# Am I getting Irradiated by my Surefire Flashlight? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736 "2008-01-16T13:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/1 "2008-01-16T13:59:58Z")
I just bought one of [these](http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main/co_disp/displ/prrfnbr/932/sesent/00) surefire flashlights and it comes with a laundry list of warnings…I bought it because I heard it was damn near the best flashlight one can buy, and for all intents it seems to be a darn good flashlight. My queston is: With the high output, high energy flashlight is there any radiation coming from it? I know tactical teams use it all the time so I’m not too concerned but I was just wondering if there is ANY radiation coming from this thing? ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/2 "2008-01-16T14:06:44Z")
It’s a LED flashlight. LEDs emits practically only narrow wavelength of EM - and it’s in visible light range. Visible light is not considered ionizing radiation so you can sleep well. You won’t get cancer from that thing 🙂 ETA - Out of curiosity, where you even get idea of flashlight emitting “radiation”? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/3 "2008-01-16T14:07:09Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] My queston is: With the high output, high energy flashlight is there any radiation coming from it? [/QUOTE] Photons galore! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/4 "2008-01-16T14:08:22Z")
Yes! It’s emmitting copious amounts of photons. (This radiation is generally considered harmless) ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/5 "2008-01-16T14:11:32Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] I know tactical teams use it all the time so I’m not too concerned but I was just wondering if there is ANY radiation coming from this thing? [/QUOTE] Ignoring the obvious radiation from the LED, it’s close to impossible to make an electrical device that emits absolutely zero radiation. And while I’m not sure Used by Tactical Teams = Guaranteed Safe, it should not be at all difficult for a manufacturer to keep a flashlight’s stray radiation well within safe levels ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/6 "2008-01-16T14:26:31Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Ignoring the obvious radiation from the LED, it’s close to impossible to make an electrical device that emits absolutely zero radiation. And while I’m not sure Used by Tactical Teams = Guaranteed Safe, it should not be at all difficult for a manufacturer to keep a flashlight’s stray radiation well within safe levels [/QUOTE] What stray radiation? Light and heat? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/7 "2008-01-16T14:37:02Z")
[QUOTE=Cleophus] What stray radiation? Light and heat? [/QUOTE] There will almost certainly be some RF when the switch closes. Many LEDs pulse on and off rapidly, which implies oscillation and thus radiation. Electricity without any radiation is kinda like motion without any sound - rather hard to accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/8 "2008-01-16T14:48:45Z")
[QUOTE=puppygod] \ ETA - Out of curiosity, where you even get idea of flashlight emitting “radiation”? [/QUOTE] There is a warning list a mile long with this flashlight, “Radiation” just popped into my mind as a possibility. No factual info at all just wondering about the amounts of radiation coming from an LED… I will say it operates quite hot, but it’s a great flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/9 "2008-01-16T14:54:20Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] There will almost certainly be some RF when the switch closes. Many LEDs pulse on and off rapidly, which implies oscillation and thus radiation. Electricity without any radiation is kinda like motion without any sound - rather hard to accomplish. [/QUOTE] Of an electromagnetic field, sure, but the magnitude of it largely depends on the current flowing in the circuit, which is going to be much less than, say, the average kitchen appliance powered by mains, and there’s no evidence that electromagnetic fields generated by current are harmful anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/10 "2008-01-16T14:54:24Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] Yes! It’s emmitting copious amounts of photons. (This radiation is generally considered harmless) [/QUOTE] Not if the photons are powerful enough to knock electrons out of their orbits and create ions. Such ionizing radiation (gamma radiation, x-rays, UV) is harmful in direct proportion to how energetic the photons in question are, with gamma being the most powerful and UV the least among ionizing radiation. Visible light, though it is transmitted by photons, is not ionizing. If it were, life on Earth would be screwed. Radio frequency (RF) photons are much, much less powerful than even visible light, and so pose no danger whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/11 "2008-01-16T15:00:17Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Radio frequency (RF) photons are much, much less powerful than even visible light, and so pose no danger whatsoever. [/QUOTE] Try telling that to a cat in a microwave oven. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/12 "2008-01-16T15:17:39Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] I will say it operates quite hot… [/QUOTE] I’d imagine there might be some conduction and convection too then. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/13 "2008-01-16T15:17:54Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] There is a warning list a mile long with this flashlight, “Radiation” just popped into my mind as a possibility. No factual info at all just wondering about the amounts of radiation coming from an LED… I will say it operates quite hot, but it’s a great flashlight. [/QUOTE] Surefire flashlights are awesome, but your only real concern is do not shine it directly into your eyes if you value not going blind. My brother bought one for one of his pistols and seriously, if you were in a dark room and got spot lit with that thing you’d be completely blind for at least five minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/14 "2008-01-16T15:39:22Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Try telling that to a cat in a microwave oven. [/QUOTE] Ah. Yes. Damn. I don’t know how that slipped my mind. Microwave ovens work by making polar molecules (little magnets, really) such as water vibrate. This vibration is heat, which gets transferred to other molecules nearby. It’s difficult to explain in the simplified “radiation is photons” model I used above and, frankly, without a good explanation of why “dielectric heating” works I’m lost myself. (The radiation’s frequency is not the resonant frequency of water. I get that much.) ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/15 "2008-01-16T15:54:12Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] There is a warning list a mile long with this flashlight, [/QUOTE] I’m curious about the warning list. Is there an online version? ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/16 "2008-01-16T16:01:19Z")
Radiation =! Bad ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/17 "2008-01-16T16:05:29Z")
[QUOTE=Turek] I’m curious about the warning list. Is there an online version? [/QUOTE] I can’t find the exact warning sheet I got with the flashlight, but [here](http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main/co_disp/displ/pgrfnbr/530/sesent/00) is a list of downloadable user manuels with corresponding short-list warnings. Some of the flashlights have more warnings than others as they use different components with differing energies - that’s about as technical as I can get. **Q.E.D** and others have vast amounts of knowledge about all things electrical. The light itself was very expensive, but then I’ll probably have it forever. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/18 "2008-01-16T16:12:27Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Electricity without any radiation is kinda like motion without any sound - rather hard to accomplish. [/QUOTE] Not if you’re a ninja! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/19 "2008-01-16T17:06:26Z")
Semi-related column by the Master: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_235a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_235a.html) ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736/20 "2008-01-16T19:03:21Z")
[QUOTE=Cleophus] … and there’s no evidence that electromagnetic fields generated by current are harmful anyway. [/QUOTE] But the OP asked about ANY radiation, harmful or otherwise. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-getting-irradiated-by-my-surefire-flashlight/433736.md?page=2)