Whether you are simply curious about the new LED home lighting solutions or already know a bit about LED technology the fact is that LED lighting is the future not CFLs.
This article aims to clear up some of the confusion that surrounds the various low energy domestic lighting solutions currently available to consumers, looks at what you need to know about low energy lighting and installing low energy light bulbs and provides a simple guide and helpful LED lighting advice for anyone unfamiliar with evaluating LED lighting.
Shedding some light on the lighting’s background.
The lighting systems we are most familiar with in a domestic setting are based on GLS (General Lighting Service ) light bulbs – these are incandescent filaments that literally burn. This burning in the bulb converts their input energy into 98% heat with the remainder 2% given off as incidental light.
GLS bulbs have a typical lifespan of 1000 hours, at which point, having converted your non-cheap electricity into vastly more heat than light, also need to be replaced often. To give some replacement cycle understanding, if you started out in life with a single GLS light bulb that you used for just 3 hours per each day, you would need to re-purchase over 130 replacements during the course of your life.
At approximately $1 per light bulb say, that’s $130. To add to the already extreme cost of replacing the GLS-bulb in your kitchen, the cost far exceeds the replacement when you add energy at somewhere above $1300 in electricity bills. WOW! When can I go to my vacation trip or move this in my investment account?
And that’s just ONE crummy little light bulb for a few small hours each day. Now you know one reason why your electricity bill is so high. An easy solution to building your son’s or daughter’s college fund is just a few light bulbs away.
Reality sets in demonstrating regular GLS incandescent light bulbs are economically a poor choice for your family and an extremely bad way to light our world. It’s already hot in the southwest, and you are using your air conditioning to keep them cool. So this means all of us are generating a huge amount of waste energy on heat. If we invested in this stock, Heat radiating at 98% and just 2% for light production, bad odds for a poor performing 401k. Then to add to the production of the product, all the gas heat and electric heat needed by lighting manufacturers to make all those replacement light bulbs. There is a disposal issue just waiting to be told but we will skip it.
Governments everywhere are alarmed by this and many governments in the developed world have enacted legislation to phase out the production of GLS and use for standard incandescent bulbs by 2013. By 2015, it will be illegal to use this technology because of implications to our secondary and third energy conditions and requirements.
In 3 to 5 short years, GLS light bulbs will no longer be available anywhere in the world.
What needs to be understood with low energy using light bulbs? There are many problems with CFL light bulbs compared to GLS and LED lighting, but the short answer is that they are bad news on all fronts. One major issue is CFL’s are extremely toxic and they can kill your child if they come into contact with the mercury inside the glass. Put all these lights in the landfills, and we are waiting for the next super fund site never witnessed before in the history of our world.
Total cost of ownership for CFLs are poor because of the purchase and running costs put together. Light quality is extremely bad, bulbs are bulky, they are noisy, most cannot be dimmed and energy efficiency is not great, and the best attribute is CFLs contain toxic mercury vapor and are therefore hazardous waste.
Even the lighting industry is ready to go beyond CFLs and into a lighting technology that really can deliver safe, high-quality light that is low-cost, low-energy, low-heat, low-carbon footprint, with ultra long life-spans.
The lighting industry is the sharp end of the reality statement for global warming and the energy crisis accompanying oil depletion. Even the best oil reserved countries are now stating they are out of oil and the solution that the lighting industry giants such as Philips have now put their investment behind LED energy saving lighting.
How and Where To Use LED Lighting
The first thing to understand about LED lamps is that the light they emit is directional – most are focused on a single spot. So they are an excellent choice for lighting applications that have similar characteristics. Some examples are as follows:
garden lighting
street lamps
tube lighting
spot lights
accent lighting
sconce lighting
tracks and clusters
recessed down lights
security lighting
walk-in closets
desk lamps
decorative & feature lighting
garden lighting
Most homes and businesses use this type of lighting in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and basements.
Try replacing your halogen spotlights with the CREE 3-Watt XLamp which is available in a full range of colors, and with a maximum luminous flux above 90 lumens for a regular 35w halogen.
Less obvious uses of halogen lighting are desk lamps or slim cabinet lights, which use G4 halogen capsules. These lamps are cost effectively when replaced with LED G4 capsules that simply push into the existing fitting.
Domestic LED lighting is also particularly effective in situations that have no natural light at all and can therefore use only artificial light, since LED lights have a light quality that is unique and in many ways more versatile than traditional lighting. A really great basement idea could create for example using a mixture of colored LED mood lights and cool LED spots. So, when planning any new DIY projects, consider how and where you might incorporate LED lighting to add a new dimension, as well as saving you real money long term and helping the environment. Basements, workshops, garages and the like also often have T8 fluorescent tubes fitted and these are great candidates to replace with LED T8 tubes that cost less to run, don’t need replacing as often, don’t induce flickering and give off almost no heat so less energy used by your air conditioning.
LED lights also work well in strips, so replacing T5 fluorescent tubes under kitchen units and lighting inside cupboards are both excellent applications, not least because LED kitchen lighting gives off almost no heat, and their super-bright light is required in a small area rather than spread widely. LEDs are still limited for round illumination such as a table lamp with a lamp shade. Although, we see LED candle and LED GLS replacement globe bulbs outperforming general domestic incandescent lighting.
Compare LED to 100w incandescent bulb and LEDs are powered by a mere 13w LED chip that will last for 50,000 hours and deliver massive savings in electricity costs even with the high price still represents excellent value for the money.
So LED lighting is currently best at directional lighting.
LED Equivalent Wattages
Next, we need to understand power ratings. We are used to traditional light bulbs being rated according to their wattage; the amount of energy they use. Understanding what we know, 100w is pretty bright while 40w is comfortable in a lounge for example and 10w is basically a courtesy or night light.
Low energy LED lights don’t conform to this scale because they don’t consume anywhere close to the same amount of electricity since nearly all their input power is converted to light rather than wasted as heat. So how do we compare the two?
As a guide, simply divide an incandescent wattage rating by ten. An example: To replace a 60w halogen lamp, both 12 volt MR16 and GU10 fittings commonly available for LED replacements, a LED spot light rated at 7w would probably be the best replacement. Move up 12w and your LED is going to be closer to a regular floodlight.
The angle of the light beam from the lamp has a considerable impact. A narrow angle, say 40 degrees or less will shine all of its light onto a relatively focused area which will appear very bright. A wider angle, anything from 70 to 120 degrees for example, will disperse the illumination over a wider area but because the light is diluted less light will shine brightly.
Where to Buy LED Home Lighting
We recommend buying LED home lighting from your local Lowe’s Home Improvement stores. If you are new to low energy LED home lighting then someone is always available at a Lowe’s store to assist you.
Unlike traditional light bulbs, LED lighting is a long term investment. It will without a doubt save ton of money in the years (decades in fact).
Most LED lights actually cost less to run than to purchase – and since they last for a very, very long time it’s a staggering fact.
There is no reason at all why you shouldn’t buy LED light bulbs direct online – but it would be sensible to first get to know which particular types of LED lamp suit you and your requirements and then to stick to buying from reputable web sites that offer warranties. You tend to get what you pay for and when buying low energy consumption domestic LED lighting the best advice is to buy top quality brands. You’ll always save money in the long run.
If you have any questions please visit our web site at www.phoenixenergyproducts.com or contact us at (623) 806-8806.
