£30 and a bit of soldering....

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Fat Controller, Nov 8, 2015.

Page 2 of 3
  1. Ian Taylor

    Ian Taylor Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2013
    Messages:
    2,228
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Maintenance Manager, Oddfellows on the Park.
    Location:
    Cheadle Hulme
    Ratings:
    +2,751
    I've fitted 2 new security lights on our house both led, the one on the front is 10watt and the one on the back is 20watt, both in place of 500watt halogen, so should be saving some money. Also fitted 2 x 3watt downlighters in our bedroom bay window when we re decorated
     
    • Like Like x 2
      Ian Taylor, Nov 15, 2015
      #16 Quote in Conversation
    • HarryS

      HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

      Joined:
      Aug 28, 2010
      Messages:
      8,906
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Retired
      Location:
      Wigan
      Ratings:
      +16,248
      @Ian Taylor , do you get a good "flood" light on the LED security light ?
      I know the LED street light they have fitted around here don't seem to spread the light like the sodium bulbs (if they still used sodium bulbs ).
       
      • Friendly Friendly x 1
        HarryS, Nov 15, 2015
        #17 Quote in Conversation
      • Ian Taylor

        Ian Taylor Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Nov 1, 2013
        Messages:
        2,228
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Maintenance Manager, Oddfellows on the Park.
        Location:
        Cheadle Hulme
        Ratings:
        +2,751
        @HarryS we find ours ok they really light up our front drive and back garden, only thing is you can't change the led when it goes you have to fit a new unit. they sell them in B&Q, Screwfix, ours have pir's on
         
        • Informative Informative x 1
        • Friendly Friendly x 1
          Ian Taylor, Nov 15, 2015
          #18 Quote in Conversation
        • Fat Controller

          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

          Joined:
          May 5, 2012
          Messages:
          27,607
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Public Transport
          Location:
          At me 'puter, GCHQ Ashford Office, Middlesex
          Ratings:
          +51,884
          Depending on the fittings, in many cases it is simply a case of changing the bulbs. GU10 (below) are the most common 240v downlighters, and there is a vast choice of LED equivalents available that simply pop into the existing socket.

          gu10.jpg

          If they are MR16's (smaller version of the GU10 with two straight pins instead of the posts on the connector), then they are already low voltage lights and there would be little or no energy saving from changing as the switch-mode power supply that runs them would simply have to dissipate the energy that was not being used by the bulb - so in all likelihood, the power supply would run hotter and still use the same amount of electricity.
           
          • Informative Informative x 2
            Fat Controller, Nov 15, 2015
            #19 Quote in Conversation
          • ARMANDII

            ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

            Joined:
            Jan 12, 2019
            Messages:
            48,096
            Gender:
            Male
            Ratings:
            +100,838
            That's because the LED lantern is designed to point the light downwards and into a specific area , Harry, rather that upwards and outwards like the old, energy hungry and inefficient, sodium lamps, so hopefully we'll have less light pollution.:coffee::snork:
             
            • Like Like x 2
              ARMANDII, Nov 15, 2015
              #20 Quote in Conversation
            • CanadianLori

              CanadianLori Total Gardener

              Joined:
              Sep 20, 2015
              Messages:
              9,840
              Occupation:
              Battle Axe
              Location:
              Oakville, Ontario, Canada Zone 5A
              Ratings:
              +31,324
              I put those type of lights in both greenhouses. They are powered by a battery which in turn is charged by solar panels.

              I got the kind that also flash and other annoying things, course I only usd the annoying stuff when the hillbillies next door start doing silly things....:heehee:
               
              • Like Like x 2
              • Funny Funny x 1
                CanadianLori, Nov 15, 2015
                #21 Quote in Conversation
              • clueless1

                clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

                Joined:
                Jan 8, 2008
                Messages:
                17,778
                Gender:
                Male
                Location:
                Here
                Ratings:
                +19,596
                It's a long, long time since I studied electronics, but my understanding is that a switched mode psu doesn't have to dissipate energy not used by the load. That would be a linear regulator, rarely used nowadays.

                A linear regulator effectively is a potential divider, with the load as one half and a massive great transistor with a big heat sink as the other half, and a zenner diode maintaining constant voltage at the base. When the load reduces, the transistor effectively increases resistance to match. That variable resistance generates heat, which is wasted energy.

                A switched mode psu uses a capacitor to smooth the output, and the transistor is either fully on, to top up the charge in the capacitor, or fully off when the charge is sufficient to maintain the output voltage at that instant. The advantage being that no energy is wasted, because a fully on transistor is close to zero resistance, and a fully off one is close to infinite. In either state, virtually no energy has to be discarded as heat.
                 
                • Like Like x 1
                  clueless1, Nov 15, 2015
                  #22 Quote in Conversation
                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                  Joined:
                  Jul 3, 2006
                  Messages:
                  62,942
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Retired - Last Century!!!
                  Location:
                  Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                  Ratings:
                  +122,466
                  Ours are two straight pins :blue thumb:. Thanks for the info :love30:

                  My inner Scrooge feels happier now. :heehee:
                   
                  • Agree Agree x 1
                    shiney, Nov 16, 2015
                    #23 Quote in Conversation
                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    Jul 3, 2006
                    Messages:
                    62,942
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired - Last Century!!!
                    Location:
                    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                    Ratings:
                    +122,466
                    Oh dear!!

