Monthly Archive for April, 2009

Light It Up with Puck Lights

Published
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admin
on April 27, 2009
in LED Lights
. 2 Comments

Shine a New Light on Old Things with LED Puck Lights

Light it up with LED Puck Lights

With fresh, new lighting, you can achieve a brand new new look for your home. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Designers use inexpensive tools like LED puck lights to shine a new light on old things!

Light It Up (instead of down)

Designers and landscapers love up-lights and LED puck lights. The fixtures are inexpensive and require almost no installation beyond a simple plug in, and they instantly light up and transform a space. Indoors you can set a can up light behind a floor plant, behind a piece of furniture like a chest or armoire, or on top of a cabinet. The light will wash over a wall or up to a ceiling, providing indirect light for the room.

Change Out a Ceiling Light

Take down a dated brass ceiling light  and try replacing it with a new, more up to date fixture. Don’t date yourself with lighting!

Use LED Puck Lights for Focus

The light beam from an LED puck light can be focused at artwork, a work area, onto the ceiling, or down. Dark halls, a dining room, or home office is a great place LED puck lights.

Place LED Puck Lights on a Book Shelf

Often, bookshelves are dark and it’s hard to find the book you’re searching for. Install under shelf light fixtures, strip lights, small LED puck lights, or a small lamp.

Under Cabinet Lights

Instead of using all overhead lights, I love to install lighting under cabinets and conceal plugs and cords. Under cabinet lights like LED puck lights shine the light right onto the work space and the room retains a wonderful ambiance. Using dimmers for all these lights is great, too.

Top Off Your Art With a Picture Light

If you’ve invested in fine art, you probably already know this tip. But even modest art looks better with directed lighting focusing on it. Select the right size for your piece and the room.

LED puck lights and other accent lights are the secret weapons of light designers. Shining a new light on old elements of your existing design can give your home an instant face lift.

Let LED Lights Move into Your Home

Published
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admin
on April 24, 2009
in Home
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Using LED Lights at Home

LED lights first appeared in the 60s, but have just recently made the jump into modern homes. Now, LED Lights are used for lighting applications, such as space lighting for the nooks and crannies of your home you wish to accentuate. Recent advances in LED lights have made it possible for LED lights to be used throughout your home - modernizing their 60’s cool. Here are some excellent reasons to let LED lights move into your home.

  • LED bulbs burn cooler; this can help prevent fires.
  • LED lights burn more efficiently and lasts much longer than incandescent lighting, which saves energy and money.
  • LED lights are durable. Consumer Reports recently compared LED Lights, to regular incandescent bulbs. The LED bulbs far out-performed the incandescent.
  • LED lights are healthier for the environment.

Great reasons and uses for LED lights at home.

These are all good reasons to use LED lights. Due to LED lights being highly energy efficient, not to mention technologically superior and cooler than other light sources such as incandescent and fluorescent lighting, LED lights have reached beyond electronic gadgets and into home lighting. LED lights work well in small spaces or places where you need close, indirect light. Great uses for LED lights at home include:

  • Reading lights
  • In stairways or closets
  • Recessed lighting
  • Linear strip lighting
  • Night lights
  • To showcase something - an art piece for example
  • Lights you see inside a glass door cupboard
  • Outdoor and porch lighting

LED lights are a hip way to add accent lighting to your home without sucking up a ton of energy and blowing up your electrical bill. The technology has come a long way since the 60’s, but LED lights have still managed to keep their ‘cool’.

Backyard Decor with Flexible LED Light

Published
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Christine
on April 20, 2009
in Creative-Uses, Home and LED Lights
. 0 Comments

Flexible LED Light Ropes offer a Unique Way to Light Your Yard

Establish the Summer Mood with Flexible LED light!

Flexible LED light ropes are the modern way to decorate your deck or patio. If you plan to entertain during the summer months and want a hip yet green backyard lighting scheme - flexible LED light is your new best friend. Flexible LED light ropes offer unique décor and provide light while you are entertaining outside at night. And isn’t that what summer is all about?

Decorative lighting with flexible LED light is a great way to establish the mood on a deck. The possibilities are almost limitless. Flexible LED light strings can be woven along railing systems or even throughout the garden. Flexible LED lights allow you to be creative. These lights can be installed practically anywhere. If you have a gazebo or a trellis, you can string up these lights to provide added lighting and to give the area a more attractive appearance. Decorating the patio and garden with flexible LED light can easily turn the outdoor living space into entertaining space and enhances its aesthetic and functional qualities.

Other popular use for flexible LED lights is to light up your driveway and pool. Anyone who has a pool knows that a late night swim can be invigorating. Lighting the pool area is also a good safety feature. The addition of lights to the surrounding yard, pool and driveway greatly enhances your outdoor space by creating drama as well as a sense of security.

Flexible LED light has an incredible lifespan and virtually never need changing. Although flexible LED lights cost more initially, they are much cheaper in the long run. They also conserve energy and are cooler thus reducing any danger related to finger burns.

