LEDs - Gallium Indium Nitride UV, violet, purple, blue, aqua, turquoise, green, white. Also Gallium Arsenide and others. New LED MUSEUM! GaN, InGaN, SiC, GaAs, GaP, GaAlP, ZnSe, flashlight, flashlights.

TESTING METHODOLOGY
Testing of flashlights for The Punishment Zone consists of a number of discrete steps, each designed to place the sample in an abusive environment, to measure it using known physical parameters, and to determine how usable the unit might be once it ends up in the hands of a real consumer.

These steps are:

Examine the light and the packaging it came in. Note any difficulties I had in removing the light or any of its accessories from the package. Note whether or not it came with batteries.
At this time, I've already opened a template and begun constructing the flashlight's web page.
Install the batteries, and attempt to operate the light without referring to any instructions first. This determines how much difficulty a typical consumer might have if they also fail to read the instructions, or if the instructions are disposed of, crushed out on the carpet like a cigerette, fall in the toilet and are then disposed of in the garbage can or by flushing, or become lost.
Loose accessories included in the same package, such as split rings or lanyards, are also installed at this point, and note is taken of any difficulties I had beyond the ordinary. If the unit turns into a pile of loose parts when opened, this is also noted. When possible, the packaging is preserved for future reference.
The steps needed for correct battery installation are recorded for future reference, and for the benefit of website visitors.
Measure the light output while the batteries are still new. This is done by holding or mounting the light so the LEDs are aligned with a precalibrated bar located exactly 12" from the face of the light sensor, and recording the resulting figure(s). A Tektronix J-16 photometer is used to take this measurement. A Wavetek Meterman LM631 light meter has been in use since mid-2002, and it performs the same duties the Tektronix model does.
Take the flashlight's picture. Say cheese!!
Typically, this would include one photo of the flashlight itself, and a second shot of the light in my hand, which is usable as a general reference to its physical size. Sometimes, a third picture is taken of the light's bezel (head) for inclusion on its web page.
Photograph the light's radiation field on a precalibrated test target. Most lights tested need only one picture of this; however if there are any unusual beam characteristics, I'll adjust the camera exposure to a lower and/or higher value and take another picture or pictures so these artifacts can be seen in the photograph. I may also take an additional picture from ~10 feet away if the flashlight uses a Luxeon Star LED and is touted to "throw" far away. I don't have access to an outdoor "testing range", so I cannot take any outdoor photographs. And if the flashlight uses a "rear-firing" mechanism and produces a square beam, I'll take another photograph showing this square shape, underexposing the photograph if necessary.

Beam photographs on this target are taken at 12", and the markings on the target itself are exactly 1" apart.
Take a spectrographic analysis, using the Ocean Optics USB2000 Spectrometer on loan from WWW.TWO-CUBED.COM.
Mount the light to a carrier and fire up the ProMetric beam profile analyser and start taking readings. This analysis will display all aspects of the light's beam, highlighting various defects, rings, and other artifacts. This instrument is also capable of taking more standard photometric measurements as well, which will be posted with the ProMetric's chart on each light's page. This will not eliminate the need to take the measurement with the Tektronix photometer; but is intended to augment it. The ProMetric will also not replace the traditional beam photograph, as it records its images in black & white and/or false color; while the traditional picture will be used to show how you might see the beam with your own eyes.

A seperate computer system will be running specifically for the ProMetric and for a recording meter that gets used later on in testing.
Closely examine the sample(s). This examination is to note the overall fit & finish, and to note any features like split ring attachment points, knurling or texturing, note how the switch operates, the material(s) the flashlight is made from, note the LED lamp (to see if there's anything different about it than in other products), examine the reflector and note whether or not it is actually useful, examine the battery contacts, check for the presence or absence of a catalyst pellet, and to examine it for anything else that would be deemed noteworthy.

Unusual characteristics or special features are noted and/or photographed at this point for inclusion on the web page.
For flashlights that aren't specifically marked or sold as "fragile" or "not impact-resistant" and do not look delicate, conduct the first series of drop tests. The first test is from chest high onto medium loop carpet over an unknown flooring material. Then the unit is dropped from the same height onto concrete, and any breakage is noted.

For "consumer level" testing I will wander around the test area with the lit flashlight in hand and purposefully run into doors or corners, being sure the flashlight is knocked to the floor. Lights with belt holsters are mounted, and then I purposefully get jammed in a metal framed doorway so the flashlight takes the brunt of the "accident". If the unit tears away or becomes broken, that is noted on the web page

Smaller to medium sized flashlights may also be left on chairs and then "accidentally" sat on.

