Are LED lights harmful?

[Capt Caveman]

It made me wonder about car headlights. When I still drove, I was tempted to get sunglasses for driving at night because of how often I was getting blinded and the afterimages being left in my vision. Same for walking around at night. Googling suggested LED headlights were in the ~1000 lumen range. My insane Maglite only does about 600 lumens on high -- a 60W traditional incandescent bulb is around 800 lumens but that radiates in every direction.



Pretty scary since those IR LEDs on cameras usually come in big arrays and your eyes can't avert/blink. On the other hand, I haven't heard of anything going blind yet. There's actually a study out there about glass/steel workers getting cataracts or something from looking at things so hot that they glow -- lot of IR out of those.

The simple LED light I have for my road bike is 750 lumens. And you can get some that are > 3600 lumens.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Pretty scary since those IR LEDs on cameras usually come in big arrays and your eyes can't avert/blink. On the other hand, I haven't heard of anything going blind yet. There's actually a study out there about glass/steel workers getting cataracts or something from looking at things so hot that they glow -- lot of IR out of those.

Funny I was thinking about that the other day when watching a show on TV I think it was How It's Made and they were showing molten metal being poured. Wonder if it's actually dangerous for the eyes to look at that as there is probably lot of IR and potentially other wavelengths coming out of that. Now that you mention the welding I recall hearing something like that too.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hate bright headlights. I don't even like them for myself. If I could get lamps like they made in the 70s, I would. Been thinking about getting light-medium sunglasses for driving at night. My regular sunglasses are too dark.

Ugh like those blue HID headlights. I'm seeing them more and more now too. They always come out in droves around this time of year too. Well they're probably always out, but just notice them more because it's dark all the time. I really wish they would make those illegal, they're ridiculously dangerous. I got LASIK years back so already a bit more sensitive to bright lights, but even before I got it, they were bad. Now it's just unbearable. I try to avoid driving at night, but I still need to go to and from work. But errands and stuff I do on my days off in middle of the day.

 

[Crono]

Ugh like those blue HID headlights. I'm seeing them more and more now too. They always come out in droves around this time of year too. Well they're probably always out, but just notice them more because it's dark all the time. I really wish they would make those illegal, they're ridiculously dangerous. I got LASIK years back so already a bit more sensitive to bright lights, but even before I got it, they were bad. Now it's just unbearable. I try to avoid driving at night, but I still need to go to and from work. But errands and stuff I do on my days off in middle of the day.

Most of the OEM HIDs aren't bad, but there are a lot of jerks with too bright, too blue aftermarket HIDs.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Most of the OEM HIDs aren't bad, but there are a lot of jerks with too bright, too blue aftermarket HIDs.

I've seen some that are closer to the white spectrum and they arn't AS bad but still worse than the regular ones, but are within acceptable range I'd say. Guessing those might be OEM? The ones I keep seeing feel like someone shining a laser right in my eye. I see what pilots have to deal with when people do that.

 

[OverVolt]

I use exclusively 2700K bulbs.

Fark blue light and the idiots who buy them "cause they look cool" for like an hour until your eyes are watering. Good job dumbtard.

 

[Rubycon]

Funny I was thinking about that the other day when watching a show on TV I think it was How It's Made and they were showing molten metal being poured. Wonder if it's actually dangerous for the eyes to look at that as there is probably lot of IR and potentially other wavelengths coming out of that. Now that you mention the welding I recall hearing something like that too.

Incandescent refractory puts out a lot of longwave IR and the biggest hazard is hot pants.
(Arc) Welding, OTOH, emits harmful UV-C radiation that will make an unshielded arm look like a hot dog after just a few passes. Nasty stuff.

LEDs are all over the place. They certainly are safer than the alternatives. Direct mains driven bulbs have a dreadful flicker and automotive markers and tail lights are often driven with PWM frequencies far too low given the incredibly fast attack/decay times for these devices. A 400kHz PWM is pretty smooth. You would be surprised at all the light sources around you that are far from true CW devices like the Sun. A camera with user adjustable shutter speed quickly reveals this.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Incandescent refractory puts out a lot of longwave IR and the biggest hazard is hot pants.
(Arc) Welding, OTOH, emits harmful UV-C radiation that will make an unshielded arm look like a hot dog after just a few passes. Nasty stuff.

LEDs are all over the place. They certainly are safer than the alternatives. Direct mains driven bulbs have a dreadful flicker and automotive markers and tail lights are often driven with PWM frequencies far too low given the incredibly fast attack/decay times for these devices. A 400kHz PWM is pretty smooth. You would be surprised at all the light sources around you that are far from true CW devices like the Sun. A camera with user adjustable shutter speed quickly reveals this.

Interesting I always noticed LED vehicle tail lights sometimes flicker but thought it was my imagination, odd they would not just drive them at 12v, for brake lights that might be acting as tail lights that simply go brighter you'd think they'd just use a variable PSU. I guess it's easier to just do pwm.

My biggest complaint is Christmas lights, why can't they size them for 170vdc, then add a bridge rectifier and capacitor. It's like no more than a few bucks of parts! You can do that yourself, but you are then exceeding the design, and the cheap ones are probably already running past spec to begin with.

