According to this article (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=41008) LED lighting is coming thanks to Toshiba. The price is quite expensive for now but the fact that it is now commercial implies that we should be seeing this kind of tech in homes soon.
I like LEDs much more than compact fluorescents. On a completely irrational basis.
They are very good on power though, aren't they?
LEDs are nowextremely efficient I just picked up a solar powered one for my garden and it is very bright .
A benefit for indoor use in the summer months since the diodes create more light than heat ( i think) . Anyway i've never been burned by any LEDs .
Their main problem IMHO is their end of life, in order to create the light you need semiconductors and those are usually toxic. OTOH LEDs come usually packaged in a solid plastic bubble, so while not precisely biodegradable, that should reduce the impact on water reservoirs.
I imagine that as they become more popular recycling may be an option.
How is the lifespan compared to incandescent and CFLs? I've almost never seen an LED burn out on an electrical component, but I imagine for indoor lighting the relatively higher light output required may be a bit tougher on the system.
Googling I found this (http://www.lunaraccents.com/educational-white-LED-life.html):
Quotea manufacture may claim 60% lumen maintenance at 45,000 hours.
According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led)
QuoteLEDs have an extremely long life span. One manufacturer has calculated the ETTF (Estimated Time To Failure) for their LEDs to be between 100,000 and 1,000,000 hours [15]. Fluorescent tubes typically are rated at about 10,000 hours, and incandescent light bulbs at 1,000-2,000 hours.
Also at some point OLEDs will be a better option (the O stands for 'Organic') but currently their lifespans are too low compared to crystalline/standard LEDs.
LEDs are also more suceptible to voltage variations, so they require more electric protection than your average incandescent bulb.
the big problem manufacturers need to overcome with this is that (if i remember my old job right) LEDs are extremely efficient and give of a lot of radiant ligt they have very low luminance. that is to say that they are bright when looked at (hence extensive use in tail lights, traffic signals etc) but do not illuminate their surroundings very well. in the past an led bulb would cast a feeble light unless directly viewed. I understand this is being solved which is probably good news.
Reflectors.
Shiny aluminum foil...
Used to have tiny LEDs to put lights into bouquets. To actually have them show up, I always collared them with aluminum foil. That way you could SEE the stupid fad item that the bridal magazines pushed...not just intuit it.
Lord, some folks are gullible!! (Lighted bride's bouquets are UGLY!! But Mothra Stewart talked about one for a beach wedding, so...monkey see, monkey waste money and do!)
My turn to ponder LED lighting.
I've found a cheap lamp I like but it's an LED : "average 34 lumens brightness".
It's a small spotlight flexible type thingy for fixing to a desk except I would be fixing it just above my head to shine on a book when sitting reading.
The radiation angle looks like zero to me in the picture, but let's say it is 5 degrees.... thus the lamp has a luminous intensity of 167.22 x 34 candela but now I need to know the density to work out the luminous flux, and only then can I compare it to my good old 60 Watt light bulb where 40 w is 450 lm. According to wiki. So apart from needing to consult the maths (woops sorry math) thread, I am up shit creek without a density. And also as I don't know if it comes with Blue LED & yellow phosphor, several phosphors, Ultraviolet LED & red, green, & blue phosphors, or Blue LED & quantum dots - though the last seems unlikely and the first rather more likely - let alone whether we are talking Homoepitaxial ZnSe, all in all I don't know much at all.
And since the technology to make all this generally useful in the home is not invented yet - should I presume it will light a sentence but not a paragraph and is therefore useless for reading?
EDIT another cheap deal scroll down and see the normal cost (http://www.androv-medical.com/product/24/full-spectrum-led-halogen-replacements/f62c1042eaab999c6820204c863f9db0) - how many people does it take to screw this lightbulb purveyor?
QuotePrice: £3.99
Normal Price: £79900.00
You Save: £79896.01
:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:
LED lighting is a bit cold (notice how they say "but we have engineered to a colour rendition index of 90 and they produce a clean white light which is
often preferable to the yellower halogen beams."); once they figure out a way to a) spread it better, and b) make it warmer, it will be a hit.
You just call the yellow baleful (http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10214726).
:update:
I bought the LED light.
It is fantastic. I've clipped it on my bedhead and it has a bendy stalk so I have it positioned exactly over my shoulder on the spot where everything happens.
