LED Smugness

I get a real smug satisfaction out of using the tools I keep on hand. I never tire of it; when I used the big, bright LED light I carry to illuminate the engine of a car so a coworker could add oil during one dark commute home, I was almost giddy with self-satisfaction. Every time someone stops at my office during the day and says, "Phil, do you have a [place tool, light, knife, or other implement here]?" and I can lend them one, I respond with an obnoxious, "I have everything."

As my lovely wife and I were leaving the house the other night, I heard the POP! of the lightbulb burning out as I hit the wall switch. "I'm going to convert that to LED," I muttered to myself.

Later, as we drove by the Christmas outdoor light show called Lights on the Lake, I said to her, "Pity they're all incandescent. An LED Christmas light show would be great."

"So the show could be blinding?" my wife asked. "'Lights on the Lake leaves your kids permanently blind,'" she offered as a marketing slogan.

"You have a point," I conceded.

Later, when we returned home, I remembered the burned out light in the living room. I used my P20 to light the way to the opposite side of the darkened room to hit the other lamp switch, feeling slightly redeemed for being prepared. My wife has the most incredible senses of humor; she makes me laugh and keeps me in touch with reality when I get carried away. It's still cool to know you're Action Man with a Flashlight when a lightbulb burns out, though.



I was in the Post Office just the other day mailing a huge shipment of lights. I had to fill out customs forms for the lights going to Australia, Belgium, and Crete, of all places. Feeling fairly worldly, I watched as the fellow behind the counter (who has processed numerous shipments for me before and knows me by sight) worked his way through my seemingly endless pile of little boxes and padded envelopes.

"So, what's so special about these flashlights?" he asked. I imagine he'd been curious for a while.

"Very small," I said, drawing the P20 and playing its cool white beam over the counter, "and very bright."

"They don't have flashlights in Australia?"

"Uh... well, they don't have my flashlights in Australia."

He chuckled. I couldn't help but think I was being reality checked again, in however subtle a fashion. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

It sure is nice knowing that you have some of the sweetest lights on the block..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I am waiting for this before the lightbulbs convert, though.



If they can make it handheld, it would sure be purrrrrty /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif

Hellooooo I from Australia! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Good read! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

What's that slick looking blue flashlight?

Britt

That's the NightCutter P20 Strategist.

I want that cool 500 lumens bulb!

Phil,

I think I noticed you were thinking about replacing one of your incandescent house lights to LED. One thing to think about is that white LEDs are very limited in spectrum. In other words, white sunlight has all the colors of the rainbow. But white LEDs have just a few colors. I haven't seen any studies but I would think day in day out they would be a little harsher on the eyes.

I went with flourescents in my house for long life and economic to run.

But if any one has put in LEDs thoughout the house I would love to hear a review.

LED replacements for household bulbs are just too expensive. Just take pocketbeam's advice and replace all the lights with flourescents.

Hmm....dunno bout you guys but I really detest the way flourescents flicker when you hit the power switch and take anywhere from 1-5 seconds to come on. I converted one of my desk lamps to a Lux3 and never looked back.

I wasn't really serious, but the idea does appeal to my desire to make things as high-tech as possible.