Flashlights are equipped with heavy duty flashlight bulbs which come in various types. The bulb is a very important part of a flashlight since it’s the part responsible of giving out light. Advanced technology flashlights use natural gases to produce different types of lighting. Finding the right type of bulb is important in maintaining the life of your flashlight. There are three primary types of bulbs; LED, fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.
LED flashlight bulbs are the type that has longer lifespan compared to other types. An LED or light emitting diode was first used commercially in United States in the year 1962 but it was invented in Russia some time in 1920s. This type of bulb uses less energy and produces less heat making them very efficient. Since it consumes less power, it can be used longer. It is a durable type also. It is not that fragile and is more resistant to shock so even when you accidentally drop your LED flashlight, it doesn’t mean that you can’t use it anymore. Using the same amount of energy, LED bulbs provide brighter light compared to an incandescent bulb. It can reach its full brightness in an instant rather than having to warm up like some bulbs. However, it also has its major disadvantage which is the price. It is usually a little bit more costly compared to traditional lighting.
Fluorescent flashlight bulbs are energy savers also. They are widely used by many people around the globe; in homes, schools and offices. This type of lighting is also said be more efficient than incandescent bulbs. It also uses less energy making it better for the environment and helps minimize greenhouse gases. The major disadvantage of this bulb is that it contains a small amount of mercury which can be harmful to humans. Given this, the bulb should be handled carefully to avoid breaking it. It is also not advisable to be used outdoors because vast temperature change may affect its functionality.
Incandescent flashlight bulbs are the most common type of bulb available and the most commonly used bulb. This type includes standard, xenon, krypton and halogen as the subtypes. Standard flashlight bulbs are the cheapest among all other bulbs but it does not produce much light among them as well. Xenon flashlight bulbs are considered as the advanced result of consistent study and development in terms of lighting. This type of incandescent bulb was created to compete with other bulbs that are very efficient. This bulb also uses less power while providing a very bright light and its lifespan is approximately between 6, 000 to 20, 000 hours of usage. Krypton flashlight bulbs use the noble gas Krypton to produce a high-output light. Krypton bulb produces a yellowish colored light compared to LED bulbs but it is more efficient than halogen filled bulbs since it does not produce much heat in order to light up. Although halogen bulbs are less efficient compared to other specialty bulbs, they are still considered more efficient over standard incandescent bulbs. They produce a bright white light and they provide a constant output for a long period of time.
Finally, HID (High Intensity Discharge) flashlight bulbs are said to be the most efficient choice when it comes to lighting. Like the other bulbs mentioned HID bulbs are also efficient but they have the longest lifespan of all types of bulbs. The downfall of these bulbs and flashlights is that they are very expensive when compared to the alternatives, but they are by far the best performing in toughness, life, and amount of quality light they are able to throw.
These flashlight replacement bulbs have their own strengths and weaknesses in terms of efficiency and cost. The above mentioned flashlight bulbs are just some of the commonly used type that you can choose from. Of course choosing a flashlight bulb depends on your lighting needs.