It’s time for the Holidays again. Inevitably, the lights have to go up on the house, tree and whatever other creative places you can think to put them. As technology has advanced, you notice the use of much brighter LED bulbs versus grandma’s traditional strings of lights that need to be replaced every other year. So, what are LED lights, why are they so bright and how do they last so long and how are they different from other flashlights?
LED’s are semiconductor diodes that typically emit a single wavelength of light when charged with electricity. In English, more or less, this means electronic thingies using crystals where current flows only in one direction. And that’s as technical as we’re gonna get around here. However, you can find these technological marvels at Working Person’s Store when you are searching through our flashlight selection. Specifically, Pelican Flashlights, Surefire Flashlights or Streamlight Flashlights are great examples of the use of LED bulbs.
These Light Emitting Diodes (you wondered when we’d get to what LED meant?) used to only give off red light, but today, several colors can be generated based on the crystal material used for the tips of the probes. Indium gallium nitride (InGaN) is used for green and blue, for example. With the addition of phosphor, it can emit white light. White light can also be produced through a mix of red, blue and green LEDs.
Since these guys don’t use filaments to burn out, they last longer than incandescent bulbs, degrading gradually rather than just crashing. And their life is not shortened by being turned on and off.
The biggest advantage to LED bulbs is their energy efficiency. While incandescent bulbs dissipate about 80% of their energy in heat, LED bulbs convert about 80% of their electrical energy for light. So flashlights, which use only batteries for power and are held in your hands, are a perfect place for these light sources. Hey, some LED’s are projected to last 100,000 hours. Good chance you’ll quit before they do!