While on that topic, and in ref. to a different thread, I abandoned the idea of a second woolly ramp at the foot of the bed (the one at the side continues to prove it's value) and now have a mounting block at the end of the bed instead.
Anyone needing advice in the bedroom department, I now have lots of useful experience ;D
Roaming here and there I found this (http://solcoolstore.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=20):
(http://www.solcool.net/images/t_8_rp_1.jpg)
QuoteThese LED tubes fit into a T8 fluorescent fixture. The brightness is similar to a 40W T8 bulb, but ours uses 14W of electricity. You save 26W per bulb.
For US$65 doesn't sound bad at all.
And also this (http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx):
(http://www.ccrane.com/images/small/cc-vivid-led-light-bulb.jpg)
I picked up a solar powered LED lamp for my garden.It is blindingly bright and stays on deep into the night .
I'm sold on LED. I like the bright white light from mine.
Quote from: Bruder Cuzzen on April 10, 2008, 03:06:58 AM
I picked up a solar powered LED lamp for my garden.It is blindingly bright and stays on deep into the night .
I have three and they are pretty weak. But I have a very sufficient LED solar-charging lantern for camping.
I carry 2 flashlights routinely. A "penlight" that takes 2 AA size, and a headlamp that takes 2 AAA size batteries.
Both are 3 watt LED lamps, and very, very bright.
Why 2?
Because, if you have crawled deep under a house, or into the back of an attic, the last thing you want to have happen is no light for your return trip.... ::)
Besides, the penlight is handier for a quick look. For working, I need both hands, hence the headlamp.
Sold on LED's for several years now.
have any of you seen or do you have a LED dynamo light-- I have a dynamo light in my purse but was wondering about the LED version, if one exists and the light output.
Dynamo lights are fun and very handy--esp as I have a niece and 4 nephews-it is always charged as they see cranking it as great fun.
I bought a tiny tiny LED torch about 2 cm long which goes ona key fob. It is stunningly bright, so much that it is dangerous to look AT it. Cost peanuts too.
Quote from: anthrobabe on April 12, 2008, 02:08:09 PM
have any of you seen or do you have a LED dynamo light-- I have a dynamo light in my purse but was wondering about the LED version, if one exists and the light output.
Dynamo lights are fun and very handy--esp as I have a niece and 4 nephews-it is always charged as they see cranking it as great fun.
I've had several, now.
The work great, if you keep them charged by winding regularly. If you just charge'em and toss'em in a closet, about 6 months later they only work if you wind'em-- the internal rechargeable batteries fail.
I wish someone would make one that used a capacitor instead of a battery to charge. Sure, the capacitor won't keep the charge for more than an hour or so, but if the generator has high enough current (make it a bit harder to turn...so what? It'd charge quicker, with just a few turns) it'll charge the cap for a 5 minute light-show. More than enough to snap the circuit breaker back, or replace a fuse. Or, to make a turn about the place, to see what that noise was. But, noooooo, they have to use an irreplaceable rechargeable battery. *bleah*
Another option: instead of a rechargeable battery, why not a clock spring? Let the spring unwind, spin the generator to keep the light going..... would last for 100's of years.....
The non-lethal red penlight variety has provided hours of rampaging fun for Dom the Danger Cat, as well. He particularly relishes chasing the beam up and down the stairs, and mewls accusingly at the kitchen drawer when I put it away.
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on April 12, 2008, 08:05:14 PM
I wish someone would make one that used a capacitor instead of a battery to charge.
Try one of these:
http://www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors/products/medium-cell/bcap0140.asp
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on July 04, 2008, 12:41:52 AM
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on April 12, 2008, 08:05:14 PM
I wish someone would make one that used a capacitor instead of a battery to charge.
Try one of these:
http://www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors/products/medium-cell/bcap0140.asp
I may do that-- if they are not horribly expensive.
Quote from: Agujjim on April 10, 2008, 05:50:19 AM
Quote from: Bruder Cuzzen on April 10, 2008, 03:06:58 AM
I picked up a solar powered LED lamp for my garden.It is blindingly bright and stays on deep into the night .
I have three and they are pretty weak. But I have a very sufficient LED solar-charging lantern for camping.
I should have been a bit more thorough in my response , the LED light I was referring to at the time has a collector that has 3x the surface area of previous lamps .
