For years there has been a critical demand within the sign industry for a book on the structural engineering of signs. This comprehensive text more than meets that demand -- it exceeds it. Sign companies, ...
LED-based lamps for general lighting – the next wave?
As president of LED Lighting Technologies, Dr.Nisa Khan consults in the solid-state lighting industry and educates consumers about LED lighting. She has a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics, and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering. Email her at nisa.khan@iem-asset.com
Unquestionably, LEDs, as backlights, took the display industry’s center stage in 2010. The largest growth area, LCD-based television screens and electronic communication, and computing products engineered with overall, high-brightness LED (HBLED) lamps, exceeded $9 billion. Further, as LED lamp technologies advance, the solid-state, lighting-technology analysts and contributors anticipate multiple developments, and, additionally, the analysts blend statistics and development projections gained from accepted manufacturers and the scientific community to project future market trends.
So, what are they projecting now? LEDs for general lighting, or, to be specific -- they’re envisaging LED-based lamps for household lighting as the next big wave.
The SSL industry has long touted LEDs for household lighting; however, to succeed, a retrofit lamp must be available for America’s most popular 60W incandescent lightbulb, the one that comes with an Edison-style screw base. Until recently, such lamps were unattainable at any major retail store, but, last November, Philips announced its12.5W, Edison-base, LED lamp (which is equal in output to its 60W incandescent lamp) as soon available at Home Depot stores.
I searched and found the lamps at my neighborhood Home Depot – just as advertised. Expectedly, Lowes has also announced that in early 2011, it will offer LED-lamp equivalents of Osram Sylvania’s 60W incandescent lightbulb (Fig. 1).
-->Both home-improvement stores say the LED lamps are presently available online.
Are people buying such lamps in any appreciable quantity, and are they happy with the performance -- and the nearly $40 cost?
Truth is, it will take some time to tell. First, a good number of users must invest in the lamps and, by doing so, experientially forecast whether the LED lamp retrofits are truly equivalent to the 60W incandescents (and CFLs). The sales results will also determine if the Edison-base, LED lamps’ claimed advantages -- higher efficiency, longer lasting and eco-friendliness – validate the higher up-front cost.
Though shoppers will reach their own conclusions; here, I present a preliminary analysis of the Edison-base, Philips and Sylvania LED lamps and whether they offer any advantages over the current, incandescent and CFL lamps.
Another BS article from the desperate LED crowd. I've been busy from November to last week bending replacement neon and argon units for channel letters that were converted to LED but the sign owners were so unhappy with the results they are putting neon back inside. LED sellers told many lies to get their products into those signs.
I've also been arguing with the local AHJ's about neon to LED conversions done without re-testing for certification labels. So far they agree that a conversion voids the UL, ETL, CSA or whatever labels appears so long as 120volts penetrates into the sign enclosure. Now if they remote-mount the 12-volt power supply and feed the low voltage cable only then it meets the low volt exemptions but these types of remote mounts are few and far between.
Seems there might be hope for our trade afterall!
Another BS article from the desperate LED crowd. I've been busy from November to last week bending replacement neon and argon units for channel letters that were converted to LED but the sign owners were so unhappy with the results they are putting neon back inside. LED sellers told many lies to get their products into those signs.
I've also been arguing with the local AHJ's about neon to LED conversions done without re-testing for certification labels. So far they agree that a conversion voids the UL, ETL, CSA or whatever labels appears so long as 120volts penetrates into the sign enclosure. Now if they remote-mount the 12-volt power supply and feed the low voltage cable only then it meets the low volt exemptions but these types of remote mounts are few and far between.
Seems there might be hope for our trade afterall!
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Another BS article from the desperate LED crowd. I've been busy from November to last week bending replacement neon and argon units for channel letters that were converted to LED but the sign owners were so unhappy with the results they are putting neon back inside. LED sellers told many lies to get their products into those signs.
I've also been arguing with the local AHJ's about neon to LED conversions done without re-testing for certification labels. So far they agree that a conversion voids the UL, ETL, CSA or whatever labels appears so long as 120volts penetrates into the sign enclosure. Now if they remote-mount the 12-volt power supply and feed the low voltage cable only then it meets the low volt exemptions but these types of remote mounts are few and far between.
Seems there might be hope for our trade afterall!