taming LED lights. how to reduce the glare

[magnetman]

Obviously its coming up to the time when lights will be used more. So I start thinking about mood lighting and ways to maximise effiency but stay comfortable.

 

I have a load of GU10 downlighters in the ceiling. I have put 3w SMD LED modules in them. Good light output and low power consumption but I find they get on my tits a bit in terms of glare.

 

Yesterday we had some sainsburys yogurt after dinner. The misses suggested sticking a yogurt pot over one of the lights.

 

Et voilà

 

 

Anyone else have suitable techniques for "mood lighting" or simply reducing glare?

[bag 'o' bones]

Is that a 'cool' white bulb? 'Warm' white seem to be the closest to incandescent.

[magnetman]

It is a warm white LED unit (about 20 Surface Mounted superbright LEDs) but the yogurt pot is a bit blue so it has gone slightly whitish

 

Main thing is it takes the glare out while dispersing the light output a bit. A 3w SMD unit like that is seriously bright !!

[Top cat]

I fitted a circle of translucent plastic cut from the bottom of an ice cream tub and inserted it in an eyeball type reading light over the bed. Works well but next time I'll use a bit without writing on it.

 

Top Cat

Edited October 6, 2015 by Top cat

[magnetman]

 

The actual lamp unit is one of these

[nicknorman]

We use under-gunnel LED tape which gives a nice diffuse light (you can't actually see the LEDs) and is quite bright enough for general use. We only use the overhead spots for reading and eating, or when cooking etc. Of course it is RGB LED tape so we can also have whatever colour suits the mood, although normally we just have it on a warm white, or a fireglow colour if it's cold outside. Or of course purple flashing when Strictly is on.

[magnetman]

 

Sounds good

[BruceinSanity]

If you want a permanent reduction, you can use a magic marker pen to black out some of the SMDs. I guess you could use coloured pens for a moody effect.

[magnetman]

If you want a permanent reduction, you can use a magic marker pen to black out some of the SMDs. I guess you could use coloured pens for a moody effect.

Good idea I accidentally painted over one of them with crown wheatgrass paint ages ago (off white) which helped a bit.

[craftycarper]

Obviously its coming up to the time when lights will be used more. So I start thinking about mood lighting and ways to maximise effiency but stay comfortable.

I have a load of GU10 downlighters in the ceiling. I have put 3w SMD LED modules in them. Good light output and low power consumption but I find they get on my tits a bit in terms of glare.

Yesterday we had some sainsburys yogurt after dinner. The misses suggested sticking a yogurt pot over one of the lights.

Et voilà

Anyone else have suitable techniques for "mood lighting" or simply reducing glare?

get some lady's pop socks in different colours and put them over the light until you find a colour that suits your mood, I have a led light in my front cabin it is for caravans, you push the switch one way for the bright white light, or push it the other way and it gives a soft blue light which is nice in the evening as I also find the white ones a bit to bright at times

[Sea Dog]

Well, thinking more along conventional lines like NickNorman has done, you could go for a 12v dimmer switch on that circuit, although that may involve new dimmable lamps too. However, I feel that suggestion may put me rather out of step with the thrust of this thread so, alternatively, you could hang dog poop bags over the yoghurt puts should they not be sufficiently effective. The National Trust do green ones for a change of mood.

[nicknorman]

Well, thinking more along conventional lines like NickNorman has done, you could go for a 12v dimmer switch on that circuit, although that may involve new dimmable lamps too.

All our overhead LEDs are dimmable via PWM (pulse width modulation) courtesy of the Empirbus. However the actual LED bulbs are bog standard, various makes, and seem quite happy to have their supply voltage chopped at 100Hz. The only consideration is that if you have a mix of incandescent and LED on the same circuit, the incandescent dims much more quickly than the LEDs and thus have virtually gone out by the time the LEDs are at apparent 1/2 brightness.

[magnetman]

I have a few cheap pwm motor speed controllers in my 'stores' which do a good job as dimmers for LED lamps so that is indeed an option yes. As it is an existing circuit wired in behind the lining very nice and professionally it will be a bit tricky to retrofit dimmers in a tidy way..

 

 

Ah

Those little bags people hang in the trees with dog DNA in them? Good idea !

[X Alan W]

I have seen shapes cut from acrylic sheet off cuts (The equiv to frosted glass) I think it was scuffed with fine sand paper on the smooth side.to diffuse the light.

[Sea Dog]

Ah

Those little bags people hang in the trees with dog DNA in them? Good idea !

Do make sure you use new ones, rather than those found growing in the hedgerow.

[bag 'o' bones]

Dimming using PWM is a good suggestion, but if your susceptible to LED flicker then you might end up replacing one annoyance with another.

