Facts

• LED flashlights use LEDs instead of the normal incandescent bulb and have become increasingly popular in recent years. LEDs are much more efficient than the ordinary light bulbs and are also more durable and shock-resistant. They can withstand sharp knocks and rough handling that would normally break a traditional bulb.
  
  

Energy Efficiency

• One of the greatest features of LEDs lies in their energy efficiency. They typically use less battery power than normal bulbs and may last upwards of 100,000 hours. This may vary considerably depending upon how they are powered and the voltage that is being used.
  
  

History

• Shuji Nakamura of Nichia Chemical (now Nichia America) invented the first usable "white" LED in the early 1990s. The light is not really white. The LED emits blue light, but a micro-thin coating fluoresces when struck by the blue light and a white light is generated. This 2-way process made the earlier prototypes less efficient and also expensive. But with new innovations and advancements in technology, the flashlights have been gradually getting brighter and more affordable.
  
  

Power Source

• The battery is the most common power source for LED flashlights. The most commonly used batteries include lithium, button cell, alkaline and rechargeable lithium ion. Some flashlights function on solar power, while some may have an electrical generator built inside them. These are good for emergency situations when there are no batteries available.
  
  

Advantages

• The advantages of LED flashlights include more efficiency at lower power levels and longer battery life than the conventional flashlights. LED flashlights can also be electronically managed to give a constant light output as the batteries gradually die out. LEDs also do not change color as the battery output decreases, unlike the conventional light bulb.