Coal miner flashlight?

[tsask]

I wonder what type of flashlight is carried by today's coal miners?After reading the lastest news about the recent reagedy in West Virginia, USA I started to wonder.

 

[zespectre]

See here
http://www.mining-technology.com/contractors/electrical/mica/
I have a co-worker who's brother works there... he was home sick that day! Sometimes fate just smiles on you!!!

 

[tsask]

thanks for the link. i wonder if longer running LEDS could have helped.

 

[tsask]

thanks for the link. i wonder if longer running LEDS could have helped.

 

[zespectre]

My understanding is that they simply ran out of air as their oxy-packs are only good for roughly an hour.

 

[gailt]

when I worked in the coal mines we always used wheat (ie) Koehler 5200 I believe thats the model number.if you got a good battery they could last 14 hours of really good light if it was a weak battery you would barely make 8.
we wore a rather large battery on our side on a mininig belt. wasn't to hard to get used to unless you operated equipment then you had to keep adjusting it so it didn't bite into you.

I would say the trapped miners at sago had plenty of light left,they were waiting on rescue when they ran out of air.

 

[jtice]

Most have a type of SLA battery,
with dual filimate bulbs.

I gave my dad an Arc AA with lithium cell for backup.

~John

 

[Cavannus]

In Europe, such electric cap lamp are used, with batteries on the belt:

Normal centered bulb is halogen and pilot bulb is classic incandescent.
Batteries can be still NiCD, lithium-ion,...
As written above, dual-filament bulb already exist.

As far as I know, no led is used in professional and explosive atmosphere certified use. Certification cost much money, so I think that as led technology is not mature, these compagny don't want to invest money for certifications which are not at all perennial.

Some "mine-like" cap lamps, as Speleotechnics FX series used for caving, have already some leds as pilot lighting. But they're not coal mine certified!

 

[VidPro]

another offhand link for miners lamps
http://www.li-ion.net/

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Cavannus,

As far as I know, no led is used in professional and explosive atmosphere certified use. Certification cost much money, so I think that as led technology is not mature, these compagny don't want to invest money for certifications which are not at all perennial.

It appears that Mica is offering certified lights with an LED as a back up lamp ( HL-800 ATEX ), and with an LED as the primary lamp ( ML-800 ATEX ).

Tom

 

[Lmtfi]

They needed more air - not more light. I imagine that most mine emergencies are the same. If you have air you can always hunker down and await rescue.

 

[Cavannus]

Thanks Tom for this information! I don't imagine this lamp used everyday in a mine (not durable enough, in terms of solidity and of cell capacity), but it seems usable for factories, etc.

 

[PeLu]

Most have a type of SLA battery,
with dual filimate bulbs.

No, only a minority. Most of them (worldwide) use NiXX wet cells, mostly NiCd. I also do have some NoFe cell powered ones. These cells were usually in the 10-13Ah range and 2 and 3 cell ones were available.
Yes, there were some two cell lead acid cells, but usually not sealed ones. They could be opened for refilling and adding water.
The two filament bulb was more common, but also the two bulb heads are not rare. The bulbs lasted forever if not longer...
Usual bulb was 1A/0.5A and 2.5V or 3.75V for the NiXX cells.
The best nes I had were from former German Democratic Republic.