Characteristics of LEDs for flashlights. Repair and power increase

When purchasing or assembling new LED flashlights, you should definitely pay attention to the LED used. If you are purchasing a lantern only to illuminate a dark street, then there is a huge choice - choose any one with a bright white LED. But if you want to buy a portable lighting device with characteristics for more complex tasks, the important point here is the choice of the appropriate luminous flux, that is, the ability of the device to illuminate a large space with a powerful beam.

Main characteristics

LEDs are responsible for the quality of light that the flashlight emits. The stability of lighting depends on many characteristics, including current consumption, light flux and color temperature. Among the trendsetters, it is worth noting the company Cree; in its assortment you can find very bright LEDs for flashlights.

Modern pocket models are created using a single LED, the power of which reaches 1, 2, or 3 W. The indicated electrical characteristics are the properties of various LED models from well-known brands. The intensity of the light rays or luminous flux is an indicator that depends on the type of LED and the manufacturer. The manufacturer also indicates the number of lumens in the specifications.

This indicator directly correlates with the color temperature of the light. Light-emitting diodes can produce up to 200 lumens per watt and are produced today in different temperatures to glow: warm yellowish or cool white.

Lanterns with a warm white tint produce a pleasant light to the human eye, but they are less bright. Light with a neutral color temperature effectively allows the smallest elements to be seen. Cool white lighting is usually typical for models with a huge beam range, but can irritate the eyes during prolonged use.

If the temperature reaches approximately 50 °C, then the life of the crystal can be up to 200,000 hours, but this is not justified from an economic point of view. For this reason, many companies produce products that can withstand operating temperatures of up to 85 °C, while saving on cooling costs. If the temperature exceeds 150 °C, the equipment may completely fail.

The color rendering index is a qualitative indicator that characterizes the ability of an LED to illuminate a space without distorting the actual shade. LEDs for flashlights with a color rendering source characteristic of 75 CRI or more are a good option. An important element of the LED is the lens, thanks to which the angle of dispersion of the light fluxes is set, that is, the range of the beam is determined.

In any technical specification of an LED, the emission angle must be noted. For any of the models, this characteristic is considered individual and usually varies in the range from 20 to 240 degrees. High-power LED flashlights have an angle of approximately 120°C and generally include a reflector and an additional lens.

Although today we can see a strong leap in the production of high-power LEDs consisting of multiple crystals, global brands are still producing LEDs with lower power. They are produced in a small case that does not exceed 10 mm in width. In a comparative analysis, one can notice that one such powerful crystal has a less reliable circuit and dispersion angle than a pair of similar elements simultaneously in a single housing.

It would not be amiss to recall the four-pin “SuperFlux” LEDs, the so-called “piranha”. These flashlight LEDs have improved specifications. The piranha LED has the following main advantages:

1. the light flux is distributed evenly;
2. no need to remove heat;
3. lower price.

Types of LEDs

There are many flashlights with improved features available in the market today. The most popular LEDs are from Cree Inc.: XR-E, XP-E, XP-G, XM-L. Today the latest XP-E2, XP-G2, XM-L2 are also popular - they are mainly used in small flashlights. But, for example, Cree MT-G2 and MK-R LEDs from Luminus are widely used in huge models of search lights that can operate simultaneously from a pair of batteries.

In addition, LEDs are usually distinguished by brightness - there is a special code thanks to which you can sort LEDs by this parameter.

When comparing some diodes with others, it is worth paying attention to their dimensions, or rather, to the area of ​​the light-emitting crystals. If the area of ​​such a crystal is small, then it is easier to concentrate its light into a narrow beam. If you want to get a narrow beam from XM-L LEDs, you will need to use a very large reflector, which negatively affects the weight and dimensions of the housing. But with small reflectors on such an LED, a fairly effective pocket flashlight will come out.

Application area of ​​LEDs

Mostly, when choosing flashlights, consumers choose models with the maximum beam of light, but in many cases they do not need this option. In many cases, such equipment is used to illuminate a nearby area or an object that is no more than 10,000 m away. A long-range flashlight shines at 100 m, although in many cases with a rather narrow beam that poorly illuminates the surrounding area. As a result, when illuminating a distant object with such lighting devices, the user will not notice those objects that are located in close proximity to him.

