Softening and Dispersing LED Lights

[MEXICOWANDERER]

If anyone is interested--

I became an Original Equipment Manufacturer (product purchaser) for Luminit Co.

Luminit manufactures special "clear" thin plastic sheets. The sheets are placed so that LED light must pass through them. They can be glued onto or placed above an existing clear lens.

There are two types of panels

The first is "narrow dispersion" meaning light passing through gets dispersed (softened and covers a wider area than without the lens)

"Wide dispersion" which really spreads the light wide. The penalty of course is X number of lumens (light intensity) covering a wider area means less intense lighting.

The product can be cut with scissors. One side of the sheet has tiny facets. The other is smooth. The smooth side obviously would be the exposed side so it can be easily cleaned.

Why? Most "softening" lenses suck up way too much light. The Luminit dramatically reduces the amount of "lost light".

If enough people are interested, I can contact the company and get a list of retail distributors.

The dome light in my toad is entirely stupid. The translucent lens eats enough power to have a burned brown spot from the original factory recommended bulb. I notice RV porch light covers do the same. By carefully hogging out a "cutout" in the center of the lens I am going to end the issue.

I use sheets of Luminit for street lamps. I would definitely not recommend it for use with incandescent bulbs. But it is a wonder when used with LED lighting.

For example: on eBay you can find 18 watt CREE lamps that are incredibly cheap. They are actually 13 watts, 13va at 13 volts. By placing a Luminit square on the outside of the lens a spotlight becomes a wide dispersion area light. These CREE chips are far and away brighter watt per watt than so called 12 volt 10 watt "floodlights" that cost far more and are junk (high failure rate) quality by comparison.

Hope this did not prove to be "too technical" for a few folks.

NERD PDF White Paper

http://www.luminitco.com/sites/default/files/2017-04/Predicting%20Scatter%20of%20Light%20Shaping%20D...

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The title said NERD. But within the white paper was some good basic info. Over 92% light transmission, and a nice photo of the surface of the sheet. Regular softening just kills light output. And I have seen ceiling lamps that shoot down a hot spot of light when dispersed light would be a lot better.
Cut to size with scissors. Apply tiny dabs of contact cement and slap the sheet on the OUTSIDE of the lamp and presto a fixed light.

[MiPaJacks]

Sorry Mex, I tried but couldn't read that paper.
I'll have to take your word for it. So thanks

[happycamper002]

Fresnel lens is what this thing is. It's been around since the 1800s. Invented by French optical engineer Agustin Fresnel...first used in light houses.
This modern thin version is available in different configurations. The glass hi temp model has been adopted by lighting design engineers when light pollution abatement was imposed in some localities.

It can be focused,dispersed or softened.

Re-enventing the wheel is exhausting.