If you’re looking for the latest advancements in incandescent light bulb technology, one place you don’t want to go is to a lighting trade show. I learned that in about five minutes last week, while touring the aisles of Lightfair, the lighting industry’s big convention, held this year in Las Vegas.

In case you didn’t know it, Thomas Edison’s invention, in use for more than 100 years to illuminate virtually everything, is quickly heading for the exits. What will eventually take its place is the light-emitting diode (L.E.D.) bulb, made up of tiny light sources the size of a head of a pin that use a fraction of a regular light bulb’s electricity, produce little heat, and last for tens of thousands of hours of use.
L.E.D.

This is not some comic book dream. The exhibits at Lightfair were filled with new L.E.D. products, many shipping now: standard-type room lights, under-counter lights, commercial spotlights, garden lights and huge L.E.D. displays designed to light the Empire State Building.

I saw L.E.D.’s controlled by a cell phone. Forgot to turn on your porch light? Just dial in a command.

L.E.D.’s are not widely used today because of their high cost: An L.E.D. bulb can run as high as $90. Even if they would save money in the long run, few people are willing to spend that much up front.

But costs will come down, and when they do, expect to see the end of what is in essence an interim technology: the compact fluorescent bulb. Fluorescents, while using much less power than incandescent light bulbs, are sometimes too bulky, often can’t be dimmed and produce light that is less pleasing than incandescents.

L.E.D.’s, on the other hand, can produce literally millions of colors, which you will be able to witness yourself at the end of this year, when Philips, the Dutch electronics giant, introduces its $199 Living Colors product into the U.S. market.

Living Colors is Philips’ L.E.D. Trojan horse, an electronic lava lamp that uses L.E.D.’s to project a palette of 16 million colors against a wall. Operated with a remote control, you change the projected color by touching a point on the iPod-like color wheel, then push other buttons to decrease the brightness or alter the color’s saturation.

The company has already sold 250,000 Living Color products in Europe; in the U.S., it will offer the regular model plus a $79 mini version that offers a limited palette and no remote.

I’ve been playing with one for several weeks, and after some initial resistance to its corniness, I’ve taken a liking to it. Every night, I set the color of one wall of our bedroom to a different hue, hopefully matching our moods. It’s a nice change from standard yellow light and gives some added dimension to the space.

Philips points out that you can set up a chain of Living Color units around a room and control them all with a single remote. For me, that’s just a bit over the top. I don’t fancy turning my house into a Las Vegas facade.

I have a lighting obsession appreciation. I just can’t stop trying to find good quality, eco-conscious bulbs. Sadly, most local hardware stores don’t carry any and I haven’t been happy with the bulbs I’ve found at Home Depot or Lowes. With all of the lighting needs at the brownstone we’re renovating, this has been especially frustrating.

With so many choices, and falling prices, there’s no good reason not to switch to LEDs and CFLs for your home. However, the color and temperature of LEDs and Compact Fluorescents is different that what we are used to with traditional incandescents. CFLs tend to be more “yellow” and LEDs more “blue”. BUT, you don’t find that out until you buy them and bring them home - leaving folks unwilling to try them again.

A great online store I found (through LIPA - Long Island Power Authority) is Energy Federation Incorporated

Energy Federation’s store specifies color rendering, temperature and average lumens for every bulb they sell. And get this: they seem really interested in making sure you get the right bulb, rather than just selling them…

I’ve purchased more than a dozen bulbs/fixtures from them (including this neat LED nightlight) and have always been thrilled with the quality of their products.

Check them out.

The light barsare an ingeniously designed series-parallel array of high-flux LEDs, arranged as a single row of twelve LEDs spaced approximately 1 inch (25 mm) on center. Designed for direct drive from 12VDC supply, these light bars are incredibly flexible due to a clever connector scheme and their ability to be snapped into three-inch segments that can easily be joined with connectors. By snapping along scored lines on the board and joining the segments, these arrays can “turn corners,” which is quite a cunning trick.

The board measures 300 x 21mm, with each 75mm segment consisting of three LEDs in series with a resistor and a conventional switching diode. When intact, the board is a parallel arrangement of these series circuits. Each segment (and thus the board) sports 2-pin 0.100” pin headers at each end, clearly labeled for polarity, making it a snap to arrange as many boards as you need in whatever configuration you like.

pictured with jumpers, sold separately

Although the connectors are standard, Super Bright LEDs also offers them for convenience. The matching connectors lock, ensuring a good connection. They’re also keyed, making it impossible to misconnect the arrays. Another available accessory (not pictured) is a plastic tray that is made to fit these boards, allowing for a very professional installation in applications like under cabinet accent lights. And the switching power supplies offered by Super Bright LEDs are well suited to driving installations consisting of several of these light bars.

Fit and Finish

As the pictures clearly show, the circuit boards have a white finish, which helps reflect light. Track width on the boards is maximal. The pattern evident in the photos is actually the etched area between tracks. The 1.5mm thick boards have a substantial feel. The back is marked indicating the color of the array, as is the packaging.

pictured with jumpers, sold separately

well-soldered connections on huge tracks

LEDs

The individual LEDs are high flux, 6500mcd, four-pin devices (apparently from Lumileds, although not indicated in the specs). The boards are laid out such that a replacement of a failed LED would be simple (and thanks to the series-parallel arrangement, the failure would be limited to a single segment). The beam angle is 90° wide, making these light bars well-suited for general accent lighting.

these are illumination-grade LEDs

Applications

This array has a variety of applications, including neon sign replacement, vehicle accents (the 12V supply voltage makes this a natural), architectural accent lighting, safety lighting (such as cabinet toekicks), and solar-powered lighting applications. The linear nature coupled with the ability to “turn corners” in such a flexible fashion makes this an attractive option for lighting under bars, under cabinets, home theatre accents, and cove lighting. PC enthusiasts could easily find a place in their favorite case for this low-profile array, and the 12V drive voltage makes it a plug-and-play accessory.

Conclusion

I can recommend this product. A knowledgeable DIYer could accomplish very professional looking accent lighting using this system, at a very favorable cost compared to halogen or incandescent light arrays. Light output is high compared to “rope lights” commonly sold in discount stores, and there’s far less likelihood of a failed bulb with LEDs. Just buy your lighting “by the foot.”

The LED Product Store is pleased to announce that it has signed on as a distributor for KHATOD OPTOELECTRONICS lens’ and reflectors.

Khatod has been a leader in the production of high quality optoelectronic components since 1985. Their lens’ and reflectors are being used in conjunction with many “high flux LED” manufacturers including LumiLED/Luxeon, Seoul Semiconductor, Cree, Nichia, Osram and Lamina to name a few.*

We welcome the opportunity to work with KHATOD and look forward to helping you design Khatod components into your lighting application.