Let's look at a comparison of the tonality of light produced by LEDs: warm, neutral and cold. When selecting the appropriate flashlight light temperature, the following important points must be taken into account: LEDs with a warm glow can minimally distort the color of the illuminated objects, but they have lower brightness than neutral-spectrum LEDs.

When choosing a powerful search or tactical flashlight, where the brightness of the device is an important point, it is recommended to select an LED with a cold spectrum of light. If a flashlight is needed for everyday life, tourism purposes, or for use in a head-mounted model, then proper color rendering is important, which means LEDs with warm light will be more advantageous. A neutral LED is the golden mean in all respects.

Not taking into account the cheapest flashlights, which only have a single button, many flashlights have a couple of operating modes, including strobe and SOS modes. The non-brand model has the following operating options: the highest power rating, medium power and “strobe”. In addition, the average power is basically equal to 50% of the highest brightness of the light, and the lowest is 10%.

Branded models have a more complex structure. Here you can control the operating mode using a button, rotating the “head”, turning the magnetic rings and a combination of all of the above.

Boruit heavy duty headlamp. For lighting during fishing, hunting and household work.

Suitable for various powers. The luminous efficiency of the device should not exceed 80 lm. You should also pay attention to the driver. Typically it is installed with an output capacitor. Some models have an amplifier. On average, their current consumption is 3 A.

If we consider sensitive modifications, then they have a voltage surge protection system installed. In order to understand the issue in more detail, it is necessary to consider specific models.

Circuits with capacitive capacitors

LED flashlight circuits with capacitors include wave filters. In this case, triggers are used on a semiconductor basis. As a rule, their output voltage does not exceed 20 V. Converters are used to reduce sensitivity. Drivers for models are installed with different throughputs. If we consider a 30 V LED, then it has a transceiver.

Using snubber capacitors

The LED circuit with a damping capacitor includes contact filters. In total, the models have two converters. The driver is connected to the LED through a winding. Some modifications have a compact transceiver. Most often it is used with an amplifier.

Characteristics of LED marked 530

These are universal for flashlights too. The characteristics of the devices indicate a high conductivity coefficient. LEDs are produced for 20 and 25 V. If we consider the first option, the luminous efficiency of the device is on average 60 lm. The color rendering coefficient in this case depends on the conductivity of the transceiver. For many models, the amplifier is used without a converter.

The current consumption of LEDs does not exceed 2.5 A. The turn-on time for models of this type is about 6 ms. If we consider 25 V LEDs, then they only use a pulse transceiver. Many models have one amplifier. The driver is connected using a converter. The luminous flux parameter is around 65 lm. The turn-on time for LEDs of this type is 7 ms.

LED 640 (LEDs for flashlights): characteristics, photos

The LED circuit of this series includes a phase-type converter. Filters are used to increase sensitivity. Amplifiers are most often used on a magnetic basis. The luminous efficiency parameter in the devices is 65 lm. It is also important to note that the current consumption does not exceed 4.2 A. The frequency deviation averages 4 Hz.

The service life of this type of LED is three years. The disadvantages of the devices include the low current conductivity of the drivers. Their brightness indicator is extremely low. Light output, as a rule, does not exceed 5%. These 6 volt flashlight LEDs work well.

Using LED 765

The 12V unit uses the specified flashlight LEDs. The 2014 specifications indicate an increased level of current consumption. this modification is equal to 45 lm. It is also important to note that the model is suitable for switching amplifiers. The driver in the device is used at 6.5 microns. Phase interference with these LEDs is not a problem.

Luminous efficiency averages 70 lm. The service life of the device does not exceed four years. The color rendering coefficient is 80%. The model is perfect for flashlights with regulators. In this case, the devices are connected via a contact adapter.

LED 840 circuit

These are compact and universal LEDs for flashlights. The characteristics of the model primarily indicate a high dispersion rate. Its pulsation coefficient reaches a maximum of 80%. The device turn-on time is 5 ms. According to experts, the model is excellent for 12 V flashlights. The amplifier in the device is of the absorbing type.

In total, the model has two drivers. The LED trigger is used with an adapter. To solve problems with heat loss, a capacitor is used as standard. The luminous efficiency of the presented model is 67 lm. The conductivity indicator does not exceed 10 microns. In this case, the current consumption is 0.3. The minimum permissible LED temperature is only -10 degrees. The model does not have an overheating protection system.