A lighting scheme for a deck can be a really fun and creative experience when you decorate with flexible LED light ropes. Flexible LED lights are durable, weather resistant and provide the perfect amount of accent lighting for your backyard and patio. Flexible LED light can help transform your outdoor space into an entertainment platform to enjoy those warm summer nights with friends. Establish the mood this summer with flexible LED light and get the party started!

Theater Lighting & LED Lights

Published
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Christine
on April 20, 2009
in Creative-Uses and LED Lights
. 0 Comments

If you’ve ever spent an evening at the theater, you know that it doesn’t take exotic locations or overly intricate set construction to create absorbing and captivating stage ambiance. Instead, one of the most important ingredients for effective and multi-faceted stage production is, you guessed it, lighting.
And recently, LED lighting has moved to the forefront of stage production.

For instance, LEDs are replacing halogen bulbs in one of the most frequently used lights in theater production: the Par-64 Can stage light, and the new models are outperforming their conventional counterparts in virtually every way.
Par Can lights are best used on stage to create special effects, to highlight certain angles, illuminate the actors and create an overall color wash on stage. The traditional halogen versions of these lights use up to 1000 watts of energy per light. Each can contains one white halogen bulb and requires hard-to-change gels or filters to achieve color-washing effects. Therefore, each light can only emit one color for the duration of the show; one play or performance might require up to 20 different Par Can lights to accomplish the desired color effects for the entire production. To make matters worse, these halogen lights radiate a lot of heat, causing potential fire hazards, and require several 20-amp circuits to run.

One LED Par-64 Can light, however, can achieve an infinite number of color combinations (and easily switch between them), since the colors come not from filters or gels but from several individual one-watt LEDs within each can. This means that one LED Par Can is able to create millions of colors and emit a brilliant wash of light with no hot spots. Even better, LED Par Cans stay cool and use only 20-50 watts on average-stage production managers can save energy and time, as only one 20-amp circuit provides more than enough energy to run several LED Par Cans. What’s more, LEDs offer a more intense light than conventional halogen Par Cans, plus they can achieve a higher resolution of pixels on a screen compared to the alternative, if being used for projection.
For a similar stage- lighting product, check out our 23 Watt Round Wall Wash LED Light. It can generate color changing effects such as flashing, fading, static colors, and seven colors changing in sync.

The Benefits of Building Green with LED Lights

Published
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admin
on April 17, 2009
in Green-Eco-Friendly
. 7 Comments

The Benefits of Using LED Lights for Green Building

Reasons LED lights should be considered an essential element of Green Building.

Did you know that LED lights use 80% less energy than incandescent lighting, yet it is often overlooked as a lighting source, even in green building? LED lights should not only be the first choice in green building products, LED lights should be considered an essential element! Let’s begin with some environmental benefits of LED lights:

  • LED lights over 50,000 hours. That’s about 25 times longer than incandescent lights.
  • LED lighting produces 500% more light per watt. A brighter future, indeed.
  • LED lights do not emit significant UV or IR radiation. IR is back to the heat issue, and UV is something most try to avoid.
  • LED lights do not contain mercury which is common in fluorescents.
  • LED lights have lenses that focus the light into a pattern of equal distribution adding to energy savings as light is not wasted bouncing in unneeded directions.
  • LED lights do not produce as much heat. This can save on energy and maintenance costs.

There are other aesthetic benefits of LED lights other than the obvious environmental reasons. For instance, the color temperature can be precisely controlled.

There are costs benefits of LED lights as well. LED lights are often considered expensive and can cost 10 times as much incandescent lights. The truth is that the price of LED lights should not be considered a drawback. Once energy and replacement costs are figured in, the LED lights actually save money. Simply consider the cost of 24 extra replacements of the incandescent light, then factor the extra energy use and it’s really not even close. It’s clear the LED light ultimately saves money. Stop thinking short term and demand the LED lights part of your commitment to building a green future.

Finally, the real benefit of LED lights is that they are cool. Not only do they burn cooler, the technology and design of LED lights are as forward thinking as the technology behind them.

Designing with LED Rope Lights

Published
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admin
on April 13, 2009
in LED Lights
. 0 Comments

LED Rope Light Basics

New design techniques for a new type of light.

Rope Light Basics:

LED rope lights are an easy way to introduce creativity and color into your lighting design. They are made up of tiny lights, light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are spaced about an inch apart and covered in heavy-duty plastic tubing. Their construction provides for strength and durability, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. However, it is their flexibility and customizable, form-fitting nature that distinguishes LED rope lights from other light sources.