It is still going strong and I am thinking of arranging a few more of it's caliber to shine light upon the other collectors to make all the lamps charge one another when they are operating so they stay lit all night .
Today I finally found some LED light bulbs at a reasonable price, a pack of 3 for ~US$15 at a subsidiary of the evil empire (sams), these are 1.5W supposedly equivalent to 40W incandescent. I had been thinking on placing them in the bathroom (where the failure rate is higher due to much frequent on/off cycles) and these ones just fit the bill.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l252/anon1mat0/PICT4985_tn.jpg)
I would think that in reality the amount of light is closer to 30W incandescent but for the bathroom using all of them it works perfectly.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l252/anon1mat0/PICT4986_tn.jpg)
(the pictures suggest a dark room but is more a matter of contrast for the camera)
I'll let you know if and when one them fails.
:D
40% too expensive ;). They'll look charmingly retro though...
See here (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2009012803) and here (http://i.gizmodo.com/5141858/new-3-light-bulb-12-times-more-efficient-lasts-60-years).
Quote from: gizmondoPrototypes are already being produced and the light bulbs may reach the market in a mere two years.
So, $3 on 2?
;) :P
Just and update on my obsession with LED lighting, right now only three lights remain CFL at home, and those are in the last corners, a closet, the balcony and the wash & drier room. Better yet, I already have the LED replacements but the plug is small so I have to buy adapters or install smaller sockets.
The first gen bulbs I got are now in the fridge where they are perfectly adequate with the bonus of generating no heat at all. 2nd gen are in the bathrooms, these are 2.5 watts and more than twice as bright from the 1st gen, prices for those are on the same range. For the places that need more light I found some 7 watt 450 lumen ones that are the equivalent of a 60/70W incandescent, for the dinning room I had to get something with more punch as the decorative lamp eats lots of light so a 13W 800 lumen one serves the purpose (those are on the expensive side but it's replacing a 40W CFL) and finally, this weekend I got tube replacements for the kitchen where either the lamps, the ballasts or both were done. These are expensive (a bit less than $30 each on Amazon) 8-9W replacing 20W 2' tubes. These don't need the ballast so I removed them and reconnected two poles on each as any regular bulb. The only issue I had was that despite being labeled as compatible with the standard size were in reality about 1 cm shorter, so I had to adjust the connectors to fit the new length (I sliced a plastic wine cork at 4-5mm and placed it on the back of the plastic connectors).
As I have been using LED for a while now I have had two failures so far, quite likely of the electronics than the actual LEDs, but the rest are humming along just fine. It will likely take years to recoup the money on the bulbs but at least I can feel happy about the low consumption. If only an equivalent alternative existed to replace my AC...
I must get some.
Cool thread, and I totally forgot about it... my previous post was 2008...
:D
I've since added a nice automatic LED reading light in the bathroom, over the toilet.
I purchased a stand-alone swing arm lamp, which is affixed to the wall behind the commode. Next I purchased a motion sensor module, mounted that in a utility box with a plug and a cord (modified from a heavy-duty extension cord the same gauge as normal house wiring).
Mounted that in a strategic location, switched the motion sensor module to "automatic" and viola!
Anytime I stumble into the bathroom, the LED light automatically lights up the commode... perfect for reading. After a few minutes of inactivity, it goes off. I put that up about a year ago or so... no sign if failure so far.
I have two super-bright CFLs over the sink, but a couple of omni-directional LED's would work there a well, I'd wager. I'll have to see about that.
In my refrigerator, I replaced the constantly-blowing incandescent bulb with a low-wattage CFL. Alas, the cold temperatures prevented that from going "instant on" as it should, so I re-wired the switch to always on. The heat it contributes is minuscule-- far lower than just opening the door would do. But, letting it remain always-on, lets the bulb remain just warm enough for full-brightness. As an added bonus? I detected a flaw in the door-seal (by seeing light shining through)...