If it happens to a flashlight in real life, I try to recreate the same type of occurance here.
Next comes the real abuse. I start by holding the light near the bottom of the barrel, and strike the head or bezel assembly against a concrete patio floor, and note any breakage. I then hold it by the bezel, and strike the side of the tailcap against the same target. The force used is "moderate", something a bit more than might be achieved by sombody spinning around in alarm and whapping their light against a rock face, metal doorway, car door, or other hard surface. The test is repeated until each part of the light has been struck five times, or until breakage occurs.

Flashlights marketed specifically as being "extremely tough" (Mag Lites, Tektite, Princeton Tec, etc.) may also be subject to an even more brutal version of this test, where I swing the light like a ball peen hammer and strike the concrete patio floor. They may also be run over with a 450 pound motorised wheelchair, or intentionally stomped on. Smaller metal lights tend to do well with this particular test.
Now, assuming I haven't destroyed the test sample (and very few actually are totally ruined by this), I turn the light on and immerse it in a tank of water (a sink or a cistern is typically used for this test) for a period of time. This can be anywhere from 1 minute to several days, depending on manufacturer's claims of water resistance. Lights that are clearly *not* water resistant generally aren't dunked, unless I am specifically asked to do that test.
When possible, lights are turned on and off while still submerged.
Flashlights or other products which were destroyed during or after testing will receive a () icon next to their listing on this website. This effectively acts like an () icon; in that I will no longer be able to perform additional testing or comparative analyses on the product.
Now I wait until darkness falls, and then try to use the flashlight for as many situations as I can get myself into. Such situations can include:
- Raiding the refrigerator; making a simple snack (sandwich, etc.) using only the flashlight.
- Reading a paper or reading a magazine.
- Wandering around the house without stubbing toes, breaking lamps, or stepping on squeaky little rat tails.
- Unclogging a sink or toilet (or pretending to do that) at 4am with only the test light.
- Looking for various objects (TV remote, other flashlights, cigerettes, etc.)
- From bed: Groping for the flashlight on the nightstand or floor and turning it on as quickly as possible. Note how easy or hard this is to do in total darkness.
- Attempting to change the unit's batteries in total darkness.
- Checking the breaker panel.
Some of the brightest lights are also tested by being mounted to the steering arm or front kick panel of my electric wheelchair and then going out at night to see how well they perform outdoors as a headlight, as shown in the following photograph:
Finally, many of the units will be "adopted" as a daily carry light, and then used in any situation calling for the use of a flashlight. This can go on for several months, and any breakage or malfunction that crops up would be noted in the "Updates" section of that light's web page.
Products (flashlights, lasers, etc.) which are "loaners" (sent by private individuals / fans of the website) are not subject to some of these tests, particularly those which could result in breakage. Most people who loan their lights for testing on this website want them returned in working order. These lights are shown in the pick list with (No longer have) in red lettering. Please do not e-mail me asking me to compare one of those to some other light - there is no way for me to re-test or compare what I don't have anymore. These are also marked with a red "X" in a yellow box when they're moved to their right place in the left-frame menu.
When time and instrument availability permits, run-time tests are performed at this point. This determines how long the batteries last if the unit were used in a full-time situation, such as the admittedly extreme case of nuclear winter or the slightly more likely scenario of being trapped someplace dark after a natural disaster.
All lights which aren't "loaners" are kept available for both future testing and to use for comparisons with other lights when somebody e-mails me asking to perform such a comparison. No test units are sold or given away, as doing so would eliminate the possibility of doing future comparisons with that sample. When a product is received for evaluation, it will not normally be returned unless found to be defective. This is to ensure the sample remains available for long-term testing or comparisons as needed.

Because of my very low disability stipend (net $4014.88 in 2001), this website is funded in part by ad revenue as I cannot afford to host it on my own. In two cases, the advertisement was made in exchange for the use of expensive equipment which is used for testing both LEDs and flashlights alike without prejudice.

The fact that the site needs some ad revenue to stay afloat has no bearing on how a light will "do". I've given some pretty terrible reviews to lights made by somebody with an advertisement here (check out the Avalanche headlamps if you don't believe me!) and I've given equally bad reviews to lights made by manufacturers who have no advertising.
NOTE: Advertising is confined to very specific, neutral areas of this website, and is NOT ALLOWED on any page containing a product review.

LEGEND FOR ICONS USED:

= New addition to website.

= Updated product or web page.

= Spectrometer has been used.

= ProMetric has been used.

= Battery runtime graph posted.

= Updated photograph(s).

= Movie of product available.

= Sound of product available.

= No longer have sample.

* = As above, but conditional:
please see the evaluation
the link points to.

= Lost/left behind in a move
I made on 10-11-04.

