How Are Led Cat's Eye Powered

[Beswad]

I always wondered how they are powered. Are they hard wire to a power source or solar?

[Mamyalynne]

//The lights have a battery which is capable of storing up to 200 hours worth of charge, which means they work even on days when there is little light.//


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11845616/End-of-the-road-for-cats-eyes.html

[Old_Geezer]

200 hours is just over 8 days. Earlier they claimed 10. Even at 10 days charge the question of how it recharges is valid. Do they do so via solar, or the action of driving over them ? Or does the authorities have to change them every 10 days ? All seems rather unanswered.

[dannyk13]

Solar powered

[Old_Geezer]

Aye, just found this.
http://cleantechnica.com/2009/01/17/luna-road-unveils-solar-powered-led-cat-eyes/

[Mamyalynne]

Yes it says they are solar powered in the link I gave above - hard wired in tunnels.

[Old_Geezer]

Darn. Read all the article and still managed to miss that. I used to think I could spot detail but as I age it seems I can no longer do so :-(

[Mamyalynne]

I read it extra carefully as I didn't want to add a totally useless link - I have done that in the past.

[ToraToraTora]

originally they where not powered at all, merely reflectors.

[Zacs-Master]

Invented by a Yorkshireman!

[Mamyalynne]

Good old Percy.

[Bazile]

The guy who invented cats eyes - is royalties still being paid to his estate or did he sell his rights ?

[mikey4444]

The older type of cats eyes were just reflective...reflecting the headlights.

But the newest type are indeed solar powered, which is why you can see them shining in your rear-view mirror !

Terribly clever !

[dannyk13]

Bazile- Percy Shaw died in 1976

[mikey4444]

How many lives did Percy's little invention save of the years ?

[Old_Geezer]

No way of telling. Any number from zero to millions.

[mikey4444]

I am guessing an awful lot OG !

[Davemano]

They must need to be earthed, that's why they are on the ground!!!!!!

[Old_Geezer]

Well they tried them 2 foot above ground but folk kept getting their headlights smashed.

[ladybirder]

My father was so cheesed off that he never invented them - such a simple but brilliant idea.

[vulcan42]

The old reflective cats eyes had a self cleaning system, do the new Led types have a similar system or do they not need cleaning?