Uses for LED Rope Lights

LED rope lights are a very versatile product that can be installed just about anywhere, conforming to the shape of their surroundings. Lighting design should be a creative process and LED rope lights can be integral tools to help you achieve your vision. The only limit is imagination. Here are some common uses for LED rope lights:

  • LED Rope Lights for Cove or Accent lighting. Placing an LED rope light behind another object can provide a soft and appealing accent glow. This method is often used in home theaters, living rooms, bars, clubs, trade shows, and anywhere else where a soft glow is desired.
  • LED Rope Lights for Perimeter Lighting. LED rope lights can wrap around  or run behind an architectural element in order to define it and bring attention to it. This technique can be used around decks, staircases, railings, and building facades.
  • LED Rope Lights for Focal Point Lighting. A common use is to place the LED rope lights in the foreground of your space as the main focal point. This works especially well when the LED rope lights are twisted and bent into interesting forms or recognizable shapes or sculptures.
  • LED Rope Lights for Holiday Decoration.  The most popular use for LED rope lights os holiday decorations; where they are be used to light up just about everything!

LED Ropes lights are the latest development in rope light design. LED rope lights have several advantages over their incandescent cousins, the primary being their high energy efficiency. In fact, most LED rope lights use less than 1 watt per foot. LED rope lights are also cooler to the touch, more durable, and can have a bulb life expectancy rated to over 100,000 hours.

LEDs Provide Innovative and Interactive Lighting Installation at SXSW 2009

Published
by
Christine
on April 8, 2009
in Green-Eco-Friendly
. 1 Comment

The Red Bull Moon Tower stage was illuminated like never before at this year’s South By Southwest music, film and interactive conference and festival in Austin, Texas, thanks to artists John Taylor and Grant Davis (VJ Culture, www.vjculture.com), and of course, some high-quality LEDs.

The duo created a stage display made entirely of 3-foot water storage cubes and LED lights. Each water cube contained two 1-meter LED fixtures for a total of 26 LEDs at 0.4W per LED.  All of the LEDs within each cube were programmed to display identical images, so that when the light from the LEDs shone through the translucent plastic of the cube’s walls, the cube itself acted as one giant pixel. Come again?
elemental-2
Here’s how it worked: To connect the LED fixtures to an external digital control system, Taylor wrote custom software using Max/MSP from Cycling74 (www.cycling74.com). This system allowed Taylor to create and manipulate the patterns displayed the cubes’ walls, which were made from tiny movie files playing custom grayscale images. The patterns could then be colorized to match VJ Culture’s performance. Taylor used an M-Audio Trigger Finger device with sliders, buttons and knobs mapped to various patterns and color schemes as an interface to keep his portion of the performance fluid. Using this technology, the LEDs could produce a nearly unlimited spectrum of deep, saturated colors not typically available with traditional lighting equipment, and could be customized to integrate with both the music and video performances taking place on stage.
elemental-3
Besides the fact that the LEDs themselves provided an inherently eco-friendly light source, Neal Turley, creative director for the event and founder of Sustainable Waves, ensured the rest of the festival was green, too. Sustainable Waves provides solar powered stages, sound systems, conscious products and consulting services to the entertainment industry.

All photos courtesy of John Taylor.

Going Green with LED Bulbs

Published
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admin
on April 2, 2009
in Green-Eco-Friendly
. 0 Comments

Go Green with LED Bulbs

Reasons to use LED bulbs.

Choosing LED bulbs helps you go green because:

  • LED bulbs use a fraction of the energy incandescent bulbs use, and are even more energy efficient than CFL bulbs. The use of LED bulbs translates into fewer carbon emissions from power companies.
  • LED bulbs don’t generate heat like incandescent bulbs, so fans and air conditioners can be used less frequently or at lower levels.
  • LED bulbs last longer than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, so there’s less need to replace bulbs, which decreases production and disposal considerations.
  • Unlike incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, LED bulbs contain no mercury.
  • The low-voltage required means solar power can supply sufficient energy.

Though LED bulbs are more expensive, there are websites like EllementalLED.com which offers discount LED bulbs. Also, when cities and larger productions order in large quantities - they are able to get discount LED bulbs when ordering in bulk.

Homes and businesses around the world are currently replacing their wasteful incandescent light bulbs with the longer lasting, more energy-efficient LED bulbs. The big draw for LED lighting is their efficiency and energy-saving ability. Some current estimates have LED bulbs lasting 10 times longer than CFL bulbs and more than 100 times longer than typical incandescent bulbs, while using a fraction of the energy of incandescent bulbs.

Additionally, LED light bulbs contain no mercury (present in other bulbs, such as CFLs), so don’t pose the same risk of toxic exposure. And they’re cool to the touch, which means they don’t produce heat like incandescent lights. As a result, they don’t increase indoor temperatures and therefore reduce cooling bills as well.

The benefits of research currently in progress may have a large impact on the lighting industry. If 25 percent of the light bulbs in the US were converted to LED bulbs it could save $115 billion in utility costs by 2025, alleviating the need to build 133 new coal-burning power stations and cutting carbon emissions by 258 million metric tons. This data alone will have a major impact on the production of LED bulbs.  Strides are also being made in lowering the expensive production cost of LED bulbs. Hopefully, in the near future, the public will see more discount LED bulbs in the market.

It is important to point out that the cost of an LED bulb long term is still less expensive than buying an incandescent bulb. The money saved on replacement costs and energy bills,l more than makes up for the initial investment in an LED bulb. Think green and think long term when buying LED bulbs.