Lanterns "ERA": product overview and tips for choosing

LEDs are the present and the future, they consume up to 40 times less electricity than an incandescent lamp or halogen, gas discharge and its other counterparts. LEDs are insensitive to weather changes, including humidity, strong, durable (they can work from tens to hundreds of thousands of hours, gradually reducing the brightness), if necessary, they can heat up to 60 degrees without dramatically changing their light characteristics.

The limitations that apply to choosing a really good flashlight (rather than a fake that will deteriorate after a few charge-discharge cycles) are as follows.

• The LED flashlight must, in addition to the expected light output (brightness characteristics and beam range), be impact-resistant, dust- and moisture-proof.
• A good flashlight will last at least 5 years - even if used daily for hours on end.
• It does not matter in which city or country its manufacturer is located, when the actual quality matches the declared one.
• Pay special attention to the maximum life of the light module from a single charge.
• The selected model should work not only on batteries, but also on batteries.Modern flashlights are powered by ionistors - the number of their charge / discharge cycles is not up to a couple of thousand, but up to a million, but such products have not yet entered mass use. The battery pack is a compartment for rechargeable nickel-based cells that are standard "battery" size AA ("finger") or AAA ("little finger"). A more modern option is similar-sized seats for 18650 lithium-ion batteries.
• Try not to choose lanterns weighing a kilogram or more - they are difficult to carry over long distances.
• A durable flashlight designed for 10 or more years of operation is hard to imagine without a steel or aluminum case. Rubber inserts serve as a barrier to moisture from the outside and shock absorbers in case of a sudden fall.

Choose lanterns with voltage stabilizer (driver) - this will extend the life of both the LED panel and the battery itself. In this case, the brightness of the light will remain unchanged almost all the time the flashlight is running - when the charge remains less than 5%, the flashlight will turn off abruptly and will not turn on until you charge the battery, but at the same time, the latter will be protected from deep discharge, which destroys its working structure.

A good sign if the flashlight has a micro USB charging port. Batteries are charged from the charger of a smartphone, tablet, ultrabook, other external battery, action camera, player, which today have the same connector. This allows you to get by with one or two chargers when you take several different gadgets on a hike.

The line of flashlights "Era Praktik" has a sharp difference from conventional portable flashlights. These lamps were among the first in Russia, where LEDs with a power of 15 W or more are used. Designed for everyday and work tasks.

Some of the models listed below can work as a full-fledged lamp.

• Lantern "Era Practitioner" RA-801 It has a high power LED matrix. A dispersed beam of light creates visibility up to 40 m. Operating time on a single charge is up to 8 hours. Smartphones, mobile players and action cameras can be recharged - a real external battery. The set includes a table stand, a hook and a magnetic suspension. High-strength plastic with rubber shock-absorbing pads will protect against shock and vibration. A 15-watt main LED gives a beam of light of 400 lm. Battery capacity - at least 4 Ah. Rechargeable from USB devices.

• "Era Officer" RB-802 - 10 W, 2 Ah battery capacity, works up to 1.5 hours. There is a complete set of mounts, compact, easily fits in your pocket. Aluminum case with rubberized inserts that soften the blows when dropped.

• "Era Practitioner" RB-701 - an entry-level product. The range of the light flux is up to 20 m. The power of the LED is 5 watts.

• "Era Practitioner" RB-702 – power 7 W, light beam range – up to 25 m.

• "Era Practitioner" RB-703 – 5 W, 14 m, equipped with a suction cup and does not damage the coating of furniture and other large objects.

• "Era Practitioner" RB-704 - combines the functions of a flashlight and a lamp, a flexible body (tilt angle - up to 90 degrees), 2 magnetic mounts. 20 m, 2.5 W.

• "Era Practitioner" RB-801 - 4 W flashlight, 6 watt lamp.The body rotates and bends in two directions. 6W, 30m light output.

• "Era Practitioner" RB-802 - waterproof model, total power - 7 watts. 20m beam distance.

In terms of power, mini-spotlights are significantly superior to conventional desktop-portable lights.

• "Era" FA19M – a searchlight that takes a charge from a household lighting network or any source of constant voltage of 12 V (for example, a car cigarette lighter). The modular design of the head with LEDs has 19 light-emitting elements - if one or more of them fails, the rest will continue to work in the same mode. A powerful built-in battery makes it possible to continue working after replenishing the initial charge level. Operating time - up to 8 hours from a single charge.

• "Era" FA58M - spotlight and luminaire in a single design. Three separate sections provide different modes of operation. Low and high beams are provided by 9 conventional and one much more powerful LEDs - the flashlight works in the mode of a real headlight, allowing you to "get" to the most remote areas. The lamp mode is provided by 18 other LEDs located on the side of the light module. In this mode, the flashlight is able to work up to 6 hours from a single charge.

Pay attention to the following points:

• convenience of switching on and off: will it turn on spontaneously in a bag, backpack or suitcase;
• compactness and weight: how it fits in your backpack, where it is more convenient to carry it;
• ease of carrying: will it often slip out;
• convenience of changing the battery: whether additional tools are needed to carry it.

In the next video you will find an overview of the ERA K24 / K48 flashlights.