How No-Battery Flash Lights Work
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Types of No-Battery Flashlights
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It is important to note that with the recent focus on energy production in the United States, that inventions that are run on renewable, reliable and less polluting sources of power have been encouraged. Batteries that are used to power small gadgets fill landfills and are toxic for the environment. No-battery flashlights are a recent invention that have allowed for renewable power that does not require much maintenance or battery replacements. The most popular type of no-battery flashlight on the market currently is the type that a user must shake to stimulate. There are other flashlights in circulation that do not use traditional reusable batteries, but many of these employ rechargeable batteries or batteries that are solar powered and aren't truly no-battery flashlights. Most of the no-battery flashlights are both innovative and fairly inexpensive.
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Common Parts of the Flashlight and Creating Energy
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No-battery flashlights typically use parts that have a long lifespan so the flashlight can be used and reused multiple times. Parts that have a longer life allow for the flashlight to have a sturdy build for semi-turbulent use and avoid waste in landfills.
LEDs, or light emitting diodes, are lamps that are typically used in these types of flashlights because of their long life and small energy consumption. The inner cylinder of the flashlight's handle is lined with wound-up wire coil, usually made of copper. There is also a magnet that can pass back and forth freely within the handle of the flashlight. Both the wire coil and the magnet are essential to creating and providing renewable electricity for the flashlight. When shaken, the magnet passes through the wire coil which begins the process of Faraday's law of induction that creates electric current. This electrical current follows a conducting path for either use or storage.
Energy Storage and Transformation Within the Flashlight
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The electrical current that is created when the light is shaken, using the coil and magnet, is passed on to another piece of the no-battery flashlight using a conductive wire. The current travels to a storage capacitor, which is also located in the handle of the no-battery flashlight. Most of the storage capacitors inside of the flashlights have a 1 microfarad storage capability to save energy before usage. Current that is stored within this capacitor is trapped and cannot be drained until a conducting outlet is allowed. This is provided with the "off" and "on" switch on the flashlight which allows a conductive pathway (usually metal or wire) between both the capacitor and the LED. The LED then drains the capacitor of its charge, shining brightly when the current is strong and less brightly as it begins to fade. When the light begins to fade, shaking the flashlight for about 15 seconds will produce enough electrical current to run the no-battery flashlight for about 6 to 8 minutes.
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- Photo Credit Image provided by Dawson