 

Read somewhere the only way to prevent LED flicker is not split the array into separate circuits so that when some leds are being pulsed 'on' the other are doing the opposite which then cancels out the flicker effect.

All starts getting complicated!

[nicknorman]

Dimming using PWM is a good suggestion, but if your susceptible to LED flicker then you might end up replacing one annoyance with another.

 

Read somewhere the only way to prevent LED flicker is not split the array into separate circuits so that when some leds are being pulsed 'on' the other are doing the opposite which then cancels out the flicker effect.

All starts getting complicated!

Can't say I've noticed any tendency to flicker but I guess it depends on the frequency of the PWM. Also, warm white LEDs emit their light via a fluorescent material which has some persistence so in fact the light output doesn't flicker much (even beyond the limits of human perception)

[stagedamager]

Nip to your local theatre and see if the lighting department has any offcuts of lighting gel. Stick it over and off you go! Also a choice of many colours, to tailor to your needs!

[bag 'o' bones]

Can't say I've noticed any tendency to flicker but I guess it depends on the frequency of the PWM. Also, warm white LEDs emit their light via a fluorescent material which has some persistence so in fact the light output doesn't flicker much (even beyond the limits of human perception)

I think some people - myself included - are more susceptible to the strobe effect. Interestingly when computer monitors will still CRT, I could still see the flicker on so called flicker free 75hz models.

Like you say fluorescents have a persistence affect which cancels out the flicker - hence why im still using fluorescent tube computer monitor. I bought an early LED version a while back to replace it which I could only stand for 20 minutes due to the strobe effect. I think they have sorted the problem now there are LED monitors that are being sold specifically as flicker free.

[tidal]

And to think I spent quite a few quid on proper diffusers when I could have just eaten yoghurt

 

I'm usually quite good at cheap solutions too

[Phoenix_V]

you could buy less powerful leds?

[Bobbybass]

Transparent inkjet labels....as bought in Rymans.

Print different colours and densities..until you get exactly the effect you want.

Cut a 'disc' and stick it over the light.

[swift1894]

OK I know I need to get some LEDs. So I don't end up buying the wrong type ( flickering/glaring/cold light etc), can some one recommend a fluorescent tube type, warm light model?

 

Are these any good for under gunwale lighting for example?

 

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Strip-Lights-Kitchen-Lighting/dp/B00QKF1WLA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=196J6977FPCF9GX4P958&dpID=51VekTyevZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_

Edited October 11, 2015 by swift1894

[magnetman]

OK I know I need to get some LEDs. So I don't end up buying the wrong type ( flickering/glaring/cold light etc), can some one recommend a fluorescent tube type, warm light model?

 

Are these any good for under gunwale lighting for example?

 

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Strip-Lights-Kitchen-Lighting/dp/B00QKF1WLA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=196J6977FPCF9GX4P958&dpID=51VekTyevZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_

They are OK but I have found the sticky back to be a bit unreliable sometimes.

 

Another option would be to use rigid led light bars like these:

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=111642350737

 

They are very bright - I have a couple with dimmer switches on them. Ideal for a hidden location like under gunnels (assuming your gunnels are low - mine are above eye height when sitting as it is a barge)

you could buy less powerful leds?

One option but it means less light overall. The idea is to light up the saloon properly without glare. The yogurt pots have now been fitted over all 6 led modules and the effect has been very good - better diffusion of the light sideways and much less glare. I feel like the full power of the leds is being taken advantage of. Lower power LEDs would not be appropriate I don't think. I've got halogen down lighters on a different circuit as well if we don't want to be lit up like daytime in here..

 

 

Inkjet stickers is a good idea

Edited October 11, 2015 by magnetman

[Top cat]

OK I know I need to get some LEDs. So I don't end up buying the wrong type ( flickering/glaring/cold light etc), can some one recommend a fluorescent tube type, warm light model?

Are these any good for under gunwale lighting for example?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Strip-Lights-Kitchen-Lighting/dp/B00QKF1WLA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=196J6977FPCF9GX4P958&dpID=51VekTyevZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_

Warm white Leds are less glaring as are the new COB (Chip On Board) type, a brader emmision area is what helpc.

I just paid £1.80 for a G4 3W COB off E bay so in that case its cheap enough to suck it and see, the latest one has no noticable flicker or R F issues. Some of my earlier purchases interfere with my FM radio but later ones don't so its worth checking claims of low RF interference. Bedazzled claim their's are low flicker and RF but they do charge 4 or 5x E bay prices. I find the best way to check for flicker is to fly a radio controlled helicopter under them.

 

 

Top Cat

Edited October 11, 2015 by Top cat