I was using my iPhone 6 slowmo video (240 fps) feature to test out the PWM on my laptop screens, and noticed that all the LED bulbs in my office flickered pretty noticeably when playing back the video. I did't know if that was normal, so tried doing the same with other bulbs around the house. The florescent kitchen lights on electronic ballasts did not flicker, and neither did this one set of LED bulbs I put in the laundry room.

Those LED bulbs that did not flicker, I happened to purchase from the local orange big box hardware store a few months ago, just cause they seemed different, are GE Bright Stik. More details on the GE website:
http://www.gelighting.com/LightingWeb/na/solutions/led-lamps-and-modules/general-purpose/led-bright-stik.jsp

I am not sure why these don't flicker, if they are really DC LEDs that have a converter built into the base, or maybe more advanced driver that smooths out the AC frequency dropouts that causes the flicker.

I can post a video of this on youtube if anyone would like to see them.

    megaladon999 I can post a video of this on youtube if anyone would like to see them.

    Please do - have you noticed any effect from them?

      2 months later

      On a German website I found a big promising list of flicker free LED bulbs available at least in Germany:
      http://www.derlichtpeter.de/testergebnisse/

      FfT means "flicker free techniqually", which should be our first choice.
      FfH means "flicker free for humans" which is worse.

      What they list is the so called "Compact flicker degree" (CFD). It looks complicated, and I have no idea what it really means. I didn't find an English Wikipedia entry for this.
      If someone finds a link which explains it in English, please share. Here he explains it in German: http://www.derlichtpeter.de/der-kompaktflimmergrad-cfd/
      It seems there are a lot of ways to measure "flicker" degree. This CFD method is some complex formula as opposed to other "easy" ways like (MaxLight-MinLight)/MaxLight.

      I think the listed bulbs may operate in some other European countries, too. Not sure about other world regions. I think there are different technical standards (50 Hz vs 60 Hz and others...).
      But maybe some of you live in Europe so it may help you.

      Edit: He recently invented his measurement method himself, that's probably why it's not known yet internationally.

      4 days later

      I bought a filament LED lamp that's in the list. It's a "Flicker free technically" one. My eyes hurt after a few minutes and I'm on the verge of a headache. Couldn't detect any flicker with Viso Systems app and didn't see any lines with 1/8000 camera shutter speed. Not sure what's going on. Either I'm a living high frequency detector or there's something else to light. This is not promising. I guess I should stockpile lots of incandescent bulbs.

        KM Better to be safe than sorry.

        • KM likes this.
          a month later
          5 months later

          KM The Fft bulbs you bought go dark for a 1/10000 second or less at different frequencies. Also tried some Fft bulbs and got a head ache.

          Until they figure out how to make a small enough DC LED driver(or at least 40kHz driver) to fit inside the bulb we all should stay away from LED bulbs.

              4 days later

              ensete Would be real progress. Canada has been more fortunate though.

                15 days later

                I plan to buy incandescent bulbs but how do I know which one's are legit? arent most of them banned from obama administration where only the bad energy saving ones are left in the market now? has Trump signed an executive order to stop that regulation?

                  ctsai89 He has not. I wild encourage you to write and call your Congressman and ask them support reintroduction of the BULB act ( H.R. 849 )

                  You can still purchase incandescent bulbs, just not the same ones you used to. Rough service bulbs running at 130v are still available for purchase. You can Google lighting retailers and find out whats out there

                      ctsai89 Well if you want to be correct and not just angry, it was George H.W Bush who initally signed the regulations 🙁

                          JTL Well aware of the EISA legislation 🙂 I'm not to concerned with who passed it, I just want the BULB act to be resubmitted and passed. It lefts the restrictions on the incandescent light bulb manufacturer.

                              ensete Yup. Let the free market sort it out like a real conservative.

                                JTL Bush and Obama are both terrible idiots who didn't know what to do.

                                • JTL replied to this.

                                    ensete

                                    so you're saying none of those incandescent bulbs that are available now are anything close to something you guys are ok with like the way they used to be? or are they acceptable?

                                      Can you import old regular bulbs from other countries? Maybe that's an option. In Europe they are not manufactured anymore but you can still buy them. The factories have produced large stocks before the ban. 1 bulb 60W = ~0,90 to 1,20 €

                                      Edit: Maybe they'll be much darker because of the difference 220V vs 110V

                                      ctsai89 Bush and Obama are both terrible idiots who didn't know what to do.

                                      Or just pushed by the LED lobby and such. Is there going to be a Politics section on this forum soon? 😃

                                          JTL Whatever anyone thinks of current or past executive administrations in the US (and nothing to be gained by discussing it either), Congress is and has been in the hands of lobbyists for decades. Best thing is to put pressure on your local elected representative. and let them know where you stand, showing common decency and if they are of your political ideology, you could let them know you are willing to help with their primary or something like that. I'm not American so I can't help but in my experience in dealing with politicians calling is much more effective than other methods to apply pressure.

                                          • JTL likes this.

                                            https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/258593090107998208?lang=en

                                            • JTL replied to this.
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