[Boatanchors] LED Flashlights Aren't Collector (orHuman)Friendly

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Paul,

(1) I may look into the 32w T8's.  Many years ago, I converted most of our 
inside house lighting to dual 40 or dual 20 fixtures, and when I converted 
our (it was only "my" at the time) two-car garage to shop and shack I hung 
dual 40w fixtures all over.

(2) Possibly the city of Houston bought from the cheapest Chinese source.  
But the greens are a very pale tint and fade into the trees and sky.  The 
yellows are pale lemon yellow and aren't much better.  Only the reds work OK, 
if they are working at all.  As the original post was really about the 
poorly human engineered flashlights, I shouldn't have mentioned the traffic 
signals.

(3) and (4) no comment

(5) If the only gear you fool with is consumer grade, you probably never 
encountered MFP varnish.  But it has (with dust removed) a shiny surface and 
is almost completely opaque at the wavelength emitted by both of the small 
LED flashlights I had on the bench here.  With dust over it, all you can see 
is a blue-white glare.  As I indicated in the original post that started this 
long thread, if you collect or work on vintage military gear or high-end 
commercial grade gear intended to survive in adverse climates, avoid LED 
flashlights.  They are in fact toys.  Give them to the under 6 crowd and use 
something that actually works.  Cheap does not mean better.

In a message dated 11/14/2009 10:49:04 PM Central Standard Time, 
elespe at lisco.com writes: 
> Gotta add my 3C (inflation you know) worth
> (1) I suspect that by wide bandwidth fluorescent tubes you may be 
> referring 
> to the "paper white" light versions. Early on there were a few companies 
> marketing these (along with snake oil) claiming special phosphors and a 
> outrageous price. They certainly were noticeably better. Now that same 
> lighting is available at discount stores everywhere by purchasing a tube 
> with a color temperature of 4100K or higher even. I have re-lamped 
> existing 
> fixtures in my entire facility to change out the 40w T12 tubes to use 32w 
> T8 
> tubes plus solid state ballasts and enjoy the benefits of lower operating 
> cost, improved visibility and lower rfi. It is so easy to do I highly 
> recommend anyone with the old two or 4 tube fixtures do it. You won't 
> regret 
> it. And BTW, the tubes last almost forever! At least in our facility.
> (2) My wife and I can't see what you all are talking about LED traffic 
> lights being difficult to see. Our community recently changed over and 
> those 
> puppies are BRIGHT. Coming and going, sun or shade, all three colors. The 
> only thing I can conceive why is maybe because it is a small community 
> ours 
> are at a lower elevation? Viewing angle might matter. I seriously doubt 
> that 
> LED traffic lamps are any less luminous intensity than the incandescants 
> they replace. Things like that are regulated and dictated. Lamp companies 
> can't just come out with a bulb and say here try these
> (3) I would agree some of those headlamps on especially some of the import 
> 
> cars ought to be banned or re-aimed into the ditch.
> (4) I'm sorry the LED brake lights offend. The fact is they save lives 
> because the illumination is instantaneous and that translates to a lot of 
> feet of travel at the speeds the morons out there on the interstate insist 
> 
> on driving.
> (5) Doing things better and more efficiently is our salvation for our 
> excessive consumption. Today that is LED lighting and the only advantage 
> that I see that incandecant has is the ability of the fixture to focus the 
> 
> light that comes off the back of the bulb.
> OK it was 4C worth
> Paul K0UYA
> PS LED flashlight are the greatest toy to come down the pike in a while. I 
> 
> have several and will probably never buy the old type "torch" again.
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <jcoward5452 at aol.com>
> To: <laptop at gwltd.com>; <dfischer at usol.com>
> Cc: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; <WA5CAB at cs.com>
> Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 6:03 PM
> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] LED Flashlights Aren't Collector 
> (orHuman)Friendly
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
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