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Global Military Supplies are now the Sole UK Importer of the Krill Electronic Lightstick manufactured by the Kriana Corporation in the USA.
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Deliveries
Postage and packing is included on all our items unless you require special, international or next day deliveries. Please call us if you require a quotation. For all other delivery info please go here.
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| Kriana Krill Light Sticks |
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Krill Lights Just Make Sense
Kriana has taken EL technology and created a truly ingenious and functional product line. With the 120 hour life of the Original Krill Light, and 50 hour life for the Krill Light Extreme, Krill Lights are a massive improvement over the 8-12 hour life of a chem-light. Even better than chem-sticks, you can turn a Krill Light off! So, their effective life can be even longer, because we rarely need the light to actually be on for 12 hours at a time. If light is needed for only a couple of hours a night, for example, then it would take up to 60 chem-lights to equal one Krill, depending upon the model.
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Krill Light Construction
The Krill Light is constructed of a virtually bomb-proof clear polycarbonate body. In fact, the Original Krill Light can survive a drop over 50 feet (15.2m) onto concrete. The lanyard-ready top cap has a similar screw-on base that also acts as the switch for the Krill Light. Screw it in (clockwise) to turn on, and out (counterclockwise) to turn off. Turning it on only requires about a quarter turn, and the designed tension in the cap is stiff enough to prevent turning it on by accident.
An o-ring at the base allow the unit a waterproof rating of 150 feet (45.7m). Inside the clear body, the EL lamp is rolled to lay up against the tube, and a metal sleeve holds it in place at the bottom. The batteries slide into the body, and spring at the top provides tension when the cap is screwed on.
Krill lights are capable of operating in extreme heat and cold, and can continue functioning well beyond the limitations of chem-lights.
In as much as batteries have a certain shelf life, (typically four to five years for standard alkaline batteries and up to 10 years for lithium batteries), the storage life for a Krill Light is unlimited.
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Krill Light Output
Krill Lights are designed to meet the Mil-Spec minimums for chem-illuminescent lamps and are as bright as a chem-light after one hour of activation. Light output is typically measured in Foot Lamberts, (1fL=1/pi candelas/sq.ft.)
Here are the Light Output Specifications for Krill Lights:
2-AA Models:
- The Original (360º model) Krill Light (in green) produces 5.5 fL (foot lamberts)
- The 180º Krill Light (in green) produces 8.5 fL.
- The (360º model) Extreme Krill Light (in green) produces 10.5 fL.
- The 180º Extreme Krill Light (in green) produces 15.5 fL.
- The blue, orange, white, and yellow Krill Lights are about 70% as bright as the green. The red Krill Light is only about 50% as bright.
- The 2-AA Infra-red Krill Light will last for 50 hours with a viewing angle of 360º, a positive signature of over 2000 feet and, is compatible with military NVG systems with no visible light signature. This Krill Light is comparable to the non-visible 8 or 3 hour infra-red chem-lights.
2-AAA Models:
- The (360º model) Extreme Krill Light (in green) produces 10.5 fL.
- The blue, orange, white, and yellow Krill Lights are about 70% as bright as the green. The red Krill Light is only about 50% as bright.
6-AA Krill Torch:
- 20 fL for 10 hours.
- The blue, orange, white, and yellow Krill Lights are about 70% as bright as the green. The red Krill Light is only about 50% as bright
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Retaining Night Vision
To retain your night vision, a red light has been the traditional choice since before WWII when
the military settled on red as the best choice. Recently, there has been a move to green and
blue-green light, precipitated in large part by the military's change to green, which itself has been primarily motivated by the increased use of night vision equipment. Which is really better? As it turns out, green light offers some advantages over red as a means to retain night vision capability. However, it isn't cut and dried.
Total brightness, or illumination level, of the light has a potentially more significant effect on night vision retention than does the choice of red or green. Because your eyes are more receptive to green light, we gain better visual acuity at lower light levels than when using red light. Green also allows for differentiation between colors that red does not and the magenta used on aviation charts, for example, is readily readable under green light, not always the case with red.
Both reasons contribute to the fact that pilots and many others generally seem to prefer green
over red, it simply makes it easier to see and read in the dark cockpit. The potential problem is with the actual illumination levels we use, not the color of the light. The brighter the light, the more negative impact on night vision, both in our capacity to see and in how long it takes to gain back optimum night vision. This is true regardless of whether it is red or green.
Ideally, you want to use only as bright a light, red or green, as is necessary to perform your chores and no more. However, if you have a brighter light than you actually need, a brighter green light will generally have a more negative effect than an equally bright red light. Green or blue-green has a greater capacity to adversely affect night vision because the eyes are about 100 times more sensitive to these colors, so even moderately too bight light can have a serious deleterious effect.
Another complication is that an individual's visual acuity at low light levels varies quite a bit, so what would be perfect for one, might be too bright or too dim for another. In other words, without some means to vary intensity, odds are no light will be perfect. Bottom line is that red or green will both perform adequately, but what you really should be more concerned about is to avoid very high illumination levels, of either color, if retaining night vision acuity is your goal.
How to Choose
AA Krill Light - as the flagship of the Krill Light's line, the AA Krill Light has been in use by the United States Military as well as sport and survival enthusiasts for many years. It has proven itself to be consistently reliable in the field no matter what the conditions call for. Choose from the following five lighting options:
Original 360º Krill Light - lasting over 120 hours per set of AA batteries, this light replaces hundreds of chemical light sticks. It has nearly the same intensity as a chemical light stick after it has been activated for 2.4 hours. Lit 360º, with the exception of one small seam, the original Krill light has a maximum output of 5.5Fl. This is perfect for replacing chemical light sticks used for marking objects where light is needed from every angle.
