Question 1

How are LEDs different from other light sources, such as incandescent, halogen and fluorescent lights?"

Accepted Answer

LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) represent the most profound advancement in lighting technology since the invention of the incandescent bulb and differ from other lighting in several ways:·
 
They produce light very efficiently. An electrical current passes through semiconducting material and illuminates the tiny light sources we call LEDs. They are designed to operate with only 2-17 watts of electricity which is between one-third and one-thirtieth of incandescent or CFL light sources.·
 
They aredirectional light sources. This means the light is emitted in a specific direction, unlike incandescent and fluorescent bulbs which emit light—and heat—in all directions. For this reason, LED lighting is able to use light and energy more efficiently in many applications.·
 
They produce little to no heat. LED lighting systems don’t radiate heat the way incandescent and halogen light bulbs do. The heat produced from the power going into the fixture is drawn away from the bulb, usually with a heat sink. This thermal management contributes to the long lifespans of LEDs because high heats degrade a light faster, shortening its useful life.·
 
Lifespan: up to 50,000 hours.
 
Traditional Incandescent Light
 
Invented by Thomas Edison nearly 120 years ago, these are the original light bulbs. They contain a filament that is heated up until it emits light and, as a result, release 90% of their energy as heat instead of light. Filaments in incandescent bulbs are fragile and burn out or break relatively easily, and some countries have begun to intentionally phase out the use of incandescent light bulbs.
 
Lifespan: 750-1,000 hours
 
Traditional Halogen Light
 
The standard halogen is a modern, more efficient version of Edison's incandescent bulb. However, they produce four times the amount of heat than the average incandescent bulb. The filament of a 500-watt halogen bulb can reach temperatures of over 1,200°C, creating a fire hazard. Curtains and other combustible materials may ignite if they get too close or are in contact with the bulb.
 
Lifespan: between 2,250 to 3,500 hours
 
Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL)
 
In CFL bulbs, an electric current flows between electrodes at each end of a gas-filled tube. This reaction produces heat and ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light comes in contact with a phosphor coating on the inside of the tube, converting it into visible light.Fluorescent lighting carries the old negative stigma of providing the institutional, headache-inducing flickering and noisy light. CFLs are more energy efficient than incandescent and halogen lights (they require about a quarter of the energy to produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs), but they contain mercury which presents disposal issues and environmental concerns.
 
Life span: up to 10,000 hours.

Question 2

Benefits of LED Lighting?

Accepted Answer

LED Light technology has many advantages over other types of lighting: They have longer lifespans and consume less energy than traditional lighting units, they emit almost no heat and contain fewer pollutants, they are incredibly durable, and are gentle on the eyes, among other benefits. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the adoption of LED lighting over the next 20 years in the United States could save about $265 billion in energy costs and replace the construction of 40 new power plants.
 
Long Lifespan
 
An LED light bulb lasts 50 to 100 times longer than an incandescent light bulb and 5 to 10 times longer than a fluorescent light bulb. The operational life expectancy of an LED is between 30,000 and 100,000 hours (or 11 years of continuous operation!), depending on the power supply used. Even the lowest life expectancy of an LED bulb is significantly higher than that of traditional light bulbs, reducing time spent on maintenance and cost of replacing the unit. Furthermore, LEDs don’t burn out in the same way a standard light does. Instead of suddenly burning out, the lighting diodes begin to be emitted at lower levels, reducing brightness over a long period of time.
 
Low Heat and Energy-Efficient
 
The main difference between standard bulbs and LED bulbs is the energy consumption. LED lighting units emit little to no heat which saves energy because it is not being lost as heat instead of light (incandescent lights lose about 80% of energy to heat). Therefore, these lights require much less energy—up to 92% less! This low energy consumption will save on energy bills and the low heat emission makes them a safer lighting option.
 
Toxin and UV Free
 
LED lights are free of toxic materials and chemicals. Most conventional fluorescent lighting bulbs contain pollutants such as mercury, which are harmful to the environment.
 
They also produce little infrared light and close to no UV emissions, so this light can be used to illuminate objects sensible to UV radiation such a documents or paintings.
 
Durable
 
LEDs are not designed with filament or glass but with hard, durable components. Because of this, they are less vulnerable to damage by heat, cold, vibrations, or external impacts. Many LEDs can be exposed to weather, external vandalism, and construction or manufacturing sites.
 
Instant and Dimmable Lighting
 
You don´t have to wait! When an LED Light is powered on, it brightens immediately.  Traditional lighting may take several seconds or even minutes to reach full brightness. Furthermore, LEDs can be designed to have a dimming switch, making the brightness level adjustable.
 
Comfortable on the Eyes
 
White and soft white LED lights produce a full-spectrum light closely resembling daylight, illuminating tasks and enhancing work, school, and retail environments. LEDs can provide exceptional directional lighting to brighten a work area or create a bright but comfortable light for showcasing retail products.
 
