LED Lighting Guide

Learn About The Benefits of LED Lights

LED Lighting Guide

Are you confused about what type of lighting will be best to light up your home? Are you worried about a high electricity bill but at the same time want the very best for your homes? You might want to consider buying LED lights in such cases to get the best results. Even if you don’t have much idea about LED lighting systems, you do not need to worry. This guide will help you know all you need to about LED lighting and you will be able to confidently choose them according to your needs and choices. If you would like additional advice we recommend you speak to a qualified electrician who can help you decide which choice is best for you.

What is LED lighting?

LEDs are light-emitting diodes and are a type of solid-state lighting requiring the use of semiconductors in order to convert electricity to light. In other words, LED bulbs will emit light when electricity is passed through it.

A bulb can have one or more LEDs in it. LED bulbs have a high life expectancy of almost 25000 hours and leave very less footprint. Due to their efficiency, they are the top choice for many home owners.

Types of LED lighting

Types Of LED Lights

There are three main types of LED lights depending on what you need.

Miniature

They are commonly used as indicators on a variety of digital devices such as mobile phones, television etc. They have a low output and are generally manufactured in the 5V to 12 V range. Generally, they do not have a separate heat sink as they do not require any additional cooling. They come in various shapes and sizes and can either be round or rectangular, with a flat or round tops.

High power

They come in various shapes and sizes and are well known for their high output and the high luminous intensity that they provide. They require a heat sink and are mounted with one as they require a cooling system to help dissipate the heat they produce. LED strips are a common example of a high power light.

Application-based

As the name suggests, these LEDs are application specific. A common example would be the flashing billboard displays commonly found on the street. The flashing property is caused by multivibrators which causes the LED light to flash at a specific time interval. There are also AC-driven LEDs in which the lights are emitted part by part.

Bi color LEDs are also common, consisting of two diodes mounted on a single plane and has two pins. Similar to a bi-color LED is the tri color LED which consists of 2 diodes mounted on three pins.

LED terminology:

Before you decide to purchase, you should become familiar with various common terms that will help you identify what to look for while buying a LED lighting.

LED: LEDs are light emitting diodes – they generally produce colored lights and are convenient for street lights and billboards. However, the color color they emit is made white to make them suitable for homes through a process known as phosphorus conversion, in which phosphorus is put into the light to make it white. Some diodes also use the mixture of RGB (red-green-blue) lights in order to make the light appear white.

Color temperature: This is to determine how “warm” or how “cool” the light is. Bluish tinged lights will tend to have a cooler temperature while yellowish tinged lights tend to keep a room warmer. So you need to pay special attention to the color temperature of the bulb.

There are three common variants of the white light in LED bulbs—the day white or the cool white color with highest luminous intensity thus making it suitable for halls, storage rooms etc. Medium white colors are slightly warmer, making them suitable for offices. The warm white is the best light suitable for rooms and residences, as they most closely resemble tube lights in their hue and warmth.

Lumen: It is a unit used to measure luminous flux, equal to the amount of light emitted every second. Higher lumen indicates that the light emitted in all directions is higher. Common lights have a 360-degree direction. whereas LEDS have only have around 120-degrees. Lumen does not determine the quality of the light, but rather the brightness of the light.

Kelvin Temperature — It is another factor you should look at while buying  LED lighting. The general rule of thumb is that a higher Kelvin temperature signifies a cooler temperature.

Watts: This is the measure of energy and refers to the unit of power. It was invented by James Watts.

Energy savings

LED lights can contribute to saving energy and by reducing your electricity bill by almost half . They can save billions of dollars in electricity each year.

 Top 10 benefits of using LED lights

Benefits of LED Lights

  1. Require less energy to be powered, almost 50 to 70 less than conventional light bulbs. This results in great electricity savings.
  2. Emit very little heat as compared to other light bulbs.
  3. They emit light in only a specific direction which means that there is no need for reflectors and diffusers in order to trap light.
  4. Contain no toxic materials. Other conventional bulbs may use harmful chemicals like mercury. They are 100% recyclable and thus can reduce carbon footprints.
  5. They last longer than traditional bulbs. While they may cost more, they are cheaper in the long run when you compare costs.
  6. They produce very less infrared and UV emissions and thus are very good for heat or UV-sensitive materials.
  7. Operational under any temperature.
  8. Can run in a low-voltage power supply, and can even be powered up with a solar energy.
  9. Available in almost any shape to suit style, illuminance and decoration.
  10. Highly energy efficient; converting 80% of electricity to energy as compared with traditional bulbs that convert only 20%.

CFL bulbs vs LED bulbs

A CFL is a compact fluorescent light bulb that is a common alternative to incandescent light bulbs as they are comparatively more efficient. In this bulb electric current flows through a tube containing mercury vapour and argon and this in turn creates invisible UV light which excites a coating on the inside of the tube, creating light.

So should you buy a CFL bulb or a LED bulb. Here is a comparison which will help you choose:

1.Cost: CFL bulbs cost less than LED bulbs. However, LED bulbs are better worth their price as they last longer. CFL bulbs are furthermore less durable than LED’s, and once they are broken they are useless.

2. Toxic chemicals: CFL bulbs require mercury vapour for operation, which can be extremely dangerous and toxic for the body. Mercury is difficult to dispose of as well. On the other hand, LED bulbs contain no mercury, are recyclable and eco-friendlier.

3. Efficiency: A CFL bulb generally lasts for 8000 hours while LEDs can last upto 25000 hours while emitting the equivalent amount of light. With LEDs you can save hundreds of dollars each year! Thus LED lights are doubtless more energy efficient.

4. Mode of operation: LEDs emit light through the passage of electric current, while CFLs require mercury vapour and argon to help generate light.

Installation Advice

Although some LED’s come as a plug-n-play option (ready to install) into your current fittings, most will require a professional electrician. We advise to always contact your local electrician prior to purchasing from a store. Sometimes you can land a better deal from the tradie, they often have a wholesale agreement with many suppliers. If you are still unsure which light is right for you, contact the team from Pro Electrician Melbourne and ask to speak with a licensed contractor who specialises in LED’s.

 Conclusion

While most people are familiar with CFLs as a convenient option for lighting up their homes, LEDs are the way to go if you want quality and at the same time contribute toward a greener planet. With their durability and ease of using, they will soon become the prime choice of lighting up homes. They are highly versatile, not only in shapes, but the type of light they emit and also in

They are highly versatile, not only in shapes, but the type of light they emit and also in colors, and hence, you can use them both for daily purposes or for original lighting. Therefore, the next time you browse online or hit the market for lights, always look for LED lights. Look at the lumen and watts carefully and then choose the best one for you! If you are looking for LED Lighting in Melbourne check out our saes page here.