*   = As above, but conditional:
          please see the evaluation
          the link points to.

= Lost/left behind in a move
I made on 05-26-06.

*   = As above, but conditional:
          please see the evaluation
          the link points to.

= Out for loan.

= Manufacturer no longer makes lights.

= Destroyed during or after
testing. Just call me "The
Flashlight Destructor".

(PA) = Passaround (that I still have).

* NOT an ElektroLumens
product.

RATING SYSTEM:
Flashlights are tested and then eventually given a rating of 0 to 5 stars, in � star increments. 0 stars means the flashlight is a POS (piece of {vulgar term for feces}) and should not be purchased; while a 5-star light is essentially the best money can buy - it is virtually perfect in every way.

REALLY, REALLY not recommended!!!
A real "catbeat segment of poo-poo momma farker" (toilet words replaced with innocous ones - the correct acronym is PWPOSMF), and you should really be ashamed of yourself if you went out and bought a light with this rating.

(But not if you bought it before seeing this website!

)
Check the "Worst Of" list (the "Toylet Bowl" ratings) for several lights that earned (cough, sputter, sound of a wall-mounted porcelain urinator (pi**er) flushing) this rating.
Flashlights & other lighting products that became broken during testing when they should not have may also receive this rating.

Not recommended. Lousy construction, leaks like a sieve, fragile casing, explodes into hundreds of sharp little pieces all over the kitchen floor when dropped, intermittent operation/flickering, and other major issues. A flashlight with this rating has more problems than the Pope caught in the girl's locker room.

Recommended only for light duty or household use. Not exceptionally sturdy, not waterproof. May rattle like a pair of maracas when shaken, or break if struck sharply. Would handle minor household chores like going to the fusebox or looking through a closet.

Recommended for general purpose use. Flashlight is probably weather resistant, and is reasonably sturdy and bright enough to be truly useful. A flashlight with this rating may have some other flaws, but nothing that would cause the light to not function when needed.

Recommended to highly recommended. A flashlight receiving this rating should be proud of itself. Only minor issues like a whimpy lanyard, missing knurling, lack of spill light, lack of regulation, the need for expensive batteries, or the need for tools to change a battery would keep a 4-star light from being a 5-star light.

Highly recommended. Top of the line stuff. No flaws or defects found, bright, waterproof (submersible), and for all intents and purposes, indestructible. For metal lights, they should be hard anodized; for plastic lights, they should be very thick and have a grippy surface texture and have no brittle feel. They should not rattle when shaken, or break when thrown against the side of the house or stepped on. They should also be regulated; but this is not an absolute necessity for larger flashlights. The 5-star flashlight should also have a real switch, not a twist-to-light bezel mechanism that uses a metal strap to dig into solder traces on a PCB. A light that has both, or has a non-destructive twist-on mechanism would still be a candidate.

NEED BATTERIES FOR ALL THOSE FLASHLIGHTS?
CheapBatteries.com (http://www.cheapbatteries.com) sells virtually any battery you might need for flashlights reviewed on this site. Prices are fair, and even better if you can buy a bunch of them at once. However, it appears you can only buy here if you own a credit card. No provisions for paying by cash or checks was listed anywhere on the site.

WWW.CHEAPBATTERIES.COM

Do you manufacture or sell an LED flashlight, task light, utility light, or module of some kind? Want to see it tested by a real person, under real working conditions? Do you then want to see how your light did? If you have a sample available for this type of real-world, real-time testing, please contact me at ledmuseum@worldnet.att.net or send your potential victim to:

Craig Johnson
c/o The LED Museum
1090 Lakefront Dr. #618
Sacramento CA. 95831
ph. (please email me for telephone number; and use it only if extremely urgent).

Unsolicited flashlights appearing in the mail are welcome, and it will automatically be assumed that you sent it in order to have it tested and evaluated for this site.
Be sure to include contact info or your company website's URL so visitors here will know where to purchase your product.

It doesn't really matter where you go
It makes no difference baby who you know
This thing has gotten way out of control

Hey!

It doesn't really matter who you are
You might as well be a super star
Cause everything has gone way too far

It's the strangest thing

It's getting stranger and then
It's getting harder to win
There was a flashlight and then
It starts happening all over again

I'm heading off on an LED trip
And that's what I plan to do
I'm goin' away to a luminous plain
And I ain't comin' back real soon

The whole thing is electrical
It's running through my veins
And everything's connectable

Hey, digital!
Hey, digital!
World...

I'm goin' digital
Completely digital
Now I'm invincable
Let's all get digital

September 11, 2001.
A day that will be forever remembered.
Never forget the victims of the World Trade Center,
the Pentagon, and the passengers on the four lost flights.

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