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I think LED lighting is one of the most understated but significant changes in everyday life to come about since computers and computing became mainstream.
I studied electronics back in the 70's and the simple light emitting diode in basic red was the only LED around and probably one of the most fun things to play with when you were building electronic projects.
Just today I went to Walmart to buy some replacement flood light style bulbs to replace a couple of can lights in my kitchen. First I noticed LED lighting predominates on the shelf. Virtually every kind of light bulb you can buy is now LED. A package of 4 glass LED bulbs was eight bucks. These were 65 watt but only use 8 watts and only cost 2 dollars each with an estimated annual cost of ninety eight cents in electricity. That is pretty significant if not phenomenal.
Now it is pretty easy to see the difference in newer cars vs older models, especially at night. Older models have this yellowish glow to the head lights where newer models with LED lighting have a whiter light.
Couple this accent lighting of types and colors. Low voltage lighting in places you would never have considered placing it before. Lighting tubes that are flexible, decorative lighting for holidays and other innovative uses that have never been seen before.
For just a few dollars, a string of tiny LEDs barely larger than a grain of rice, powered by a couple of AA batteries can be taped to your vehicle for a Christmas parade or wound into a wreath, attached to your clothing and about anything else you can imagine.
The appearance of the world is changing due to LED lighting and saving energy at the same time.
What are your thoughts? What unique use of LEDs have you seen? Have you come up with your own unique use for LED lighting?
I studied electronics back in the 70's and the simple light emitting diode in basic red was the only LED around and probably one of the most fun things to play with when you were building electronic projects.
I got out of electronics design (as a daily thing) right about the time the first, miraculous, weak, fragile blue LEDs came along. You could get them for $5-10 from the specialty suppliers, and destroy them with simple mistake that an Ol' Red would shrug off.
A few years later they became ubiquitous as indicators on everything. I still sigh a little every time I see a blue LED on a throwaway toy or gadget.
I got out of electronics design (as a daily thing) right about the time the first, miraculous, weak, fragile blue LEDs came along. You could get them for $5-10 from the specialty suppliers, and destroy them with simple mistake that an Ol' Red would shrug off.
A few years later they became ubiquitous as indicators on everything. I still sigh a little every time I see a blue LED on a throwaway toy or gadget.
I also know that early pink LEDs were prone to turning blue due to low quality phosphors. Many newer pink LEDs now use phosphors that are more fade-resistant.
I just bought a very large home which had pretty much zero energy efficient lights. I have replaced probably ~100 bulbs in the 2 levels and finished basement. Assuming an average of 60 watts, that would be 6000 watts when all turned on. That’s 50 Amps!
Two homes ago, I installed my first LED bulbs. Expensive, non-dimmable and had terrible color accuracy and color temperature.
My last home had a lot of 2700K bulbs. Still fairly expensive but better.
Now I choose from 2000K dimmable bulbs in some fixtures, 2700 that dim to 2300 in others, and a lot of Edison style bulbs. They are finally at a price point and quality where it makes sense.
Every bulb in my house is led. I just bought a bunch of LED light fixtures at Home Depot on clearance. $100 normally bought them for $39 each. Bought 11 of them. My garage is gonna be bright as hell.
It cost me about $225 to replace all the fluorescent tubes in the office with LED tubes.
Direct install with no rewiring, about 48 LED tubes.
I perceive no degradation in serviceable light, see no flicker, and installed only two LED tubes replacing 4 fluorescents in 4 tube troffers.
Pretty good financial payoff for the effort.
I think LED lighting is one of the most understated but significant changes in everyday life to come about since computers and computing became mainstream.
I studied electronics back in the 70's and the simple light emitting diode in basic red was the only LED around and probably one of the most fun things to play with when you were building electronic projects.
Just today I went to Walmart to buy some replacement flood light style bulbs to replace a couple of can lights in my kitchen. First I noticed LED lighting predominates on the shelf. Virtually every kind of light bulb you can buy is now LED. A package of 4 glass LED bulbs was eight bucks. These were 65 watt but only use 8 watts and only cost 2 dollars each with an estimated annual cost of ninety eight cents in electricity. That is pretty significant if not phenomenal.
Now it is pretty easy to see the difference in newer cars vs older models, especially at night. Older models have this yellowish glow to the head lights where newer models with LED lighting have a whiter light.
Couple this accent lighting of types and colors. Low voltage lighting in places you would never have considered placing it before. Lighting tubes that are flexible, decorative lighting for holidays and other innovative uses that have never been seen before.
For just a few dollars, a string of tiny LEDs barely larger than a grain of rice, powered by a couple of AA batteries can be taped to your vehicle for a Christmas parade or wound into a wreath, attached to your clothing and about anything else you can imagine.
The appearance of the world is changing due to LED lighting and saving energy at the same time.
What are your thoughts? What unique use of LEDs have you seen? Have you come up with your own unique use for LED lighting?
I’m actually trying to get used to them but so far not a fan. Every one I’ve bought I find to be too bright.
I’m actually trying to get used to them but so far not a fan. Every one I’ve bought I find to be too bright.
I'd guess that nearly all complaints along this line are because people buy too high a color temp. Incandescents are very low temp, 2700K or so. Replacing them even with equivalent-lumen LEDs that are 4000, 5000, 6500K makes the lighting and the room squinty-whitey-bright.
High temps have their place and their advantages - I use natural/daylight in my working spaces - but most people would be happier if they stayed with the warm reddish tones of incandescents in most living areas. Yes, it's technically "artificial" compared to sunlight, but it's what we've had for 150 years. Individual perception can't be changed in, well, the flip of a switch.
I'd guess that nearly all complaints along this line are because people buy too high a color temp. Incandescents are very low temp, 2700K or so. Replacing them even with equivalent-lumen LEDs that are 4000, 5000, 6500K makes the lighting and the room squinty-whitey-bright.
High temps have their place and their advantages - I use natural/daylight in my working spaces - but most people would be happier if they stayed with the warm reddish tones of incandescents in most living areas. Yes, it's technically "artificial" compared to sunlight, but it's what we've had for 150 years. Individual perception can't be changed in, well, the flip of a switch.
I have a sensitivity to light. Most of the time I only use offset like for instants I’ll keep a light on in the kitchen while I’m watching television in the living room. But in general I keep it pretty dim. It is very confusing, I buy what I think are low wattage bulbs rather the equivalent to low wattage bulbs. For instance I bought one that I believed was equivalent to a low watt bulb for our outside porch, and it ended up being incredibly bright.
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