Emergency lighting devices are useless if they are just kept in places where they are inaccessible or uncharged. Even if you do have a lot of flashlights lying around in your home, but you placed them inside storage boxes in the attic or, worse, you do not know where they are, then these things would not be of any help to you under urgent situations. So, aside from making sure that everyone in your family has their own handy flashlight, you also need to make sure that these lighting gadgets are located or kept in places that are accessible to every member of your household, including your five-year-old kid. Moreover, your housekeeper or babysitter should also know where emergency supplies, including flashlights, lanterns and rechargeable lamps, can be found even if you are just going away for a few hours.

Another important thing to remember is to provide extra batteries for your emergency lighting flashlights or systems. There is no use having a lantern or heavy-duty flashlight if they do not have power. Thus, you need to regularly check these gadgets and make sure that they are charged or they have extra batteries. It may also be a good idea to keep a shake flashlight or emergency light wand in your car, RV, and even in the office to direct people. Many people like the new shake flashlights or crank flashlight because they do not have to worry about dead batteries.

If you love to go camping, fishing, spelunking and even when you sleep in a hotel or rent a cabin, you need to prepare yourself and your family for any eventuality. It is wise to invest in a few solar blankets, a good crank/shake flashlight and/or radio. Also while traveling, whenever you are visiting a place or area that is new to you or is located in far flung areas, it is always a good idea to bringing along a small or handy flashlight, mag light, and/or shake flashlight.

LEDs are widely used as indicator lights on electronic devices and increasingly in higher power applications such as flashlights and area lighting. An LED is usually a small area light source, often with optics added to the chip to shape its radiation pattern and assist in reflection. The color of the emitted light depends on the composition and condition of the semi-conducting material used, and can be infrared, visible, or ultraviolet.

Why Choose LED Lighting?

1. The LED advantage: LED (light emitting diodes) are solid state technology and offers the most efficient (energy savings) form of lighting available. In comparison to conventional incandescent light bulbs, LEDs can be equated at approximately 7 to 8 time equivalence. For example, a 3 watt LED can produce as much illumination as a 20 watt incandescent light bulb.

2. On average, LEDs last 3 to 5 times longer than fluorescents and 20 to 30 times longer than incandescent.

3. LED lamps allow less maintenance costs, lower heating and utility costs and reduces the need for higher rated cable, transformers and electrical components.

4. LED lamps are very resilient, shock and vibration proof and virtually waterproof.

5. LEDs are smaller and more compact and provide more light output per square inch than any other light source.

6. LED lamps produce very little heat and no UV rays, making them safer to handle and safer to use. Ideal for sensitive fabrics/paintings.

7. LEDs are not sensitive to extreme temperatures (unlike fluorescent).

8. Solid state LEDs can be controlled with a processor to achieve unique lighting effects.

9. LEDs are available in cool white, warm white and multiple colors.

10. LEDs draw (on average) about 1/10th the power of today’s conventional lighting, providing new alternative solutions to conventional energy saving lamps. LEDs are the most environmentally friendly lamp technology.

11. Along with Fluorescent bulbs, LED technology is the future of lighting. It can reduce many types of pollution and meet the need for the continued world wide energy demand

Compare LED to Standard Fluorescent and Incandescent and Light Bulbs*

Category LED Fluorescent Incandescent/Halogen

Avg. Utility Cost per Month (20w) .02 cents .35 cents .86 cents

Lumens per Watt (avg.) 50 to 60 32 to 40 14 to 18

Wattage Equivalent (20w) 3 watt 9 watt 20 watt

Average Longetivity 75,000 hrs 15,000 hrs 2500 hrs

Maintenance Zero Ballast issues Replacement

Average Cost Compared to Incandescent 3x 2x variable

Operation Instant On / No Flickering Delay and Flickering Instant On / No Flickering

Added Cost Minimal Service Ballast/ Service High Service

Safety No Gas or Glass Gas and Glass Glass and Heat

Damage due to Shock and Vibration Zero Problem Problematic Problematic

Size per Unit Smallest Medium Largest

Heat Issue Least Ballast Gets Hot Lamp Gets Hot

UV Stable (ultra violet) Stabilized Not UV Stable Stabilized

Light Control Most Control Variable Control Variable Control

Weather/Temperature Changes Not Sensitive Sensitive Some Sensitivity

Ecology/Environment Minimal Issues Some Issues Damaging

Note: These comparisons are based on national averages.

