O/T: Street lamps. LED now

[AntonLargiader]

As far as I know, the main advantage to LED traffic signals is durability, not energy savings.

[mattthemuppet]

I like LED street lights, not much of a surprise really, but they're alot better at aiming the light so you can illuminate the street but not peoples bedrooms/ trees/ sky. The better colour rendition and lower power consumption are pluses too.

Anton - same applies to regular LED street lights. The sodium vapor ones need replacing every 6 months or so, LED lights should be at least 10 times that.

[PStechPaul]

It would be simple to add a little thermostat to provide heat when the temperature is below freezing. Or maybe a little wiper blade. Technology for the win!

[AD5MB]

a thing worth knowing about LED illuminators - floodlights with visible light, or IR for surveillance cameras:

if they have 48 little LEDs they don't last long. poor power regulation puts excess voltage on the litlte LEDs. little LED burns out, leaving more voltage to go to the few remaining LEDs, which burn out, leaving more voltage...

if you must but LED floodlights, get the kind with 8 LEDs the size of your fingertip. they last years.

[lakeside53]

surely that's brand dependent? I'm sure some of the cheap units don't last, but we have a lot installed that never give any trouble. Maybe it's true : "you get what you pay for" 🤔

[jcfx]

The crazy bright arc light headlights are a real nuisance and even a danger. I don't think they are for vision impaired driver, they are just for people who want to feel "dominant" by having the brightest lights on the road. At least that is the folks who seem to have them, the ones in the high dollar luxury cars, and a few who must have retrofitted some really bright bulbs. I understood the retrofit was not legal though.

I was being facetious when I said "night vision impaired" , but then they have to be, to need to have both high and low beams on.
Seriously how bad can their vision be to need that ?
There needs to be regulations / laws on how these are aimed, and retro fitted, some I've seen seem to aimed higher than they should be.

[PStechPaul]

Hmmm... Heat and light seeking missile defense? Perhaps with a payload of tar to glom onto the bright lights?