Characteristics of LED 827

Models with are suitable for the indicated LEDs for flashlights. The characteristics of the device indicate the presence of high-quality wired transceivers. The amplifiers of the model are installed in an open type. The device uses two capacitors in total. They do an excellent job of minimizing heat loss. The minimum permissible LED temperature is -15 degrees.

They are not suitable for 15V flashlights. The protection system in the device is used with filters. The model has a driver for 4.5 microns. Current consumption is no more than 4 A. The LED turn-on time is on average 6 ms. The pulsation coefficient of the model is 85%. Luminous efficiency, as a rule, does not exceed 50 lm.

LED 830

These flashlight LEDs are perfect for 10V devices. Their characteristics are quite good. The turn-on time is 5 ms, the luminous efficiency is 65 lm, and the current consumption is 3.3 A. The model uses a phase-type converter. According to experts, the model is not suitable for 15 V flashlights.

There is no transceiver in the indicated LED. The driver itself is installed with a conductivity of 4.5 microns. Problems with current rectification are solved thanks to capacitors. The pulsation coefficient of the model reaches a maximum of 90%. The service life of the presented device is three years. The minimum permissible LED temperature does not exceed -20 degrees.

Characteristics of LED series LB

The specified LED is suitable for 15 V flashlights. The characteristics of the model indicate an increased color rendering coefficient. The output voltage of the model is 15 V. The filter in the device is of the wave type. The driver in this case is connected via a conductor. The LED transceiver is used with an adapter. The capacitor is installed in an open type. The model has two triggers in total. In this case, the energy consumption is 2.5 A.

The luminous flux of the device reaches a maximum of 65 lm. The pulsation coefficient of the model is insignificant. Also, the disadvantages can be attributed to the low level of the minimum permissible temperature. A Chinese LED flashlight turns on in 4 ms. The model rarely has problems with current rectification. This model is not suitable for 10V flashlights. The LED does not have an overheating protection system. The frequency deviation of the model is 5 Hz. These Cree flashlight LEDs work great.

daylight

These LEDs for flashlights are produced with high-quality pulse-type amplifiers. In total, the model has two capacitors. The transceiver is standard wired type. It is also important to note that the maximum frequency deviation is 4 Hz. The current consumption of the LED does not exceed 3 A. The luminous flux of the device is 70 lm. The light output of the model is insignificant.

According to experts, the model is excellent for 12 V flashlights. The driver is directly connected via an adapter. On average, the turn-on time is 6 ms. The service life of the presented model is 5 years. The minimum permissible LED temperature is -15 degrees.

TB series (warm white light)

These are simple and inexpensive LEDs for flashlights. The characteristics of the device indicate that the color rendering coefficient of the model is low. It is also important to note that the output voltage is 8 V. The LED lifespan is three years. The transceiver of the modification is used with high sensitivity. In total, the model has two capacitors. According to experts, the device is not suitable for 10 V flashlights. The current consumption of the model is 2 A. The LED luminous flux reaches a maximum of 65 lm.

Problems with negative modulation are rare. The disadvantages include only a small conductivity parameter. Filters in the device are used only of the open type. The maximum frequency deviation of the LED reaches 5 Hz. To reduce the sensitivity, a trigger is used on the capacitor. The pulsation coefficient of the model is insignificant. To install the LED, a wire adapter is required.

Features of LED models of the LHB series (cold white light)

These LEDs have good characteristics. First of all, it is important to note that the color rendering coefficient is 80%. In this case, the service life is three years. The direct output voltage is 12 V. The turn-on time is 5 ms. In this case, the amplifier is used with an adapter. According to experts, problems with heat loss are rare. The model's capacitors are of the pass-through type.

Let's consider LED products, ranging from old 5 mm to super-bright high-power LEDs whose power reaches 10 W.

To choose the “right” flashlight for your needs, you need to understand what kinds of LED flashlights there are and their characteristics.

What diodes are used in flashlights?

High-power LED lights started with 5mm sensor devices.

LED flashlights in completely different designs, from pocket to camping, became widespread in the mid-2000s. Their price has dropped noticeably, and the brightness and long service life of a single battery charge have played their role.

5mm white ultra-bright LEDs consume 20 to 50 mA of current, with a voltage drop of 3.2-3.4 volts. Luminous intensity – 800 mcd.

