Light fog disrupts flights in Delhi

Optics firms go modular for LED street lighting
Makers of LED optics are vying for business as streetlight buyers discover the benefits of solid-state lighting.

It is not necessarily efficiency that make streetlight aficionados sit up, as starkly yellow old-tech low-pressure sodium lights offer 300 lm/W, compared with 100 lm/W from LEDs.

What is attractive, is long life.

LED luminairs have no vacuum or electrode-eating plasma and well designed example are expected to live for over 50,000 hours.
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And the point-source nature of LEDs allows fine control of light direction and a consequent reduction of waste, spill and glare.

The challenge for streetlight makers is that hundreds of beam patterns are required illuminate different streets.

To keep their inventory simple, optical firms are taking a modular approach so that a few different components can be mixed and matched to suit any situation.
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Berkshire’s Carclo Technical Plastics has both refractive (’optics’) and reflective elements in its modular streetlight offering (see thumbnail above).

“It uses a combination to provide a solution for a variety of road geometries and light output characteristics,” said Carclo. “An optic is employed to control the light distribution along the road while a reflector controls light distribution across the road.”

Different reflectors and optics clipped into 290×80×40mm 10LED modules, then these are mounted side-by-side to get the required intensity.

Optics firms go modular for LED street lighting. This module is from Khatod and allows optics to be mixed to achieve the desired beam Milan-based Khatod Optoelectronic has gone all-refractive with its Galileo streetlight family of multiple lens arrays.

Modules are available for six to 72 LEDs mounted on 50.8 or 40mm pitches, and to achieve the required illumination pattern up to five different lens types are fitted over LEDs in different parts of the array.

Each Galileo assembly has a single base, which sits over the LED array, onto which the optics are clipped.

“The market was looking for a solution which could eliminate the need to use and test hundreds of single lenses in order to realise the requested lighting beam,” said Giuseppe Vasta, president of Khatod.
Optics firms go modular for LED street lighting. This module is from Carclo

Ministry of the Environment Launches Nationwide Light Bulb Campaign

Monday (May 2) marked the official, nationwide launch of the Ministry of the Environment’s Energy Efficiency in Residential Lighting Programme. This initiative seeks to reduce household energy costs, minimize the energy requirements of BEC, and reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels. The Ministry plans to distribute 270,000 compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs along with brochures about the benefits of CFLs.

Residents in Central and North Andros received CFLs yesterday (Monday, May 2).  The programme heads to Abaco today (Tuesday, May 3). CFLs will be distributed in Inagua, Acklins, Cat Island, Berry Islands, Mangrove Cay, San Salvador, Crooked Island, Mayaguana, Bimini and South Andros on Wednesday (May 4). On Thursday (May 5), CFLs will be distributed in Eleuthera, and on Friday (May 6) in Exuma and Long Island.

“We are very thankful to the people in Andros for their support and interest in this programme of national significance.  It’s only fitting that we begin in Andros. which has a very large potential for renewable energy,” said Hon. Phenton Neymour, Minister of State, Ministry of The Environment.

According to Robert Hall, Project Manager of the Programme, “A study conducted by German consultants, Fichtner identified potential for renewable energy throughout The Bahamas. It also revealed that small hotels in the Family Islands, for example, have a great potential for savings through energy efficiency. However, whether in a small, medium or large hotel, or a home for that matter, potential savings in lighting is one area they all have in common. We know that CFLs use 75 per cent less energy compared to incandescent bulbs. So it’s important for us to recognize the potential for saving in the area of lighting,” Mr. Hall added.

Electricity customers who use under 600 kWh (kilowatt hours) of energy per month, on average, are invited to exchange up to five incandescent bulbs for free CFLs. Letters have been prepared for each eligible customer, so interested persons can contact their local BEC offices to find out if they qualify to receive these bulbs.  Residents can call their local islands administrator for more information regarding pickup locations.

