The 921 LED bulb

The problem according to my hard-earned frustration factor is that almost everything I have touched that is "supposed to be" 12-volt connectable, is over-driven. Even lamps with built-in controllers commonly use 30-40% more current than what the smd (surface mount device) is specced for. Overdriving devices renders little if any added lumens but it sure heats up the LED.

There are specs sheets with temperature lifespan curves for many (expensive) USA Made LEDs. Lifespan is defintely degraded when the device reaches 140-150F.

This is EXACTLY why I decided to build my own lamps. But there's a glitch to that - the lamps become too large to fit standard lamp enclosures. Proper heat-sinking for an AUTHENTIC 10-watt LED lamp consists of a 90mm round spoked disc with 36 rays of aluminum. I just purchased 40 DC-DC converters with a less than one volt dropout factor. This allows me to individually adjust each lamp's device to exact milliamp limit. The buckers cost me $0.93 each.

I ordered 50 transparent lexan lenses that are supposed to fit colored LED truck/trailer clearance lamps. This is an awful lot of trouble to go through for lighting. But the Bridgelux brand LED chips will be alive 20-years from now. Not so sure about those drivers.

That Harbor Fright IR pistol grip thermal laser scanner really turned out to be useful. It eliminates guesswork. So do an assortment of watt meters and VA meters.

SCVJeff wrote:

vermilye wrote:

travelzoo wrote:
I replaced my 921 style also and they are warm to touch but no where near very warm. My problem is the ones I bought have a little more bluish color than I like. They are bright enough just not white enough.

While it would be more efficient to replace your "blueish" bulbs with warmer ones, one solution is to visit a theatrical supplier or large camera shop & buy a piece of color media. It is available in 100's of colors, usually 20" X 22" sheets, and is designed to be placed in front of high wattage theatrical lights; heat won't be a problem. I've used one of the frosts (Roscolux 115) inside some of my fixtures to even out the light from panel type LEDs.

Good idea.. Unless something has changed, that's exactly how the newer WW LEDs achieve their color temp: by dyeing the LED lens itself.

The surface dyeing of some panel LEDs is why I needed the frost. Some of them produce thin bands of cooler light that comes from the edges of each individual LED. This becomes annoying if you are reading or tasking under the light and move through the band of color difference. The frost evens this out.

vermilye wrote:

SCVJeff wrote:

vermilye wrote:

travelzoo wrote:
I replaced my 921 style also and they are warm to touch but no where near very warm. My problem is the ones I bought have a little more bluish color than I like. They are bright enough just not white enough.

While it would be more efficient to replace your "blueish" bulbs with warmer ones, one solution is to visit a theatrical supplier or large camera shop & buy a piece of color media. It is available in 100's of colors, usually 20" X 22" sheets, and is designed to be placed in front of high wattage theatrical lights; heat won't be a problem. I've used one of the frosts (Roscolux 115) inside some of my fixtures to even out the light from panel type LEDs.

Good idea.. Unless something has changed, that's exactly how the newer WW LEDs achieve their color temp: by dyeing the LED lens itself.

The surface dyeing of some panel LEDs is why I needed the frost. Some of them produce thin bands of cooler light that comes from the edges of each individual LED. This becomes annoying if you are reading or tasking under the light and move through the band of color difference. The frost evens this out.

Good eye... I have a few of those myself. Once you see it you can't understand-see it.