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In a bit of synchronicity, Dubai has sponsored development of more efficient and longer lived (via underdriving) LED lamps, and exclusivity enforcement means th

In a bit of synchronicity, Dubai has sponsored development of more efficient and longer lived (via underdriving) LED lamps, and exclusivity enforcement means that you are prevented from being able to buy these longer-lived lamps: https://hackaday.com/2021/01/17/leds-from-dubai-the-royal-lights-you-cant-buy/ https://hackaday.com/2021/01/17/leds-from-dubai-the-royal-li...

tialaramex 5y ago
This is a very different trade though, the Dubai lamp trades a higher upfront price (these lamps are more sophisticated and cost more to make, so unsurprisingly they also cost more to buy) for a longer lifespan and improved efficiency. Whereas incandescents were trading lifespan versus efficiency. You can make 5000 hour incandescents, but your "60 watt" 5000 hour lamp will put out far less light, so it costs the same to run but it's not bright enough, then you buy the 100 watt version, now it's bright enough but you're paying two thirds more money to run it! A hypothetical 5000 hour incandescent only makes economic sense if your electricity is basically free (greedily maybe it makes sense if you don't pay for it, e.g. rental inclusive of electricity bills) whereas a Dubai lamp makes sense regardless of electricity price, because over long enough periods the increased lifespan saves you money anyway.
- userbinator 5y ago
  these lamps are more sophisticated and cost more to make Actually, they're simpler than a lot of other LED lamps, because they're not dimmable and use only a capacitor to limit current followed by a small post-regulator. The driving electronics often fails before the LEDs, but they've minimised that with these.
  - tialaramex 5y ago
    Because they're under-driven, they actually need considerably more (typically four times as many) light emitters than a cheaper alternative, and those cost money. It's true that a capacitive dropper is a cheap way to make LED lamps work, but that's how the LED lamps you're offered in a typical store today already work, so doing that isn't saving them money over competitors, and since it's a long-life product they didn't skimp on the power supply design, check this Big Clive video for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM2DMuryw_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM2DMuryw_A
  - agumonkey 5y ago
    > The driving electronics often fails before the LEDs, but they've minimised that with these. I find a regular supply of cheap LED bulbs with that issue in the bin.. They really should put out a stupid modular model so you can swap the circuit for 1$
- lowbloodsugar 5y ago
  ... or if I am personally more interested in the difficulties of changing the bulb than the electricity it costs to run it.

tialaramex 5y ago

This is a very different trade though, the Dubai lamp trades a higher upfront price (these lamps are more sophisticated and cost more to make, so unsurprisingly they also cost more to buy) for a longer lifespan and improved efficiency. Whereas incandescents were trading lifespan versus efficiency. You can make 5000 hour incandescents, but your "60 watt" 5000 hour lamp will put out far less light, so it costs the same to run but it's not bright enough, then you buy the 100 watt version, now it's bright enough but you're paying two thirds more money to run it! A hypothetical 5000 hour incandescent only makes economic sense if your electricity is basically free (greedily maybe it makes sense if you don't pay for it, e.g. rental inclusive of electricity bills) whereas a Dubai lamp makes sense regardless of electricity price, because over long enough periods the increased lifespan saves you money anyway.

userbinator 5y ago
these lamps are more sophisticated and cost more to make Actually, they're simpler than a lot of other LED lamps, because they're not dimmable and use only a capacitor to limit current followed by a small post-regulator. The driving electronics often fails before the LEDs, but they've minimised that with these.
- tialaramex 5y ago
  Because they're under-driven, they actually need considerably more (typically four times as many) light emitters than a cheaper alternative, and those cost money. It's true that a capacitive dropper is a cheap way to make LED lamps work, but that's how the LED lamps you're offered in a typical store today already work, so doing that isn't saving them money over competitors, and since it's a long-life product they didn't skimp on the power supply design, check this Big Clive video for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM2DMuryw_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM2DMuryw_A
- agumonkey 5y ago
  > The driving electronics often fails before the LEDs, but they've minimised that with these. I find a regular supply of cheap LED bulbs with that issue in the bin.. They really should put out a stupid modular model so you can swap the circuit for 1$
lowbloodsugar 5y ago
... or if I am personally more interested in the difficulties of changing the bulb than the electricity it costs to run it.