While island launches occur this week, CFLs will be available throughout May, as long as supplies last. Distribution of CFLs began on April 9 with promotional exercises at several New Providence locations, including A F Adderley Junior High School, Golden Gates Community Park, Pinewood Gardens, and the Elizabeth Estates, Windsor, and Christie parks.

“The response was overwhelming. The programme was well received. The public in most cases were very eager to exchange their bulbs,” Mr. Hall said of that event.
This Energy Efficiency Programme is funded by a grant from the Inter-American Bank (IDB) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This is the first of three energy-saving initiatives planned for 2011. In coming months, persons will be selected to receive 100 solar water heaters for their homes. In another programme, 33 Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Systems will be offered. Consumers will be required to only pay the installation costs.

Taiwanese LED Company – FZLED - Going Global
FZLED, a sub-division of the thermal and metal products manufacturer FZTech Inc., is announcing their plans to enter multiple international markets around the world and begin offering several lines of high-performance LED products to consumers. Receiving ISO-9001:2008 certification in November, 2010, FZLED is already turning heads with their innovative products like their newly released on/off switch dimming T8 LED Tube Lights. FZLED’s newly designed website: http://www.FZLED.com.tw is now live to assist in providing product information and serving customers from around the globe.

FZTech Inc. was founded by three experienced R&D professionals and five metal manufacturers. The goal was to form a company to create and supply cutting edge, high-quality, reasonably priced, thermal and metal products for use in PC, LED, and consumer electronic product applications. Offering total metal and thermal solutions, FZTech provides its OEM services to various industry leading companies, including Advantech, Advansus, Avalue and Tranquil PC. With manufacturing of CPU coolers, DC fans, press fins, and several other product lines well-in-hand, FZTech Inc. decided to set-up FZLED as a sub-division to focus solely on developing superior LED products.

“We were making all the items needed to produce environmentally-friendly LED products. We wanted to use our know-how and expertise to help protect our world. All the pieces were in place and so we decided to go for it. We’re committed to using technology to provide customers with green, high-quality LED lighting products.” says FZLED CEO Alan Lin. The FZ prefix came about through the company’s commitment to designing products with exceptional cooling mechanisms. “Freezing” was shortened to “FZ.”

FZLED has committed itself to a three-pronged mission of producing High Quality, High Cost to Performance ratio, and extremely Energy-Efficient LED products. “We believe the customer comes first,” says FZLED CEO Alan Lin. “We strive, each and every one of us, at FZLED to design and manufacture the best and the greenest LED lighting solutions available. We don’t want to be just another LED manufacturer. That is why we conduct everything, from R&D right up to assembly and shipment, ourselves, to ensure that each and every bulb that leaves our company is at its best. Our name, FZLED, only goes on products we believe in. We are a team of designers and assemblers and testers and shippers that give everything we’ve got to our customers,” Lin adds.

To date, FZLED has developed and manufactured several innovative torches/flashlights for the Taiwan, Japan and Singapore markets.

Already released products include FZLED’s Bike Torch, Hiking Torch, and Waterproof Torch, as well as several others. FZLED has also developed and released a variety of high-power LED bulbs fitting E26, E27, B22 and GU10 sockets. FZLED is now looking to expand distribution into several other major markets around the world while continuing to release new and innovative LED lighting products that provide consumers with the best cost-performance ratio possible.

About FZLED
FZLED is a Taiwan-based developer and manufacturer of high-performance LED lighting products. As a sub-division of FZTech Inc., FZLED’s products have superior mechanical and thermal designs, utilizing the expertise of FZTech. Committed to excellence, FZLED follows a strict TQC for the entire manufacturing process, and conducts R&D projects continuously in an effort to create LED lighting solutions that offer light-weight, high-quality, environmentally-friendly, innovative, and thermally-optimized products to consumers.

Take a Bite Out of Coal!
There’s one big reason why making your home more efficient should be at the top of your spring cleaning list: your home is addicted to coal. Did you know the average home produces twice as many emissions as the average car?

