WHAT'S AN LED - THE LED ADVANTAGE, FACTS AND FAQS



  
A LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE (LED) is an electronic light source. The LED was first invented in Russia in the 1920s, and introduced in America as a practical electronic component in 1962. All early devices emitted low-intensity red light, but modern LEDs are available across the visible, ultraviolet and infra red wavelengths, with very high brightness.

LEDs are based on the semiconductor diode. When the diode is forward biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine with holes and energy is released in the form of light. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color of the light is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor. The LED is usually small in area (less than 1 mm2) with integrated optical components to shape its radiation pattern and assist in reflection.

LEDs present many advantages over traditional light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size and faster switching. However, they are relatively expensive and require more precise current and heat management than traditional light sources.

Applications of LEDs are diverse. They are used as low-energy indicators but also for replacements for traditional light sources in general lighting and automotive lighting. The compact size of LEDs has allowed new text and video displays and sensors to be developed, while their high switching rates are useful in communications technology.

THE LED ADVANTAGE:
  • Low energy consumption: LEDs are highly energy-efficient, are available in a wide range of colour temperatures, consume only a few watts of power and emit little waste heat
  • Extremely long life: With average service lives of up to 50,000 hours, LED lamps are perfect for hard-to-reach and maintain fixtures. Besides reducing maintenance, they substantially extend bulb replacement cycles, further cutting costs.
  • LEDs reach full brightness almost instantly unlike compact fluorescents that can take more than minute to achieve their maximum output.
  • Existing lighting technologies are omni-directional and require external, inefficient reflectors to focus the light they emit. LED lighting is by its nature a directional light source, so that light is used efficiently and distributed to exactly where it is needed.
  • Very low early failure rate
  • Smallest dimension
  • Shock and vibration resistant
  • No ultra-violet or infrared radiation
  • Low wattage
  • Negligible heat generation
  • Directed light through optical lenses
  • High color efficiency
  • Secondary Saving Benefits With the extended life span of LED Lamps, there are significant savings to be made with reduced maintenance and lamp replacement costs. Other secondary benefits include reductions in air conditioning costs due to the significantly reduced heat generated by LED lamps.
  • Reduced Deterioration of Cabling and Fittings With a significant reduction in electrical current draw from LED lights, wiring and electrical fittings will suffer less from deterioration and hence last longer.
  • Extended Lifespan of Emergency Battery Systems Where emergency back-up battery systems are in place, the lower electrical draw from LED lamps can reduce the number of batteries required or can significantly extend the lifespan of existing batteries as the natural deterioration in battery run-time is minimized by the low wattage required by LEDs.
  • Reduced New Fitting Costs: Where new fittings are desirable, there is a reduced cost of the fitting as our LED Tubes and 240v LED spots do not require any control gear such as ballasts or transformers. Ideal Lights can supply stripped out fittings at a reduced cost, which are plug-and-play ready for our range of LED products.
  • Enhanced Capital Allowances: In many countries, LED Lighting is now on the Government's Energy Technology List, so that all our LED replacement products qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances, enabling companies to write off this capital expenditure in the first year.
  • Carbon Trust and Loans: In the UK, SMEs and public sector organizations may qualify for interest-free loans that absorb the upfront costs of an energy-saving lighting project. Loan repayments are spread over the length of the project's payback period so that the cost is effectively funded by ongoing energy savings.


LED FACTS
In recent years LEDs have been widely used in very specific applications. However, the technology is now mature and offers effective, competitive and highly advantageous solutions for general lighting applications. A wide range of LED Retrofit Lighting Solutions are available now.

LED Lighting Facts:
  • Energy Efficiency & Reduced consumption of power: LEDs are highly efficient. New LED Retrofit bulbs typically consume only a few watts of power, resulting in massive savings in energy bills compared to their equivalents. LEDs use 15–20% less electricity to produce the same amount of light as a CFL. In addition, they produce more light per watt than incandescent bulbs. Therefore, consumers are slowly accepting the new technology and the demand is shifting toward LEDs.
  • Much brighter than traditional lighting products: LEDs provide a near-point source of light, saturated colors, design flexibility, digital control, etc. The white light has higher efficiency in terms of output compared to other sources of light such as CFLs and incandescent bulbs
  • Long Life and extremely low maintenance costs: LEDs have an extremely long life. They last approximately 20 to 50 times longer than regular incandescent light bulbs. LEDs are projected to produce a long service life of between 10,000 and 50,000 hours.
  • Plug & Play Retrofit: Many LED bulbs are now available as a direct replacement for standard lighting, simply swap out the bulb and plug in the LED replacement.
  • Wide Range of Colours: LED bulbs are available in warm and cool white colour temperatures. The majority of LED bulbs are also available in a wide range of colours, such as red, green, blue, yellow etc. LED effects lighting offers rich vibrant colours that is sure to impress.
  • No UV Emissions / Low Infrared / Low Heat: LEDs produce no UV radiation and relatively little heat, making them ideal for illuminating objects, such as works of art or perishable foot items that are sensitive to heat and UV light.
  • Durable: LEDs are very rugged. They feature no filament that can be damaged due to shock and vibrations.
  • Low Toxicity: Unlike compact fluorescents, LEDs don't contain mercury and hence can be more safely disposed of.
  • Instant On: LEDs reach their full brightness almost instantly, unlike compact fluorescents which can take more than a minute to reach their maximum output.
  • Compact: LED retrofit bulbs are designed fit into existing fittings as they are almost identical in size and shape to the bulbs they replace.
  • Perceived as GREEN: LEDs do not radiate any heat and also do not cause any pollution. Therefore, they are eco-friendly and use green technology. They do not contain mercury and are cool to touch. In addition, they do not give out infrared or ultraviolet radiation. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, the adoption of more energy-efficient lighting systems could help prevent the addition of a cumulative total of approximately 16 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere over the next 25 years. Since LEDs are most energy-efficient among their substitutes, many environmental groups and governments are encouraging their use.
  • Health Benefits: Even though CFLs have a longer life span than other traditional light bulbs (excluding LEDs). They contain mercury, which is linked to cancer, leukaemia and autism. In addition, they are also not recycled properly.


FAQ:

WHAT TECHNOLOGY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
New generation Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that generate 3-5 times more light than previous LED offerings. Emergence of further LED variations: Ultra-high-brightness LEDs (UHB-LEDs) have been launched commercially in many markets. They are brighter with an output greater than 250 lumens, and are therefore, considered a "practical solution" for many lighting, photographic, retail and medical applications. Other variations of LEDs include organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED), light-emitting polymers (LEP), flexible OLED (FOLED) and phosphorescent OLED (PHOLED). These variants have found their innovative use in apparel displays, etc.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ULTRA LOW-ENERGY?
Minimum reduction in energy consumption of 60% and rising to over 90% in some models

HOW LONG IS LONG-LIFE?
LED lamps - an average of 50,000 hours, equivalent to 10-15 years' normal usage

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
LED lamps do not contain any hazardous lead or mercury found in existing fluorescent tubes and so are not subject to WEEE regulations and disposal costs.

AND RETROFIT?
Plug-and-play - these new LED lamps slot directly into standard incandescent, low-energy, halogen and fluorescent light fittings and sockets.