How Does an LED Flashlight Work?

A flashlight is a portable light source that allows individuals to see what they are doing as they move about. How do they work and what components do they consist of? The main component is the housing which is normally a tube that holds all the parts together. All flashlights have some kind of switch which is the component that controls the electricity flow. The reflector is a piece of metal or plastic that is mounted around the lamp. A contact is the thin metal strip or spring that finishes the electrical contact. The lamp is a LED element or light source-tungsten filament. The lens is either glass or clear plastic which may help to magnify the lamp. The batteries are the power source that is used for the lamp.

Now that you know all of the components that make up the flashlight how do they all work together in order for the flashlight to work properly? By pushing the switch on it allows the contacts to finish the circuit between the batteries and the lamp. Once there is an electricity flow from the battery you will then see the LED element or filament in the lamp glow. Battery placement is always critical, as the electricity must have flow from the positive terminal of the battery, through or LED element to negative terminal of the batteries which will allow the LED or lamp to be energized.

Once the LED or filament begins to shine, it will produce a visible light that will reflect off the reflectors and away from the lens. The lens focuses, and sometimes will magnify the light which will produce a stable beam of light. LED flashlights are preferred by many customers as they have many features that traditional bulb flashlights do not: LED flashlights are able to encompass features such as larger lights and strobe light features. Strobe lights can be immensely helpful when the flashlight user in a situation that requires gaining the attention of those around them. The beam of light produced while using an LED flashlight is not only stable, but creates crisper beams of light produced by any alternate and battery powered light source.

When you press the off switch it will interrupt the electricity flow and will result in the flashlight powering down. It is important to turn the flashlight off when not in use, as this will save valuable power in the flashlight. Did you know that most flashlights have a lifespan of three to five hours of use before the batteries will become dead? On comparison, LED flashlights can last thirty times longer – up to one hundred hours of flashlight before it is time to replace the batteries.

Although a flashlight may seem as simple as an on switch and an off switch – there is much more coming with this combination of batteries, bulbs and metal or plastic casing. There is much more that occurs than an electrical current that occurs when we switch on the flashlight to help the user with situations that require a flashlight.