new noob here, just have a questions~~

hello, everyone. im Raina, the new around here. hope to get well a long with you guys

As this is my first time to log in the Candlepowerforums, actually i have a lot of questions, but its hard for me to look over all the threads.

so here is the first question:

Whats the advantages of the Led lights to normal lights???

I just noticed that there are a lot of guys talking about the LED light recently

I will appreciate for everyone's help

Well, LEDs are one of three main electric light sources, incan, HID(high intensity discharge) are the other two. LEDs used to be a novelty light source for backlighting until the development of the XR-E 7090 by Cree in 2007, and concurrently the development of the Luxeons by Philip. LEDs have progressed very fast over the past 5 years, now they are capable of 160 lumens/watt and over 4000 lumens in a single die chip. They are very suitable for use in flashlight applications because the Vf is reasonably low (no need for ballasts), the LEDs are physically small, efficient, power to LED can be varied and it will take PWM drive.

Incans are the other main light sources, you find this in those 2D maglites you have lying around. Often mistaken as dim but "hotwires" certainly are not. Development has stalled the past few decades but recently different halogen fill gases, infrared reflecting envelopes were developed.

HIDs are almost non-existant outside of CPF, but you can find them everywhere and they are the world's oldest electric light source (over 200 years old), from the high pressure sodium vapour lights used in street lighting to the massive floodlights you see in stadiums(some cpfers have those). They tend to have the most output and the most throw but are bulky.

Oh and welcome to cpf by the way!

Also LEDs are a lot more resistant to shock than the traditional glass incandescent; so when you drop a torch, it's less likely to break.

It's only fairly recently that LEDs have generated enough light to be a serious contender, and now they are starting to outstrip your "average" incan torch, and prices are dropping. Relatively speaking, LEDs chew through a lot less power than an incan. And with the right driver (circuit supplying power), you can get the exact same amount of light output throughout the battery life, all the way from brand-spanking-new down to near dead. None of the old "gradual fade to nothing". That said, I'm sure there probably exists similar stuff in the incan world, it's just not in your average every-day torch.

The only fully regulated incan flashlight i am aware of is the Surefire A2. It is true about incans been less efficient, they range from 16 to 50 lumen/watt versus the 90-100 lumen/watt of LEDs at max drive currents. LEDs are therefore the most feasible for every day use, but if absolute power is what you require, HIDs are your only option.

yifu said:

The only fully regulated incan flashlight i am aware of is the Surefire A2. It is true about incans been less efficient, they range from 16 to 50 lumen/watt versus the 90-100 lumen/watt of LEDs at max drive currents. LEDs are therefore the most feasible for every day use, but if absolute power is what you require, HIDs are your only option.

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What kind of incan does 50 lumens/watt?

The_Driver said:

What kind of incan does 50 lumens/watt?

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There are many, from the double ended halogens made by General Electric to the more specialty bulbs such as the Carley FM1794, Allen bulbs like the 1185 etc all have efficiencies in the 40s.

Ok, I didn't know that. I always thought that the best ones were around half that .