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Author: Subject: LED Dangers - Unbelievable Paranoia!
hissingnoise
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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 07:24


Quote: Originally posted by Regolith  
They built a hydroelectric damn that retains so much water and is so LARGE it's slightly changed the axial spin of the EARTH.

That's just pure, unadulterated drivel . . .

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quicksilver
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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 07:24


QUOTE:
"Since RoHS stops me buying electronic gear full of lead, I don't see how it can encourage (for example) the Chinese to use lots of lead.
I realise that their systems suck badly in terms of environmental impact and I agree that we shouldn't be exporting our "dirty work" to them just because they are not in a position to decline it."
_____

OK no ranting....

I understand where you're coming from. Let me digress for a moment.
I was looking at a diode for a project and the one mfg according to RoHS standards is 10 USD, however I have (at this moment) one from China that sells for 3 dollars that is non-compliant. - The goods mfg IN China utilize THEIR materials. Therefore we would need to enact MORE legislation to prevent those from being sold outside of their country & we would have to have a uniform inspection methodology to do so.
This would NOT [however] stop there manufacture for a local market and a continuation of the materials in circulation. At this moment, MANY goods from China (just as an example) have enormous amounts of toxins used in their construction & are being sold outside their country because only SOME markets DEMAND compliance with such standards.

India (as another example) has made a literal island of garbage from ocean & water-borne dumping. Additionally there are enormous "re-cycling" of electronic goods within that country that produce wast of a magnitude that is stupefying due to the precious metals used within, etc.

My point is that nations that do comply with standards for addressing environmental issues are doing so in a market wherein other (not in compliance) achieve a continuum of profit thus making us less viable AS A MARKET & eventually will out-pace us economically to the detriment of both the environment but our potential as an influence of change.
Third party manufacturing such as those made in Brazil or Mexico do not HAVE to maintain RoHS standards & certainly don't pay 3x the amount for an electronic component; this a reality albeit a sad one. It exists in so many areas aside from electronics that [in addition to] trade limitations, etc are the reason why both the N. American and British have LOST their manufacturing thrust, become service-oriented economies and are headed for more of the same.

It is NOT that environmental issues have been a cause of economic down-fall; it is that not all are playing on a level field!
This problem had it's roots in both NAFTA & GATT (which very few people actually read) and BOTH political parties voted for such treaties. There is obviously enough responsibility to go around and it's not one "side" that made this phenomenon occur. in fact it's really NOT a political issue; although some would like to get some mileage out of it - it's a complex economic one. Whether one believes in carbon emissions as a global threat which is "man-made" or not is actually not the point IF the largest, most populous nations on Earth are not going to address the issues pertaining to the environment.
The end result is that those nations that abide by such conventions will eventually suffer economically to the extent that they will simply be milked for what profit existed and the polluters will move to new markets (perhaps their own, as they grow economically).


[Edited on 13-2-2011 by quicksilver]




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Regolith
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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 07:49


Quote: Originally posted by hissingnoise  
Quote: Originally posted by Regolith  
They built a hydroelectric damn that retains so much water and is so LARGE it's slightly changed the axial spin of the EARTH.

That's just pure, unadulterated drivel . . .



I wish it was. To be clear were talking 0.06 microseconds a shift in the north pole by 2cm.

Quote:

although most shifts are too small to be measured (but they can be calculated)

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-three-gorges-dam-reall...



[Edited on 13-2-2011 by Regolith]
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Regolith
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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 07:52


Quote: Originally posted by unionised  
"You didn't respond to the point you simply changed it "

" Much like global warming crap if it's warmer it's global warming if it's COLDER it's global warming. NO it's one way you double talking fool."

Just for a start, LEDs are not responsible for global warming.
Whether or not the Chinese population is growing and// or industrialising, the US and EU (independently, but nevertheless both of them) are continuing to produce a lot of CO2
If some of that is indirect production (i.e. we get the Chinese to do it then ship the stuff to us) isn't really the point.
It's the Western world's consumer demands that use a lot of the Earth's resources.
Pointing out that, at the moment, trade is down is just a reminder of the recession. Not really news.