Original 180º Krill Light - the 180º Krill light has the same battery life as the original; however, the lit surface area is minimized to 180º to produce 8.5Fl which is approximately as bright as a chemical light stick after it has been activated for 1.5 hours. This is good for directional lighting and marking against flat surfaces. A piece of Velcro is supplied to attach to the non-lit side to maximize its potential uses.
Extreme 360º Krill Light - lasting over 50 hours per set of 2 AA batteries, this light has an output of 10.5Fl with a 360º angle of viewing. It is good for marking and lighting small areas where light is needed in all angles and is as bright as a chemical light stick after it has been activated for 1.5 hours.
Extreme 180º Krill Light - lasting over 50 hours per set of 2 AA batteries, this light is the "brightest" Krill Light to date, with an output of 15.5Fl (approximately 51Cd/m2). Comparable to a 12-hour chemical light stick after it has been activated for one hour. With the lit area cut down to 180º, it makes for a perfect reading light or low intensity flashlight.
Krill Strobing Light - the Krill Strobing Light has everything you love about the Original Krill Light and lasts 95% longer. It is great for marking hazards and grabbing attention. The Krill Strobing Light is available in all the styles, intensities and colours that the Original Krill Light comes in.
INFRARED Krill Light - with 2 AA batteries the infrared Krill Light will last for over 50 hours with a viewing angle of 360º, a positive signature of over 2000 ft. and, is compatible with military NVG systems with no visible light signature. This lamp is comparable to the non-visible 8 or 3 hour IR chemical light sticks. (currently in development)
AAA Mini Krill Light - this lamp is reliable and durable like the Original Krill Light, yet convenient and compact enough to fit into holders and pockets designed for 6 inch light sticks.
360º Mini Krill Light - lasting over 50 hours per set of 2 AA batteries, this light has an output of 10.5Fl with a 360º angle of viewing. It is good for marking and lighting small areas where light is needed in all angles and is as bright as a chemical light stick after it has been activated for 1.5 hours.
INFRARED Mini Krill Light - (currently in development)
Krill Light Torch - the new extra-long Krill Light Torch is still as durable and reliable as the Original Krill Light, but bigger and better! This "larger and brighter" Krill Light Torch is 14 inches tall with 22 inches of light emitting material and over 20Fl of intensity! It runs on 6 AA batteries for over 10 hours and can be used for over 2500 hours. This light is designed to replace 10 inch and 15 inch chemical light sticks and small lanterns. Choose from the following four lighting options:
- 360º Krill Light Torch- lasting over 10 hours per set of 6 AA batteries, this light replaces hundreds of chemical light sticks. It has nearly the same intensity as a chemical light stick after it has been activated for 24 hours. Lit 360º, with the exception of one small seam, the original Krill Light Torch has a maximum output of 30Fl. This is perfect for replacing chemical light sticks used for traffic management and road safety.
- 180º Krill Light Torch - the 180º Krill Light Torch has the battery life as the original; however, the lit surface area is minimized to 180º to produce 30Fl. This is good for directional lighting and marking against flat surfaces.
- INFRARED Krill Light Torch - (currently in development)
FAQ
Q: You mention that the expected life expectancy is 3000 hours. What exactly happens to the light output beyond this time? Does the intensity decrease over time beyond the 3000 hours or does it simply stop working altogether?
A: The light gradually gets dimmer. At 3000 hours the light should be about 1/2 of its original intensity, with a fresh set of batteries. It will work to over 10,000 hours, but the efficiency is really reduced so we recommend replacement at 3000 hours.
Q: If the light output attenuates over time, does that mean that it is in the gradual process of attenuating even during the 3,000 hours of estimated life?
Storage Life: Do the micro-encapsulated phosphors break down over time, even when not used? What is that time frame 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? Does ambient temperature, especially extreme heat or cold, that the Krill Light is stored at, affect the life expectancy of the microencapsulated phosphors?
A: The life of the phosphors is pretty much unlimited. Humidity is the big factor to the life of phosphors, and we have a very robust build on the lamp and our plastic housing is waterproof. We have had the lamps run through an accelerated life testing for heat and cold, with no real effects.
Q: Is light output affected by temperature-specifically sub-zero temperatures. (I understand the battery itself would be affected by sub-zero temperatures but assuming the voltage was truly 3 volts (using lithium double "AA" cells that are much less affected by temperature) how does sub-zero temperatures affect the micro-encapsulated phosphors?
A: The cold does not affect the light output, as long as the batteries are producing 3 volts.
Q: The extreme versions of the Krill Light are about twice as bright as the regular version but with a corresponding doubling of current draw as evidenced by a halving of the battery life. Does this increase in driving the phosphors to double the lumens out light output contribute in any way to decreasing in the 3000 hour life expectancy? If so, does that mean the non-extreme version would have a higher continuous burn life expectancy? If so, by how much?
A: We use a voltage doubler internally, then feed the IC DC to AC inverter. This provides higher drive conditions to bring about the higher output. This does have an effect on the overall life, however, our 3000 hours is conservative and covers both originals and extremes.
Q: Do the different colored phosphors have a different overall life expectancy?
A: We use a green base phosphor, with specific inks to shift the color into the other spectrums. We do this because of best life and overall intensity.
Q: While the lamp itself runs on 3 volts DC, I assume you have circuitry that steps up the voltage and changes it to AC to cause the phosphors to glow. Just out of curiosity, what voltage and frequency are actually applied to the phosphors themselves?
A: The output ranges on style and version, however, it is between 80 and 100 volts and 200-400hrtz.
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