Updates from Nepal's Pilot Schools

[david at lang.hm]

On Sun, 9 Mar 2008, John Gilmore wrote:

>> Regarding the suggestion of LED bulbs - a smart person on another list
>> said that many brands of LED bulbs are also prone to failure due to bad
>> power - so don't treat them as a panacea.
>
> +1
>
> I personally tested a variety of AC-powered LED light bulbs.  Not a
> single one survived more than eight months -- on clean San Francisco
> power.  There's a reason that these are not for sale in average
> hardware stores -- they aren't ready for prime time.  The LEDs don't
> seem to fail, but the circuitry around them certainly does.  They all
> advertise 100,000 hour lifetimes, too :--( don't believe it.

hmm, I've had no problems with the ones I've used. definantly worth 
contacting the manufacturers for more info

> Most of the developing world uses linear fluorescent bulbs, which are
> more power-efficient than the vast majority of LEDs (and more efficient
> than compact fluorescents).

I'm interested in learning more about the relative power draws. I was 
under the impression that fluorescent bulbs were about the same power 
efficiancy as LEDs.

I know that where I've used them fluorescents have died in a couple of 
months when they had bad or intermittent power.

> I suggest a return to the main topic (laptops / education).

just a note that this topic started becouse of deployment problems where 
the schools have trouble getting enough power to charge the laptops. if 
power is that scarce then improving the lighting efficiancy may be needed 
to make the laptops useable.

David Lang