christmas lights

[billvon 3,112]

I just found out about LED christmas lights. They're available from a bunch of places, including Forever Bright. These make a lot of sense:

1. They never burn out
2. They can't shatter; no glass
3. They take 90% less power. If 10% of the people in the US used these instead of regular lights, you could shut down one large nuclear or coal power plant over christmas, which would be cool.

They're about 4x the cost of a regular set ($27 vs $8) but if they last forever you'd probably end up saving money in the long run.

[AggieDave 6]

If you don't put the http:// before the url, the script tries to load it from this domain...so the link appears dead.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Sonic 0]

Try this one

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It's like something out of that twilighty show about that zone

[quade 4]

Do you know if they're dimable?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[billvon 3,112]

>Do you know if they're dimable?

They should be, if they're wired like I think they are.

[wlie 0]

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If 10% of the people in the US used these instead of regular lights, you could shut down one large nuclear or coal power plant over christmas

How?

My other ride is the relative wind.

[Scoby 0]

LEDs are fully dimmable, unless they have wired them strangely. If they are wired series-parallel and then run with line voltage, you can dim them with any incandescent dimmer.

[Scoby 0]

It would be nice to know how much luminous flux there is per string. I'm thinking of a pretty cool use for them...architectural cove lighting. Have you seen how much dedicated cove lights cost?

It's worth pointing out that LEDs can and do burn out, often long before the rated 100K hours. And light output decreases over time, at 1K hours, output can be down 20%. Also, the epoxy the dice are embedded in can yellow and the phosphor (in the white parts) has a limited lifespan. Still, they are massively better than regular christmas lights.

[quade 4]

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I'm thinking of a pretty cool use for them...architectural cove lighting. Have you seen how much dedicated cove lights cost?

It's like you're reading my mind.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[billvon 3,112]

>How?

If 10% of the people in the US used LED lights instead of regular lights, power consumption in the US would go down by about a gigawatt. A large coal or nuclear plant generates about a gigawatt. This was actually a big deal in CA last year during the power crisis.

[billvon 3,112]

>It would be nice to know how much luminous flux there is per string.

Not much; these are cheap christmas lights, not high power LED's.

>I'm thinking of a pretty cool use for them...architectural cove lighting.

I'd recommend either rolling your own or trying a place like LEDTronics or Hosfelt. Hosfelt carries cheap LED's, LEDTronics carries LED assemblies on a variety of bases.

>It's worth pointing out that LEDs can and do burn out, often long
> before the rated 100K hours . . .

True, but that's rare. Also, the most common failure is decrease in light output below spec; that's easier to deal with than a burned out light in a series string.

>the epoxy the dice are embedded in can yellow and the phosphor
>(in the white parts) has a limited lifespan.

These would tend to just change the color temperature, which I think isn't too big a deal for christmas lights.

[Scoby 0]

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I'd recommend either rolling your own or trying a place like LEDTronics or Hosfelt. Hosfelt carries cheap LED's, LEDTronics carries LED assemblies on a variety of bases.

But the attraction of using these strings is that the work is already done. If I knew what the flux is, I can just buy X number of strings and be done with it. It doesn't take a lot of light to make a cove look cool.

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True, but that's rare. Also, the most common failure is decrease in light output below spec; that's easier to deal with than a burned out light in a series string.

True enough, especially at the temperatures these will operate at.

[wlie 0]

So you mean there's going to be a surplus. Hence it'll hurt the profits of these companies. I get it...

I thought it was a case of less consumption leading to an overload from production that could potentially self-destruct a plant. Doh!

My other ride is the relative wind.

[keskeie 0]

I love hearing all the guy talk about Christmas lights! It's so manly and cool...you need a guy's forum for this kinda stuff.

(Okay, I actually do like it, but it sounded funny to seriously say that I liked it...)

We were never feeling bored because we were never being boring.
-Zelda Fitzgerald

[konradptr 0]

You are talking about 100k hours... THAT IS 100,000 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How many Christmas holidays do you have where you live???????????????

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Getting banned isn't that bad......

[wildblue 7]

LED lighting is catching on. LED flashlights are becoming popular, the brake lights on my motorcycle are LEDs, one little LED lights up the license plate - and they're bright! Dear god are they bright!
A friend of mine is starting to basically build his own lights for his house - should last longer and drop the power bill. ANd probably save money in the long run, not buying bulbs all the time.

it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality

[Muenkel 0]

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If 10% of the people in the US used LED lights instead of regular lights, power consumption in the US would go down by about a gigawatt.

Which would be very useful in sending Marty McFly back to the future.

_________________________________________
Chris

[kingbunky 3]

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If 10% of the people in the US used LED lights instead of regular lights, power consumption in the US would go down by about a gigawatt.

Which would be very useful in sending Marty McFly back to the future.

weren't those jigawatts?

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[billvon 3,112]

>A friend of mine is starting to basically build his own lights for his
> house - should last longer and drop the power bill. ANd probably
> save money in the long run, not buying bulbs all the time.

I've looked at that possibility, and aside from specialized applications (night lights, yard lights) it's not quite there yet. Off-the-shelf LED's aren't significantly more efficient than compact flourescents, and are about 40 times the price per lumen. But some of the newer stuff, if they can get the price down . . .

[jessefs 0]

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weren't those jigawatts?

They sure were, 1.21 to be exact.

[Deuce 1]

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weren't those jigawatts?

They sure were, 1.21 to be exact.

No they're "Jiggy"-watts. Just like regular watts, but with better fashion sense and dance rythm

[Muenkel 0]

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weren't those jigawatts?

Yes they were. I thought with Bill being so smart and everything the correct spelling was with a "g". But I guess a gigawatt is different than a jigawatt. In the end though, I don't give a fuck. This shit bores the hell out of me.

_________________________________________
Chris

[Guest]

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LEDs are fully dimmable, unless they have wired them strangely. If they are wired series-parallel and then run with line voltage, you can dim them with any incandescent dimmer.

I'd be interested in knowing how they're being run with with AC line voltage (the web site says "no bulky transformers"), but they are diodes, after all.

LEDs do limit current all by themselves when wired sufficiently in series. Perhaps way they're wired makes them rectifiy the AC as well as limit the current.

The concept is interesting, and definitely brings out the techno geek in me. Great idea - wish I'd thought of it.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[billvon 3,112]

>I'd be interested in knowing how they're being run with with AC line
> voltage (the web site says "no bulky transformers"), but they are
> diodes, after all.

They either illuminate for only half the cycle, or there's a bridge rectifier to convert AC to pulsating DC. If you put 70 or so in series you don't need to limit current.

[billvon 3,112]

>weren't those jigawatts?

Well, movie types can't always pronounce words correctly. I remember a really old sci-fi series that pronounced 'deuterium' as 'dutronium.' Just one of the many things that annoys 12-year-old nerds.