Replacing it with an LED would work, if I could find one that faced the right way-- most I see are too directional (having reflector bases). The switch would be a snap to repair too (I was deliberate about that step). Hmmm.... I may opt for a low-voltage LED, made strictly for automobiles. http://www.superbrightleds.com/ (http://www.superbrightleds.com/) They have one that could work: tower LED bulb (http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&category=CAR&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F1156-x18-T.htm#photos). The specs indicate 10-30 volts DC, so a re-purposed digital phone charger (no heat-creating transformer) ought to work out peachy, here. A new socket from the auto parts store, an adapter screwed into the original bulb-socket... The whole glued with hot-glue to the ceiling of the refrig, so I could remove it, when the thing dies (dead refrigerator, not the LED... :D )
This (http://www.amazon.com/Lights-America-2326LED-LF4-24-2-Watt-Bright/dp/B004NYAPYA) are the 2nd gen that I'm using in the bathrooms, omnidirectional and warm light. I get them in packs of 3 at Costco/Sams. The ones on my fridge are the same brand but the previous generation, but should work fine in the fridge too (it will glow 'cause those are fairly brilliant).
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZUbHfUo7L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
What is the voltage rating on those globes, are they strictly 110 VAC or are they 110-260 VAC?
According to the fine print on the bulbs themselves 120V 60Hz 2.5W 55mA.
I've not seen those available in my area.
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on July 17, 2007, 05:34:08 AM
According to this article (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=41008) Peimar led (http://www.niceledlights.com) lighting is coming thanks to Toshiba. The price is quite expensive for now but the fact that it is now commercial implies that we should be seeing this kind of tech in homes soon.
No matter how expensive these lights are. They save lot of energy to compensate their prices
Hello, Ranchao! Welcome. ;D It would be very nice if you would post in the 'Introductions' section and tell us about yourself.
BTW I agree with you about the lights.
Nice resurrection of this thread, too.
I love holiday lights. A while back I bought some LED white lights for the front porch, but they cast an eerie bluish glow and are kinda dim. They work great for Halloween, but for Yule I'd like something cheerier. Any energy-conscious advice?
They sell LED decoration lines in places like Home Depot, with different colors etc, perhaps you can check pricing.
I think frosted LEDs might be available, to mimic the look of the old frosted incandescent bulbs. That should help with the dead-light factor.
Quote from: Opsa on November 09, 2012, 02:48:14 PM
Nice resurrection of this thread, too.
I love holiday lights. A while back I bought some LED white lights for the front porch, but they cast an eerie bluish glow and are kinda dim. They work great for Halloween, but for Yule I'd like something cheerier. Any energy-conscious advice?
They have since improved the color temperature of white LED's to include some warmer hues. You could try again; they are easily price-competitive with traditional styles-- buy from a reputable dealer, and you can always return them if you don't like the color, and try ones with solid colors such as red, yellow or green (or even blue).
I purchased an LED-based light for my main living room fixture-- I love it, and it's actually better than the CFL it replaced.
Thanks for the recommendations. I found some "warm" LED stringed lights yesterday, and at half price!
I love the energy savings, but I must say, the "vibration" of the light is a bit wearying on my eyes.
While out on a stroll o happened upon a string of led holiday lights . They were on public property in front of a neighbour's home wrapped around a very small sapling . It was powered by a small solar collector . I want some since I haven't an electrical outlet outside.
Solar powered! Nice! I wonder how expensive, though.
It looked quite easy to make up something similar with discarded LEDs and solar panels . Simply connect the leads of the string of lights to the solar panel(s)
Umm, don't forget a battery of some sort. Otherwise you'll get your lights to work really well in the daytime, but at night... :mrgreen:
Quote from: Bluenose on December 18, 2012, 06:19:53 AM
Umm, don't forget a battery of some sort. Otherwise you'll get your lights to work really well in the daytime, but at night... :mrgreen:
What? My solar-powered flashlight won't work in the dark? Darnit!
::)
Oh yeah ... you'll need rechargeablebatteries .
Samgsung Nexus is a piceprice of j nkno kunkjunk
Quote from: Bruder Cuzzen on December 18, 2012, 06:05:45 PM
Samgsung Nexus is a piceprice of j nkno kunkjunk
As in cheap?
Well ... no .
It cost more than the iPhone , at thetime
I find it einfuriatingly difficult to use . I find all thesb itty bitty gadgets difficult . Loss of vision doesn't help.
Why do they just get smaller ?
I want bigger and buttons , not tough sensitive screen.
This post took forever.
You are a candidate for a Galaxy Note then (large screen). I have something smaller (Relay) but with a physical keyboard.
Speaking of LED lighting, we just installed some under-cabinet LEDs last weekend, and so far they look and work great. The light is like sunshine.