08-02-2017, 10:34 AM
We're gradually moving over to the LED panels at work, and so far we're impressed. Much better than the earlier LED replacement modules (that were too blue and too dim and poorly diffused). The control electronics has so-far been reliable, but as we know, the LEDs generally outlive the capacitors.
I'm tempted to buy one for the kitchen. I'm having to over-board the ceiling, so incorporating it into a flush design with some nice wooden trim would be quite easy, and it'll hopefully look like a diffused skylight. It's a north-facing room in a dark Victorian terrace, so will be used for large parts of the day as well as the evening. I'll get a 2 by 4 foot version, which will be positioned exactly over the small island (also 2 by 4 foot).
Even better, they are available in 1 foot widths. Just perfect for installation between the joists in my dark cellar with a very low ceiling. Light is a massive problem down there, but these seem like an excellent solution - far better than the custom slim (~40mm) fittings I've designed for T5 fluorescents - T5s are good, but LEDs are better today (not the case when I last investigated this, only 3-4 years back).
For now, I'm happy to procrastinate while the prices continue falling and the quality continues rising - meanwhile it makes sense to use up my existing stocks of lamps to some extent. Then those fittings can be moved to where they'll be used less frequently, like the garage and attic.
The only trouble is the switched-mode nature of the switchgear, but at least linear supplies (with big heat sinks!) can be built for task lighting while lining up radios, etc. Alternatively, a lot of lamps use capacitive dropper supplies with only minimal smoothing, so flicker terribly. Not everyone is bothered by this, but I am. When buying, it's not obvious which is which, and neither type is without problems. But the LEDs themselves? It's amazing how far we've come in such a short period of time.
I'm tempted to buy one for the kitchen. I'm having to over-board the ceiling, so incorporating it into a flush design with some nice wooden trim would be quite easy, and it'll hopefully look like a diffused skylight. It's a north-facing room in a dark Victorian terrace, so will be used for large parts of the day as well as the evening. I'll get a 2 by 4 foot version, which will be positioned exactly over the small island (also 2 by 4 foot).
Even better, they are available in 1 foot widths. Just perfect for installation between the joists in my dark cellar with a very low ceiling. Light is a massive problem down there, but these seem like an excellent solution - far better than the custom slim (~40mm) fittings I've designed for T5 fluorescents - T5s are good, but LEDs are better today (not the case when I last investigated this, only 3-4 years back).
For now, I'm happy to procrastinate while the prices continue falling and the quality continues rising - meanwhile it makes sense to use up my existing stocks of lamps to some extent. Then those fittings can be moved to where they'll be used less frequently, like the garage and attic.
The only trouble is the switched-mode nature of the switchgear, but at least linear supplies (with big heat sinks!) can be built for task lighting while lining up radios, etc. Alternatively, a lot of lamps use capacitive dropper supplies with only minimal smoothing, so flicker terribly. Not everyone is bothered by this, but I am. When buying, it's not obvious which is which, and neither type is without problems. But the LEDs themselves? It's amazing how far we've come in such a short period of time.
