ANSI/PLATO FL 1 2019 Standard

What is the ANSI Standard?

The ANSI Standard is developed by PLATO, industry experts and stakeholders. It defines how specifications of portable lighting products such as light output, runtime, beam distance, and impact resistance should be measured and reported, ensuring reliable, accurate, clear, and consistent performance data.

Why is the ANSI Standard important?

Buying a flashlight, headlamp, bicycle light, or spotlight can be a confusing proposition to most consumers and many retailers, but the ANSI Standard provides clarity for buyers and accountability for the industry.

If the ANSI icons are present on the packaging or user manual, consumers and retailers can be confident that the reported performance claims are tested to industry standards, and even more importantly, the consumer can compare "apples to apples" when evaluating different products.

What does each icon mean?

Light Output
Total light output measured in Lumens. Lumens have become the most commonly used unit of measure for total light output in portable lighting devices. Wattage on the other hand, is a measurement of power consumption, not light output. With today’s efficient LED technology, it’s very possible to have a lower wattage LED flashlight with a greater light output than another flashlight with a higher wattage rating. This is the reason why Lumens have become the best comparison method.

Beam Distance
The distance, measured in meters, at which the light projects a useful amount of light, measured at 0.25 lux. (0.25 lux is approximately the equivalent of light emitted from a full moon “on a clear night in an open field.”)

Run Time
Tested with fresh batteries from 30 seconds after the light is turned on until the light output reaches 10% of the initial measurement. This is the total time of useable light before most consumers will change batteries.



Peak Beam Intensity
The brightest point in the beam measured in candela. Candela is the modern unit of measure for light intensity replacing the now-obsolete unit known as candlepower.

Impact Resistance
The height, measured in meters, from which the light can be dropped onto cured concrete and still work properly. This testing is completed by dropping the product (6) times using drop orientations that approximate each side of a cube. Dropped samples cannot have any visible cracks or breaks and must remain fully functional. The product must meet a minimum of (1) meter to receive this rating.

Water Resistance
This icon indicates an IPX4 rating which means the sample is tested against water sprayed from all angles. If this test is performed, it must be done after impact resistance testing is completed to ensure water resistance under real-life conditions.



Water Proof
Water submersion depth rating, measured in meters. This icon indicates at least an IPX7 rating which means the sample is submerged to a minimum of 1 meter depth for 30 minutes. If this test is performed, it must be done after impact resistance testing is completed to ensure water tightness under real-life conditions.