They perform very well in miniature keychain flashlights. The small size allows you to carry this flashlight with you. They are powered either by “mini-pen” batteries or by several round “tablets”. Often used in flashlight lighters.

These are the types of LEDs that have been installed in Chinese lanterns for many years, but their life is gradually coming to an end.

In search lights with a large reflector size, it is possible to mount dozens of such diodes, but such solutions are gradually fading into the background, and the choice of buyers falls in favor of flashlights with powerful Cree-type LEDs.

These flashlights operate on AA, AAA batteries or rechargeable batteries. They are inexpensive and inferior both in brightness and quality to modern flashlights with more powerful crystals, but more on that below.

In the further development of flashlights, manufacturers have gone through many options, but the market for quality products is occupied by flashlights with powerful matrices or discrete LEDs.

What kind of LEDs are used in high-power flashlights?

Powerful flashlights mean modern flashlights of various types, ranging from those the size of a finger to huge search flashlights.

In such products, the Cree brand is relevant in 2017. This is the name of an American company. Its products are considered one of the most advanced in the field of LED technology. An alternative is LED from the manufacturer Luminus.

Such things are significantly superior to LEDs from Chinese lanterns.

What Cree LEDs are most commonly installed in flashlights?

Models are called consisting of three or four characters, separated by a hyphen. So diodes Cree XR-E, XR-G, XM-L, XP-E. Models XP-E2, G2 are most often used for small flashlights, while XM-L and L2 are very versatile.

They are used starting from the so-called. EDC flashlights (everyday carry) range from small flashlights smaller than the palm of your hand to large, serious search flashlights.

Let's look at the characteristics of high-power LEDs for flashlights.

Name	Cree XM-L T6	Cree XM-L2	Cree XP-G2	Cree XR-E
Photo
U, V	2,9	2,85	2,8	3,3
I, mA	700	700	350	350
P, W	2	2	1	1
Operating temperature, °C
Luminous flux, Lm	280	320	145	100
Illumination angle, °	125	125	115	90
Color rendering index, Ra	80-90	70-90	80-90	70-90

The main characteristic of LEDs for flashlights is luminous flux. The brightness of your flashlight and the amount of light that the source can provide depends on it. Different LEDs, consuming the same amount of energy, can differ significantly in brightness.

Let's look at the characteristics of LEDs in large floodlight flashlights :

Name
Photo
U, V	5,7; 8,55; 34,2;	6; 12;	3,6	3,5
I, mA	1100; 735; 185;	2500; 1250	5000	9000...13500
P, W	6,3	8,5	18	20...40
Operating temperature, °C
Luminous flux, Lm	440	510	1250	2000...2500
Illumination angle, °	115	120	100	90
Color rendering index, Ra		70-90	80-90	80-90

Sellers often do not indicate the full name of the diode, its type and characteristics, but an abbreviated, slightly different alphanumeric marking:

• For XM-L: T5; T6; U2;
• XP-G: R4; R5; S2;
• XP-E: Q5; R2; R;
• for XR-E: P4; Q3; Q5; R.

The flashlight may be called “EDC T6 Flashlight”, there is more than enough information in such brevity.

Flashlight repair

Unfortunately, the price of such flashlights is quite high, as are the diodes themselves. And it is not always possible to purchase a new flashlight in case of a breakdown. Let's figure out how to change the LED in a flashlight.

To repair a flashlight, you need a minimum set of tools:

• Soldering iron;
• flux;
• solder;
• screwdriver;
• multimeter

To get to the light source you need to unscrew the head of the flashlight; it is usually attached to a threaded connection.

In diode test or resistance measurement mode, check that the LED is working properly. To do this, touch the black and red probes to the LED terminals, first in one position, and then swap the red and black ones.

If the diode is working properly, then in one of the positions there will be low resistance, and in the other - high. This way you determine that the diode is working and conducts current in only one direction. The diode may emit faint light during testing.

Otherwise, there will be a short circuit or high resistance (open) in both positions. Then you need to replace the diode in the flashlight.

Now you need to unsolder the LED from the flashlight and, observing the polarity, solder in a new one. Be careful when choosing an LED, consider its current consumption and the voltage for which it is designed.

If you neglect these parameters, in the best case the flashlight will quickly dry up, in the worst case the driver will fail.

A driver is a device for powering an LED with stabilized current from different sources. Drivers are manufactured industrially for power supply from a 220 volt network, from a car electrical network - 12-14.7 volts, from Li-ion batteries, for example, size 18650. Most powerful flashlights are equipped with a driver.

