Anyone using/used LEDs? - Page 16

Elcam84 · 01-15-15, 10:16 PM

Yup things have changed pretty quickly. Leds are now becoming the standard. I'm a big fan of using tape led light now. 16' for $8 and power supplies are pretty cheap now too. Over and under cab lights in the kitchen with it provide lots of indirect lighting at night. I don't even turn the regular lights on for most stuff now.

The colors and cri of leds are getting more options now as well. Many of the early leds were way too yellow or way too blue. In commercial apps it's all we use for can lights and other bulbs. They are just now getting better at the T8 replacements as its taken a long time to get them in the "daylight" color that is used in commercial the low k stuff was too yellow got complaints and makes everything look oddly yellow. Try going into a large conference room with soft white to yellow lighting and it looks awful and makes your eyes work harder.

I'm really impressed with how far they have come in such a short time. 6" led can lights as cheap as $18 with 90 cri and 1100 lumens is impressive. Though need a dimmer....

ecomodded · 01-15-15, 11:08 PM

Elcam , with the tape LED strips are you required to use a proper heat sink or will the metal base secured to a surface suffice ? What I a thinking is using the LED strips in a older 4ft fluorescence light fixture , that I would otherwise discard and just install something more advanced / economical.

Elcam84 · 01-15-15, 11:48 PM

The led is basically a tape with 3M adhesive on the back. I haven't seen any need to mount it to a metal backing. They produce very little heat at all. I made a 3/8 x 7/8 wood strip with a dovetail routed in it offset to one side. Stick the tape in the groove. Then use hot glue on the edge up under the dovetail to permanently lock it into place. I don't trust the adhesive. The offset gives you an area to drill mounting holes in.

I used 3 rolls in the kitchen. If they are left on all day long they aren't even warm to the touch. I haven't seen any recommendation to mount this style to a heat sink yet and don't see a need as anything you stick it to should dissipate the tiny bit of heat.

Also going to use it to light up the corner pantry by making a door trim for the tape to mount in vertically. Oh I'm also a woodworker so I have the shop to make whatever I need.

ecomodded · 01-16-15, 01:34 AM

Great news, I am going to buy about 4 feet of it to mount onto the fixture , It dawned on me that I can stick it to the ballast cover for mounting plus its a good heat sink , although it does not need it the placement will be perfect.
I will pick up a power supply at the same time as the strips , they are dirt cheap I noticed before.
I already have a few remote controls with PWM made specifically for LED control , brightness on off etc. that I have not used yet , that will will work great for the hack.

thanks for the idea !

ecomodded · 01-16-15, 02:00 AM

I just bought 2 of these 20 inch 7w led strips , although this model is somewhat brighter then the tape they where just $5 each on eBay and from North America. my Light is getting hacked for sure now.

Edit to add: I bought Two more for 4 in total , I will mount 2 on one side of the sloping ballast cover and 2 on the other side so the light spread is even and more useful , well with the slope on the ballast cover it requires 2 on each side to avoid shadows. It will look and be more professional with 2 rows of them instead of 1 row secured in the middle.
I bought the driver also , A 110v 12v 5A 60w driver to drive the combined 28w LED aluminum strips. , it was under $10

Ator · 01-16-15, 09:22 AM

I replaced all lights in the home with LED's this year, except for a small light in the oven. I bought them via aliexpress.com (there are many sites like this) which ship them to you straight from China. Takes about a month to get to you, but with free shipping and costing about $0.50-$2.00 each you can't go wrong. Even replacing the CFL's I had made economic sense. I think it took me 2 months to break even and they're still going strong.

Apart from them being completely made from plastic, there's nothing wrong with them.

01-20-15, 06:35 AM

This is lelemei from Shenzhen,China. I am working as a technical engineer in Shenzhen Yicai Lighting Co.,Ltd. I'm very happy to work here as an engineer of led lighting industry.Here in this place, I will be happy to share with you my knowledges and experience about this led lighting industry. Will also be happy to exchange your ideas.

ecomodded · 01-21-15, 07:23 AM

Directional light is much brighter per watt then 360 degree light sources

Something to consider about LED replacement tubes for T8 fixtures is that the LED replacement bulbs emits light at a 110 degree pattern vs the 360 degree pattern given off by T8 fluorescent bulbs. In this case, only about 30% of the light given off by the t8 fluorescent is actually hitting the intended target.
Most of the lumen's emitted from a conventional t8 tube is lost to the ceiling and upper walls , reducing the effectiveness of the watt draw.

