Thread replies: 11
Thread images: 4
Thread images: 4
File: LED strips.jpg (36KB, 600x450px) Image search:
[Google]
36KB, 600x450px
So I'm sure I'm yet another idiot who's proposed this idea, but figured I'd ask anyway.
I see a lot of people like doing bedroom lighting with LED strips and various other small light sources. I'm wanting to do this for my whole house. The reason being is that the lights I have in my house have very inconvenient light switches, and the lights are all too bright. I want to do a low-light and low-power constant-on setup so I don't need to fiddle with the light switches and so I don't waste electricity. The thing is, I haven't messed with electronics in a long time and I never paid any attention to actual power requirements.
So, 2 questions:
Is this an economical solution? I.e, will LED strips/lights use less electricity on average than the way too many (3-5+ per area/room) recessed floodlights I have?
Is it possible for me to run this off of mains power so I don't have to change batteries every day? (ideally without shocking myself with the circuit design)
Any ideas or suggestions (or criticism) would be helpful. I'm not dead-set on this but I figured it would be a neat side project that's actually useful
>>
>>1165807
Recessed floodlights as you say are more commonly known as spotlights because they illuminate small spots. This in itself is an inefficient way of lighting a room.
The type of lamp in the spotlight is important, incandescent is much more inefficient than led. Does anyone make cfl spotlight lamps? I don't think so.
Replacing led with led isn't going to make too much of a difference.
You can buy led strips with a mains adapter which you could in theory very easily connect to your lighting circuit.
In reality there are all kinds of pesky rules and regulations to deal with.
>>
File: 20161029_205252_LLS.jpg (1MB, 2322x4128px) Image search:
[Google]
1MB, 2322x4128px
>>1165807
>is this an economical solution?
Not really. You won't be saving any money really. Just do it for convenience or ambient lighting.
>is it possible to run this off mains power?
Yes. Either the 12V or the 5V version can be run off an AC adapter.
>Any ideas?
If you want to go the super easy route get 5050's. They're cheap and have premade controllers for them.
If you want to try and make your own patterns, colors, or just have more control get WS2812Bs and hook them up to a microcontroller.
>>
File: EL wire.jpg (9KB, 310x233px) Image search:
[Google]
9KB, 310x233px
>>1165837
>replacing LED with LED
That's the thing, some of the lights are LEDs while others aren't. From what I remember, LED spotlights are ~$30/per (or were a few years ago) while a meter of LED strip is ~$20-30 as well but would look much nicer.
>>1165845
>AC adapters exist
>5050s are easy
Awesome, will look into those.
I don't really need fancy effects, maybe just a fade between colours but I don't know how much I'd really use it.
Another thing I forgot to ask - are LED strips hot or warm? I'm not going to be putting them into a pile of dry straw and running them constantly, but I want to make sure that they wouldn't melt something close to them or be a fire hazard. I've also considered EL wire.
>>
>>1165863
Mine never get warm at all.
>>
Maybe replacing the current spotlight bulbs with LEDs or CFL replacement bulbs might be easier?
>>
>>1165909
Easier? Yeah, probably. More fun or aesthetically pleasing, though, no. Also controllable LED bulbs run like $80 still.
>>
Ws2812b
>>
File: 20161117_170831.jpg (2MB, 4128x2322px) Image search:
[Google]
2MB, 4128x2322px
>>1165863
>EL wire
Look at side emitting fiber optic if you're not running it for really long stretches. EL wire and side emitting fiber optic have their benefits and draw backs. Both probably won't give you enough light to replace a standard light bulb. Only do it for convenience or accent lighting.
As >>1165871 said they don't get hot. Mine might get slightly warm to the touch but never hot.
>>
>>1165863
>~$30/per (or were a few years ago) while a meter of LED strip is ~$20-30
It depends on the exact specs, but LED strips cost between $0.5 and $5 per meter. 5050 RGB should be around $1. Buy them from Aliexpress or eBay, whichever's cheaper. Note that the cheaper strips tend to have 30 LED/m and the 60 LED/m variants are a bit more expensive accordingly.
>>
>>1165807
Listen here buddy, i build LED grow light for weed growers so i've had my share of experience with custom LED solutions, you can absolutely light your home with LED strips and you'll save quite a bit of money in electricity depending on the brand of LEDs you buy.
any LED strip you buy will need a driver that will connect to your mains, you cannot connect a strip directly to the mains..
as far as electricity savings, regular LED light bulbs you buy at the store usually ranges in efficiency between 70-110 lumens/watt depending on manufacturer, while this will outperform the hilariously inefficient halogen/incandescent bulbs (12.5-24 lumens/watt), its nowhere near the efficiency of leading LED diodes currently available, Samsung LM561C S6 LED diodes are extremely efficient, so efficient in fact that an 8 feet LED strip running at 50 watts will produce 9000 lumens, yes they produce 180 lumens/watt, to compare your average 500w halogen only produces around 8000 lumens.
Here's a strip of samsung LEDs, the data sheet they provide lists a number of compatible drivers:
http://luxtech.com/product-detail/flexible-led-tape/
Thread posts: 11
Thread images: 4
Thread images: 4