Hi Bob,

Interesting. I would guess that this issue of life is due to
overdriving the IR emitter with pulses of high current? or are you
saying that IR LEDs fail early even when operated at low to moderate
current?

Do you know where I could find more info on this? I may run into the
same problem with the "roll-your-own" solution.

I don't have to deal with direct sunlight as this is indoors only and
the direction of the transmission is vertical and the detector is
facing downward and covering the transmitter.

Sean


On Sun, Jun 5, 2011 at 6:35 PM, Bob Axtell <engineer@cotse.net> wrote:
> There is an almost-hidden defect in the IRDA module that is often
> overlooked: loss of
> IR emitter intensity over time. If you need 10+ years of life, IRDA is
> the wrong device unless it is
> used infrequently, like taking a meter =A0reading, or checking status
> monthly, etc.
>
> Every time I tried to use an IRDA or a TV-style IR remote system, I was
> foiled by one thing
> or another. Mostly the problem was loss of distance in sunlight. Works
> to 50m at night but
> in daylight you are lucky to have one meter of distance.
>
> --Bob A
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