Beta light or Isotope ?

[kestrel]

Is a beta light the same thing as an Isotope ?

[Si...]

Nope

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_light

[Steve Burke]

Is a beta light the same thing as an Isotope ?

 

In fishing terms, yes. Beta lights use tritium gas that is one of the many varieties of isotopes. Tritium is in fact a radioactive isotope of hydogen. Don't worry though, betalights aren't dangerous as the tritium can't escape from its glass tube unless the glass is broken. Even then it will do little or no damage.

[kestrel]

Nope

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_light

 

wow ! I knew I should have paid more attention during science at school, that is impressive ,thanks , all I want to know really is which one is probably going to last the longest and stay bright, especially if I am going to glue them into swinger heads.

 

Any help would be appreciated, maybe you have used both types ?

[RobStubbs]

Like Steve says above they are the same in fishing terms. Just make sure you get one that aint a dud (cup in your hand to make sure it glows).

 

Rob.

[Si...]

As far as I know, both beta lights and isotopes have approx the same life span (10-12 years), But saying that, I`ve had isotopes on my Delkims since I bought them in 93 and they`re still going strong to this day.

 

What is Tritium?

Tritium is a heavy form (isotope) of hydrogen and for this reason behaves chemically exactly like it.

Pure tritium therefore, forms a gas T2 (like hydrogen forms H2). However, tritium is not stable but decays to the inert gas helium with a half-life of 12.3 years.

This means that after this time half of any amount of tritium will have become helium. This transformation process is called a pure beta-decay. In this process no gamma radiation occurs and only a low energy electron is emitted.

[RobStubbs]

What is Tritium?

Tritium is a heavy form (isotope) of hydrogen and for this reason behaves chemically exactly like it.

Pure tritium therefore, forms a gas T2 (like hydrogen forms H2). However, tritium is not stable but decays to the inert gas helium with a half-life of 12.3 years.

This means that after this time half of any amount of tritium will have become helium. This transformation process is called a pure beta-decay. In this process no gamma radiation occurs and only a low energy electron is emitted.

 

Tritium decays to give off Beta radiation. Not as high energy as gamma radiation so it doesn't penetrate objects very far, but still radiation none the less. Inside beta lights it's pretty well contained and of no safety concern.

 

Rob.

[Si...]

What is Tritium?

Tritium is a heavy form (isotope) of hydrogen and for this reason behaves chemically exactly like it.

Pure tritium therefore, forms a gas T2 (like hydrogen forms H2). However, tritium is not stable but decays to the inert gas helium with a half-life of 12.3 years.

This means that after this time half of any amount of tritium will have become helium. This transformation process is called a pure beta-decay. In this process no gamma radiation occurs and only a low energy electron is emitted.

 

 

Tritium decays to give off Beta radiation. Not as high energy as gamma radiation so it doesn't penetrate objects very far, but still radiation none the less. Inside beta lights it's pretty well contained and of no safety concern.

 

Rob.

 

Umm Rob, I said that :thumbs:

 

As far as the radiation leaking and affecting you, its highly unlikely, because the low power radiation used in isotopes/beta lights will not pass through thick clothing, so I`d doubt it would even pass through the glass.

[kestrel]

Umm Rob, I said that :thumbs:

 

As far as the radiation leaking and affecting you, its highly unlikely, because the low power radiation used in isotopes/beta lights will not pass through thick clothing, so I`d doubt it would even pass through the glass.

 

Which ones do you think are more likely last the longest and stay the brightest? Do you think they are all made in the same factory and just badged differently ?

 

I am now presuming both are perfectly safe for use under normal fishing circumstances.

[Steve Burke]

Which ones do you think are more likely last the longest and stay the brightest? Do you think they are all made in the same factory and just badged differently ?

 

I am now presuming both are perfectly safe for use under normal fishing circumstances.

 

I'm very tired today so please forgive me if I've got the wrong end of the stick. You used the word both, and so am I right in thinking that you believe that there are two separate products, betalights and isotopes?

 

In fact there aren't. A betalight is simply a type of isotope.

 

These betalights use a radioactive isotope of tritium gas. All radioactive materials break down over time. This means that they have an "effective shelf life" - in the case of betalights about 10 to 15 years. So long as the betalight you buy was manufactured fairly recently you can expect it to last about this long. Unfortunately I've never seen the date of manufacture given on the label.

 

In my time in the tackle trade most major tackle distributors bought their betalights from the same source, and so like you I suspect that they're all made in the same factory and that it's only the badging that's different.

 

The main difference between betalights will be in their power (measured in microlamberts). You pay a lot more for more powerful betalights, and so I'd suggest you only buy as powerful a betalight as you need. For instance you'd need a more powerful betalight for a float compared with an indicator simply due to the distance involved.

Edited March 16, 2007 by Steve Burke