‐ Not environmentally friendly, must be
disposed of properly
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© National Safety, Inc.
www.nationalsafetyinc.com
Additional Information on flashlights, traffic lights, intrinsically safe
lights, etc…
New innovations in lighting technology mean that there are more and more options available when it
comes to lighting. From small but extremely powerful flashing LED traffic lights to the Wobblelight, in
this section, we are going to highlight a few products that a new and different.
The BeaconPro LED Road Lights
• Battery-powered LED emergency beacon.
• Crush resistant (up to 7,500 lbs for the
FlareAlert and up to 20,000 lbs for the Beacon
Pro)
• Super Bright (220 lumens for the Beacon Pro)
• Easy and Safe to use
• Magnetic
• Battery Life: 30 hours in flash mode and 10
hours in steady mode
http://www.nationalsafetyinc.com/9511/243966/Traffic/Beacon‐Pro‐LED‐Road‐Lights.html
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Lightsticks
Omniglow™ light sources are easy to use -BEND, SNAP,
SHAKE to activate.
No sparks, no heat, no flame; no batteries required, non-toxic
and waterproof.
Key Benefits:
• Lightweight and Portable
• Non‐electric
• Inherently safe
• Cost effective
• Non‐sparking
• non‐flammable
• non‐incendiary
Bouton Temple Lamp for Safety Glasses
Temple Lamp ClipOn Flashlight Clip's on to your glasses
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The WobbleLight
The SelfRighting Work Light That Bounces Back From
Abuse!
• Polycarbonate Dome that resists impact
• Floating shock system that protects the bulb from jarring
and striking
• Internal ventilation system that keeps the exterior cool
enough to touch
• Cool Air intake
• Unique Counter Weighted Design so that it
automatically repositions to upright when knocked over.
• Power outlet to connect power tools or additional
Wobble Lights
To read more about this light go to: http://www.nationalsafetyinc.com/9512/148786/Work‐
Lights/Wobblelights.html
Strobe Lights for Mounting on vehicles
See the different models here: http://www.nationalsafetyinc.com/9513/Strobes.html
Emergency Lighting and Exit signs
See the different options here: http://www.nationalsafetyinc.com/9514/Emergency.html
To see these and other lights including a large selection of LED lights, Flashlights, Batteries,
Rechargeable Lights, Head Lamps, Traffic Lights, Work Lights, Strobes, Emergency Lights and Cases go to:
http://www.nationalsafetyinc.com/9506/Lights‐‐Cases.html
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