Versatile
 
LEDs can come in a large variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, broadening the possibilities of uses. They aren’t only for lighting professionals either—they can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone!

Question 3

Terms to Know

Accepted Answer

Familiarize yourself with some of the technical terms pertaining to LEDs and LED products! Understanding the vocabulary will help you decide which LED fixtures and accessories will be best for your lighting project.
 
Lifespanor Average Life- estimate of the operating time an LED light will last, in hours. For example, the lifespan of an incandescent bulb is approximately 1,000 hours and the lifespan of an LED light can be as long as 100,000 hours!
 
Beam Angle- the angle at which the light is emitted from the bulb.  A larger beam angle will illuminate a larger surface area from the same distance as a light with a smaller beam angle.
 
Color Temperature (K)- measured in Kelvins, the color temperature defines whether a light appears warm, neutral, or cool. The higher the value of K, the cooler the light will appear. (click here to see LED Light Color Chart)
 
Lumens (Lm)- the quantity of light, or brightness, that the human eye perceives. The higher the lumen value, the brighter the light appears.
 
Watts (W)- a measurement of the electrical power, or energy consumption, of a lighting unit. With incandescent bulbs, consumers equated watts with brightness. This is, in fact, wrong! LEDs use significantly less watts but are able to produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs.
 
SMD LED- surface mount device light emitting diode, a type of LED chip that creates a high level of brightness and a wide light beam angle while consuming less power. It is mounted and soldered onto any circuit board or inside a fixture.
 
RGB/ Multicolored LED- a type of LED that contains red (R), green (G) and blue (B) light within one chip. These three colors combined at equal strength result in a white light but can be mixed by an RGB Controller in countless combinations to create any color on the visible light spectrum. The user may also be able to set the unit to a color-changing pattern in which the lights fade, flash, or pulse.

Question 4

How efficient are LED lights?

Accepted Answer

The best LED lights on the market exceed the efficiency of CFL and HID light sources by far. In most cases, they can reduce energy consumption by up to 90%. On average, LED lights are the most efficient light source today.
 
A 60W incandescent bulb obviously uses 60 Watts. The CFL equivalent uses between 13 and 15 Watts and the LED equivalent uses only 6-8 Watts. This difference is even more significant when we talk about the kW/Hour used on a yearly basis. An average Incandescent bulb uses 3,285 kW/Hour. The average CFL light uses 767 kW/Hour and the average LED: 329 kW/Hour . Moreover, the longer you use LED, the difference keeps on increasing.

Question 5

How long do LED lights last?

Accepted Answer

High-quality LED lights have an expected lifetime between 50,000 and 100,000 hours. Just to compare, average incandescent lights last up to 1,000 hours, average CFL lights between 8,000 and 10,000, while the best-quality fluorescent lights can last up to 30,000 hours.

Question 6

How much money can you save if you convert to LED?

Accepted Answer

If you’re planning to switch to LED lights, you’re probably eager to learn about the cost benefits. While this can vary widely based on the LED products you choose and your application, we created a table comparing the average lifespan, use of electricity, cost of electricity and the total operational cost of traditional bulbs compared to LED lights so you can get an idea.
 
Here we compared high-quality LED lights, high-quality CFL lights, and the incandescent lights. The difference is obvious. Switching from incandescent lights to LED in a home will save $278 per bulb over 23 years. If we take into consideration that the average home has approximately 40 light bulbs, this amounts to $11,120 USD in 23 years!
 
With CFL lights, the difference isn’t so drastic but savings would still amount to over $1,100 in 23 years. Plus, there is no risk of exposure to UV or mercury and LED lights do not require special disposal.

Question 7

Do LED lights generate the same light output?

Accepted Answer

The main unit for incandescent bulb light output is wattage. Thus, the more watts a bulb has, the brighter it would be. However, that's not the case with LED lights, as they generate the same or greater light output by consuming up to 10 times less energy.
 
Today we focus on lumens to measure brightness, while wattage is more suited to measuring energy usage. Since LED lights generate higher light output than incandescent lights and use fewer watts, this also means more lumens per watt.
 
Incandescent lights normally produce 10-12 lumens per watt, CFL lights: 50-60 lumens per watt and LED lights start at 70+ lumens per watt. Many commercial LED lights are capable of generating 120+ lumens/watt or more!

Question 8

What is CRI?

Accepted Answer

Another important indicator of the quality of light is the Color-Rendering Index (CRI). This is a measurement of how a light source renders the color of objects, compared to an ideal or natural lighting source. CRI is measured on a scale between 0 and 100, with 100 representing natural daylight. This means that the higher CRI rating gives a truer color rendering and appearance. Some LED lights even have CRI values of 90 or higher.
 
High-CRI LED lights are a smart choice for industrial and commercial lighting or office spaces since poor lighting can often lead to headaches and eyestrain. LED technology provides a crisp and bright light which comes close to the natural daylight. This can lead to a better mood and morale, especially on dark, winter days.

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