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Construction Sign Fails (or Wins in Our Opinion)- FEI’s Top 10

A Construction Sign usually signifies trouble ahead. Also, construction can mean delays. If you are already in a hurry or not in the mood to be stuck in traffic, a construction sign can be the most frustrating thing to see. However, sometimes the road workers know that life needs a little spice. Therefore, some will call these fails. However, we choose to call them wins.

Construction Sign Reminder

construction sign

A Construction Sign is usually there to warn you of dangers ahead. Accurately, this sign did that. However, it was not in the way we are all used to. 

What Do We Do Construction Sign

This one is just plain confusing. First off, is this just referring to the construction sign? Does it mean “Do Not Read” at all? Finally, is it a subliminal message about texting and driving and not reading your messages? The world may never know. However, we can say for sure that by being a written sign it makes it difficult to do what it is telling us to do.

We’re Gonna Rock Down To…

Well, what do we do now? Where can we rock down to? There go our plans for the night. 

Only Telling The Truth

You know you laughed. Even if you were in one of these cars you would laugh. Therefore, can you imagine being stuck in traffic? Finally, you inch yourself up enough and you see this sign. Is it helpful? If you think sarcastic warnings are helpful then yes. However, isn’t the best part of the “HAHA!!” at the end? You can almost hear the evil laugh that goes with that. 

Even Heroes Need To Stop For Directions 

Isn’t this what everyone fears? You put in all the effort. You make the trip. Fight against the elements and other traffic. Then finally, when you get to your destination you realize it. You are in the wrong place.

Honesty Is The Best Policy 

No one can say they weren’t warned. At this point, you might as well accept your fate. Therefore, the plus side is that you knew what was coming. However, that doesn’t seem like much of a positive thing.

Are You Going To A Park 

Some parks can be a lot of fun for the entire family. However, if this construction sign is telling the truth you may want to choose a different park. Furthermore, if you do decide to continue on hopefully you are not in a yellow jeep.

Call For Help

Do you think they talk to the person who was trapped in the fortune cookie factory? Maybe they are friends. However, if they aren’t they should be. They have a lot in common. Wouldn’t you feel bad if this was a real call for help? Hopefully, they have WiFi and a vending machine.

Where Do You Vacation

First, it was Raptors. Now it is Zombies? Honestly, where do you vacation? Do you randomly pick places on a map? Or was this somewhere you were told about? However, Zombies can’t be as bad as raptors, right?

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concert lighting and effects

Concert Lighting and Its Effect on The Concert Experience

There are many things that affect a concert experience. However, one thing in particular can affect everything from the mood of the audience to how interactive they feel with the artists on stage. Concert lighting is one of the most important things when setting up a concert experience. Not only does lighting determine what the audience is seeing but also the connection the audience feels they have with the artists on stage.

Concert Lighting and the Stage

LED lighting and a guitar

Anyone that has ever had a concert experience knows that it is not just about the music. Today’s technology allows anyone to have their favorite songs at their fingertips. So, what makes going to a concert an actual experience? The lighting of course. Furthermore, there are so many different lighting effects that are used during shows.

Think about the differences between a small karaoke night at your favorite coffee house compared to a sold-out concert in a stadium that holds thousands. Not only is the overall atmosphere completely different but the stages are complete opposites. The coffee house may have a single light bar with a few different LED bulbs that are under the control of a single button. The sold-out stadium, however, would have a grander setup.

LED Lighting’s Addition to the Music World

concert lighting with box designs

LED lighting has made extravagant concert lighting more of a reality. Lighting directors are taking advantage of the different available LED colors to represent the band’s specific genre and taste. In addition to the colors LED lighting offers an alternative to other lights that give off large amounts of heat. Another perk of LED lights in a concert setting is the new advancements in cell phone apps and wristbands.

There are now bands that will advertise their shows while including a link to a special app that they have designed for their audience. These apps help replace the lighters that concert goers would use during shows. Additionally, these apps have lighting that goes along with the rhythm of specific songs.

Similarly, there are some bands that will provide wristbands at their concerts. Within these bands are small LED lights that are programmed to react to certain songs or notes that are played. Therefore, these wristbands help the audience to feel like they are more included in the concert experience. They no longer feel like they are just witnesses to the bands on stage but that they are also a part of the show.

For example, click the video below from a Coldplay concert where LED wristbands were used:

Want to learn more about LED lighting?

Check out our blog on LED vs. Incandescent.

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Also, you can continue reading for more information on the benefits of LEDs

Wrapping It Up

Thank you for reading our post. To learn more about Falconer Electronics, check out these helpful links below:

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J100-03M Magnetic Amber LED Mining Light
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MSHA Approval for LED Mining Lights

Here at Falconer Electronics, providing our customers with quality products that can get the job done is paramount. That’s why we are so proud to announce that all of our LED Flashing Signal Lamps are MSHA Approved.  The purpose of this article is to illustrate the importance of the MSHA Approval.

