LEDs good (was LEDs bad?) [RE-wrenches]

[Christopher Freitas --- OutBack Power]

Forgot to say that I think the article is really poor - the author 
clearly wanted it to have a certain slant and found people to support 
his conclusion.  

There was a comment which said LEDs have 10 times the energy used to 
make them - which is probably true of the LED itself, compared to a 
small light bulb - but they also last 10 times longer (if well made) and 
this energy used to make the LED is probably a very small amount of 
energy actually.  I  also can't imagine this is true for the entire LED 
christmas light string though... There is probably much more energy used 
in making the copper wires for either version than the LEDs and bulbs.

Most of the problems I have seen have been mechanical and with the cheap 
resistors that they use to limit the current.  

Jeff's comment about them being similar to solar panels is true to a 
point - but the UL standard for "holiday decorations" is a joke - 
imagine if they required these products to be built, tested and 
installed to solar electric system requirements... the excuse is that 
these decorations are for "temporary use" - although during the worst 
weather conditions and are installed by untrained personnel. 

Extensive testing of these LED strings in jump-rope applications has so 
far been inconclusive - additional testing has been scheduled for next 
July in central Oregon.  

Christopher Freitas
OutBack Power Systems, Inc.
cfreitas @ outbackpower.com  
www.outbackpower.com
Arlington WA USA
Tel 360 435 6030  


- - - -
Hosted by Home Power magazine

To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at re-wrenches.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------