SUPERBRIGHT LIFETIME FLASHLIGHT

Superbright Lifetime Flashlight, retail $6.95 (www.bulldogsecurity.com)
Manufactured by Bulldog Security (www.bulldogsecurity.com)
Last updated 10-28-06




When you see the big text on the front of the package that says "SUPERBRIGHT LIFETIME FLASHLIGHT, don't get all excited and pee all over yourself. No really, don't.

The flashlight is made of a black plastic, has a glow-in-the-dark switch button, runs off a 12 volt A23 cigerette lighter battery, and has a 3mm (T1) white Nichia LED on its front to give off its light.


SIZE:



The flashlight is fairly easy to get out of the package compared to some others. Just lift up on one corner of the plastic bubble, and peel it away.

To get a shot of light anytime, just press the rubberized triangular button near the front of the light, and release it to plunge yourself back into darkness. Nice and easy. :-)

The light can be hung from a keychain, or be used AS your keychain, because it comes with a 1" metal chain and a medium sized split ring.



The battery in this flashlight is not designed to be changed. When it poops out, you're supposed to send the entire flashlight to:

Direct Wholesale
225 Technology Way
Steubenville OH. 43952

The package emphatically states "Do not return to the place of purchase."

There is a card on the back of the package you're supposed to cut out, fill out, and mail; or you can fill out the requested information online. It's supposed to be for your warranty registration, so I don't know if you *must* fill it out or not. I filled out the online form, so let's see if I get spammed or not. :-O

(Update 10-22-03): I have not received any spam from the address or website that Bulldog Enterprises uses, and it's been over four months, so I think it's pretty safe to say you won't either. Not from filling out the online form, anyway.



The light does have a bit of a cheap, hollow feel to it, but it DOES feel good in the hand. When you pick it up, your thumb "automatically" falls on top of the button. If you grab it or pick it up upside-down, it's quick and easy to flip over so the button is on the upper side where your thumb can get it.

The flashlight has a small triangular pushbutton switch on top near its front. This switch is made of a soft, rubbery material, and it glows in the dark (probably zinc sulfide) so you can find it in a power outage or other dark situation if the room lights have recently been extinguished. The flashlight has very little spill light, so the glow in the dark switch isn't charged up very much by using the light. In any case, the glow only lasts a few minutes at best, so don't expect it to glow for hours & hours like the more expensive aluminum-strontium type materials (such as Alien Skin and similar) do.

The beam takes a bit of getting used to. It consists mainly of a bluish square or diamond with two dark "holes" in it, surrounded by a white ring. This is very typical of the Nichia 3mm (T1) NSPW300BS LED that's probably in there, and does not in any way indicate a problem with the flashlight. All of these flashlights (and any others that use a 3mm 10° to 20° white LED) will have beams like this. Get used to it. :-)

The light is dimmer than most other white LED flashlights, but it's certainly bright enough to be useful. You can use it to find a keyhole, look for dropped items, read a bar menu, walk around in the dark with it, and do other flashlight chores with it. And because that lifetime warranty even includes the battery, you'll never have to take it apart and mess with the insides.

The flashlight claims to use "transistorized circuitry", but I have no way of verifying that without smashing the poor thing open and looking at the guts. And taking a hammer to it would probably void the warranty.
O well.
(Edit) I just popped it open with my Swiss Army knife, and there is a PCB with a transistor and three SMD resistors on it.



Here's a picture of the "guts". Sure enough, there's a transistor and what appears to be three SMD resistors. I don't know the values or part numbers, but there they are. :-) That striped cylinder in the center is the A23 12 volt battery this light runs on.

The PCB itself has a lot of little solder pads on it (several for pushbutton switches), so this board probably fits other devices that Bulldog Security makes. Maybe remote controls for car alarms or something.



Beam photo at 12".
13,900mcd as measured on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
Beam is just a bit more bluish than shown in this picture.


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



TEST NOTES:
Sample was obtained for me by a website visitor and received 06-16-03.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Guaranteed forever (including the battery), no questions asked.
Feels nice in the hand.
Guaranteed forever (including the battery), no questions asked.
Low price is very attractive.


CONS:
Funky looking beam might take a little getting used to.
Feels hollow and cheap.
Not as bright as many other 1-LED flashlights.
User cannot (isn't supposed to) change the battery him or herself.


    MANUFACTURER: Bulldog Security
    PRODUCT TYPE: Keychain LED light
    LAMP TYPE: White LED, 3mm
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Squarish with two dark spots & light outer ring
    SWITCH TYPE: Momentary pushbutton on/off
    BEZEL: None
    BATTERY: 12V A23 battery sealed inside
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Unknown
    SUBMERSIBLE: Probably not
    ACCESSORIES: Small metal ring, 1" chain, large split ring
    WARRANTY: Lifetime, including the battery

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating









SUPERBRIGHT LIFETIME FLASHLIGHT * www.bulldogsecurity.com






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