Well, I didn't said the "10 minute" light is bad, not at all.
It is just intended for an intermittent use, really like the "flash lights" used to be when invented.
The thing goes wrong when some mo**n turns it ON and let it ON till it discharges the battery at once, then there will be a thermal problem. But the main problem is him being a mo**n and using things for other purpose than designed for.
But if someone needs just brief, but strong flashes, why should he carry heavy large battery?

No, for the warehouse lights.

So, taking a hour or few hours long walk in darkness wit the flashlight, reading a book in bed with the flashlight (possibly in a journey), and other use cases are not legitimate ?

So, taking a hour or few hours long walk in darkness wit the flashlight, reading a book in bed with the flashlight (possibly in a journey), and other use cases are not legitimate ?

They are legitimate uses for LED. I'm getting confused.

They are, but they would overheat an "intermittent use" flashlight, like the type you two were talking about

So, taking a hour or few hours long walk in darkness wit the flashlight, reading a book in bed with the flashlight (possibly in a journey), and other use cases are not legitimate ?

If you need that service, you have to choose (or use corresponding setting) a flashlight, where the lamp power and battery capacity are matched so it yields the few hours operation without preheating and with some energy reserve left in the battery.
Of course, that means such flashlight either won't be that powerful, or will be way heavier than the 10-minute burn time version.

With many LED flashlights you may select among multiple modes (obviously the battery capacity remains, but you may select if you want high power 10minutes runtime or a low power, but 24hours or longer runtime), so then the thing is to select the proper one.

How is the average user supposed to know ? I never seen any notice like "max 10 min continuous ON"  on a flashlight

How is the average user supposed to know ? I never seen any notice like "max 10 min continuous ON"  on a flashlight

Just use what is called a common sense. If a hand held thing becomes hot to touch, something is apparently wrong...
Plus the high power ones are sold only in specialized stores, so there the staff is supposed to inform the users with how to use them. And in the first place, help them to really select the product the customer needs for his task.
Buying on the internet means you consider yourself expert in a sufficient manner, so then you should know yourself.

The user may be holding the flashlight in thick gloves that block the heat (then not only he does not feel the heat, but the thermally isolating gloves make the flashlight work hotter than in open air), or hanged it on something

The flashlight may have been purchased for one task, but later used for another task. Maybe by another user too (dad bought flashlight for light duty use, kid took the flashliht for a journey)

If it is so important, it should be somehow stated by more reliable means than word of salesperson to buyer

So how to they solve the flashlight heat problem?

So how to they solve the flashlight heat problem?

Either the potentially overheating high power mode is not implemented at all (e.g. up to 3W on a single 18650 cell) or they do expect the user will use the high power mode (full 10W or so on a single or two 18650 cells) in only an intermittent way, so it has sufficient time to cool down.

Quote from: wattMaster on August 29, 2016, 08:35:35 AM

So how to they solve the flashlight heat problem?

Either the potentially overheating high power mode is not implemented at all (e.g. up to 3W on a single 18650 cell) or they do expect the user will use the high power mode (full 10W or so on a single or two 18650 cells) in only an intermittent way, so it has sufficient time to cool down.

I have a tiny flashlight that uses a single AA battery to power what appears to be a 2-3 Watt LED.

I have a tiny flashlight that uses a single AA battery to power what appears to be a 2-3 Watt LED.

No way that power would be possible. A single AA just can not deliver that power, it would mean about 3A current, assuming the cell would be able to maintain the voltage at least at 1V and with no voltage drops on all the contact springs, switch,...

I have one such cheepeese "3W POLICE" using a single AA as well. I was expecting about 0.5W of real power, but it is just about 0.2W (barely 0.15A from a "1.2V" cell). Needed to say, for that power it is pretty bright...
Maybe they mean a "3W incandescent equivalent", that would be way more realistic statement...

Its 3W PMPO (Power rating Made uP Of thin air)

Nope, I actually measured it. It really is 2-3 Watts. I calculated that a NiMH AA would last about 1 Hour.
And it would quickly eat up alkaline AA cells!

I was talking about Medved's Powerfull Mega POlice flsahlight

2..3W is sorta possible on a NiMH, consideing that thir short circuit current is 10A or more, so internal resistance low respectively. But its still no less of awfull to actually count on that in a product design. The battery would not last long at all with such abuse (as in lifetime till battery is destroyed, not till it needs charging)