New guy who knows nothing

Thats me! But I'd like to learn some things, thats why I'm here.
Normally I'm kicking around a few favorite outdoor sites. Plainsmans Cabin, The Campfire, Trapperman.com and a couple others. And one thing outdoorsmen need is light. So maybe someone could clear up a couple things for me. I'm confused about the difference between Xenon and LED lights. My everyday carry light is a PrinctonTec Blaster. The light output of that little unit impresses me, especially for having 2 AAA batteries. A friend is considering a Xenon light from Cabelas, however it requires Lithium batteries. I don't understand that. Also, I was of the impression that the strong suite of LED lights was battery life, buton the PrinctionTec site they tout the brightness. I don't believe that any of thier smaller unit require Lithium batteries, although I'd have to check more. I'm sooooooo confused... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

Xenon is the gas used in an incandescent light. it allows higher current by slowing down the vaporizing of the filament.Lithium batteries usually provide almost twice the voltage of an alkaline battery. LED lights don't have a filament but use an emitter that produces light as a side effect of current flow. A diodes function is as a one way gate. It blocks current flow in one direction and lets current flow with no restrictions the other direction LEDs prefer at least 3.6 vdc to operate while incands can operate at 1.5 but dim with less than that. Right now xenon incandescents are the lumen champs but just marginally and their battery life is measured in minutes,while normally LED lights runtimes are in hours. There are exceptions to the rule but generally LED have longer runtimes and color closer to white when compared to a filament light.

Welcome to CPF!

Xenon is a gas used to fill incandescent filament bulbs and is used to make them brighter.

LEDs are, well, visit Craig's site here and learn all about them!

With regards to batteries, your normal 1.5V AA and AAA batteries are usually Alkaline chemistry. Lithium chemistry batteries are a family of much more powerful batteries. I am not sure which type is being referred to in your post, but in general, if you say Lithium batteries here I guess people assume you are talking about CR123A Lithium Manganese Dioxide batteries which are 3V batteries used in high powered flashlights.

The 5mm LED was very much the long-runtime durable low output solution to may things.
Much of the discussion here centres around a group of "super" LEDs know as Luxeons. These come in three main types - 1W, 3W and 5W.
As LEDs get more powerful (more light output) we are finding that as they match the output of incandescent bulbs, the runtime is not significantly longer anymore.

High powered LEDs still offer some important advantages
1) They are vitually unbreakable and last far longer than a bulb.
2) They offer whiter, purer light and can come in other coloured light output too.
3) They can be fed electronically regulated power so that output can be maintained throughout the runtime of the batteries. They do not go all yellow and dim on low batteries - they often go into what we call "moon-mode" which allows the user to still have some light to find new batteries or whatever.

I hope this helps?

Al

Feel free to read my flashlight primer/buyer's guide found here:

http://flashlightreviews.home.att.net/buyers_guide.htm

This may help to answer a number of other questions you may have and is a good starting point.

Wow! Great info guys and I thank you. Lot more to this flashlight bit that I figured. In the past I've basicly been a Mag Light guy, AA and 3-d cell, but that little Blast got me thinking that I should investigate this a bit further. I can see a couple new lights in the future, but I'm not certain which ones, gotta dig around this cool site somemore!

This usually answers alot of newbie questions...

1) Output and runtime are inversely proportional if everything else is held constant. Meaning there is no flashlight currently available that runs off of AA cells that provides an output powerful enough to throw a beam 200 yards and is the size and weight of a mini-mag. Unless you consider a Laser pointer a flashlight.

2) Most people would be better served with a flood type light instead of a long beam, UNLESS they can clearly state how they NEED a long beam.

3) Nearly everybody ignores #2 and wants it anyway.


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif GregR

I'm confused as to why so many of the LED lights I'm looking at do NOT use Lithium batteries. Would not the led/lithium combo yield the "long run champ" so to speak?

Yes, BUT... Lithiums are less cost-effective than rechargeables, and they provide less max current than other chemistries

I'm also new here. I've heard of people overclocking computers before, but overclocking flashlights would have the people at overclockers.com with a smile on their face. I must say, I'm turning into a flashlight addict myself, specifically the LED/Luxeon flashlights. Many of the computer builders/overclockers use LED lights to light up their rigs, perhaps with the help of some of you here they could have the brightest computers in their state. Another hobby in which I'll flush hundreds of hard earned dollars down the toilet on flashlights I really don't "need" ... sigh.

stockwiz said: ...Another hobby in which I'll flush hundreds of hard earned dollars down the toilet on flashlights I really don't "need"

Actually, I stumbled onto this forum over 2 years ago when I wanted to find a single AA light that was reliable with long runtime for my daughter to take to the Philipines outback on a 1-month research trip (backpacking, no electricity and no access to fresh batteries).

I bought a CMG Infinity that worked perfectly and opened up a whole new world for me of flashlighting. Since then, I've bought a bunch of flashlights I didn't really "need" but I think my flash-a-holism has just about run its course. I haven't bought a new light in months, and none for myself in about a year.

But! Along the way, I've learned a ton about flashlights, batteries, etc. Its been very interesting and I've met some great people here on the forum. Just for fun, I'll summarize my favorite lights...all ones I've learned about on this forum.

Keychain: ARC AAA (great light, ground breaking, use it all the time)
Favorite: PT Attitude (covers 95% of my flashlight needs)
Bright spot with throw: UK 4AA AS2 (a wonderful light, compact, bright with great switch)
Camping: Infinity Blue-green or Infinity Ultra (loooong runtime and usefully bright)

Other lights I bought but don't use much:

PT Surge: REALLY BRIGHT 4AA light...but undependable
Photon II: Nice, indestructible keychain light but pricey batteries
Photon III: Cool features, but too easy to turn on by mistake w/pricey batteries
PT Tec40: Deforms my NiMHs (no springs in case)
Minimag w/BB400: Actually, a really great light, regulated output for 2 hrs. + smooth beam, compact, will digest Alkaines, Lithiums, NiMHs...any AA you can find. I just don't use it much (prefer the compact, plastic bodied PT Attitude).

There's a few more...but not that noteworthy.

I could have stopped with the ARC AAA, Attitude, UK AS2 and the Infinities...but I would have missed a lot of fun reading, researching and trying out lights. I'm not sorry.

Welcome, Tom. You are in a heap o' trouble now! But I see you're, already, getting the help you need.