LEDs

LED lamp challenges

Nowadays there is ENERGY STAR rating for solid state lamps in USA. Solid-state lighting (SSL) products that meet efficiency and performance criteria set by the U.S. Department of Energy can earn the ENERGY STAR. For more details refer to the ENERGY STAR Requirements for SSL Luminaires. In December 2009, DOE published ENERGY STAR criteria for

OLED display is not dead

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are solid-state devices composed of thin films of organic molecules that create light with the application of electricity. OLEDs are a promising technology for flat panel displays. Compared to standard LCDs (including those with LED backlighting), OLED displays offer better contrast ratios (no trouble producing ‘true’ black’), require no backlighting at

Burn out: Weak links affect HB-LED lifetime

High-brightness LEDs for solid-state lighting can last 50,000 hours or more, but the components surrounding them generate heat that can cause early failures. The early failures can be seen on many LED products, especially the cheap ones. Lighting products have historically been reliable, but as electronics-rich CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) began to replace incandescent bulbs,

Use an old Nokia charger to power 1W LED

Here is one useful trick I invented when looking around the transformers/power supplies I had. NOKIA ACP-7 Europe Standard Charger (Original) has a specification of 230 V, 50 Hz, 4.8 VA. Output 3.7 V, 355 mA. A normal 1W white LED is driven with 350 mA maximum continuous current and typically 3-3.8V voltage drop over