Improving LED Lighting

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.miami.edu/index.php/news/releases/improving_led_lighting-1/

Improving LED Lighting

June 20, 2011 — Coral Gables — University of Miami professor at the College of Engineering, Jizhou Song, has helped design an light-emitting diode (LED) light that uses an array of LEDs 100 times smaller than conventional LEDs. The new device has flexibility, maintains lower temperature and has an increased life-span over existing LEDs. The findings are published online by the “http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/06/06/1102650108">Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.”

…

In this study, the scientists focused on improving certain features of LED lights, like size, flexibility and temperature. Song’s role in the project was to analyze the thermal management and establish an analytical model that reduces the temperature of the device.

“The new model uses a silicon substrate, novel etching strategies, a unique layout and innovative thermal management method,” says Song, co-author of the study. “The combination of these manufacturing techniques allows the new design to be much smaller and keep lower temperatures than current LEDs using the same electrical power.”

In the future, the researchers would also like to make the device stretchable, so that it can be used on any surface, such as deformable display monitors and biomedical devices that adapt to the curvilinear surfaces of the human body.

…

[Warpy]

1. Right now, my favorite LED device is my head lamp

that has 4 LEDs in a line. It's wonderful during power outages and for rummaging in the backs of closets. It's also great for fixing the computer, putting light just where I'm looking and leaving both hands free.

Head lamps, duct tape and hemostats. My life works with those.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Yes, I love my headlight…

But this is currently my favorite LED device:
http://www.niterider.com/products/rechargeable-lights/minewt-mini-150/

[hunter]

3. I found an LED lamp in a scratch & dent sale that's better than any other light in my house.

Cree CR6:

http://www.creeledlighting.com

There may be other brands as well (and I really do hate to sound like an advertisement) but this is the one that makes me think I'm never going to buy a compact fluorescent, halogen, or incandescent lamp again. If this lasts the 50,000 hours promised I'll be very happy. I replaced one of the fluorescent can lights in my kitchen with it.

I've been using commercial grade soft white LED "Christmas" light strings for a few years now as exterior lighting.

[txlibdem]

4. Nice score! (do people even say that anymore???) - LEDs are coming in a big way

I am pro-LED to the core because, once you pay off the purchase price, they are basically little money machines - saving you every time you turn them on.

One of my posts did a comparison between the Philips 60 watt equivalent LED lamp that costs $40 versus a $1 incandescent lamp and the LED won after just a few years (the higher your electric rates, the faster LED lighting will pay for itself in savings, I compared 8 cents versus 11 cents per kWh). And a Florida company, Lighting Science, just announced it has one that will cost just $18 -- let the price wars begin! I can dig up the link if you can't find it with google or the DU search feature...

http://www.amazon.com/Cree-LR24-LED-Architectural-Lay/dp/B0039PP7WO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1308613464&sr=8-1
has a 44 watt ceiling light that puts out as much light as 3x 100 watt bulbs.
Picture is here: http://www.creeledlighting.com/Products/Architectural-Troffers/LR24-32SKA35.aspx -- nice looking and energy savings; bonus.

[Kolesar]

5. I am going to buy the LR6 for an over the sink light

in our remodeling project. It is a 100 watt "equivalent" spotlight.

http://www.creeledlighting.com/Products/Downlights/6inchdownlights/LR6-DR1000.aspx