Can you break the LED flash by using N1 Torch?

[frandavid100]

Hi,

I rooted my N1 and installed a flashlight app (N1 Torch) that uses the phone's LED flash. It warns you that continuously using the flash might break it, though.

What has been your experience? Does "continuous use" mean "hours", "minutes" or just "more than the 0.5 seconds the flash is supposed to turn on when you make a photo"?

 

[eug89]

Hi,

I rooted my N1 and installed a flashlight app (N1 Torch) that uses the phone's LED flash. It warns you that continuously using the flash might break it, though.

What has been your experience? Does "continuous use" mean "hours", "minutes" or just "more than the 0.5 seconds the flash is supposed to turn on when you make a photo"?

I think that using it for a couple of minutes would be fine, the problem is that if it gets too hot it could damage the the phone especially the camera. I remember that I installed a similar program on my nokia n70 and several times happened that by accident i turned on the led while the phone was in my pocket, I only noticed that when i started to feel something burning in my pocket Now my n70's led and camera doesn't work anymore... so just be carefull not to turn on the led by accident

 

[UmbraeSoulsbane]

I had read that the LED flash was designed for quick bursts. If that is true than constantly running it could - at least - burn out the LED bulb. I doubt is it user replacable, so that is not a good thing.

I have hoped to use Torch too, but have decided its just not worth it. I will just use the lit up screen as a flashlight.

 

[hks18psigst]

Yeah.. I'm thinking about uninstalling torch I get random clicking after I turn the app off

 

[DarkLord7854]

It's an LED.. by default LEDs are low-power, have low-heat emission and super long lifetimes. They also tolerate turning on/off repeatedly for extended periods of time.

I somehow doubt you could do any damage to the phone/LED.

 

[add3421]

It's an LED.. by default LEDs are low-power, have low-heat emission and super long lifetimes. They also tolerate turning on/off repeatedly for extended periods of time.

I somehow doubt you could do any damage to the phone/LED.

exactly. led's dont get hot.... someone should email the developer of the app. i know he has done some extensive testing. post what you get

 

[bradsh1]

Has anyone even heard of doing damage this way, or is this just speculation and ass-covering in case something goes wrong?

 

[britoso]

my old sony erricson w810i LED flash lasted for atleast an hour of continuous use with no ill effect.

 

[RoboPhred]

LEDs don't get that bright either, not the ones you are thinking of. The LED in the nexus one is much brighter than "usual", and it's also much smaller.

High power LEDs (HPLED) can be driven at currents from hundreds of mA to more than an ampere, compared with the tens of mA for other LEDs. They produce up to over a thousand lumens. Since overheating is destructive, the HPLEDs must be mounted on a heat sink to allow for heat dissipation. If the heat from a HPLED is not removed, the device will burn out in seconds.

(bold for emphasis)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led#High_power_LEDs

Obviously the LED in the N1 is designed to deal with its heat under "normal usage" for a camera flash, and it probably can handle longer usages than the stock camera, but I wouldn't push it too far.

Edit:
If anyone wants to use some debug tools to find how many mA the phone pulls when the flash is on vs when its off, they could probably look up the usual heat generation for an LED of that size and see how 'safe' it is to run.

 

[frandavid100]

I just contacted the developer on google wave, waiting for his reply now. Please give me your address if you want to be added to the wave.

 

[TailsNeon556]

It's an LED.. by default LEDs are low-power, have low-heat emission and super long lifetimes. They also tolerate turning on/off repeatedly for extended periods of time.

I somehow doubt you could do any damage to the phone/LED.

High power LEDs do get hot (i have an LED flashlight that gets quite hot after prolonged useage. it chews up batteries as well) and, ill bet that continued useage at high output can damage it.. and the camera... theres a reason that its not enabled stock

 

[Unoid]

A way around heat and power is the cycle the LED at 30-60hz. I am unsure if the developer of N1 Torch could make it happen with software alone though.

 

[oklahomatulsa]

Not sure if this helps but I have shot several videos and even changed a flat tire with my BB Storm LED. Besides draining battery, the only thing I worried about was space on mr MicoSd because I could only leave it on continuously in video mode.

 

[Amdathlonuk]

I used mine this morning for about 5 mins and no problems.

Still works and so does the camera.

 

[NexusDro]

Wait, so the Nexus One uses the High Power LED, not a regular LED?

 

[meental]

Wait, so the Nexus One uses the High Power LED, not a regular LED?

no he was just using that quote to prove that some leds do produce heat. judging by the brightness i would say its relatively high power, and because htc might not have mounted the led on a heatsink big enough to keep it cool after prolonged use because they designed it for a camera flash, not a flashlight. so better safe than sorry.

 

[erikku]

my old sony erricson w810i LED flash lasted for atleast an hour of continuous use with no ill effect.

Ya! I had a K750 (flashed with the W800i firmware) that had as one of it's features, used the flash as a torch and a SOS beacon.

 

[pikipirs]

SonyEricsson's XPERIA X1 (Win Mo device, HTC manufactured) has an app for the flash too. The app has two options.

First (dimmer) is mostly OK (not recommended for hours of use either).

Second (brighter) caused a meltdown of the LED's plastic holder if used for long enough. The holder melted over the vibrator motor, thus shutting it stiff and ruining it.

 

[illusion]

exactly. led's dont get hot.... someone should email the developer of the app. i know he has done some extensive testing. post what you get

Folks should stick to things they know. There are many VERY high power LEDs, such as those used as a flash. Depending on the application they end design may be to be used in short bursts because they create so much heat. LEDs waste LESS power through heat dispersion than a conventional lamp, but they do indeed create heat. I've seen LEDs that need a heatsink 10x their size to keep them cool. In the interest of size I would be willing to bet there is not enough heatsink on the LED flash to be able to use it for extended periods of time without burning it out.

comparing light sources from different phones as others have done here is silly. Unless you are positive that they are the same LEDs and that they have proper cooling behind them, then don't compare.


Source - Me. almost 20 years in the semiconductor design and test industry

 

[xd_sjo]

Seconded. It's possible the LED is being driven at peak currents, or beyond too, which is fine for a short burst but not for prolonged use.