Just because your home doesn’t have a tailpipe, doesn’t mean that all the electricity you use for lights, TV, phones and computers is carbon-neutral. In fact, nearly 50 percent of our nation’s electricity comes from burning coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. If you’ve heard the word “fracking” then you know the natural gas you use for cooking and home heating also carries an environmental price tag. Likewise the water in our homes has to be treated and pumped — often hundreds of miles — and once it goes down the drain it has to be pumped back and treated again — all of which takes more coal-fired energy.

In fact, the average American home burns nearly three tons of coal a year. However, just by doing the easy stuff, you can improve your home’s efficiency by 20 percent or more. If everybody did it, America would save $40 billion a year, while creating jobs, improving health and reducing pollution.

So when you start your spring cleaning this year, do more than just clear out the dust and clutter. Take a few steps to kick out the coal too.

The good news is there are simple, easy, cost-saving ways to make your home more efficient. Focus on these four areas for making your home more efficient:

Lighting: Improved CFL bulbs, and new full-size LED bulbs are giving those 100-year old Edison light bulbs stiff competition. You can now replace a 60watt Edison bulb with a 20watt CFL or a 7watt LED that will screw into the same fixture and provide the same amount of light. Those dramatic energy savings mean cost-savings to you.

Put it this way: if you could buy a $100 bill for 20 bucks you would, right? Well that’s what you’re doing when you buy an LED light bulb. Even though the price of each bulb is higher, the cost to use them is much lower. Because the newer bulbs are both more efficient, and much longer lasting, they can save you anywhere from 50 to a 100 dollars over the life of the bulb. Which is why McKinsey calls LEDs the most cost-effective technology for fighting climate change. So swap those light bulbs and start saving money!

Electricity: The New York Times reports that the average American home today has about 25 consumer electronic products, compared with just three in 1980. Electronics now represent up to 15 percent of American power bills — the fastest rising slice of home electricity use. All that demand will require building hundreds of new coal-fired or nuclear power plants in coming years. Unless we can be more efficient with electricity.

Using smart strips to shut down devices you’re not using is one effective way to cut down your home’s coal habit. Buying EnergyStar appliances and TVs is another. Signing up for Green Power is a great way to get your home off coal, and send a clear signal you want a cleaner economy. Nearly 900 utilities across the country offer optional programs that allow you to pay a little bit extra to support investments in local clean energy. Find a Green Power program near you, and kick the coal habit today!

Water: Taking shorter showers is conservation. Taking your usual shower while using 50 percent less water is efficiency. Simple faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads can cut your water use from 2 to 5 gallons per minute down to 1 or 1.5 gallons per minute. These are dramatic savings that you won’t even notice while taking a shower or washing the dishes. And these simple devices will save you thousands of gallons of water, and hundreds of dollars in water bills. Because it takes energy to treat and transport water, every gallon you don’t use means less coal burned on your behalf.

Temperature: Half the energy in your home is likely used for heating and cooling, so anything you can do to stop air leaks will save energy. Even if you don’t have the money to replace windows or add insulation, there are simple things you can do to weatherize your home. Sealing cracks and drafts around doors and windows with caulking or weatherstripping is a good start. Sealing outlets and light switches with inexpensive foam gaskets is another way to block tiny holes that leak air. Regularly replacing the air filters on your heater and air-conditioner can keep these systems working properly and efficiently. As the weather heats up, opening windows for ventilation instead of using the AC can save energy and cut your home’s coal emissions as well.

Sea Otter 2011: New lights from Light&Motion, Exposure, Topeak
Latest LEDs, new tools and accessories

Light&Motion’s slick convertible Solite 150

The usefully bright 150-lumen output, light 135g claimed weight, and three-hour run time (on high) on Light&Motion’s new Solite 150 would be impressive enough by themselves but what we find most appealing is the clever convertible bike/multisport configuration.

In bike mode, the LED head snaps on the front of the battery, which then straps on to a stem for a clean, one-piece unit with no dangling cords to manage. There are amber side markers for extra visibility, too, and the head pivots up and down to fine-tune the aim.

