http://www.aip.org/pnu/2006/split/772-3.html?source=rsspnu

"Sunlight on a Chip

 

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) convert electricity into light very efficiently, and are increasingly the preferred design for niche applications... To really make an impression in the lighting world, however, a device must be able to produce ... a softer, whiter, more color balanced illumination.

 

Scientists ... in Japan, have now achieved a highly efficient, tunable white light with an improved yellow-producing phosphor .... Their light yield is 55 lumens per watt, about twice as bright as commercially available products operating in the same degree of whiteness."

the News moderating is efficient!

 

I find an item and post it and it is on the board within short time, that is great. It means if I think of something more to add I can post a comment in just a few minutes. Like right now. kudos to the Cap'n or whoever is responsible.

 

In this case, after posting the item I went to the kitchen closet and checked my lightbulbs. They are Philips 100W incandescent and you know those suckers make only

FIFTEEN LUMENS PER WATT

 

that is miserable compared with the 55 lumens per watt which the new LEDs put out. and what the LEDs put out is daylight spectrum approximately

Once the price of LEDs go down, I think they'll really begin to take off for conventional lighting, and even things like headlights.

 

They're efficient and they don't burn out quickly. Great combination.

 

(And yes, I was the one who approved this thread... slight title change and it was perfect! Thanks for posting!)

Once the price of LEDs go down' date=' I think they'll really begin to take off for conventional lighting, and even things like headlights.

 

They're efficient and they don't burn out quickly. Great combination.

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Operating life varies inversely with temperature, so usefulness depends on the application. And, as the graph here shows, fluorescent lights are still ~twice as efficient, at around 100 lm/W, but that the theoretical limit for LEDs is about triple of what was recently attained. So they can be developed further.

Here in the USA flourescent screw-in electronic balast bulbs have been only $4 apiece. They are being sold as 3 or 4 times as efficient as incandescent, and they do last 10k hours. Total lighting expense counting bulbs is one-third what it was. Color is nice and I have all my fixtures using them, except one dimming 40-watt bulb for 'cave atmosphere'.

ditto, we also have LED "Mood Lighting" here too

Do they dim with a simple controller?

my LED array does yes

 

you can either dim the overall array, or each particular color element individualy.

Operating life varies inversely with temperature, so usefulness depends on the application. And, as the graph here[/url'] shows, fluorescent lights are still ~twice as efficient, at around 100 lm/W, but that the theoretical limit for LEDs is about triple of what was recently attained. So they can be developed further.

Ah, well, I guess I should have done a bit of research then.

 

I have fluorescent lights as most of my built-in ceiling lights, as otherwise lighting would take a kilowatt in just one of the rooms (12 lights, 100 watts).