I did do it for my Christmas tree lights though - got a bunch for free from someone in my family so figured it would not be a HUGE loss if I blew the first set I test it on. It works great. I did not add the capacitor just the bridge rectifier so at least they flicker at 120hz instead of 60. Still noticeable but not as bad. It's a generic box that I can plug anything I want to it. I went overkill and rated the thing for 15 amps at 120v. The bridge rectifier itself is rated for like 40 amps.

 

[John Connor]

I have a UV LED flashlight that would be harmful. But normal LEDs? Naaaa.

New Halloween decor idea. UV light strings. LOL

 

[Mixolydian]

Metal Halide FTW

 

[zerocool84]

I have daylight LED bulbs in my apartment everywhere except in my bedroom where I have soft white. I love how daylight LED bulbs look and feel, more natural light and makes you feel more awake but I don't want that in my bedroom.

 

[Rubycon]

I have a UV LED flashlight that would be harmful. But normal LEDs? Naaaa.

New Halloween decor idea. UV light strings. LOL

Those are longer wave UV centered around 405 nanometers. That puts them in the "blacklight blue" region. Good for finding where the kitty pissed on the carpet and making some fluorescent objects glow, etc. Not going to cause eye damage.

Metal Halide FTW

Yes they do have a unique character to them. The base up multi vapors found in gymnasiums (400W mogul base) turn a really pretty pink shade when jarred by a rogue basketball.

 

[edro]

And who doesn't love that ballast buzz from old fixtures.

 

[SaltyNuts]

Is this thread for real? More harmful, than... let's say... THE SUN?!?!

 

[Imp]

Those are longer wave UV centered around 405 nanometers. That puts them in the "blacklight blue" region. Good for finding where the kitty pissed on the carpet and making some fluorescent objects glow, etc. Not going to cause eye damage.

If you want to get paranoid, there's info now about how blue light in the low 400 nm range can mess you up. Hide your wife + kidz.

https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/c...-good-vs-bad-and-its-connection-to-amd-109744

 

[John Connor]

If you want to get paranoid, there's info now about how blue light in the low 400 nm range can mess you up. Hide your wife + kidz.

https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/c...-good-vs-bad-and-its-connection-to-amd-109744

Which begs the question why you see these UV lights in hospitals and cafeterias. Unless of course that's a different nano meter. But they kinda look the same.

 

[Mixolydian]

And who doesn't love that ballast buzz from old fixtures.

A beautiful white noise!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Jesus loves LED lights!

 

[feralkid]

Which begs the question why you see these UV lights in hospitals and cafeterias. Unless of course that's a different nano meter. But they kinda look the same.

"Begs the question" doesn't mean what you think it does.

 

[Rubycon]

Which begs the question why you see these UV lights in hospitals and cafeterias. Unless of course that's a different nano meter. But they kinda look the same.

Those are electronic insect lanterns. The tubes are black light (not black light blue) lamps to attract insects to their killing grids (4500VAC 9mA typical). They often employ pheromone attractant strips for flies and other biting pests.

Interestingly enough, the Automatic Radio Corporation's "Flowtron" division back in the 70s tried using a combination of black light and blacklight blue lamps in their higher end killers. These proved quite effective however the blacklight blue lamps don't have as long of a life and cost more. This mix of electromagnetic spectrum also seems to attract more larger winged moths which cannot reach the killing grid through the openings of the outer protective screen. (And for good reason!)

Later models used multiple black light blue lamps.

LEDs (such as dental blue) are starting to show up as well.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

A better question is "Do Windmills cause sonic headaches to people in the surrounding area of them?"

 

[Imp]

"Begs the question" doesn't mean what you think it does.

I had to look that up and I've been using it wrong my entire life -- not that often, luckily. And it happens to be the way most people use it today so whatever.

 

[1sikbITCH]

I hate bright headlights. I don't even like them for myself. If I could get lamps like they made in the 70s, I would. Been thinking about getting light-medium sunglasses for driving at night. My regular sunglasses are too dark.

Sounds like it's time for a restricted license. I am also starting to struggle with bright headlights and then immediately after can't see for the next 2 minutes and try to get my driving done before dark if possible. When it's time to party we call Uber.

 

[Herr Kutz]

I hate bright headlights. I don't even like them for myself. If I could get lamps like they made in the 70s, I would. Been thinking about getting light-medium sunglasses for driving at night. My regular sunglasses are too dark.

I had to pull out the sun glasses on my last road trip during a nighttime drive through Utah on a 2-lane highway. They were a bit too dark but without them I could not see much because of constantly being blinded by oncoming cars. I now try to get behind an 18 wheeler if I'm in the same situation.

 

[1sikbITCH]

I had to pull out the sun glasses on my last road trip during a nighttime drive through Utah on a 2-lane highway. They were a bit too dark but without them I could not see much because of constantly being blinded by oncoming cars. I now try to get behind an 18 wheeler if I'm in the same situation.

Ok that's different. Main reason we decide to drive an SUV is so you aren't staring at everyone's nuts and kneecaps out there getting blinded.