Increasing the power of the flashlight

If you are not satisfied with the brightness of your flashlight or you have figured out how to replace the LED in a flashlight and want to upgrade it, before buying heavy-duty models, study the basic principles of LED operation and the limitations in their operation.

Diode matrices do not like overheating - this is the main postulate! And replacing the LED in a flashlight with a more powerful one can lead to this situation. Pay attention to models in which more powerful diodes are installed and compare them with yours; if they are similar in size and design, change them.

If your flashlight is smaller, additional cooling will be required. We wrote more about making radiators with our own hands.

If you try to install such a giant as the Cree MK-R into a miniature keychain flashlight, it will quickly fail from overheating and it will be a waste of money. A slight increase in power (a couple of watts) is acceptable without upgrading the flashlight itself.

Otherwise, the process of replacing the brand of LED in a flashlight with a more powerful one is described above.

Police lights

Such lanterns shine brightly and can act as a means of self-defense. However, they also have problems with LEDs.

How to replace the LED in a Police flashlight

The wide range of models is very difficult to cover in one article, but general recommendations for repairs can be given.

1. When repairing a flashlight with a stun gun, be careful, preferably use rubber gloves to avoid electric shock.
2. Flashlights with dust and moisture protection are assembled on a large number of screws. They differ in length, so make notes from where you unscrewed this or that screw.
3. The optical system of the Police flashlight allows you to adjust the diameter of the light spot. When disassembling the body, make marks on the position in which the parts were before removal, otherwise it will be difficult to put the unit with the lens back.

Replacing the LED, voltage converter unit, driver, and battery is possible using a standard soldering kit.

What kind of LEDs are used in Chinese lanterns?

Many products are now purchased on Aliexpress, where you can find both original products and Chinese copies that do not correspond to the stated description. The price for such devices is comparable to the price of the original.

In a flashlight that claims a Cree LED, it may not actually be there; at best, there will be a diode of a frankly different type, at worst, one that will be difficult to distinguish from the original in appearance.

What might this entail? Cheap LEDs are made in low-tech conditions and do not produce the declared power. They have low efficiency, which is why they have increased heating of the case and crystal. As has already been said, overheating is the worst enemy for LED devices.

This happens because when heated, the current through the semiconductor increases, as a result of which the heating becomes even stronger, the power is released even more, and this avalanche-like leads to breakdown or breakage of the LED.

If you try and spend time searching for information, you can determine the originality of the product.

LatticeBright is a Chinese LED manufacturer that makes products very similar to Cree, probably a coincidence of design thought (sarcasm).

On the substrates these clones look like this. You can notice the variety of shapes of LED substrates produced in China.

Counterfeits are made quite skillfully; many sellers do not indicate this “brand” in the product description and where the LEDs for flashlights are produced. The quality of such diodes is not the worst among Chinese junk, but it is also far from the original.

Installing an LED instead of an incandescent lamp

Many people have horse races or incandescent lamps collecting dust in old things, and you can easily turn it into LED. For this, there are either ready-made solutions or homemade ones.

Using a broken light bulb and LEDs, with a little ingenuity and solder, you can make a great replacement.

In this case, an iron barrel is needed to improve heat removal from the LED. Next you need to solder all the parts to each other and secure with glue.

When assembling, be careful - avoid shorting the leads; hot glue or heat shrink tubing will help with this. The central contact of the lamp must be unsoldered - a hole will form. Pass the resistor lead through it.

Next you need to solder the free lead of the LED to the base, and the resistor to the central contact. For a voltage of 12 volts, a 500 Ohm resistor is needed, and for a voltage of 5 V – 50-100 Ohms, for power supply from a Li-ion 3.7V battery – 10-25 Ohms.

Selecting an LED for a flashlight is much more difficult than replacing it. It is necessary to take into account a lot of parameters: from brightness and dispersion angle to heating of the case.

In addition, we must not forget about the power supply for the diodes. If you master everything described above, your devices will shine for a long time and with high quality!

