[AT] LED flashlights

[Steve W.]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Henry Miller" <hank at millerfarm.com>
To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 8:41 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] LED flashlights


> On Thursday 22 December 2005 11:56 pm, DAVIESW739 at aol.com wrote:
> > You will start seeing these on cars in the near  future I think all
cars
> > have to have led lights by 2009 and then comes the house  lights
next. in a
> > few years we can save millions on electricity just by changing  over
to LED
> > lights.
>
> No we will not.   A LED lightbulb is about the same efficiency as a
100 watt
> lightbulb.    The advantage of LEDs is they last a long time (but so
do
> fluorescent which are much more efficient), they retain that
efficiency (such
> as it is) down to low power levels, and they have a more focused beam.
> These are all exactly what you want in a flashlight.
>
> They are not useful in normal house lights.   You will see them in
specialized
> applications where the above is an advantage, but not for general
house
> lighting until/unless the technology improves.
>
> Compact fluorescent a much more efficient, and we would save millions
on
> electricity if people switched to them.    People do not like the
color of
> these bulbs, but LEDs use the same technology to get white light, so
they
> won't like the color of LEDs either.
>
> Studies comparing LEDs to standard light bulbs need to be done
carefully.
> Many don't account for the fact that LEDs put light in one direction
while
> the bulb puts it in all directions.   So more light lands on their
collector
> per watt input, but only because the other bulbs are spilling a lot of
light
> to areas other than their collector.
> _______________________________________________


Hank,
   They already exist. LEDs are MUCH more efficient than incandescent
lighting. They are also already in use in RVs and autos for lighting,
including headlights in some vehicles. They do not have to be
directional either. It is very easy to make the lens into a flood beam.
Just toss a couple LEDs inside a housing with a reflector and you have a
nice flood beam.