It looks like the beginning of using LEDs as general illumination devices is arriving. I have heard reports that Wal-Mart has at least one store in the US that is doing this (no link though) and the top link is for one in China that is doing the same. The second link is one in Switzerland that is doing so. Soon many if not most large stores will replace with LEDs, you will not know they did so but it will cost them a lot less to light with LEDs.
http://china.org.cn/environment/health_green_living/2008-10/23/content_16652851.htm http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/migros_supermar.php BTW for those who think LEDs are relatively new to science here is a 'blast from the past'; ELECTRICAL WORLD Febuary 9, 1907 Electrical World A Note on Carborundum. To the editors of Electrical World. Sirs-During an investigation of the unsymmetrical passage or current through a contact of Carborundum and other substances a curious phenomenon was noted. On applying a potential of 10 volts between two points on a crystal of Carborundum the crystal gave out a yellowish light. Only one or two specimens could be found which gave a bright glow on such a low voltage. but with 110 volts a large number could be found to glow. In some crystals only edges gave the light and others gave instead of a yellow light green, orange or blue. In all cases tested the glow appears to come from the negative pole, a bright blue-green spark appearing at the positive pole. In a single crystal, if contact is made near the center with the negative pole, and the positive pole is put in contact at any other place, only one section of the crystal will glow and that the same section wherever the positive pole is placed. There seems to be some connection between the observed effect and the e.m.f. produced by a junction of Carborundum and another conductor when heated by a direct or alternating cur- rent; but the connection may be only secondary as an obvious explanation of the e.m.f. is the thermoelectric one. The writer would be glad of references to any published account of an investigation of this or any allied phenomena. New York , N.Y. H. J. ROUND _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