Over the course of a long time, I have used a great variety of LED headlamps, energy-saving lamps, high-power flashlights, compact flashlights, underwater flashlights, and all sorts of backup light options, gaining a lot of experience in their practical use. In this article I will try to tell you which flashlights I chose, I will try to briefly explain what types of flashlights there are, what light sources there are, how to understand the labeling of LEDs, which batteries are better to choose and why. It should be noted that I am not a fan of flashlights; they interest me solely from the point of view of practicality and convenience. I will not chase an extra 10% of light power by buying a fashionable flashlight for $200; I will prefer to choose one that shines 10% weaker, but at the same time ten times cheaper. Let's start with the basic concepts.

What LEDs are used in flashlights

Since my goal is not to reveal the entire range of light sources that are used in flashlights, I will focus on the main, most popular sources, LEDs. I think I won’t be mistaken if I say that today more than 90% of flashlights produced are LED flashlights. Therefore, we will discard incandescent lamps and gas-discharge lamps as ineffective for our purposes.

What kind of LEDs can be found in tourist lanterns and lamps?

The most popular LED manufacturer, Cree, divides its products into two types. These are powerful LEDs, under the general name XLamp and super bright ( High-Brightness). They differ in power consumption; the first group includes LEDs with a permissible current value of 350 mA and higher. Ultra-bright ones are designed for lower operating current, on average 30-50 mA. I would include COB LEDs in the third group; this is a relatively new technology that allows several light-emitting crystals to be placed in one housing. The advantage of this technology is the relative cheapness of such elements, since each element does not require a separate housing and does not need to be soldered separately. The downside is that the energy efficiency of placing several crystals in one housing has not improved, but the area of ​​the emitting surface has increased, which is critical for powerful long-range flashlights; a larger light source is more difficult to focus.

These are all surface-mount diodes; they are installed on a thermally conductive substrate. There are also indicator-type LEDs, on legs, which are mounted in holes on the board (since there is no problem with heating). They have a fairly low brightness, but at the same time they are extremely low-power (below 25 mA), which allows them to be used in those lanterns and lamps for which it is not the brightness that is critical, but the operating time.

Now I will try to explain with examples what types of diodes are used for what purposes, and will also tell you how to decipher the names of LEDs.

What makes the LED glow? A little about drivers

Two parameters are important for LED operation - operating voltage and current. The operating voltage of an LED is sometimes called "voltage drop". This means that after our LED passes through, the voltage in the circuit will be less by exactly the amount of this “drop”. If we supply 6 volts of power to an LED, which has a voltage drop of 3.7 V, then it will consume them, and the device connected after it in the same circuit will receive 2.3 volts. But the most important thing for us: LEDs care about current, not voltage.

He will take as much voltage as he needs, but he will try to absorb all the current. If your power supply can output 100 amps, the LED will draw current until it burns out. The operation scheme is simple: the LED consumes current and heats up as a result. When the LED heats up, the resistance of the LED drops, which means more current can pass through it, it heats up even more, the resistance drops even more, and so on. If you do not limit the current, the LED will simply burn out. Therefore, there must be a limiting element in the LED power circuit.

In general, in series with the LED, we need to install a current limiter, a “neck” through which more will not pass than our LED can absorb. This element is called "driver". The simplest driver is a resistor. It is used in those circuits where there is no brightness adjustment and the power supply voltage does not fluctuate.

More complex drivers are able to stabilize the operating voltage at the level of the LED voltage drop, and also regulate the current strength, thereby changing the brightness of the light. The driver is also responsible for the various lighting modes of the flashlight (flashing light, SOS, etc.).

It must be said that the brightness and durability of the flashlight depends on the driver.

Using high-power Cree LEDs in flashlights

Let's start with Cree high-power LEDs, since most of the high-power flashlights you have to choose from will be built with Cree diodes. What do you need to know about these LEDs to choose the right one? The first is the manufacturing technology, such as the XM-L and XM-L2. With the same power of 10W and maximum current, the XM-L LED will produce a luminous flux of 1000 lm, and the Cree XM-L2 will produce almost 1200 lm.

However, in the marking of diodes the so-called brightness bin. During manufacturing, technological variations are possible, so each batch of LEDs is sorted by brightness and color shade of white. The brightest diodes are sold more expensive, less bright - cheaper. Cree's brightness marking goes from bin J - this is approximately 30 lumens at a current of 350 mA, to bin U2 - more than 300 lumens at the same current.

