Tritium Keylight

[n2ize]

I am forever misplacing my kleys or having trouble locating them in the dark so I recently ordered one of those inexpensive Tritium key chain lights. I received it today. It glows a yellow/green colour. I chose green because it's the most visible colour. It's not very bright but it's fine under dark or semi dark conditions. Not quite as bright as the old radium lights but still good enough for practical use. It's basically a laser sealed phosphor coated glass tube containing a minuscule amount of radioactive tritium hermetically sealed in a clear polycarbonate enclosure. Tritium has a half life of 12.6 years so, in 10-12 years it will probably be only about half as bright as it is now. I held it up to a Geiger counter and there was hardly any increase in counts per minute. Contrast that with one of my old radium dial pocket watches that make the Geiger counter click away like crazy if I bring it close to the tube. Radium has a half-life of >1000 years so watches painted with radium are still quite as radioactive as when they were made decades ago. The only reason they no longer glow is because over 10-12 years the phosphor goes bad. Although they don't last as long the tritium lights are considerably safer.

[VE7DCW]

Wasn't tritium(an isotope of hydrogen)used to ''salt" thermo-nuclear warheads to increase the ultimate yield of the weapon?

I'm not a nuclear physicist,but I seem to remember reading somewhere that was what this material was used for.....if this flashlight was shielded enough to prevent radioactive exposure from beta decay then it seem an appropriate use for this dangerous material! :-|

[n2ize]

Wasn't tritium(an isotope of hydrogen)used to ''salt" thermo-nuclear warheads to increase the ultimate yield of the weapon?

Yes, it was called a "booster" or "boosting agent" to improve/enhance the efficiency of the fission within fission type atomic bombs. Ultimately this might also enhance yields and help to prevent a fizzle.

I'm not a nuclear physicist,but I seem to remember reading somewhere that was what this material was used for.....if this flashlight was shielded enough to prevent radioactive exposure from beta decay then it seem an appropriate use for this dangerous material! :-|

I think tritium is a byproduct of nuclear reactors. This rather expensive gas is collected and sold for various purpose. One common purpose is radioluminescence. I thin Navy Seal watches were among the first to use it for illuminating watch dials. Of course it's now available for a wide range of illumination from gun sights to instruments to keychains. I don;t think beta exposure is much of an issue since it barely read on my Geiger counter. But if I put the face of a 50+ year old radium watch next to my counter it clicks like mad. The problem with old radium painted dials is that they last for well over 1000 years but the radium also decays into radon, polonium. Radium generally emits alpha particles but its daughter isotopes start giving off beta and gamma rays as the radium decays. Also as they age the binder in the paint starts to wear out and thus the radioactive paint can crumble and flake off as a fine dust. This can be risky if you need to open and fix and old radium dial watch. You have to be careful not to inhale or swallow any minute dust particles. A disposable mask and gloves are recommended. I have a couple old radium pocket watches I wear occasionally. But I am hesitant to remove the crystal or open them to work on. If they break down they stay that way. Tritium is much safer in that the tritium is sealed in tiny glass vials. If you accidentally break one all you need do is leave the area for a little while to allow the minuscule amount of gas to dissipate.

[NA4BH]

Keep the keychain down near the "OL, Knewt Rockne's".

[KG4NEL]

I've thought about one of those watches, but a useful lifespan of 10 years for a watch that runs $5-800 isn't such a great deal...

[n2ize]

I've thought about one of those watches, but a useful lifespan of 10 years for a watch that runs $5-800 isn't such a great deal...

I am not entirely sure but, I think some watch companies will replace the tritium tubes on the watch when they go dim. I read on a watch forum that supposedly the "Ball Watch Co." will offer tritium replacement as an option during scheduled maintenance. As with most expensive mechanical watches they require periodic maintenance. Other watch companies may not do this. I would advise anyone buying an expensive tritium watch to see if the manufacturer will replace the tritium when the time comes before buying the watch. Or, just buy an inexpensive LCD watch with an indiglo( R) background light.

[KG4NEL]

A Ball's too rich for me

[n2ize]

A Ball's too rich for me

Yeah, I know. They are nice and I wouldn't mind having one but they are too rich for me as well. Besides for general day to day timekeeping my smart phone does quite well...not to mention clocks on my desktop computer and just about everywhere I go. Besides, as far as watches go I am mainly into actual antique pocket watches. In fact I have my eye on a beautiful working key winding fusee type pocket watch from the early 1850's. A bit expensive but I might spring for it eventually.

[KG4NEL]

I probably wouldn't ever be interested in a watch, but I'll need one for nursing school (because patients look at you weird if you pull out a smartphone to time their pulse, pfft). Considering it'll get shoved in a sink approximately 100x per day, I'm figuring a diver is the way to go.

And I'll probably spend 100x more than I need to for it, because, well, male mind and mechanical things.

[KK4AMI]

If you wouldn't Luv 'em and Leave 'me then you wouldn't have to look for your keys in the dark. Tritium is used in pistol sights for night fighting to😃.