And, while we are about it, actually it can happen both ways. A rise in global temperatures will reduce the size of the Arctic ice sheet. That will reduce the energy delivered to drive the gulf stream and that will make some places (notably Western Europe) cooler.
So hotter can mean cooler, provided that you look at the details.
"China is where they are because their gov mandates cheap products to MAKE THEM MORE MONEY. Thats why things here went out of buisness THEY made them cheaper and put people out of buisness here."

Perhaps the US govt should mandate the same thing.


"You live in Cali don't you ? "
Not unless the UK has recently been annexed.


Unionised I was talking to metal reasearcher. You stepped into the line of fire. Heh you weren't the target. I CAN read your in the UK it says right under your name. No question needed. Damn after reading your post and then mine. No, without doubt I wasn't after you Unionised. Apologies if it seemed that way your post hadn't showed up as I was compiling my own.

[Edited on 13-2-2011 by Regolith]
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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 11:46


Attention: anyone who wants to argue about atmospheric sciences should take it elsewhere.



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hissingnoise
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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 13:03


Regolith, just for clarity, the earth's rotation is not affected by any dam, whatever its size, capacity or volume of water . . .

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[*] posted on 13-2-2011 at 22:34


Copy that mods.
Changing the topic to angular momentum.

Hissingnoise, for clarity sake please provide your scientific reasoning behind why NASA says (it's not just nasa it's math) that 42 billion tons raised 175 meters above the ocean surface WILL affect the angular momentum of the earth.

To be fair were talking the mass of the earth Approx. 5,973,700,000,000,000,000 (I may have shifted a 0 there, it's a big number) Or just under 6 Sextillion metric tons. It's like hanging a grain of sand on a large lead filled beach ball. Still it will create a calculable shift in the spin of that object.

So are you saying that no matter what the mass it has 0 (Zero) effect on the spin of the earth ? There is no object large enough to make a calculable shift in angular momentum? Or is your statement thus, that 2 cm of north pole shift is so minuscule as to be said as not affected?
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[*] posted on 9-6-2011 at 04:41


Back to the topic: I think As-containing LEDs are unnecessary for most applications. A look into the available semiconductors for LEDs on Wikipedia shows that arsenic is only needed for infrared LEDs. On the safety of LEDs containing even arsenic: I tried extracting the semiconductor from an IR LED but it is so strongly sealed in the plastic that even a broken LED will not release anything. Of course, Pb solder can be skipped and replaced with metals that do not accumulate in the human body, like Sn and Sb. Otherwise, LEDs contain relatively harmless substances like Ga, Zn, In, Al, and P. Cu wire contaminating streams is paranoia.
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[*] posted on 9-6-2011 at 05:35


Quote: Originally posted by unionised  


Since RoHS stops me buying electronic gear full of lead, I don't see how it can encourage (for example) the Chinese to use lots of lead.


Within your particular situation there may be less direct impact but not all production arenas have to be compliant (within Western countries). Therefore the demand for non-compliant parts may exist simply due to [lack of] contract over sight or for the need of that part. Many contracts (especially non-governmental ones) are not as rigidly written and non-complaint parts sneak in, etc. When the difference can be 200% cost or more for a single small part; that's a very attractive alternative.

We know that the reality is that these parts ARE being mfg so they ARE being utilized (NON-RoHS) in some form. If that were not the case we wouldn't even have a distinction of one from the other.




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[*] posted on 9-6-2011 at 14:40


In my job we have to deal with this on a daily basis - and not just RoHS either. We also have HF (Halogen Free) and REACH link compliance to worry about. REACH is awful - each customer seems to have their own list of banned substances, and it changes almost on a daily basis. Compliance declarations aren't enough either - we've had to have product analysed by a lab to prove compliance.

Picking parts for a product has become a regulatory nightmare.
(I jealously guard my precious roll of lovely tin/lead solder ...)

FYI I consider myself to be 'light green' on environmental issues : I care, but i'm not about to throw science out the window and turn environmentalism into a religion or personal crusade.