Summary on Savings: Energy bills, Heating Bills, Fixture Longevity, Maintenance and Replacement Labor. These savings may far outweigh the higher cost of solid state (LED) lighting products.

There are really times when the electricity goes out. There are various reasons too why this happens. There might have been an accident that involved a huge truck smashing right through the wires that bring electricity to your home. Or maybe a bolt of lighting just struck that electric post near your home. Or maybe a hurricane decided to pass through your town and damaged all those wires and electric posts.

One of the main benefits that electricity gives us is light. Many just could not imagine a world without electricity. That would mean dark nights and we just could not make do with the light that could come from gas lamps or maybe even the light that come from the flames of candles. They are just too dim for you, right?

The best thing that could come into your life during times when the light goes out is the 4 LED flashlight which can be found over at Gadget Epoint. What is interesting about this metal tool is that it is very small that you can carry it around with ease. This sure would not hold a candle to those big and bulky flashlights of yesteryears. See, this metal tool is far more than that. It may be small but it surely packs a really bright light. Mind you, it has LED bulbs that does not just burn out like other bulbs do.

Aside from being the small, handy, and bright metal tool and gadget that it already is, the 4 LED flashlight has been also made to be waterproof. So it does not matter if you are in the middle of a storm. This metal tool is still going to work out really fine. Plus, it is also resistant to shocks and is also resistant to corrosion.

As more individuals become aware of the energy efficiency of LED lighting, the price of such items as LED bulbs will decrease in price. Currently, the price of one LED bulb is substantially higher than the price of incandescent or fluorescent lighting. However, the initial price for LED bulbs would more than pay for itself in the long run. On average, one incandescent 60-watt bulb lasts 1,000 hours whereas one 2-watt LED light bulb lasts 60,000 hours. Therefore, one would need to purchase 60 incandescent bulbs for every one LED light bulb.

Home LED lighting is a cut above the rest when it comes to energy efficiency. As compared to incandescent lighting, LED lighting wins hands down where energy consumption is concerned. For every 60,000 hours of usage, incandescent lighting uses approximately 3,600 kWh of electricity where LED lighting uses 120 kWh. Bottom line: energy efficiency equals a significant cost savings. LED lighting gives off directional light. Therefore, it is useful as a source of light for reading or spotlighting in the home. Its powerful light output also makes it great for outdoor floodlighting and path illumination. LED bulbs are now available that can replace most halogen or fluorescent light bulbs used in the home.

Although LED lighting may not be useful for all home lighting needs, replacing a few bulbs with LED bulbs would have a noticeable affect in the amount of electricity used.

LED light displays are already used in signs and videos in many indoor and outdoor sporting events and concerts. LED video displays and signs are often preferred because of their higher brightness, which is critical when people are viewing a sign or video from a long distance. Added advantages of LED video displays are their capacity to incorporate curves and 3-D design. This makes LED video displays technologically superior to currently available large screen displays. Research and developers in the consumer electronics space are eager to take advantage of this overwhelmingly useful technology in future products.

Other uses for LED lighting include LED flashlights and key chains, automobile taillights and interior lights, and LED based projection televisions. LED lighting is also being used in the military for LED flashlights that work with night-vision goggles, UV-LED canteen water treatment devices and the sterilization of surgical equipment.

With LED lighting being more energy efficient and technologically superior to many other light sources, numerous LED light applications are sure to evolve. Future generations can expect to consider LED lighting as the standard light source for most lighting applications.

~Ben Anton, 2007