LED Lighting Question

That depends on how deep your pockets are.

There are available lighting solutions using multiple high output LEDs with built-in power management, for more than I want to spend..........

However, if you are up to the challenge of building your own from scratch, you can make your own to whatever light output you desire.

The answer is yes and no, You can make a good light source by using about 80 ultra bright white LEDs(connect them all in series if you are using 230v ac, or make 2x 40 in series with 110 v AC) you can have same light intensity, but not the same wavelenth.

When you connect them in series what happens if one LED burns off?

They all go out, and a lot of time is involved in sorting out which one has failed. Fitting a replacement lamp assembly is usually the time-efficient solution.

To answer your question, not as a direct replacement. I have been replacing my 6 x 50W GU10 spots (track mounted) with 35W as they went ping. I recently bought 6 X 3W LED GU10 lamps from ebay as an experiment. So I now have only 18W instead of the original 300. I chose warm white which is less bright than another version but has nice colour rendering. The room is considerably dimmer and one solution would be more lamp holders and more lamps (there is room) but I've got used to it. They cost me £65, which is quite expensive, and a reading lamp would be useful occasionally. They are quite pretty, much more so than the multiple-LED versions. As someone said you can have anything you want if you can afford it. Top end solutions are pretty, but I think the reality is we'll have to wait a little while longer for affordable solutions for the domestic environment. In the meantime if you are an enthusiast it's worth experimenting, otherwise let the early-adopters work on bringing the price down.

Thanks for your help everyone. I think I'll wait till they get better and cheaper.

You mean something like this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7162606.stm

The newest rage will always cost more, no matter what the product is to be used. LED lighting is being used in the aquatics scene for reef tanks. These lighting arrangements that are being made available are mostly used as a lunar light, which gives the nighttime expression on an aquarium. 12-Volt units working as a group of moonbeam lights for fish and corals. The most available type of LED lighting would be the new 12-Volt replacements for your automobile headlights.

New XYL-117 has 3 LED emitters boasting 60,000 hours and 90% savings.

Voltages ranging from 12V to 480V. Hope this is a start to help you on the quest.

Maximo

Check out www.oceanled.com

Where you launched your original post, scroll down to the section: "Engineering News" and see the last entry: "New Efficient Bulb Sees The Light". It may answer your question, it may not, but it's worth the reading.

Like previous replys, to replace 200 watts of incandescent with LED would be quite expensive.. However, there are viable alternatives to the incandescent of that wattage. What is your application?

We are on the cutting edge of the new CCFL Technology, which we are soon to introduce the 18 watt BL CCFL lamp that equals 90 watts of incandescent, and boasts 30,000 hours of use, and is fully dimmable.

Larger wattages are currently in the works, next is 23, and 26 watt CCFL.

Also, just CFL is even better than incandescent, even though the hours of life are only 6-8,000 hours.

You could even use a new Metal Halide Fixture and come out ahead for what you are spending on the electricity to operate 200 watts on incandescent.

Donald

Yes, for home lighting, in terms of brightness and efficiency CFL is the answer, and they have got better and cheaper over the years. Those spot tracks I referred to were fitted after an insurance claim and came supplied with 50W lamps, but every other room in the house has CFL (bar the kitchen which has a fluorescent). Where LEDs really come into their own is in other applications where the available power source is limited like bicycle lights, camping or off-the-grid installations where 12V may be used.

LED-fitted hand-held torches/flashlights are available now - there are two in the bothy as a result of gifts during winter festivities, one being battery-powered, and the other being wind-up powered. As neither has an incandecent filament, they are really cool in more ways than one!

The harsh-white output colour takes a little getting used to. Also, the light intensity at the source is so strong, the manufacturers recommend that it is not shined directly into the eye.

I had my first experience with LED Christmas lights last week, and quickly developed a stabbing headache! The intense little bulbs look constant, but they actually flicker at very high speed, causing serious eyestrain, especially when seen in peripheral vision.

Even worse was the curly fluorescent "power-saver" bulb that came with my new desk lamp. It was in a well-lighted room and shielded with a linen lampshade, but it still caused sharp pain in both eyes and within 5 minutes I was nauseated. Turning it off gave immediate relief.

If these bulbs are the wave of the future, I must start stockpiling incandescent bulbs at once!

I will second that, as we had this gal that tended bar in this little local club where we dance on weekends, and she was exactly that same way..

We sold that club those LED, multicolor slow/fast/and steady burn plastic coke cups, and it would drive her crazy if they got too close to her..

Later I found out that indeed she had a potential seizure problem that the flickering lights made worse...

Hopefully she doesn't visit the City of Rock Island, Illinois, as we sold them a ton of flickering LED 4'X4' Snow Flakes for their street lights. :o)

Donald