I'm curious about the final financial outcome: after all the rework, mistakes, and learning costs, did the project end up net positive, or was it ultimately a loss?

Great post, I really want to see more stuff like this on HN. And congrats on shipping!

50k lm is quite high. What electric power consumption does it have ? I estimate around 500 Watt, am I right ?

Dang 560 watt draw. About the same ratio as other LED options at 90 limens per watt though.

Just a few slots down in my YC feed: the benefits of bright light

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00373-9

Great write-up! Thanks for sharing your journey

Congratulations on the successful launch and excellent write-up. Hardware is fun but also much more challenging.

The $10 deposit validation approach before committing to manufacturing is underrated. So many hardware projects fail because founders fall in love with the build before confirming anyone will pay.

What stood out to me: the factory miscommunications and quality issues compound because you can't iterate as fast as software. Each mistake costs weeks and thousands of dollars.

For anyone considering hardware: if you're not getting deposits or strong signals of purchase intent before tooling up, you're basically gambling. The author's approach of getting commitments first is the right playbook.

That lamp is a nightmare to someone with migraines.

I want a bright lamp like this but not for $1200...any suggestions?