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LED Uses

LED Uses: FEI’s Top 10 Favorite Uses for LED Lighting

There are so many different LED uses. LED lights are useful anywhere from concert venues to home pools. Businesses are also using them at conventions and events. Surprisingly, there are even cost-effective party supplies that you can purchase for your own events at home. Below are our top 10 picks of uses for LED lighting. Some are practical for purposes and others are purely for entertainment.

Event Lighting

Lanyards

Out of all LED uses, lanyards are something that we didn’t know needed improvement. However, now that we have seen their improvements we never want to go back to the old style. Conventions use ID tags and lanyards to keep track of the attendees. Some conventions even require them for any extra activities or for meals. Therefore, these tags are important. They are also worn for the majority if not entirety of the convention.

Often time attendees will keep ID tags and their lanyards as keepsakes. A convention usually provides a plastic covering that is attached to a lanyard. This is not only for protection. Also, it is for easy transportation and keeps the tags close by to attendees at all time. It truly is the perfect opportunity to take something of use and also make it fun.

LED Uses: Light Up Lanyards LED Uses: Light Up Lanyards

Wristbands

Something else on our list of LED Uses is Light up Wristbands. They have a lot of different applications. Concert-goers have seen them either on stage or in the crowds. They are also useful within the media. Therefore, even T.V. shows who are taking advantage of this great technology. One T.V. show, in particular, has based the majority of its crowd interaction on these light up accessories. 

The show Winsanity recently got added to Netflix. However, it has been on the air since 2016 on the Game Show Network. What is the basis of this show? Every audience member is given a “Winwatch”. Therefore, throughout the show, these watches glow to indicate that certain audience members have been selected either to win prizes or play the game. Pretty Cool right? We think so! 

Attractions

Bridge Lighting

There are many different LED Uses. One, in particular, has become an attraction for many city goers. Bridge lighting. Many cities have embraced the attraction of LED lighting. Along with the lighting, often times they will set these light shows to music. As you can watch below, in Memphis they put on an entire show with their LED bridge lighting set to the song Walking in Memphis. 

Audubon Light Show

There are so many other attractions that have been made with LED lighting. There are holiday shows at parks and preserves every year. Below is a video of a holiday light show at an Audubon Outdoor Preserve. The LED lights created an entire atmosphere. Along with the many displays, there were also interactive elements. Furthermore, with the use of LED lighting, the seasons come to life.     

Home Uses

Pool lights

When you have a pool it isn’t just for yourself. Often times, when the weather is nice, everyone calls their friend with a pool. Due to this, gatherings can happen at any time of day or night. Therefore, pool lighting is important. Also, lighting can serve multiple purposes. As you will see in the video below there are two main reasons to have pool lighting. The first is for aesthetics. LED lighting can add ambiance to any pool. The second is for safety. A well-lit pool can help prevent unnecessary injuries. For more information watch the video below for some helpful pool lighting tips.     

Christmas

Christmas is a time for spending time with family and friends. A favorite past time for many is checking out the displays that people put up in their yards. However, without LEDs, these incredible displays would not be possible. Christmas displays are one of the best-LED uses. They can be simple or they can be extravagant. Either way, they are worth checking out.

LED Uses for Entertaining

Party Supplies

Another great use for LEDs is for party supplies. Any party or event can be elevated with some LED lighting. Some creative LED additions could be balloons, ice cubes, or even glasses. There are other LED uses for parties as well. Many party favors have LEDs in them. Therefore some of those party favors that the kids receive at their friends’ birthdays will have the extra attraction of lighting up. 

LED uses for entertainment LED uses for entertainment LED uses for entertainment

Clothing

Another intriguing use of LEDs is in clothing. By adding LEDs to your clothing you can become a part of the entertainment. LEDs can be used for anything that you can wear. As you can watch below they can also be used as props. Not only is LED clothing interesting but they also open the door for multiple opportunities. A look can change in seconds due to LEDs. Also, LEDs add another element to what can be deemed a typical wardrobe.  

LED Uses in Pet Accessories

Collars/ Leashes

LEDs are not just for humans. Pet accessories have started to include LEDs as well. Leashes and collars with LEDs are used to make our furry friends more visible. This can prevent accidents or even make it easier to locate them. How often do people walk their dogs at night? Or even on really foggy days? By adding LEDs everyday pet accessories become safer.   

Toys

Think back to when you were a kid and they had the Nerf light up or glow in the dark toys. Weren’t they some of the coolest things? You could go out in your yard after the sun went down and play with your friends. Pets also love to play outside. To them, it doesn’t matter what time of day. Dogs especially are always willing to take their favorite toy with them, no matter where they are going. Light up dog toys add to the fun for the humans and the pets alike. Also, there is the added benefit that if the toys get left behind while playing outside they are easily found and returned to the pet that loves them. Therefore, LED pet toys not only extend playtime possibilities but can help you return your furry friends’ favorite toy to them.  

LED uses for dog toys LED uses for dog toys

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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
,

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.

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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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