New LED traffic lights causing accidents

[RadiomanATL]

LED lights: Going "green" causes unintended problem for public works crews in West Bend - WITI

All of the snow we had this week formed a white cap on a lot of the traffic lights in West Bend. The old incandescent lights usually provided enough warmth to melt away those snow caps. But the new LED lights generate hardly any heat. Therefore, the snow stays and prevents drivers from seeing the signals.

West Bend officials say the LED traffic lights save the city nearly $100 a month at each of its 24 intersections.

OK, So they save the city $100 per month at each intersection. $2400 total for the intersections. $28,800 per year. BUT it costs the city to have four, 2 person crews scrape the ice and snow from the lenses each snowstorm. I gotta think that the cost of these 8 guys doing this job during the winter months costs more than $28,800. Not to mention the traffic accidents that were caused by the lights.

Hey, I have a solution. Put the old ones back up.

 

[Meister]

LED lights: Going "green" causes unintended problem for public works crews in West Bend - WITI

All of the snow we had this week formed a white cap on a lot of the traffic lights in West Bend. The old incandescent lights usually provided enough warmth to melt away those snow caps. But the new LED lights generate hardly any heat. Therefore, the snow stays and prevents drivers from seeing the signals.

West Bend officials say the LED traffic lights save the city nearly $100 a month at each of its 24 intersections.

OK, So they save the city $100 per month at each intersection. $2400 total for the intersections. $28,800 per year. BUT it costs the city to have four, 2 person crews scrape the ice and snow from the lenses each snowstorm. I gotta think that the cost of these 8 guys doing this job during the winter months costs more than $28,800. Not to mention the traffic accidents that were caused by the lights.

Hey, I have a solution. Put the old ones back up.

Yeah, but does it cut down on energy consumption? Screw the attrition, let's be green and save energy.

 

[Old Rocks]

Of course, a real engineer, rather than going into a paraxism of political negativity, would simply do the same for the lights as they have for rear windows on cars. Have a small net of wires that heat on signal, and melt the snow off. Since the heat is not needed a majority of the time, it would consume little energy, and solve the problem.

But it is more fun to go apolectic in a fit of Conservative idiocy than addressing a simple problem.

 

[RadiomanATL]

Of course, a real engineer, rather than going into a paraxism of political negativity, would simply do the same for the lights as they have for rear windows on cars. Have a small net of wires that heat on signal, and melt the snow off. Since the heat is not needed a majority of the time, it would consume little energy, and solve the problem.

But it is more fun to go apolectic in a fit of Conservative idiocy than addressing a simple problem.

Putting those things up would probably use as much energy as the old bulbs. It addresses the simple problem, but with the same end result of no savings.

And an "apolectic in a fit of Conservative idiocy"? I think you misunderstand.

 

[Old Rocks]

Now why would they use the same amount? The heat would only be on when needed. I am just a simple millwright, but even I can build a circuit that would turn on the heat only when the lights were covered with snow.

 

[RadiomanATL]

Now why would they use the same amount? The heat would only be on when needed. I am just a simple millwright, but even I can build a circuit that would turn on the heat only when the lights were covered with snow.

You can build one, good.

Can you build one that doesn't use as much energy as a lightbulb is the question. And can you then have them installed in all the traffic signals, along with a temperature sensor, at such a low cost to make the LED's still economically feasible.

IOW:

LED lights + Temp sensor + heating sensor + installation costs < savings from using LED's.

I'm pretty sure that costs involved would not be recouped by the city easily or quickly. If at all.

The LED lights for traffic signals were a good idea, but practically they fail in the real world. Use them in lights that are downward facing, like regular streetlights instead. No snow/ice problem.

 

[Old Rocks]

Hmmmm. So why is there a temperature sensor? Or a heat sensor? Use your head.

 

[RadiomanATL]

Hmmmm. So why is there a temperature sensor? Or a heat sensor? Use your head.

Ummm....because you don't want the thing to turn on in the summer when it makes no sense to?

Take yer own advice.

 

[Old Rocks]

The problem is not the cold. The only problem is when the light is covered with ice or snow. So you put a sensor out in front of the light. If the light is not recieved for a certain period of time, say triple the time for the light switch, the heat is turned on. When the ice or snow is melted then light is recieved, and the heat is turned off. It would not turn on in the summer. And the price of the additional circuit and wire probably would not equal one months savings.