Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology, Canada (02-May-2012 to 03-May-2012)

New Shower Pod Utilizes LED Lighting to Make Cleanliness Futuristic and Fun!

As technology improves, we’re happy to see that some product designers are focusing on a place that could stand a little improvement: the bathroom. We’ve already reported on the Kirei, a new-fangled Japanese toilet that boasts more functions than your iPhone, and now we bring you The Inizio Shower. This futuristic bathing device doesn’t just get you clean, it also keeps you entertained. Designed by Grant Parrinello and now an up-and-coming GE product, the Inizio employs LED lighting in its design, allowing you to read the paper, surf the web and watch movies on its waterproof electronic interface! The Inizio can also give you a massage, using RGB LED lights to indicate different modes and selection options.

Sure, it might be a little far-fetched to see this contraption installed in your grandma’s bathroom, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Inizio—and its use of LED lighting—became the showering norm of future generations.

How can I use color-changing LEDs?

Color-changing LEDs have a wide range of practical, decorative, and artistic applications, but they always require a color controller that connects between the power source and the color-changing lighting. For homeowners, RGB LED lights are often used as accents for pieces of art by setting them to one single color. Retailers, restaurants, bars, and hotels also use them to add to the ambiance of the setting or draw attention to a specific element. They work very well under bars and along shelves in restaurants and clubs because they deliver functional lighting and help maintain the mood of the venue.

Color-changing LEDs can be put to use with a range of different color controllers to create patterned light shows and fade effects, all of which are great for events and parties.

For more conventional lighting, you may prefer one of our white LEDs instead of colored LED light. When you want your lighting to be attention grabbing, exciting, and have a powerful visual impact, color-changing LEDs are very effective.

To Save or Not to Save…LED is the Answer!

The MH Companies posted a photo:

What components do I need to install my LEDs?

In most cases our customers need to purchase connectors and a power driver or adapter to install LED lighting and ensure it functions properly. Take LED light strips for example. These run on 12V DC electricity, as do most of our LEDs. The electrical current in your home in the United States is most likely 120V AC, which would ruin LEDs if not passed through the appropriate driver or adapter.

If you are going to hardwire the LED light strips, you will need a 12V DC driver as well as enough solders, extensions and connectors for however many light strips you will be installing. An electrician may need to install these components for you.

LED wall adapters offer another, more flexible solution. They also regulate current effectively, and plug into any electrical outlet. This component makes installation of a more temporary solution very easy and addresses the voltage and current changes necessary to protect the life of your LEDs. If you want any extra functions like color-changing control or dimming, those often require their own controllers. Call our knowledgeable staff for expert advice about any of these specific installations if you have questions.

LED replacement light bulbs, on the other hand, which screw into standard settings, do not need any power converters or connectors. These are stand-alone light fixtures that are ready to use in your current system.

2011 Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition)

Nigel Che posted a photo:

Hong Kong International Lighting Fair( Autumn Edition)
LTECH, a leading enterprise in China who has been first LED controller manufacturer.

Elemental LED Announces Lower Prices on Popular Replacement LED Light Bulbs

The LED lighting retailer cuts prices on three screw-in LED light bulbs by up to 45%, signaling a similar trend throughout the industry.

Elemental LED, a San Francisco Bay Area-based LED lighting company, recently cut prices on its popular Tess Bulbs, the LED Replacement Bulbs with a standard e26/27 screw-in base and cutting-edge Cree LED chips. 6W Tess Bulbs, a replacement for standard incandescent 30W bulbs, were $29.99 and are now $17.99. 7W Tess Bulbs, equivalent to 40W incandescent bulbs, were $34.99 and are now $19.99. 9W Tess Bulbs, a 60W replacement, were $39.99 and are now $21.99.

