[NHCOLL-L:1555] Re: : Display lighting

[Richard_Hill at dot.ca.gov]

Has anyone looked into Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting systems?  You
may notice that many stop lights are being converted to LEDs (major effort
in California).  The converted lights appear as a set of discrete 'dots'
rather than as a single source when viewed up close (20-30 feet or so).
The LEDs are inexpensive to operate and low heat.  I think fiber optic is
low heat at the emitter end but high (?) heat at the source.  I suspect
that LEDs for display/museum work is an emerging (pre-emerging?)
technology.

Richard E. Hill, SEP
Biological Studies Unit
PO Box 942874  MS27
Sacramento CA USA 94274-0001
916-653-8417  Office
916-599-1051  Cell
916-653-7757  FAX


                                                                                                                                       
                           "Steve Amos"                                                                                                
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                    03/29/2002 12:38 PM                                                                                                
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                             steve.amos                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                       






  We have historically been  using fluorescents with UV filters, but found,
even then, that there was some  residual UV and defintely heat (from
ballasts, when mounted inside cases, but  also even from bulbs).

Although expensive, we are now beginning to switch  over all our exhibition
cases containing specimens to fiber optic  lighting.

Advantages: completely cool, non-damaging light; potential to  be extremely
dramatic for exhibitions; there are a variety of color filters,  lens
attachments and mirrors available for lighting effects, spot lighting
and/or
floods; bulb replacement is inexpensive and easy - same as slide
projector,
$25+/-.

Catch: $5,000 +/- for a projector and optic cable  able to illuminate
approximately 40 specimens. We have had very favorable  responses from
foundations interested in funding these "conservation-minded"  grants,
though. Hasn't cost us much, at all, and, visitors definitely like  the
effect!

Contact me if you would like more  information.

Stephen H. Amos
Curator of Collections
Fairbanks  Museum and Planetarium
1302 Main Street
St. Johnsbury, VT   05819-2248
(802) 748-2372, ext. 111
(802) 748-1893 FAX
NEW!! E-mail: samos at fairbanksmuseum.org
Museum  Website: www.fairbanksmuseum.org