LED lighting has become very trendy in recent years for products such as flashlights, and interior track lighting. Small and efficient, these lights are energy efficient and easy to install. But, what is LED lighting and what makes it a good choice for many lighting needs?
History
LED lights were a part of our lives for tens of years before they came into popular use. The first LED lights developed in 1961 were infrared LED´s like the red light that makes a remote control work. One year later, red visible spectrum LED´s were invented. Eventually, a rainbow of colors was available and put into use in such products as digital clocks. White light was only possible by placing red, green, and blue lights together in 1993 when a phosphor coating was developed that made the light emitted from blue bulbs seem white. Now, white LED´s are by far the most popular, with new uses for LED´s realized every day.
How It Works
What is LED lighting technology? The LED, or Light Emitting Diode, is a simple semi-conductor with extra electrons added to make it more conductive to electricity. The moving atoms in diodes made of certain materials release basic units of light called photons. The frequency of the photons, or the color of the light emitted, depends on the distance that the electrons travel. The rounded plastic bulb directs the light towards the tip, making them very bright considering their size.
Efficiency
What is LED lighting doing to benefit household electric bills? The brightness of light bulbs is stated in terms of lumens per watt. The higher the lumens per watt, the more light is achieved for the buck spent on electricity. Incandescent bulbs fall in the area of 15 lumens per watt while halogen and compact fluorescent lights are about 20 and 60 lumens per watt respectively. As LED´s do not have a burning filament, they produce virtually no heat, focusing the electricity on creating light. What is LED lighting efficiency? Though the efficiency rating of most white LED´s is only around 20 lumens per watt, the efficiency of LED comes into play for small areas that need lighting as fewer bulbs are needed.
Other Benefits
As LED lights are small, rugged and plastic, they are much more durable than other types of bulbs and can be used in a variety of tight places where light is desired. Also, they can handle being turned on and off frequently, a problem with other types of light bulbs. Unlike filament bulbs, LED´s do not burn out or flicker. Instead, LED lighting puts out constant light that gradually reduces in intensity. It takes about 50,000 to 100,000 hours of use before the amount of light put out by an LED is low enough to warrant replacement.
LED lighting is becoming much less expensive and has proven to be an efficient way to provide light to small spaces and to offer directed light. These tiny semi-conductors can be used almost anywhere and do not break nearly as easily as other light bulbs. The next time lighting needs to be replaced, consider LED lighting as a stylish energy efficient alternative to incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.
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