Sunday 28 March 2010

Environmentally friendly LED Traffic Lights Don't Heat Enough to Melt Snow LED Traffic Lights Consume Less Energy, Inefficient During Heavy Snow

LED traffic lights are a great way for cities around the world to save
on energy costs, but from what we're hearing although they use 90
percent less energy, they're not as efficient compared to traditional
incandescent light bulbs when heavy snow strikes the way it did in many
places around Europe and the US in the last couple of days.
Of course global warming is probably the decade's most debated topic and
LED traffic lights are just a small part in the big puzzle, but the
hazardous downside is that they aforementioned LEDs don't burn hot
enough to melt any snow that covers them. And word is that the whole
thing led to numerous traffic jams, a few accidents and at least one death.
Already a problem in many places that have switched to LED traffic
lights (indeed you see them much better during the day), authorities are
already working to find a fix. That includes installing weather shields,
coating the lights with water-repellent substances or heating elements
like those used on airport runways.
Funny how the biggest advantage of the LED technology is its biggest
drawback when used as traffic lights. Let's hope for a fix soon!

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