frogman74
Newly Enlightened
What is the difference in candescent and incandescent lights?
What is a better bulb, halogen or LED?
Frogman74
What is a better bulb, halogen or LED?
Frogman74
Flashlight Questions 2
- Thread starter frogman74
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Flash_Gordon
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hi frogman74 and welcome to CPF-
Couple of good questions. One is easy and one is the subject of thousands of posts on this forum.
The term incandescent is used almost universally to describe a filament type lamp. The term candescent is rarely if ever used. Really just variations of the same thing. An incandescent material is one that is capable of becoming so hot that it glows. This nicely describes a lamp filament. The filament is in a state of candescence. I guess if early on they had started to call them candescent lamps, so would we now.
Halogen is a gas used in small quantity in some incandescent lamps. Google halogen cycle to learn about the chemistry.
LED's are solid state devices that emit light when a voltage is applied. They are not properly called bulbs, but it is one of those word uses that is common enough that it is starting to just be accepted.
Which is better? Depends on the intended use, design of the flashlight and to a large degree personal preference. Both are here to stay and as LED's become more and more advanced and powerful, they will be used in applications where we now see only incandescent or discharge type lamps.
Mark
Couple of good questions. One is easy and one is the subject of thousands of posts on this forum.
The term incandescent is used almost universally to describe a filament type lamp. The term candescent is rarely if ever used. Really just variations of the same thing. An incandescent material is one that is capable of becoming so hot that it glows. This nicely describes a lamp filament. The filament is in a state of candescence. I guess if early on they had started to call them candescent lamps, so would we now.
Halogen is a gas used in small quantity in some incandescent lamps. Google halogen cycle to learn about the chemistry.
LED's are solid state devices that emit light when a voltage is applied. They are not properly called bulbs, but it is one of those word uses that is common enough that it is starting to just be accepted.
Which is better? Depends on the intended use, design of the flashlight and to a large degree personal preference. Both are here to stay and as LED's become more and more advanced and powerful, they will be used in applications where we now see only incandescent or discharge type lamps.
Mark
carrot
Flashaholic
In good LED products, the LEDs will last nearly forever (thousands, hundreds of thousands of hours). LED lights tend to be more for flood than throw (short distance, lots of light).
In good incandescent products (like Surefire), the bulbs will last tens of hours -- or less (for Surefire, 25+ is expected). Incandescent tends to be good for throw, but usually can produce a good amount of spill, as well.
In good incandescent products (like Surefire), the bulbs will last tens of hours -- or less (for Surefire, 25+ is expected). Incandescent tends to be good for throw, but usually can produce a good amount of spill, as well.
frogman74 said:
Q: What is the difference in candescent and incandescent lights?
A: None, only spelling difference
Q:What is a better bulb, halogen or LED?
A: It depends on what your going to use it for.
Typically, in the beginning, Incandescent Lamps had a white hot glowing tungsten filament in a airless vacumm inside the glass bulb. Their brightness and lifespan were limited. The molecules of tungsten will boil away and coat the inside of the glass with a mirror-like metalic coating. This would create a thin spot on the filament where it would weaken and burn through, shortening the bulbs life. By having a small amount Halogen gas in the lamp the lamp can be operated at a hotter temperature allowing for a whiter color light and just as important the molecules of tungsten would re-deposit themselves back onto the filament instead of on the inside of the glass, thereby lengthing the life of the lamp.
