You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Comments

  • Hi guys.

    I know it's almost a year since last comment here but for all that time I had this bookmarked to read again while doing massive redecorating in my flat. And as it's about to happen I've read through many sources about lights to find for myself a perfect light to both: work at the computer and stronger when soldering and doing other precise stuff.

    I've picked metal halide lamp (for start Philips MASTERColour CDM-T 942@70W (942 means CRI>90, 4200K), later probably warmer 930@35W "for the evening"). Many says it's like having "sun in the room" and so far it's one of the best light sources with CRI=96! It just needs ballast and should be covered by ground glass (bulb should not be exposed directly to eye).

    You could also use fluorescent lamp: Philips Graphica 965 - that has also great CRI factor if MH lamp is not the good choice for you for any reason (see below).

    However, as many of you lives in US I don't know your regulations. On the box of my Philips lamp it's written that it's not for sale in US.

    Just my 3 cents after massive research done during last 2 months.

  • Thomas: I got them many places, mostly Costco.  Usually name brands like Philips I think.  When used in any typical fixture, the white plastic base turns toasty colour pretty soon.  I've been in this house about 5 years, and I've probably replaced about 20.    The only place they seem to last is in the basement where they are installed into open air sockets.

  • Yeah, it's the "supposed to last 10 years" part that I hesitate about.  They said the same about CFL's.  I guess I might pick up a couple, but I probably won't invest a small fortune upgrading everything until they've been around longer.

    In Ontario, the government basically tried to force us to switch to CFL's.  They actually plan or planned to take incandescents off the market some time in the near future.  But this whole issue has come back to bite them as people complied, bought the CFL's, and then we found out they don't meet the hype.

  • 3D Robotics

    Robert, I too had issues with the early CFLs, and I've replaced almost all of them with LEDs. So far so good. The LEDs are expensive (at least $24/bulb) but they're supposed to have a ten-year life and I've never had one die on me. I'd probably go for 75-watt equivalents (14 watt actual consumption) rather than the 65s that I've been using. They're still pretty expensive ($35) but will fall in price over the coming years. 

  • Developer

    I have been getting led lamps too, they do last, and cost less to run than CFL. I get flood lamps with 6500k output  with blue color, they light up an area better than warm type. They are more expensive to buy ($26) but, seem to last. None of mine have failed after 2 years of operation. Over heating of the internal DC power supply has not happened, (they have a hugh heat sink)

  • Admin

    @R_Lefebvre,

    Where were you buying your CFLs from? I replaced all of the flood lights in my new home with CFLs four years ago and they were still working fine when I sold the house.

    Regards,

    TCIII

  • Ooh, discussion of LED bulbs.

    Do they really work?  Or rather, do they really last?  I went all-in and replaced all the bulbs in my house with CFL, and they completely suck.  They only last about 1-2 years of normal household usage. The whole thing is a sham.  The quoted life span is only for an open air bulb.  Soon as you put them in any kind of fixture, they roast themselves.

    I'm sort of gunshy to spend even more on LED bulbs.

  • 3D Robotics
    Adam: busted! If you look at the top left wall, in the corner, you'll see a small door. That leads to a large storage area that's full of airframes in boxes that I've never got around to trying yet.
  • Something is fishy here - that workspace seems far too clean. Is there a batcave under the floorboards or something? Also, while a laser cutter would be nice, I would think the first investment would be a beer fridge.
  • 3D Robotics

    Michael: Yes! It flies great. I never got the Paparazzi to work, but it's rocking an APM 2.5 nicely now.

This reply was deleted.