What else is important? The hue of the light emitted. The main sources of light in nature are heated bodies. Therefore, initially the spectrum of visible radiation, which depends on the heating temperature, measured in Kelvin, is called the term “color temperature”. In the description of LED flashlights that can be bought on Aliexpress, you rarely see an indication of color temperature; usually the terms “Warm white”, “White” and “Cool white” are used, which means “warm white”, “white” and “cold” white". From personal experience I can say that in most cases it is worth choosing cool white. I compared in camping conditions, in the summer, while fishing. With the same brightness of the glow in a beam of cold white light, the picture turns out to be more contrasting and more detailed.

That is, if we need the brightest flashlight, then we should choose a flashlight based on the XM-L2 LED with a brightness bin of U2 and a cool white tint.

For example, here is a table of the color temperature of natural light sources.

Okay, we chose the LED flashlight. Powerful, bright. The question remains: what will we feed it with? The Cree xm-l2 LED in maximum mode consumes 3A, and in normal mode 700 mA at 2.85 volts, it is usually powered by 18650 lithium batteries, the maximum capacity of the most expensive ones is 3700 mAh at a voltage of 3.7 volts. Thus, under ideal conditions (if we do not take into account the driver efficiency), our flashlight will operate for only 96 minutes at maximum brightness or about 6 hours at normal brightness from the most expensive battery.

And here the question arises: will six hours of flashlight operation be enough for one fishing trip? Does it make sense to spend five dollars on one battery, which will last for 6 hours of not very bright light, or is it better to order a flashlight that is less bright, but longer lasting? Do we need a flashlight of such crazy brightness (and 1200 lumens is the brightness of a 100W incandescent lamp), or is half enough? This is where we begin to consider other types of LEDs in flashlights, for example XR-C, XR-E, XP-C or XP-E, which, although they produce a smaller brightness bin during operation, are much less power-hungry. I will not describe the characteristics of these LEDs; you can easily find them in search engines. Below, in the descriptions of the flashlights, I will mention which LEDs I used and for what.

Flashlight Small Sun ZY-A21

I bought it as a good long-range flashlight powered by nickel AA or 14500 lithium batteries. At first I was very pleased with the brightness, but the manufacturer let me down: he installed the wrong driver. A couple of years after purchase, the flashlight began to blink, I took it apart, measured the voltage and current. It turned out that the driver in maximum mode delivers a current of 2.1 A, and in “half” mode 1.1 A, with a maximum allowable current of 1A for the installed Cree XR-E LED. This increased the brightness of the glow, but greatly reduced the service life of the diode, which eventually turned black.

Taking advantage of the fact that Aliexpress has LEDs, I ordered an XP-L LED instead of the XR-E, which can easily handle 3 amps. The only thing, as I already said, was in vain that I ordered warm white. Should have ordered cold.

What happened as a result: the brightness increased greatly, both in maximum and half mode. But due to the different shape and size of the LED, the size increased and the clear boundary of the light spot disappeared, since the flashlight reflector was designed for the “lensed” XR-E. The range remains the same: high brightness compensates for defocusing. A huge plus is that the LED operates in a gentle mode and now the flashlight will last for a very long time.

Overall thought: I very rarely use this flashlight for its intended purpose. Mostly it stays at home in case of a power outage. For those who need to shine far and brightly, it would be more suitable. For example, a security guard of a large area to show who is walking around at the other end of the hangar, and, if necessary, to hit the villain in the head with it. When fishing, in 99% of cases a headlamp is enough.

Due to its fragility, the A21 flashlight is no longer produced, and I would not recommend it. But with the XP-L diode it has every right to exist, so I will recommend two budget flashlights from a trusted manufacturer, of the same design, with XP-L and XM-L diodes (the first is brighter, but a couple of dollars more expensive).

Headlamps from Aliexpress

Fishing headlamps are an irreplaceable thing, so I have five of them. Firstly, I rarely go fishing alone. Secondly, a flashlight for a fisherman or tourist is an essential item: you should always have two spare ones. And finally, the first flashlight was bought about fifteen years ago, when Cree LEDs were legendary, and flashlights with these diodes were bought by enthusiasts for a lot of money. By and large, there were no normal batteries back then, so the most important indicator for a headlamp was the operating time from one set of batteries. Let's start with it.