J100-03M Magnetic Amber LED Mining Light

What Does MSHA Mean?

In order to explain why the MSHA Approval on Falconer Electronics LED Flashing Signal Lamps is so important, you should understand what MSHA is.  MSHA stands for Mining Safety and Health Administration; it’s the governing body that oversees the safety and health of miners within the industry.  (Basically, it’s like OSHA, but specifically for the mining industry.)  If you are interested in a deeper explanation of this organization, please read this article, “MSHA or OSHA,” by Michael T. Heenan, from Pit & Quarry.

Ensuring that products can withstand the pressures of mine work is incredibly important. Mines are different environments than any other place on Earth and require that special attention is given to those environments.  Product failures at the wrong time could put miners in danger, so MSHA provides an “Approval” process.

What Happens When a Product is MSHA Approved?

According to the official MSHA website, approved products receive, “official notification by MSHA that product under consideration meets the applicable 30 CFR Requirements.”  Additionally, MSHA Approval ensures products are, “not likely explosion hazard under normal operation when used in methane-air atmosphere or coal dust.”  This, “typically does not include performance requirements with several exceptions (e.g., methane detectors and cap lamps)”

How Did the LED Flashing Signal Lamps Get MSHA Approval?

For Falconer Electronics, LED Flashing Signal Lamps to have completed the Approval process, MSHA needed to ensure that these products met the General Requirement under 30 CFR.  (The MSHA rules are in Title 30 of the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), Mineral Resources, Chapter I, which you can view in its entirety here.) 

Here are the General Requirements: 

The following information comes directly from the publication listed above, which may get updated, as conditions change.  Please refer to the Official CFR for the most up-to-date information. 

  1. The lamps shall be durable in construction, practical in operation, and suitable for the service for which they are designed and approved.
  2. The intensity of light, distribution of light, and battery capacity shall be adequate for the use for which the lamp is intended.
  3. Battery terminals and leads therefrom, as well as the battery gas vents, shall be designed to minimize corrosion of the electrical contacts.
  4. Bulbs and other replacement parts of the lamps shall be adequately marked as a means of identification.
Now What?

Once a product has been MSHA approved, it means that the company receives, “A formal document issued by MSHA which states that a completely assembled product has met the applicable requirements and which authorizes the attachment of an approval plate.”  

J100-01 Red LED Mining Light - MSHA Approval

This MSHA Approval also means that our customers, especially those in the mining industry, can rest assured that our LED Flashing Signal Lamps are high quality and can stand up to the pressures of mine work.  As stated previously, here at Falconer Electronics, providing our customers with quality products that can get the job done is paramount. We are proud to offer MSHA approved products and to support the safety of miners every day.

For more info on electronics manufacturing, please connect on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

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History of LEDS

The History of LEDs

The History of LEDs

History of LEDS

             The history of LEDs offer a fascinating journey. LEDs are light-emitting diodes that when connected to electricity emits a light.  Also, they have characteristically low energy consumption, small size, and longer lifetime. The history of LEDs begins in 1907, British experimenter Henry Joseph Round noticed for the first time that when 10volts are applied to carborundum (silicon carbide) crystal, it emits yellowish light. Oleg Vladimirovich Losev from Russia came to the same conclusion and in 1927, he published text about first light-emitting diode.

           In 1961, Gary Pittman and Bob Biard from Texas Instruments found that that gallium-arsenide diode emits infrared light every time it is connected to current. The same year they received a patent for the infrared LED the color red. In 1972, M. George Craford invented the first yellow LED and a brighter red LED. In 1976, Thomas P. Pearsall developed high brightness light-emitting diode. Finally, in 1979, Shuji Nakamura of Nichia Corporation made the first blue LED. But it was too expensive for commercial use until 1994.

LEDs Don’t have:

  • Fragile filaments to break or burn out
  • Glass to shatter
  • Energy consuming ballasts or starters
  • Burnout failures
  • Toxic substances like Mercury
  • Harmful Ultraviolet light
  • Stroboscopic effect or flickering

LED Advantages:

  • Environmentally friendly
  • Fully recyclable
  • Clean, safe technology
  • Very long life time
  • Extremely low energy consumption
  • Cheapest operating and maintenance cost
  • Lowers air conditioning costs by generating less heat

Furthermore, since 1994, LEDs have been used almost everywhere. Since they are suitable for any location and are environmentally friendly.

Continue to check out our blogs throughout every week this month for more information on LED’s and Wire Harness Wednesdays! Check out our Facebook page for “Electrical Fail Fridays” and “Saturday Funnies” every week this month.  You can also find us on Twitter and Google+. 

Sources:

http://www.historyoflighting.net/light-bulb-history/history-of-led/

http://www.fuseled.com/category-s/122.htm 

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