                    Inner Scrooge is sad again! :sad:

                    But capital outlay would not be worth it. :noidea:
                     
                    • Like Like x 1
                      shiney, Nov 16, 2015
                      #24 Quote in Conversation
                    • Jimcub

                      Jimcub Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Sep 19, 2015
                      Messages:
                      339
                      Gender:
                      Male
                      Occupation:
                      Retired
                      Location:
                      Cheshire
                      Ratings:
                      +614
                      I find 5 watt in cool White is very bright, warm White is a more a Amber light and not as bright.
                      You can get converters to make almost any fitting to a gu10
                       
                      • Like Like x 1
                        Jimcub, Nov 16, 2015
                        #25 Quote in Conversation
                      • ARMANDII

                        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                        Joined:
                        Jan 12, 2019
                        Messages:
                        48,096
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Ratings:
                        +100,838
                        Make up your financial mind, Shiney:doh::dunno::whistle::heehee:
                         
                        ARMANDII, Nov 16, 2015
                        #26 Quote in Conversation
                      • shiney

                        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                        Joined:
                        Jul 3, 2006
                        Messages:
                        62,942
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Occupation:
                        Retired - Last Century!!!
                        Location:
                        Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                        Ratings:
                        +122,466
                        I have made up my mind! :old: It's, I don't know what to do or think. :noidea:
                         
                        • Like Like x 1
                          shiney, Nov 16, 2015
                          #27 Quote in Conversation
                        • clueless1

                          clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

                          Joined:
                          Jan 8, 2008
                          Messages:
                          17,778
                          Gender:
                          Male
                          Location:
                          Here
                          Ratings:
                          +19,596
                          If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
                           
                          • Agree Agree x 2
                            clueless1, Nov 16, 2015
                            #28 Quote in Conversation
                          • Fat Controller

                            Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

                            Joined:
                            May 5, 2012
                            Messages:
                            27,607
                            Gender:
                            Male
                            Occupation:
                            Public Transport
                            Location:
                            At me 'puter, GCHQ Ashford Office, Middlesex
                            Ratings:
                            +51,884
                            You are correct, of course - I was thinking of linear supplies and not switched mode - - however, in the case of switched mode power supplies, they are designed to operate with a minimum load, and a continued insufficient load will lead to their demise; very roughly, swapping from halogen to LED bulbs sees the load reduce to a tenth that the PSU was designed for and the only way to ensure continued reliable and safe operation is to apply an additional resistive load to balance things up - - this resistive load will generally only dissipate the energy (usually heat), but that means that ultimately the expected power savings are to some degree negated.

                            When we moved into this house, we discovered that the prior tenants had been running the three ceiling lights with only one or two of the six bulbs working - - the result was three cooked power supplies, that may well have been switched mode, but the resulting damage saw them dissipating energy through heat (and a bit of smoke too)
                             
                            • Like Like x 1
                            • Informative Informative x 1
                              Fat Controller, Nov 16, 2015
                              #29 Quote in Conversation
                            • Jimcub

                              Jimcub Gardener

                              Joined:
                              Sep 19, 2015
                              Messages:
                              339
                              Gender:
                              Male
                              Occupation:
                              Retired
                              Location:
                              Cheshire
                              Ratings:
                              +614
                              Quite right if I have a 3 or 4 lamp fitting it always has all bulbs fitted, as you overload the rest in the fitting
                               
                              Jimcub, Nov 16, 2015
                              #30 Quote in Conversation
                            Page 2 of 3
                            Loading...
                            Similar Threads - £30 bit soldering
                            1. Scrungee

                              Vouchers 15% off £30 or more at Wickes voucher

                              Scrungee, Feb 13, 2017, in forum: Freebies, Offers & Bargains
                              Replies:
                              7
                              Views:
                              1,771
                              ruletheworld
                              Jun 13, 2017
                            2. Scrungee

                              Vouchers £5 for £30 spend & £10 for £50 spend at Homebase

                              Scrungee, Feb 4, 2017, in forum: Freebies, Offers & Bargains
                              Replies:
                              0
                              Views:
                              1,444
                              Scrungee
                              Feb 4, 2017
                            3. liliana

                              £30 cup of coffee

                              liliana, Dec 7, 2012, in forum: The Muppet Show
                              Replies:
                              2
                              Views:
                              632
                              gcc3663
                              Dec 7, 2012
                            4. shiney

                              Photo Competition Win £3000

                              shiney, Mar 28, 2010, in forum: Photography Talk
                              Replies:
                              0
                              Views:
                              898
                              shiney
                              Mar 28, 2010
                            5. eddybaby

                              I KNOW IT LOOKS A BIT LIKE PAUL THE OCTOPUS

                              eddybaby, Jul 7, 2024, in forum: General Gardening Discussion
                              Replies:
                              8
                              Views:
                              430
                              eddybaby
                              Jul 9, 2024

                            Share This Page

                            1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                              By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                              Accept Learn More...
                              Dismiss Notice