{"id":943,"date":"2017-12-13T12:18:25","date_gmt":"2017-12-13T10:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationalluna.com.au\/?p=943"},"modified":"2017-12-13T12:18:25","modified_gmt":"2017-12-13T10:18:25","slug":"the-limelight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalluna.com\/au\/media\/the-limelight\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating the ultimate 12V LED camping light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Admittedly, we didn\u2019t think much of LED technology when it first appeared in the outdoor market. At the time, we were one of the word\u2019s largest manufacturers of 12VDC fluorescent lights, and it was clear that LEDs had a long way to go before they could rival the light quality of a good fluorescent.<\/p>\n

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As it turned out, we\u2019d underestimated the public\u2019s interest in newfangled technology, and the quality of 12V LED lighting rapidly evolved. It wasn\u2019t long before the sales of fluorescent lights dropped, and we began our quest to create the ultimate LED camping light.<\/p>\n

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The process started in 2010, took some five years to complete, and cost more than R3.5 million to develop and improve on the availble LED technology; but it was worth it. Today, our Weatherproof LED is available worldwide, is light years ahead of the competition, and proudly bears the label: Designed and Made in South Africa.<\/p>\n

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BRIGHTNESS<\/h3>\n

Sure, we wanted to create an intensely bright light, but most campers require a particular level of light as per their application. So, our new LED light would have to include three brightness settings: low (15%), medium (50%) and high (100%).<\/p>\n

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The LEDs feature a natural warm light that’s easy on the eyes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Another critical feature would be the ability to provide a warm ambient light, rather than the cold blue-ish tone that so many LEDs are renowned for; and we particularly wanted to create an outdoor light that provided dual colours. So, our top-of-the-range Weatherproof light features 18 warm-white LEDs, as well as a choice of 12 red or 12 orange LEDs. (Insects are drawn to white light, but they\u2019re unable to see orange or red \u2013 an important fact to consider when camping in Africa during the rainy season!)<\/p>\n

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\"red
The light also boasts the option of an orange or red light, that won’t attract bugs or insects to your campsite.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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DIFFUSION<\/h3>\n

The problem with LEDs is that they\u2019re naturally glaring, and focused in their beam spread. Our Weatherproof LED was actually complete long before we launched it, but we wanted to be absolutely sure that we\u2019d got the lens and diffusion right.<\/p>\n

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Of course, the easiest way to diffuse a light is to simply tint the lens an opaque white, but then you lose 30% of the light\u2019s output. To find a better way, we spent more than six months and R250 000 developing a prototype tool that could effectively etch the lens, and properly spread the beam without diminishing the output of light. We also chose to manufacture the lens out of a polycarbonate material that\u2019s near bullet-proof.<\/p>\n

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\"water
The lens sports a speckled design that greatly diffuses the light and prevents glare. The unit is also water resistant, so it can be mounted to your vehicle’s roof-rack or awning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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POWER CONSUMPTION<\/h3>\n

Saving power is possibly the most valid reason for wanting to use an LED light in the first place, (rather than a fluorescent), as this is vitally important when your appliances are running on dual-battery power.<\/p>\n

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There are two factors which greatly influence efficiency in the case of LEDs: heat, and poor electronic design \/ circuitry.<\/p>\n

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After exhaustive research and product development, we managed to squeeze an astonishing 122 lumens per Watt out of our Weatherproof LED. We also reduced power consumption right down to 50 mA\/h, on the light\u2019s lowest setting. Or, to put that another way: our Weatherproof LED can run for more than 1 600 hours on a deep cycle battery!<\/p>\n

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Then, to be absolutely sure that we were doing all we could on the power-management front, we added a Battery Protection feature, where the Weatherproof LED light will shut down automatically before your battery is fully discharged.<\/p>\n

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To be sure that we were designing the ultimate camping light, we included a polycarbonate lens, which means you can literally drive over this light without the risk of it breaking!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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ADDITIONAL FEATURES<\/h3>\n

Once we\u2019d covered the basics (light output, diffusion and efficiency) of camp-light construction, we then focused on making the Weatherproof LED 100% better than its rivals. This means that the light has:<\/p>\n