Split the battery and light head apart and secure them to the included headband, though, and you instead have a versatile high-powered light for making your way around the camp site or for other activities like cross-country skiing.

Either way, an on-board mini-USB charge port refreshes the battery in a claimed five hours. Suggested retail price is a reasonable US$179.99.

Commuters can also look to the new US$99.99 Urban 150 and US$149.99 Urban 250 with respective claimed outputs of 150 and 250 lumens each. The all-in-one designs feature water resistant anodized aluminum bodies, amber side markers, and built-in mini-USB charge ports. Run time on the high power setting for the Urban 250 is two hours while the Urban 150 will carry on for an additional half-hour.

Save for the US$699.99 Seca 1400 flagship, all of Light&Motion’s Seca and Stella lights also get output boosts for 2012. The US$499.99 Seca 800 and US$229.99 Stella 300 both get 100-lumen upgrades while the US$299.99 Seca 600 gets a more substantial 200-lumen infusion.

Exposure’s Six Pack lights up the night with a claimed 1,800-lumen output

It seems there’s no output limit in sight for high-powered LED bicycle lights as Exposure’s latest Six Pack churns out an astounding 1,800 lumens - 400 more than Light&Motion’s top-end Seca 1400 and Niterider’s Pro 1400.

Exposure achieves that impressive figure with six LED emitters arranged in a five-plus-one layout, all tucked into a machined aluminum housing that also contains the Li-ion rechargeable battery. Claimed run time on high is a full three hours and Exposure’s Smart Port will makes for a user configurable system with optional rear flashers and remote switches.

The beer can-sized Six Pack is intended for handlebar use only, though, and total claimed weight is 480g including the aluminum quick-release bar mount. Suggested retail price is US$649/￡450.

On the much smaller end of the scale are the Flash and Flare commuter lights, both using single CR123 battery cells, simple twist on-off switches, and versatile silicone rubber mounting straps. The front-specific Flash puts out a claimed 100 lumens for up to 17 hours (flashing) while the rear-specific Flare puts out a slightly more modest 75 lumens for up to 25 hours.

Suggested retail price for either light is US$69/￡40 price but Exposure also offers a more useful combo pack with rechargeable cells and a charger for US$150.

Exposure also showed off its intriguing Beacon, a translucent silicone rubber add-on diffuser available in four sizes to fit most of the company’s headlamps. While decidedly funny looking, Exposure says the Beacon is useful for improving overall visibility to others (especially when the lights are used in flashing mode) or more general lighting duties like camping. Prices will vary from US$10-20 depending on size.

Understanding The Different Types Of Ceiling Lights
Recessed downlights are usually installed in a depressed hole in the ceiling giving off a softer glow. They can be used to create a floodlight effect or to create a spotlight in a particular area. Recessed lights, when used in the bedroom give off a more intimate and romantic ambience.

Fluorescent lights are commonly used in homes and can be bought almost anywhere. They emit white light and are known to be extremely energy efficient compared to their predecessor, the incandescent light. While it is generally more expensive, fluorescent lights are said to last a long time and in the end tend to save you money.

Ceiling downlights are similar to recessed downlights with the difference of not being recessed. They are usually used as a spotlight for one particular object or area.

Lighted ceiling fans are multi functional lighting fixtures that incorporate the use of a ceiling fan. It is normally designed to hold four or five blades while having four or five light bulbs in the centre. Like chandeliers, these are classic lighting fixtures but can become rickety due to old age and can be extremely noisy.

Incandescent lights are the kind of lights our parents used to use before fluorescent lights were popular. They utilise heat to produce light, is usually yellow and not very energy efficient. In fact they can use four to eight times more electricity than a regular fluorescent light bulb normally uses.

Track lighting is a series of lights installed through the use of a single track. These are most common in office buildings.

