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#145318 04/13/06 03:24 PM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 382
H
Hutch Offline OP
Member
Interesting new possibilities for LED lights published in Nature recently suggesting that the end of the incandecent bulb may be in sight [Linked Image].

http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060410/full/060410-8.html
and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4906188.stm

Edison Screw or Bayonet Cap I wonder?! [Linked Image]

Happy Easter All

#145319 04/13/06 06:43 PM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
Member
I doubt incandescent lamps will ever go out of production.

For one, regular bulbs have a certain spectrum of light that can't be duplicated by any other type of light.

You can't really do mood lighting with fluorescents, for instance. Dimming those just looks nasty - all putrid blue.

Hey, carbon-filament bulbs are mostly obsolete, except for ornamental lighting.

And THOSE are certainly still manufactured!! [Linked Image]

#145320 04/13/06 07:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
Read those two articles. The 'Nature' original, full of concise factual information on the science, the technology, the future feasibility and shortcomings.
Then I read the putrid BBC report, dumbed-down for a dullard mass-media audience and an insult to the intelligence.

Alan


Wood work but can't!
#145321 04/14/06 06:02 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
I think LED lamps will be a few years away.

Hee!, they are great for traffic lights and railway signals but they still miss the yellowish glow which we like in our houses.
The colour rendering is not too good because LED's have a monochromatic light output.
Incandescent lamps provide in winter some extra heating too [Linked Image]
An other thing is costs. A 240 volts LED lamp will probably cost at least NZ$100, ( US$60 ) as direct replacement for a normal bulb.
See what happens??
Give it at least another 10 years I think.


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
#145322 04/15/06 04:33 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
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My $0.02 worth.
Considering that an incandescent lamp loses 94% of it's output as heat, it should be only a short period of time before it's demise, colour-rendering or not.
LED technology is advancing in leaps and bounds and has been in the last 5-10 years as opposed to the development of the filament lamp since it was invented, in the 20th Century.
Most of what is driving industry these days is finding a better, low power alternative to the light bulb.
With singular LED outputs in the thousands of milli-candelas and with such a low current, it will be a short amount of time before the incandescent source is made obsolete.
Couple that with the 300,000 hour life on an LED fitting.
Take your pick.

#145323 04/15/06 04:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
I agree with Mike here, the advantages are to great to be ignored. I think we will see a rapid move to this technology.

Besides if you look at history almost everyone that has said "That will never happen" has been proved wrong. [Linked Image]


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#145324 04/15/06 07:36 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 354
K
Member
LED lights are already here. Indicator lights on switchboards & control panels are all LED now, and my torch has an LED bulb. Christmas lights are going LED too ! Cars are using LED headlights now.

I think the incandescants days are numbered.

#145325 04/15/06 08:54 AM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 223
A
Member
The LED replacements would have to become as cheap as CFL's before they become prominent forms of domestic lighting. For other applications the incandescent lamp is pretty much obsolete...everything to do with signalling or indication is now using LEDs or about to. Portable lighting is rapidly changing now. LED torches have been around for a few years but today I saw a 12v lead lamp shaped like the familiar flourescent ones but internally was a panel of white LED's. The LED headlights on cars are the most vile thing I have seen and would ban them if I could. It is extremely unpleasant to have that 'spectrally pure' light shining in my eyes from an oncoming car.
My stash of several thousand incandescent bulbs should see me out while the rest of the world has converted to CFL's & LED's. There really needs to be a 'warm white' LED for it to be acceptable. But then again, some people have no concept of colour temperature...the use of cool white CFL's in a living room proves that.

#145326 04/16/06 03:28 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
I didn't come floating down the Thames on a chocolate biscuit wrapped in bacofoil and I'm not paying $50 for a 60W lightbulb either, even if it does last 34 years. By then I'll be in my mid nineties and past caring. LEDs? Another catchpenny for people with more money than sense.

Alan


Wood work but can't!
#145327 04/16/06 04:36 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Sorry,
That figure of 300,000 hours is incorrect.
Lets try 100,000 hrs.
Regardless, that is 100 times what you can expect from an incandescent lamp.
AS240,
Quote
But then again, some people have no concept of colour temperature...the use of cool white CFL's in a living room proves that.
Here's a funny story, I use an old twin 2x 9W PL-S fitting here in my office to give light in here at night instead of using the normal room lights.
Anyway, the current 4000K lamps were starting to get rather blackened and I thought it was time to replace them.
Go down to my local supply house and get what I thought was the correct lamps and bought them home and proceeded to tear the boxes open and fit the lamps.
Switch the fitting on, Good God!, they are the wrong colour (2700K!) and it looks like I have an HPS street-light on in here. [Linked Image]
The nieghbours must be thinking I'm growing some drugs in here.
I won't get caught like that again. [Linked Image]

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