LED Flashlight Question

T

Tay A

New member
I'm using a flashlight app/widget on my 2.2 Nexus One that lights up the camera flash LED. I like this better than the flashlight apps that just make the screen white and bright. But I wonder if using this LED flashlight will somehow damage the LED. Does anybody know if using these type of flashlights damage or burn out the camera flash LED over time?
 
This all depends on how bright the LED chip is set to burn. Under recommended currents the LED chip should last around 100,000 hours (over 11 years) of continuous use.

However, LEDs used for camera flashes are usually have a much greater current applied to them so that they produce a much brighter light than normal. This is OK, because the LED is only illuminated for a second at a time.

I don't know if the LED chip has just an on/off function, or if it has a flash (high brightness+current)/on(normal brightness+current)/off function.

Do a test... turn your LED on for 3 minutes, then touch the LED with your fingertip. If it's very hot (as in hot enough so that you wouldn't want to hold your finger on it for long) then I wouldn't recommend having the LED on for long. If it's just warm, then you're OK for 100,000 hours.
 
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