Elemental LED introduced the Tess Bulb to its catalog last year as a top-of-the-line product with significant improvements in function and light quality to that of its LED replacement light bulb predecessors. Tess Bulbs are UL listed and feature Cree LED chips, top-rated for their brightness and energy-efficiency. According to Cree, “Cree LEDs combine highly efficient InGaN Indium gallium nitride materials with proprietary G•SIC® substrates to deliver superior price/performance for high-intensity LEDs.”

The prices of LED light bulbs and fixtures are decreasing dramatically throughout the industry, making them an economically viable option for consumers. The price decrease follows similar trends of other consumer electronic products, for which a gradual increase in demand and consumption leads to a dramatic lowering of prices.

Features of the Tess LED Light Bulb include no flickering or humming, a durable housing that is difficult to break, no warm-up time required, and no mercury. Containment of toxic mercury, flickering, humming, fragility and slow warm-up are all well documented problems with CFLs. The Tess Bulb lasts for 50,000 hours, 10 to 50 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb or CFL, and uses 20% as much energy as an incandescent bulb.

The Tess Bulb is available in a warm white color temperature, which creates an inviting, smooth, even light for indoor living spaces. It is also available in neutral white, which works well against metal and cool color tones or outdoors.

The decrease in prices by Elemental LED signals that the company is positioning itself as a viable competitor to big box retailers. “We are top of the market when it comes to quality and customer service,” says Director of Business Development Matthew John, “In the past some of our competitors have beat us in terms of price, but that is quickly changing.”

Inveno Design Studio Creates Octopus Lamp with Color Changing LEDs

If you’re a fan of the Pixar movies, you’ll like Inveno’s new Octopus lamp, an adorable LED light fixture that has a futuristic-yet-personal vibe. Made to stand in the corner or on your desktop, the Octopus Lamp comes in two sizes—long and skinny, or short and stout. Both are cute as heck, and both use color-changing LED lights to glow in several different colors, like red, blue, yellow and orange. It’s not yet clear where you can buy the Octopus lamp, but we’ll let you know when we hear that it’s available for purchase. Until then, anyone care to try their hand at creating their own LED lighting fixture using color-changing LEDs? We’d love to see your ideas for an equally sophisticated and whimsical design in our LEDucation section!

Do LEDs have to warm up like other energy efficient lights?

All LEDs, from LED kitchen lighting to outdoor LED fixtures are “instant-on” and “instant-off.” Anyone who has used halogen lights, fluorescent lights, or the smaller CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) will be familiar with the flickering, slow powering up of these other energy efficient lights. It is a common frustration. LEDs do not have this “warming up” problem, and reach full power and luminosity in a matter of milliseconds. They also turn off without the flickering and warming down that is common with other types of non-incandescent lighting.

The phrase “warm up” is a misnomer in the case of LEDs, as they generate very little heat, and don’t feel significantly warmer in temperature when they are activated than they do when switched off. This convenience stems from the same technology that makes them so energy efficient, as it does not have to push electricity through to excite any type of substance.

The Oakland Shines Program: Helping Oakland Businesses Become More Sustainable

Welcome to the new Oakland.  A place where environmentally friendly companies are setting up shop and sustainability programs are being put into place.  Specifically, I want to highlight the Oakland Shines program.

Oakland Shines is helping local businesses in Oakland’s downtown business area to reduce their energy costs by conserving energy.  The goal is to create a city center that is environmentally friendly and attracts new business to Oakland.  The program has a target of helping 80% of local businesses cut energy costs by 20% in the next 2 years.  A healthy target indeed, but with enough outreach, a target that is obtainable.

Especially since the program has incentives and rebates that will help subsidize the cost of energy conservation products such as LED lighting and HVAC systems.  The program also offer free start-to-finish tech support to help businesses with installations.  Oakland Shines makes it easy for businesses to take advantage of energy conservation products and in the long run, businesses will see real savings on their energy bill.

The Oakland Shines program was initiated with a 5 million dollar grant.  So there is an opportunity to take advantage and use that money to create more environmentally friendly businesses in Oakland.

Contact Oakland Shines – 1-877-304-6133

Thanks to Oaklandshines.com for the photo