Thread: Aiming lamps
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Unread 11-04-2016, 19:22
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Mike Schreiber Mike Schreiber is offline
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Re: Aiming lamps

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz View Post
Guys, I have it on good authority from an industry expert that white LED flashlights, greater that 100 lumens are a vision hazard. That is further complicated if your device has a lens to reduce the field of the emission. You do not need light output in excess of that level to be effective. Blue LEDs may have serious emission in the visible spectrum that may exceed safety standards depending on type. LRIs are very likely to be involved but so too will UL Safety advisors. IEC 62471:2006 Photobiological Safety of Lamps and Lamp Systems is the defining doc on this hazard. My recommendation is that you provide specifications on the output of your flashlight in W/m^2. If it blinds someone for even a short time, please consider that it is too bright. Even temporary blindness can cause people in the pits to trip over things they cannot see including the general public. You can use neutral density filters (available on line or from photo supply stores) to reduce the output. You can even use colored filters to reduce output and tune the source to the color your camera is looking for.
For inspectors, who I assume don't know much about optics or the safety hazards involved, how do you recommend they go about verifying what is safe? Do you have a recommended W/m^2 standard? Since lumens are a measure of luminous flux, not luminous intensity which standard should be used? If there are safety measures in place such that it can't be pointed at eye level during a match (for example, angled at the floor or is disabled in code at certain angles) is that sufficient? Is it feasible to just get an adjustable ND filter and dial it in until the inspector believes it is acceptable? How do I ensure I evaluate every team equally when inspecting? It's great that you posted the IEC standard, but I'm not going to pay to purchase it in order to effectively inspect. After some web searches I found the classifications of RG1,2, and 3 from this spec. Obviously 3 is not allowed, but what's the policy on RG2? Because I can have bulbs that are RG2 in my house, so to say they pose a safety hazard no matter what precautions are taken seems a bit of a stretch to me.
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Mike Schreiber

Kettering University ('09-'13) University of Michigan ('14-'18?)
FLL ('01-'02), FRC Team 27 ('06-'09), Team 397 ('10), Team 3450/314 ('11), Team 67 ('14-'??)

Last edited by Mike Schreiber : 11-04-2016 at 19:34.
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