Of course choosing the proper ceiling lighting for your home is dependent on how high or low your ceiling is and the overall design of your home. Many ceiling lights are very dynamic and can be used for almost any design style. It also depends on what particular function a room will be used for. Since ceiling lights are always the most used lights in the home, it is equally important to utilise energy efficient light bulbs that can last the wear and tear of everyday use and do not have to be replaced time and time again. Just imagine having to replace incandescent recessed downlights from that extremely high beam on top of your hallway every single week. In a case like this, fluorescent light or LEDs are your best option since they are known to be more energy efficient. If your beam, on the other hand is too low, it is not advisable to use ceiling lighting for fear of drawing attention to that area. Instead utilise another area where you want to draw the attention. Incorporating lighting with your overall interior design is not very difficult to achieve. With a little information from here and there, you will have enough confidence to know what you want and where you want it. But if you need to do some drilling to install new lighting fixtures, the rule of thumb is to sketch it out first and see how you feel about its outcome. It is also important to understand what lighting fixtures go with different design styles. Never ever rush a decorating project. It needs a lot of thought and consideration first before actually going ahead and doing it. You do not want to have to deal with the hassle of drilling a hole after realising it simply does not fit in. Having these areas covered first prior to purchasing new lighting fixtures will help immensely in making the right choice and achieving that kind of self-satisfaction you feel whenever a do-it-yourself project is executed properly.

Industry analysis: where is the advantage of LED
LED obvious characteristics is the photoelectric conversion efficiency high, color saturation, small volume, high resistance to shock, impact resistance, excluding toxic substances, low-voltage power supply and long service life of human security, such as in daily life, mainly used in prevent mist lighting, light, etc. At present, the traditional projector adopts UHE, UHP etc, they have a high bulb light efficiency and brightness, but the coagulation system heat dissipation, and its service life is relatively short.

If the projector application LED light source, that there will be how to advantage? First it can be opened for the projector fuselage miniaturization new roads, due to the volume is small, very LED light for research and development of more compact projector parts, makes the projector products more portable; Moreover, LED or real sense of cold light, work process won’t resemble traditional light bulb that produce a lot of heat, very beneficial to projection product heat dissipation, easier to control noise; LED light-source long life, it means that the projector then need not as before frequent replacement bulbs, increase later use cost.

In addition, color range is also an important measure of the projector performance. We know, traditional illuminant projector especially due to its light spectrum DLP products limited range, need color wheels for the color, the color wheel speed on colour performance has great influence; LCD products though don’t need color wheels for the color separation, colour performance better than the DLP much better, but still not satisfying. Authorities to provide the data from view, traditional illuminant projector products its color gamut range is only 65%, colour of NTSC too many defects.

The emergence of LED(led light bulbs) light can be very good solution to this problem, and white leds and RGB color light source is very suitable for the projector center. Among them, the RGB tricolor LED light source pure color is very high, three kinds of color chronological luminous emanations, its color gamut in turn range can be easily achieve 100% above. Say so, LED light source applications can make the projector colour reduction effect more conspicuous.

Finally, the traditional light bulb in both contain harmful to human body mercury, its content is very low, but still though to the human body has more or less damage; And LED source is not contain any harmful elements, in that sense, LED or more environmental protection.

However, the traditional LED light bulb also has cost not easy to control, brightness not enough faults, but any new things in when the primary is plain. Due to its vast projection manufacturers, improve strength increasing emphasis on has been a gradual increase, these years, LED(led flashlights) light source performance has improved to ascend. The old money than in 2005, now LED light source with better luminous rate, more power, better shine and the Angle of the more excellent monochromatic luminous property, in deadly glowing bright and also had larger ascension. New LED source also realized the ac/dc amphibious, can better improve thermal management, all these make it in projection products more realistic meaning, this also for pocket projector market development to provide the solid foundation.

We know, LED source in flat TV application has been more mature, a lot of experiments have shown that it will give the projector bring more perfect colour performance. But nowadays, LED light application in the projector is still in the primary stage.from: cheap led lights

Global Green Lighting Launches Its New and Affordable SMD5060 MR11 LED Bulbs
Lighting is crucial for retail operations and their display cases, and there are few retail operations who require proper showcase lighting more than jewelry stores. The wrong lighting will make even the best quality jewelry look dull and flat, while the right lighting will greatly enhance the appearance of the jewelry sitting in your display case. Many individuals have found that the mr11 led bulbs provide the ideal lighting environment to best show off their delicate wares.