Economical headlamp with LED indicators

The most popular flashlight of the mid-2000s. I've seen versions with 3, 9, 12, 18 and even 24 LEDs. Crazy numbers of up to 500 lumens were written on the packages, but in fact the indicator LEDs have a brightness of about 2 lumens per unit. They had no height adjustment, no beam focusing, but they only weighed about 30 grams. At the same time, a huge plus is energy consumption, or rather, the lack thereof. The operating current of one diode, depending on the model, is up to 20 mA. The flashlight, forgotten in the bag and turned on at minimum brightness, was still glowing on the next fishing trip, a week later. At full brightness, another flashlight could work for two days in a row. Of course, it’s difficult to find such a grandfather now, but a flashlight can successfully replace it: an ultra-bright COB diode, at least a day of work at full brightness and up to a week of work in economy mode (using alkaline batteries). And all this joy is less than two dollars.

Another flashlight similar in ideology, with an important improvement: the ability to adjust the angle of inclination. COB is used instead of indicator LEDs, this greatly increases brightness, although it reduces operating time. The price is the same.

You definitely need to have one of these flashlights. I always have it in my car, in case I need to change a tire, fuse or check the oil level at night, or if the other lights get wet while fishing. Eneloop batteries are installed inside (in another article), they quietly hold a charge for more than a year.

A headlamp that stands the test of time

I bought two of them in 2011, when the first affordable Cree Q5 went on sale, I remember it cost me $16. This is a very serious lantern, with an adjustable beam, which can be used to illuminate fish when fishing, and hang it over the table at dinner. A set of batteries is enough for one night. There is a tilt adjustment and a comfortable strap. A good economical option at the current price.

I highly recommend this flashlight if you have several sets of AAA batteries that can be used in this flashlight. If not, read on.

Headlamp for Cree XM-L from Aliexpress

Headlamps with powerful LEDs, which actually replaced all my other flashlights. I bought the first one when I saw one on a friend's fishing trip. A huge reserve of brightness, in maximum mode it is used very rarely, but is indispensable when landing large fish: even a wide beam penetrates the water for several meters. For example, if you are standing on a cliff and landing a large catfish in a landing net with a four-meter handle, then you can see both the landing net itself and all the maneuvers of the fish under your control.

Was purchased complete with batteries and car charger. The big plus is that you can charge it right in the car. The downside is that I got the version with a slot for one battery. Now they sell a version with two batteries for the same money (about $7). Why do I recommend the dual battery version? Cree XM-L is a very powerful LED, up to 10 W in maximum mode. I bought 12 2600 mAh batteries, one battery lasts for an hour in maximum mode and three hours in economy mode. If you fish all night, the battery has to be changed. Two batteries (5200 mAh) would be enough for the night, and since the discharge current per cell would be half as much, this would increase the operating time by another 15 percent. And if necessary, two-cell flashlights can easily work with one battery, since The connection there is parallel. The weight of the extra battery can be ignored, since it is located on the back of the head and is not felt at all.

Flashlights, so I bought myself one, thinking I was done searching for the perfect flashlight for my needs. Be careful: after purchasing this flashlight, it is advisable to unscrew it and drip sealant into the threaded connection. This will protect you from a lens suddenly flying into the snow, which is very inconvenient to look for at night, but will allow you to disassemble the flashlight if necessary (I can’t imagine why, but you never know).

Just now, when I was taking photos of flashlights for this article, I noticed that the second flashlight contains not an XM-L, but an XP-E2. I was sure that there was XML and at first I was upset, but I remembered that in the fall I used both flashlights in the field in turn and did not notice any difference. Most likely because the XP-E2 has half the emitting surface area, due to which the beam is better focused. But it consumes three times less energy, i.e. will work three times longer. Perhaps this is truly the ideal flashlight: 12 hours at half brightness, 5 hours and a powerful thin beam at full, the optimal compromise between brightness and operating time.

Comparison of flashlight brightness on XP-L, XM-L and XP-E2

Final photo illustrating the previous text.

1. In the center is an XP-L V5 LED flashlight. As you'd expect, it produces the most light. However, the shade - warm white - softens the picture. Due to the use of the wrong LED in the flashlight for which it was designed, the beam is not clearly focused, the light spot has blurry edges.
2. On the left is a flashlight with an XM-L T2 diode, cool white. Not as bright, but perfectly focused. The picture is more contrasty.
3. On the right is the flashlight on the XP-E2. The light spot is smaller, the focus is excellent, the brightness is also decent.

Draw your own conclusions. At the moment, I use the third flashlight most often.