Power use of LED lights?

[BruceS]

How many times have you read or heard about how good these LED lights really are and how much power you save?
I changed my 12 flouro's over to LED some time ago simply by using sika to stick a few strips of LED lights into them.
The old ones were actually 240 V ones that had a small inverter board in them to run on 12V.
I never used any 'drivers' of any sort so when the batteries were at 14V (or more?) they were gradually being damaged.
I've been busy ordering some new lights & other gear so it won't happen again.
I bought some of these.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/311618750509
Then I got some of these.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/262398151961
.......... then for some tests.

At 12V one strip used 8.3w
At 9.93V it used 2w.
At 9.3v it used .7w.
At 9.06v it used .1w.
Can you believe that?
So even at 9.06V the light was still plenty strong enough to read or do anything else I needed to.
The light could still be classed as bright white or cool....
I know 8.3w is still good but with a small tweak I can run 83 of them for the same 'cost' ???

[BernieQ2]

Money in the bank Bruce ?
Bernie .

[jon_d]

Bruce,

It has to do with what quiecent current of the led. As the diode conducts the resistance become less.

At the lower voltage, the diode is just starting to conduct.

[native pepper]

Got some warm light strip leds with covers a few years ago and wondered how they would go when deciding to go lifepo4 on 13+v in the bus. Was advised by my mate to get 12/24v ones, which I did and the amount of energy they use in so minimal as to be irrelevant. He has always said when you deal with leds and use lifepo4, it's important to get 12/24v so they last and use less power, but never understood why. If my memory serves correctly, we paid round $3 for each one, but did buy a lot.

Bruce your tests confirm that, which is great. In my house have 240v x B22 led globes, as that's what my fittings are. Have a big box full of new B22 12v led globes, which will probably never use as not sure how they will go on lifepo4.

[wayneP]

Hi Bruce, Is it advisable to add the voltage regulator/s to the other Led lights. Have placed two of these above kitchen sink, cut and placed into old light fitting. So bright,so much light decided to put two on the shelf above the kitchen sink (sort of mood lighting,or I can see the beer in the fridge light).
Now looking at putting a few more of the same above the pelmets,probably warm white, dimmable for mood/watch TV. Thanks in advance for any advise.

[Newcastle George]

I originally installed 75 led strips at 24V (2 in series) with a resistor in line to handle charging voltages but they were relatively short lived. I have since replaced them with 30 led strips via a 24-12 volt converter producing 13.8V providing better light and not being affected by varying voltage.

George

[BruceS]

Wayne I've heard in the past that 'some' do include the driver. (Probably why some are so dear?)
I know nothing about how they work but I think it was BBB (Barry) that reckoned the old type of lights need a certain voltage (eg.11 to 14) but the LED's need regulated watts or something.
These lights are TOO bright so running them at a constant 9V or so is my answer. Will see if they last longer.
The ones I replaced lost brightness and went very yellow & dull.

[Greynomad]

We're gradually replacing all of Girt's lights with LEDs.
Had a mix of incandescents & neons as standard.
Now only have the lights in under-floor bins to go. And they're rarely opened after dark... low priority expenditure.
Difference in battery life is amazing. We no longer have to worry about running any/all lights while free-camping (which is 99% of our evenings OTR). And replacing the old 240v CRT TV (which required the use of inverter or generator) with a 12v flat-screen has eliminated that source of Big Battery Drainage.
Even added a 3.5m strip of under-awning lighting as an alternative to the tiny oyster-light outside (which is also LED now, along with door-grab-handle light).
Never bothered to run tests of current draw... just going by experience. LUV 'em!

[SteveW]

For the reason you mention, Ray - that you hardly ever use the bins at night - I removed all of my bin globes because it was not unusual to find them switched on as a result of something in the bin moving whilst travelling.

[Greynomad]

For the reason you mention, Ray - that you hardly ever use the bins at night - I removed all of my bin globes because it was not unusual to find them switched on as a result of something in the bin moving whilst travelling.

YUP!
Had that happen early in our 3-year Big Lap... incandescent got hot enough to put a hole through 3 layers of our ground-mat we'd just paid $250 for!
Pack carefully now.