lighting

show all diy LED outdoor lamp project new to old

show other lighting new to old

featured:
a shielded low power diy garden lamp

Much is written about the benefits of shielded "dark sky" lighting. The main benefits are reduced light pollution, improved security and reduced energy use. I was challenged to make a shielded version of my Do It Yourself (DIY) garden lamp. This is the first prototype.

a very bright 1 watt diy led garden light

I have been making my own ultra low power outdoor lighting with a view to saving energy while providing safe and reliable pathway lighting that looks good, is tough and inexpensive yet a bit different from the ordinary.

fixing led string lights

LED lamp strings can be repaired. It can be as simple as replacing one failed bulb but can be more complex. Often it is not easy. Early preventative maintenance, a dab of grease into each socket when new will help prevent corrosion caused failures. These strings could last much longer if the manufacturers did this for us at minimal cost. But you can do it yourself. Keep these strings running and out of the landfill.

exploring efficient workshop lighting alternatives

Musings about upgrading the lighting in the new workshop. Newer lighting technologies have some problems, like cost and radio interference. Last year's newer technologies (like compact florescents) and "regular" florescents and their descendants have disposal issues because of the contained mercury.

led household bulbs

Tests described which compare three bulb technologies: incandescent (a hot wire in a vacuum), cfl (compact florescent) and led (light emitting diode). The bulbs I tested were all 120 volt AC (alternating current), the type that are used in North America commonly in lighting fixtures. The base is the large base approx 1" (2.54cm) in diameter, known in the industry as an E26.

parabolic light plant stand

My home made DIY parabolic reflector spreads light evenly from a single tube over a whole shelf. Using only one lamp with a parabolic reflector cuts my cost of electricity in half compared to the two tube commercial reflector I was using. The plants are thriving and the single tube provides great downward directed light. Very little light is wasted outside the growing shelf. The light goes straight down onto the plants.

a parabolic workshop light

I had made up a number of four foot parabolic solar reflectors for prototyping the solar heater project. By supporting a single four foot florescent tube at the focus of one of these reflectors, I made a very effective workshop light, shown here illuminating my garage workbench.

led work light retrofit
My portable work light until recently used a 500 watt quartz halogen bulb. That was dangerous because it got hot enough to burn. Now it is an LED light and uses only 10 watts yet it barely gets warm.

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