TEKNOLITE with TRASERS

Teknolite with Trasers, retail £39.95 (US $74.36) (www.traser.com.au/torch.htm)
Manufactured by Litepro LLC (www.litepro.com)
Last updated 01-11-08




The Teknolite with Trasers is a 4-LED flashlight that uses 3 AA cells to power its LEDs. But what sets this flashlight apart from other 4-LED 3-AA flashlights are those self-luminous tritium tubes in the bezel (head); these glow continuously to help you find the flashlight in the dark. The tritium tubes are totally encapsulated within the clear plastic bezel, so they shouldn't be too easy to break.


SIZE



To use your Teknolite, first be sure batteries are loaded in it. Turn the bezel clockwise (as if tightening it) to turn the light on; turn the bezel counterclockwise (as if loosening it) to turn the light off. That's all there is to it, really!

There are two Traser (now "H3") brand tritium vials embedded in the bezel (the Litepro website says there are three, but my sample has two); these glow continuously and allow you to see and find the flashlight in the dark. You cannot turn them on and off, but they glow so discreetly, you wouldn't need to turn them off anyway.



To change the batteries in your Teknolite with Trasers, unscrew & remove the bezel (head) and throw it out...O WAIT, YOU'LL NEED THAT! So just set it aside instead. ;-) Dump the used AA cells out of the barrel, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit. Insert three new AA cells, button (+) end facing outward (flat (-) end going in) into the barrel. Screw the bezel back on, and unscrew it slightly when the Teknolite springs to life. Aren't you glad you didn't throw away that bezel now? ;-)

Due to the way the flashlight is designed, I'm not able to measure the current.




The above pictures show one of the two Traser tritium vials in the flashlight's bezel. One shows the vial in the daylight; the other, furry picture shows it glowing. I already know the two pictures aren't in the best of focus; please don't get on my toilet muscle about that.

The flashlight's barrel is somewhat contoured, so it feels just a bit nicer in the hand than a typical straight-sided flashlight of similar diameter might. There are some longitudinal ridges in the flashlight barrel. Although they do little to aid in retention (the ability to hold the flashlight when your hands are cold, wet, or oily), they do make the flashlight look a little nicer than a flashlight without these ridges.

This flashlight is waterproof and submersible to 500 feet, so you do not need to worry about it when using it in the rain, snow, or in the shower; or if it falls into water. If it falls into seawater or if something pees on it, just take the garden hose to it or douche it off under the faucet, and it'll be good as new.

The bezel (head) has some longitudinal flutes or ridges moulded into it too; these help with grip when turning the flashlight on and off; and for removing/replacing the bezel during battery changes.

A built-in split ring on the tailcap fits into a recess for it when it's not needed, so it isn't in the way. It can be released from the tailcap to swing out and attach a lanyard to if you wish.

What sets this flashlight apart from others are the two self-luminous vials in the flashlight's clear bezel; they help you find the flashlight at night or after a power failure. These are Traser brand tritium glow vials, which glow for at least 12 years (12 years is the half-brightness level) without having to charge them or expose them to light from any source. There is a small amount of tritium gas (a mildly radioactive isotope of hydrogen) sealed inside the vials; this material emits beta particles (electrons) that strike a phosphor coating inside the vials and causes it to emit visible light. In the case of the Teknolite, that light is green.

Like I said earlier, the Litepro website says there are three of these vials; in my Teknolite, there are two of them.



Beam photograph at ~12".
Measures 73,700mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
This is a very high value for a 4-banger.



TEST NOTES:
Unit was recently purchased from a Candlepower Forums member, and arrived today (02-06-04), and is in its initial stages of testing.


UPDATE: 03-29-05
I received another Teknolite from G.T. at Eppe's Corner and it was received on 03-28-05.

It is the newer version, with three tritium self luminous lights in the bezel instead of two. Functionally, it is the same as the other Teknolite on this web page. You can buy this new version Teknolite right here for $26.97.

It has been said that the circuit board has been upgraded, but upon examining the bottom of the board in mine, I do not see any circuitry or solder traces that might indicate the presence of circuitry.


Beam photograph at ~12".
Measures 67,600mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the LED in this flashlight.
Ocean Optics USB2000 Spectrometer on loan from TWO-CUBED.


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis.
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.



Photograph of the bezel, showing one of the tritium glowing elements.


UPDATE: 03-31-05
I had some trouble fitting the wrist lanyard on. Heating the end of the lanyard in the flame of a disposable cigerette lighter for a *VERY* brief period (~500ms) and then immediately squeezing the end of the lanyard together allowed it to fit in the opening on the tail end of the flashlight for it. The lanyard is now on the end of the Teknolite where it belongs.


UPDATE: 02-01-06
The Teknolite is no longer being manufactured; its maker, Litepro LLC has closed its doors.


UPDATE: 01-11-08
My stepmother needed this flashlight to "keep around the house", so I no longer have it for testing or comparative analyses.
I gave her the original (with two trasers); not the newer version with three.





PROS:
Very good brightness for a 4-LED flashlight
Waterproof and submersible to 500 feet
Traser glow-tubes help you find the flashlight in the dark
Uses batteries that are cheap and easy to find
Contoured barrel feels nice in the hand


CONS:
Has longitudinal flutes or ridges instead of circumfrential ones
Wrist lanyard may be diffificult to attach


    MANUFACTURER: Litepro LLC
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm White LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 4
    BEAM TYPE: Soft spot with gentle fall-off
    SWITCH TYPE: Twist bezel on/off
    BEZEL: Clear plastic protects LEDs and Traser tubes
    BATTERY: 3x AA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: Yes, to 500'
    ACCESSORIES: Wrist strap
    WARRANTY: Unknown

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Teknolite with Trasers * www.litepro.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
490 Forastera Circle
Sacramento CA. 95834-2709
ph. Please e-mail for phone number (costs me $0.50 a minute, use only if urgent)

Unsolicited flashlights, LEDs, and other products 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.


WHITE 5500-6500K InGaN+phosphor 
ULTRAVIOLET 370-390nm GaN 
BLUE 430nm GaN+SiC
BLUE 450 and 473nm InGaN
BLUE Silicon Carbide
TURQUOISE 495-505nm InGaN
GREEN 525nm InGaN 
YELLOW-GREEN 555-575mn GaAsP & related
YELLOW 585-595nm
AMBER 595-605nm
ORANGE 605-620nm
ORANGISH-RED 620-635nm
RED 640-700nm
INFRARED 700-1300nm
True RGB Full Color LED
Spider (Pirrahna) LEDs
SMD LEDs
True violet (400-418nm) LEDs
Agilent Barracuda & Prometheus LEDs
Oddball & Miscellaneous LEDs
Programmable RGB LED modules / fixtures
Where to buy these LEDs 
Links to other LED-related websites
The World's First Virtual LED Museum
Legal horse puckey, etc.
RETURN TO OPENING/MAIN PAGE
LEDSaurus (on-site LED Mini Mart)



This page is a frame from a website.
If you arrived on this page through an outside link,you can get the "full meal deal" by clicking here.