LEDs last far longer than incandescent bulbs, are much more energy-efficient, and contain less toxic substances. Compact fluorescents give them a run for their money in some areas, although LEDs tend to have a warmer, "nicer" light. In the past few years, a number of companies have started marketing LED light fixtures that screw into traditional incandescent receptacles - these have included products from Geobulb, Switch, GE and Sharp. A new arrival, however is the Bulled line of "bulbs" (for lack of a better word), from German manufacturer LEDO. If nothing else, they definitely have a look of their own.
There are three models within the Bulled lineup. All of them incorporate a cluster of 11 CREE LEDs, use 11 watts of electricity, and mimic the shape and luminosity of a conventional 60-watt bulb. They provide 330 degrees of omnidirectional light, at a warm color temperature of 2800º Kelvin. They're also dimmable, reportedly use up to 85 percent less electricity than their incandescent equivalents, and are good for 80,000 hours of use, or approximately 80 years (given an average of three hours' use per day).
The Classic model features aluminum cooling fins, that draw heat away from the LEDs using a heat sink effect. The Modular model, by contrast, forgoes the long fins, instead using "fin cones" built into the base of each LED - these are said to act as mini air ducts, guiding a cooling current of air around and between the LEDs.
Finally, the Star model appropriately enough features star-shaped LED diffuser caps, which are said to provide exceptionally even illumination. Also, unlike its two mainly-aluminum siblings, it is instead made from a "high-tech combination of synthetic materials," which is said to be very heat-conductive.
So far, the Bulled bulbs are only available from three European distributors, which are listed under FAQ on the LEDO website. Each model sells for EUR99 (US$134).
Source: Designboom
we have no incandescent bulbs in our house - couple of years now - LEDs are great - as your Christmas/Durga Puja/Chanukah LED light-strings and light-bill will attest ... looking for improvements to some aging florescent fixtures . . .
Also as the LED bulbs sell, they will get much cheaper. The first portable handheld calculator was something like $7000. Now you can get a passable one at the dollar store for basic math.
BUT the thing is most especially NOW the power....
To clear that up a bit, all this talk of \"Power Saving\" is total bullshit - like with a 100W globe compared to a 20W CFL - what are you doing with the other 80W of power that you didn\'t use? Storing it in a bucket?
There is only one thing in terms of power consumption - The effective or efficient utilisation of it.
The ratio of the power in / to the work, illumination, etc., out.
I make up my own spot lights - to light up specific areas, like my work desk etc., out of LED arrays - the 5mm or 10mm - put in plywood - in a grid pattern, running in strings with NO current limiting resistors.
How can this be done you ask? It\'s easy LED\'s go into thermal run away IF they are run near their peak voltage and amperage - or maximum brightness.
Assuming the white LED runs at 3.5V 20ma, and the power supply is 12V, one could assume that running 4 LEDs in a string will be running each LED at 3V - and that is OK...
But LED\'s have almost no discernable difference in brightness between being run at 100% and 75% of power.
And since LED\'s are a resistor in their own right, running these LED\'s in strings in series of 5 or 6, on a 12V supply, they ever so slightly dim AND there is no current limiting resistor needed.
Hence arrays of LED\'s can be made up as desk lamps - 1 bag of 100 or 200 LEDS - soldering iron, plywood, 12V inverter power supply...
And if you are really keen you can use the LEDS as DIODES and run them directly off AC - in parallel - Pos to Neg and Neg to Pos - IF you use enough of them to compensate for spikes etc and acceptable over voltages in the supply, as well as their own self induced current limiting.
Bingo!
It\'s not that cost effective in term of labour, but it is a great way to do it on an educational / hobby basis.
There are SO easy...
\"Family - today we are going to stop being brainwashed vegetables in front of the TV - and we are going to make some lights\".
Mixing in a few yellow with warm or bright white - makes them really nice.