Monday, April 28, 2008
Foot Pedal Faucet Controller
from: http://www.metaefficient.com/bathroom-products/efficient-foot-pedal-faucet-controllers.html
Efficient: Foot Pedal Faucet Controllers
April 23rd, 2008 · 2 Comments
Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a faucet hands-free. These devices are efficient and hygienic — they are commonly found in commercial kitchens and hospitals. I’m not sure why we don’t see them in more homes. You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be saving power too.
At a sink, you control the flow of a faucet with a pedal much like the accelerator in a car. It’s easier to turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth, shaving, or doing the dishes. In a four-person household, the use of pedal controllers in the kitchen alone can save up to 7500 gallons of water annually, as well as conserve the energy needed to heat those gallons.
Hand-free faucet controllers also guard against the transfer of bacteria between faucet fixtures and hand. They are particularly useful when your hands have paint or soil on them.
Pedal controllers can be installed relatively easily under the sink, although most do require an electrical connection.
Some foot pedal faucet controllers retailers are: Faucet Control, Foot Faucet and Chicago Faucet Shoppe.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
13W LED Bulb
From http://www.metaefficient.com/leds/13w-led-bulb-can-replace-100w-incandescent.html
13W LED Bulb Can Replace 100W Incandescent
April 22nd, 2008 · 4 Comments
This 13 watt bulb, the Evolux by EarthLED, is said to be first LED light to be able to replace a 100 watt incandescent. The lifetime of this bulb is rated at over 50,000 hours — which is five times longer than a compact fluorescent bulb. Other advantages of LED bulbs is their ability to brighten instantly, and be switched off and on rapidly without problems. They also contain no mercury. LED-based bulbs do, however, require more energy to manufacture that CFL or incandescents.
The Evolux uses a CREE light engine, and it contains a small fan to cool the circuit board. EarthLED has a video of the bulb in action, and also some photos showing the type of the light it renders. The Evolux bulb sells about $90 right now. If you are serious about energy efficiency, or if you’re using solar power, this might be the bulb for you.