[Edited on 9-6-2011 by Twospoons]




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[*] posted on 9-6-2011 at 14:43


LED lights are much safer than all those fluorescent lights our governments are trying to push on us. It would be a more effective use of envirormentalists effort to replace fluorescent tubes (and compact spiral fixtures) with LED lighting, rather than trying to replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent lights, which is what they are trying to do now.



I'm not saying let's go kill all the stupid people...I'm just saying lets remove all the warning labels and let the problem sort itself out.
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[*] posted on 10-6-2011 at 20:43


LEDs are more efficient when they are kept cool, the opposite of incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, sulfur, etc... As well they use DC instead of AC and generally need constant current drivers. The exception being using resistors to drive LEDs... but this doesn't work so well on higher power LEDs and kinda negates part of the efficiency benefit of the LEDs in the first place.

Our infrastructure of screw in AC socket fixtures is not in the best interests of what LEDs need. As well most of the currently available LED replacements are crappy in terms of light output, heat sinking and ventilation. They often die fast. Even if they look like they have an impressive heat sink.

Solution? Don't buy the pre-made screw in socket LED replacement bulbs. Make your own rail and other fixtures where you can be sure that heat sinking and airflow is adequate as well as keeping you in control of the light output, tint, mounting location, circuit capabilities, cost, etc...

EDIT: The above refers to the problems of using them in AC houses. They are perfect for DC electrical systems like in cars, flashlights, laptops, etc...

[Edited on 6/11/2011 by asilentbob]




So many ideas... too few dealing with chemistry.
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[*] posted on 11-12-2013 at 19:55
Toxcicity of LEDs


I am concerned as I often burn out LEDs and did not find out until recently about how toxic they are and their ability to cause cancer and neurological damage. I think the pakaging should completeley seal in the toxic substance in the LED, and I hope all I was smelling was the epoxy and not arsenic, lead, and phosphorus compounds! Should I be concerned? I have been driving myself crazy for the past few days over the terrible thought of brain damage that may have occured.

[Edited on 12-12-2013 by Solomon]
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[*] posted on 11-12-2013 at 21:59


You're just smelling the burnt epoxy. There is only a very small quantity of any given light-emitting compound in a LED (think mg, if not ug), toxic or not. So, in short, you're probably fine.
Although epoxy might not be so friendly either...
Try to use some more resistors. What's your power supply?




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[*] posted on 12-12-2013 at 06:16


Why are you burning out so many LEDs? Be sure that you're using appropriately rated current limiting resistors in series with them, and try to avoid large reverse voltages across the junction. It's too late to worry about "brain damage that may have occurred."

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_circuit" target="_blank">LED circuit</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />
<a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/219" target="_blank">LED Current Limiting Resistors</a> <img src="../scipics/_ext.png" /> (SparkFun)
<a href="http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2012/resistors-for-leds/" target="_blank">Basics: Picking Resistors for LEDs</a> <img src="../scipics/_ext.png" /> (Evil Mad Scientist)

If you have an iOS device, you could try <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/circuit-playground/id492487671" target="_blank">Adafruit's Circuit Playground</a> <img src="../scipics/_ext.png" />. It has an LED circuit calculator that comes in handy when you're feeling particularly brain damaged.




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[*] posted on 12-12-2013 at 06:54


When I was a kid I loved to pop all the extra LED's my father had around.
I think you will be fine!




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[*] posted on 12-12-2013 at 11:56


Perhaps you should check out this post!

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=15492

Well, at least the part before it degenerated into a "global warming" rant. :(
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[*] posted on 12-12-2013 at 13:32


Heh, I was just considering merging this one into that topic earlier this morning. Might as well just do it, now.



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[*] posted on 12-12-2013 at 19:36


Been a couple years since I read that starting post about the California study on LED's. Was hoping never to see it again. I don't remember if I read that old factoid about Ca. here or somewhere else but right now it comes to mind most strongly. California is like breakfast cereal. Take away the fruits and nuts and all you have left are the flakes. One of them wrote the report in that study about how dangerous LED's are to the planet. The state is on it's way to financial ruin and they piss away money on studies like that. Idiots.




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