Retail store owners and merchandisers have long looked into the impact that lighting has on the success of their store. They have found that certain lighting environments have proven time and time again to produce an increased amount of sales and an improved customer impression of their products. Likewise they have also found that the wrong lighting environment decreases customer satisfaction, both in and out of the store interestingly enough, and results in a significant drop in sales. Due to the fact that it contributes to mood, satisfaction and sales rates, developing the proper lighting environment has risen to an important place in the considerations of most retail owners and operators.

This is especially true when it comes to retail stores that are based around selling jewelry. While all goods and products benefit from the right lighting environment, jewelry especially requires the correct lighting to look as appealing as possible. Jewelry store owners all note the way that the right lighting and the right angle really highlights a piece of jewelry by increasing its attractiveness and bringing out its “sparkle” so it should come as no surprise that the right lighting
environment will maximize these intrinsic qualities. When lit properly a piece of jewelry in a display case will look its best and be impossible to ignore. When lit improperly a piece of jewelry in a display case will look flat and uninteresting, and will be easy to pass by. Proper display lighting is the key to jewelry store success.

That’s where LED MR11 bulbs come into play. These are high quality, energy efficient white color light bulbs that cast a 120 degree side beam. They project a widely spread light beam that provides great light quality that will enhance the beauty, color and cut of all pieces of jewelry, maximizing their brilliance and refraction. “This light is comparable to a 50 watt MR11 halogen light, with internal 10 SMD5060 LEDs as light source. The end result is a very bright light.” said Ming Lin, Senior Engineer of Global Green Lighting, Inc.

In addition to providing a high quality light the mr11 led lights will also do so without producing any heat and while using a minimum of energy. Excess heat production is a real problem with traditional halogen MR11 bulbs, and can make retail environments uncomfortable to work in. “The lack of heat produced by an LED MR11 bulb is a real selling point over traditional halogen bulbs, in addition to its earth-friendly lowered energy usage.” add Ming Lin, Senior engineer of Global Green Lighting, Inc.

But, of course, those are simply added benefits. The main benefit will come when users install MR11 LED bulbs and see the difference they make in the appearance and sales rate of their jewelry.

Releases Eco-Friendly LED Lights

a DisplayShops specialty website, has just released a new line of LED trade show lights that comply with the North American “Go Green” initiative. The LED lights, sold in bundles of two, use five watts of power each. This number is considerably lower than the amount of energy conventional LED light bulbs use.

“The set of LED lights burn more slowly than incandescent, halogen, or even our competitors LED lights,” states Sandra Reno, the New Product Advertiser for AllBannerStands.com. “The result is a system that is not only in compliance with the “Go Green” low voltage standards, but also safer technology. These LED lights run cooler, which helps prevent against fires.”

The set of LED lights are designed primarily for spotlighting advertisements and other displays. Each light is attached to a 20” long rod. These rods have clamps at the end for attaching to the top of a trade show poster or banner. There is a 20 foot long cord included with each model for convenient plugging into an electrical outlet. Although designed for Waveline graphic walls, these LED lights can attach to most poster frames and table tops.

“Even though these lighting systems use only five watts of energy, they are designed to be as effective as any other LED light,” adds Reno. “The lights are designed to cover 10 foot posters with a substantial amount of light.”

I bought the black iPad 2 simply because I preferred how it looked. But, now that news is rolling in that shining a light directly onto the white iPad 2 bezel pretty much turns your iPad into a TronPad, I’m a little bit disappointed with my purchase.

All kidding aside, making your iPad glow is pretty nifty, and we assume that it’s only going to be a matter of time until some case manufacturer hacks a couple of LED lights into a case to light up the iPad.

Do you have a white iPad 2? Have you tried this nifty little trick out? If so, let us know in the comments below.