Colored LED Runtimes?

Thanks to all who provided helpful suggestions to an earlier inquiry about a red LED flood. I am now 2/3 of my way toward redlight nirvana (not seeking a district of paid female companionship btw...): (1) Peak Matterhorn 1 LED 1xAAA for close-in unobtrusive, night-vision preserving reading, (2) Peak McKinley 7 LED 1x123CR for bright mid-range spot or close-in flood with homemade diffuser, and awaiting receipt of (3) MiniStar Luxeon mod for MiniMag with diffusing lens as a flood for walking trails at night.

But on to my question: I've looked for but can't find any hard data about runtimes for colored LED's in available flashlights. Everyone tests the white but never the others. I have read vague remarks such as "ought to be able to get up to 8 times longer runtimes with the red" or manufacturers claims of lumens and runtimes on items such as the Inova 24/7 that suggest a marked advantage to the monochromatic side of the world, but nothing that seemed definitive. So I am asking:

1. Are lumens ratings for colored LED's really comparable to the sensitivity of the human eye to different portions of the visible spectrum? In other words, are they biased in the same way as our eyes?

2. Are there any runtime data floating out there for various colored LED's, particularly in comparison to white LED's in the same or similar light?

Thanks in advance for any ideas or data.

- Bill

Im not an expert, but lm are computed from CIE photopic curve, so the lm rating for red leds are matched with human perception.

I dont have runtimes for red leds, but they run at lower Vf than blues and whites ones, so is supposed they last longer. I believe that 8x the runtime of white is excessive, but at less 2x (as run at half volts).

Kinnza said:

...lm rating for red leds are matched with human perception.

...I believe that 8x the runtime of white is excessive, but at less 2x (as run at half volts).

Click to expand...

Thank you Kinnza. Red runs at half the volts? That would explain why Inova X5 uses only 1xCR123a for red version instead of two, but what about others - if they have step-up circuitry as in Peaks, do they step up less? And why the lower voltage? Applies only to red??? Just wondering and asking dumb questions...

- Bill

I performed a rather extensive run time test on the white infinity Ultra, the white infinity task light, the red infinity task light, and the yellow infinity task light. I had exactly the same question about colored LED runtimes and all I can tell you for absolute certain is on the following link.

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=73575