grayhighh
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As title says, can anyone tell me how cooper differ to a titanium light.
Im interested in a cooper Tri EDC.
Thanks
Im interested in a cooper Tri EDC.
Thanks
Cooper vs Titanium - Can anyone tell me the different
- Thread starter grayhighh
- Start date
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The metals have different properties.
Copper Density: 8.94 g/cm^3
Copper Thermal Conductivity: 401 W/(m*K)
Copper is heavier than titanium, softer than titanium, and will oxidize with time (some people like this quality); although, copper will conduct heat better than titanium.
Titanium Density: 4.506 g/cm^3
Titanium Thermal Conductivity: 21.9 W/(m*K)
Titanium is lighter than copper and more tough (harder) than copper. Titanium shines up nicely and I've been told that many small surface scratches will buff out. The downside is that titanium doesn't conduct heat as well as copper.
If you search the forums, I'm sure you'll find lots of information about titanium lights.
Copper Density: 8.94 g/cm^3
Copper Thermal Conductivity: 401 W/(m*K)
Copper is heavier than titanium, softer than titanium, and will oxidize with time (some people like this quality); although, copper will conduct heat better than titanium.
Titanium Density: 4.506 g/cm^3
Titanium Thermal Conductivity: 21.9 W/(m*K)
Titanium is lighter than copper and more tough (harder) than copper. Titanium shines up nicely and I've been told that many small surface scratches will buff out. The downside is that titanium doesn't conduct heat as well as copper.
If you search the forums, I'm sure you'll find lots of information about titanium lights.
grayhighh
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Thanks rudy, I'm going with the Ti version.
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hellokitty[hk]
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I think doesn't conduct heat as well as copper is an understatement.
fyrstormer
Banned
I think you're underestimating how much energy is represented by 29 Watts per Kelvin-meter. Titanium gets bashed way too much on CPF for having terrible heat conductivity, but it's still a metal and it's quite capable of cooling even a high-powered light. It's not suitable for use directly under an emitter where the heat density is the highest, but once the heat is conducted to the outer shell of the light, there's plenty enough material to absorb and dissipate the heat. Also, I think a lot of people who complain about titanium's heat conductivity haven't really thought through the idea that better conductivity would send all that heat into the skin of their hand, which is not comfortable.
I have a copper tri-edc with an xp-g l.e. and I always thought I would like a similar light that would transfer less heat to my hand. So I ordered a titanium tri-edc with an xp-e l.e. The titanium light becomes very hot to the touch MUCH
more quickly than the copper. I would guess it reaches the point of being uncomfortable to touch in 1/4 of the time that it takes the copper light to do the same. Can anyone explain why? I was under the impression that, similar to fyrstormer's thoughts above, a titanium light would not be as uncomfortable to hold as a copper light. I think my understanding needs some fine tuning please...
Ilikelite
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Could you take two laser thermometers and test the difference of heat transfer over time? If what you say is true I would like to know what the experts say for an explanation.
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jake royston
Enlightened
I also have both Ti and copper tri edcs. The Ti gets hot to the touch because the Ti head does not conduct heat that well, and it all stays within the head of the light. The tail of the light does not get hot to the touch, only the head does. The copper tri also has a copper LE pill. Copper conducts and transfers heat alot better than Ti. The head of the light will get warm, but not hot because the heat is transferred throughout the whole light rather than just the head. That said, the tail end of the light will warm up when it is left on Hi for a few minutes. (AFAIK through personal experience)
They both have pros and cons.
Copper conducts heat better, and also has a copper pill. Copper is also softer than ti and will scratch/dent easier than ti, and tends to tarnish. Copper also has smoother threads.
Titanium has an aluminium pill, and is a more durable metal for constant EDC. Ti threads seem to be a bit gritty.
Well anyways, that's my understanding. Hope this helps!
Jake
They both have pros and cons.
Copper conducts heat better, and also has a copper pill. Copper is also softer than ti and will scratch/dent easier than ti, and tends to tarnish. Copper also has smoother threads.
Titanium has an aluminium pill, and is a more durable metal for constant EDC. Ti threads seem to be a bit gritty.
Well anyways, that's my understanding. Hope this helps!
Jake
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fyrstormer
Banned
Most likely, the heat is concentrated in the head instead of distributed across the body of the light. That makes the heat noticeable more quickly in the titanium light, because the heat is concentrated under your pinky finger, but it doesn't affect cooling very much. The titanium light doesn't conduct heat into the palm of your hand very well, but it radiates heat just fine.
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AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
Flucero28
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Wow thats nice. The aluminum looks like it does a much better job with the heat. Do you have a copper one to try vs aluminum?
fyrstormer
Banned
There is no such thing as "not hot enough to radiate heat". (I know that isn't what you said, but I'm refuting the idea anyway.) A relatively cool object only radiates a little heat because it's only a little hot, not because there's a threshold below which heat can't be radiated. Everything above absolute zero is constantly radiating heat in some amount; the only significant limiting factor is whether the internal conductivity of each object allows internal heat to easily reach the surface to be radiated away. The outer wall of the Ti EDC is not thick enough to significantly impede radiative cooling, even if it does significantly impede heat conduction to the tailcap -- but who cares if the tailcap warms up or not? That is not an important function for a flashlight to have.
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fyrstormer
Banned
Keep in mind that the camera can only see the heat that has escaped from the light. If the titanium shell were actually doing a bad job of cooling the light, the light would appear cold to the camera.
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