Channel: bigclivedotcom

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: uvcoatingdimleddegradationfadingdegradingtapebluelightfailingdarkwaterproof

Description: I was using this tape above my computer for ambient illumination. Over time it imperceivably changed from warm white light to a dull orange glow. When it got the point that I couldn't identify component colour bands I decided to take a closer look. The gel they use to make it waterproof (more like splash-proof) has degraded through exposure to the blue/violet wavelength of the light. Directly above the LED chips it had gone so brown that it was blocking and colouring the light. Initially I thought it was the phosphor that had degraded, but when the coating is cleaned off the LED it is as bright as when new. The LED strip was being under-run for long life, but it shows that the LEDs themselves aren't the only factor in optical degradation. This is a good reminder that you should always treat LED tape as a consumable, and ensure it can be replaced easily in the future. Here's the original video where I hacked the LED into an old strip light:- youtube.com/watch?v=7_ds5XFJvPs If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- bigclive.com/coffee.htm This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty. #ElectronicsCreators