Torches

Whether it's at work, at home or in the great outdoors, torches are essential for creating brightness in low light areas. Our large range of torches are designed for a variety of different environments and applications, from workshops to home attics and dark caves. At Cromwell, we offer handheld torches, head torches, lanterns, pen lights and more from our exclusive brand Edison® as well as national brands Unilite®, LED Lenser® and Nightsearcher®.

What are torches?

Torches are battery-powered lights that illuminate low light areas. They are often handheld but can also be hung up or worn on the head for use in various environments. Incredibly versatile, torches are the most popular portable light source worldwide.

Why torches?

Torches are crucial for performing any task in low light areas, providing safety for the user and ensuring the job can be completed properly. For example, during workshop applications on automotives, torches are essential for examining and performing intricate workings. This is also true for many other industries such as woodworking, maintenance, medical and search and rescue applications. Torches can also be impact and weather resistant, making them versatile even in bad conditions, providing safety. As well as workplace applications, torches are ideal for leisure purposes such as hiking, caving, climbing and camping. Long lasting, portable and high performing, our range of torches are perfect for the job at hand.

Torch types

There are several different types of torches, including battery types, bulb types and lumen level.

• Handheld Torches   -   Also referred to as Flashlights, Handheld Torches are the most popular torch type. They are versatile and can be used in any environment. Flashlights or Hand Torches generally possess LED bulbs. LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs are between 80-90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs, and also boast better consumption and increased brightness. They vary in lumen levels depending on the required application, with 1000+ lumens being suitable for applications such as caving and search and rescue.

• Head Torches   -   Head Torches are durable and resistant. They can be worn on the head or mounted on a helmet depending on the application. Head Torches are ideal for caving, orienteering, hiking, mining, automotive work and agricultural work. They are reliable and tough, with good resistances to chemicals and impacts, while also freeing up both hands of the user.

• Pen Lights   -   Pen Lights are smaller, thin torches used for intricate applications. They produce a strong and long beam despite being smaller and boast a long runtime. They are often used by doctors and dentists to examine the throat, eyes and nose. Pen Lights are also popular in the engineering industry and law enforcement industry as portable, lightweight inspection tools.

• Lanterns   -   Lanterns or inspection lights are super-bright, standing torches which illuminate large areas. They are ideal for large-scale work outdoors such as work on highways or in woodlands. They often have tough construction and high resistances to weather, water, dust and impacts.

• ATEX Torches   -   ATEX Rated Torches are designed for use in various hazardous zones. ATEX is the name commonly given to the two European Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres.

Considerations when choosing a torch

• Bulb type - Different bulb types include LED, Halogen, Incandescent and Krypton. Each bulb type has different light colours, brightnesses and lifespans. Ensure to research which type of bulb will best suit your chosen application.

• Lumens - Torches vary greatly in lumen output. At Cromwell, we offer torches from 3 lumens to 8000. The higher the output, the brighter the torch. Generally, torches up to 100 lumens are the most common and are applicable to most applications. Above 100 lumens and up to 8000, the torches are bright enough for use by security workers, the police force and search and rescue missions in unforgiving terrain.

• Battery type - Our torches utilise several different battery types, from rechargeable and non-rechargeable to alkaline and lithium batteries. Take into account what type of batteries your torch will use when purchasing. For example, lithium batteries last for a very long time on high drain devices, such as 1000 lumen torches, but they are more expensive. Alkaline batteries are great for low drain devices and are inexpensive, but they do not last as long as lithium batteries.

• Beam distance - Depending on your environment and the range over which you need illumination, different torches offer varying maximum beam distances. Some also offer multiple settings, for both near and distant illumination.

• Intended use - One of the most important considerations when choosing a torch is what you intend to do with it. For example, a handheld, 100 lumen torch will not be apt for caving, but a 1000 lumen head torch would be ideal. Think about how bright you need the torch to be for your intentions, and how long you want it to last before changing the batteries.

• IP Rating - Most torches will be IP (Ingress Protetction) rated. These ratings will signify how much protection the torch casing can offer against

Torch jargon buster

We want to make it easy for you, so here are some key terms that will help you understand the range and applications a little better.

What is the IP rating?

An IP or Ingress Protection code classifies the level of protection provided by an enclosure or protective casing. The rating is made up of 2 numbers together, which provide information as to the protection against solid particles and liquids. For example, the first '6' in IP66 relates to the degree of solid particle protection, which in this case is full resistance to dust and other similar particulates. The second '6' relates to the degree of protection from liquids, which in this case is protection of water jets with a nozzle of up to 12.5mm. Ensure to do some research on the IP rating of your torch before purchasing.

FAQs

Are LED torches the best choice?

LED torches are undoubtedly becoming the most popular choice of torch worldwide. They are highly efficient, and produce a crisp, clear light that is ideal for a wide variety of applications. The lightbulb itself is also more impact resistant that older incandescent models and do not consume battery life as quickly. Overall, LED torches are a solid choice.

Does the size of the torch or bulb affect the lumen output?

No, torches of different types come in various shapes and sizes. The lumen output is not strictly defined by their size, as some powerful 3000+ lumen torches are slim, handheld devices that are lightweight and can be used easily. The size and shape of a torch is generally defined by the intended usage of it rather than the lumen output of its bulb.