Found me a nice (not too bright) reading light AND info on cheap LEDS

Tater Rocket

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 25, 2001
Messages
574
Location
Close to St. Louis, MO, school at Rolla
Well, I was experimenting with the led's I have (got 4 for the old whiteleds.net, more info on that at the bottom), and I decided I wanted a nice pr-base bulb. I used a 20 ohm resistor (brown black black, I know, should be 10, maybe it is, but my (fairly high quality) DMM showed it was 19) and a 50 degree nichia LED. For a bright area light I can stick it in my Tec40 with NiMH's (instead of my 3D bulb) or for an eternal reading light, I can stick it in my Tec20 with alkalines. I tested it and it is drawing around 4.5 (woops, that was on the mA setting, just checked again, 600 microamps (uA), so that is what, 6 mA?) so it should last somewhere between a long time and forever. In a dark room you can still see around 10 feet with it too. So those of you who wanted a nice reading light, try this. I just found a normal current LED to be too bright.

On the LED's, Paul's old website whiteleds.net is no more. He got a divorce, and he is getting remarried this summer. His new website will be the whitelightled.com. He IS operating under limited amounts, but I am NOT going to tell you his contact info because I don't know that he wants that many people ordering, and he didn't say I could. There is a way to still check his website though, but once again, I won't tell because I don't want to create a hassle for him. He did tell me though when he gets married in July he should be going around full speed again. Just thought you all would like the info. Yes, prices are still the same at $1.75 each and a dollar shipping. He ships very fast too, includes a printout showing positive and negative, a simple circuit, and includes a 33 ohm resistor for using Alkalines (if you don't want it over driven that is). All of the old people here surely know that, but for the newer people....just wait until July and you too can have fairly cheap LED's.

Spud
 
Glad to hear that the led guy is coming back.

I think I'm going to start thinking about a reading light too.
 
Yeah, I found my LongLife too bright to read by. Actually, it was PERFECT when I held a white piece of paper to the lends. It then put out light like a tiny flourescent. I like the amount of light this puts out though, just enough to read by, but not too bright that it hurts your eyes either.

Spudgunr
 
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