01-16-15, 02:00 AM	#155
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	I just bought 2 of these 20 inch 7w led strips , although this model is somewhat brighter then the tape they where just $5 each on eBay and from North America. my Light is getting hacked for sure now. Edit to add: I bought Two more for 4 in total , I will mount 2 on one side of the sloping ballast cover and 2 on the other side so the light spread is even and more useful , well with the slope on the ballast cover it requires 2 on each side to avoid shadows. It will look and be more professional with 2 rows of them instead of 1 row secured in the middle. I bought the driver also , A 110v 12v 5A 60w driver to drive the combined 28w LED aluminum strips. , it was under $10 Attached Thumbnails Last edited by ecomodded; 01-16-15 at 11:16 AM..

01-15-15, 10:16 PM	#151
Elcam84 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: TX Posts: 275 Thanks: 2 Thanked 31 Times in 24 Posts	Yup things have changed pretty quickly. Leds are now becoming the standard. I'm a big fan of using tape led light now. 16' for $8 and power supplies are pretty cheap now too. Over and under cab lights in the kitchen with it provide lots of indirect lighting at night. I don't even turn the regular lights on for most stuff now. The colors and cri of leds are getting more options now as well. Many of the early leds were way too yellow or way too blue. In commercial apps it's all we use for can lights and other bulbs. They are just now getting better at the T8 replacements as its taken a long time to get them in the "daylight" color that is used in commercial the low k stuff was too yellow got complaints and makes everything look oddly yellow. Try going into a large conference room with soft white to yellow lighting and it looks awful and makes your eyes work harder. I'm really impressed with how far they have come in such a short time. 6" led can lights as cheap as $18 with 90 cri and 1100 lumens is impressive. Though need a dimmer....

01-15-15, 11:08 PM	#152
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Elcam , with the tape LED strips are you required to use a proper heat sink or will the metal base secured to a surface suffice ? What I a thinking is using the LED strips in a older 4ft fluorescence light fixture , that I would otherwise discard and just install something more advanced / economical.

01-15-15, 11:48 PM	#153
Elcam84 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: TX Posts: 275 Thanks: 2 Thanked 31 Times in 24 Posts	The led is basically a tape with 3M adhesive on the back. I haven't seen any need to mount it to a metal backing. They produce very little heat at all. I made a 3/8 x 7/8 wood strip with a dovetail routed in it offset to one side. Stick the tape in the groove. Then use hot glue on the edge up under the dovetail to permanently lock it into place. I don't trust the adhesive. The offset gives you an area to drill mounting holes in. I used 3 rolls in the kitchen. If they are left on all day long they aren't even warm to the touch. I haven't seen any recommendation to mount this style to a heat sink yet and don't see a need as anything you stick it to should dissipate the tiny bit of heat. Also going to use it to light up the corner pantry by making a door trim for the tape to mount in vertically. Oh I'm also a woodworker so I have the shop to make whatever I need.

01-16-15, 01:34 AM	#154
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Great news, I am going to buy about 4 feet of it to mount onto the fixture , It dawned on me that I can stick it to the ballast cover for mounting plus its a good heat sink , although it does not need it the placement will be perfect. I will pick up a power supply at the same time as the strips , they are dirt cheap I noticed before. I already have a few remote controls with PWM made specifically for LED control , brightness on off etc. that I have not used yet , that will will work great for the hack. thanks for the idea !

01-16-15, 09:22 AM	#156
Ator Lurking Renovator Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Posts: 25 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	I replaced all lights in the home with LED's this year, except for a small light in the oven. I bought them via aliexpress.com (there are many sites like this) which ship them to you straight from China. Takes about a month to get to you, but with free shipping and costing about $0.50-$2.00 each you can't go wrong. Even replacing the CFL's I had made economic sense. I think it took me 2 months to break even and they're still going strong. Apart from them being completely made from plastic, there's nothing wrong with them.

01-20-15, 06:35 AM	#157
yicai12 Guest Posts: n/a	This is lelemei from Shenzhen,China. I am working as a technical engineer in Shenzhen Yicai Lighting Co.,Ltd. I'm very happy to work here as an engineer of led lighting industry.Here in this place, I will be happy to share with you my knowledges and experience about this led lighting industry. Will also be happy to exchange your ideas.

01-21-15, 07:23 AM	#158
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Directional light is much brighter per watt then 360 degree light sources Something to consider about LED replacement tubes for T8 fixtures is that the LED replacement bulbs emits light at a 110 degree pattern vs the 360 degree pattern given off by T8 fluorescent bulbs. In this case, only about 30% of the light given off by the t8 fluorescent is actually hitting the intended target. Most of the lumen's emitted from a conventional t8 tube is lost to the ceiling and upper walls , reducing the effectiveness of the watt draw.