LED Lights Benefits And Cons

LED lighting is not the latest technology; actually, it is around us from the 1960's. LED light bulbs were in the beginning used as an alternative for incandescent indicators and displays in lab device and eventually in TV's, different watches, radios and hand calculators. LED values have just recently has lowered enough to make them viable for residential and industrial markets. LED home lighting can include anything from outdoor to Xmas lights. With the current looming energy crisis in South Africa, and pressure exerted on governments and businesses alike for more sustainable energy solutions, LED lights have a vibrant future in space lighting solutions.

Major benefits of using LED lights

First of all, LED lights are far more efficient than any other lights alternative commercially available at the moment. LED bulbs have a 100000 hour lifespan, and will last for 11 years at continuous operation, or 22 years at fifty% operation. Compare this to the approximate lifespan of 5000 hrs for an incandescent light bulb and ten thousand hours for a fluorescent light. Many businesses find the lifespan of LED light bulbs very attractive - imagine only have to alter the signage on a business property once every 11 years. With incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, the real cost of the bulb should include the labor charge and time required to replace them. LED lights virtually eliminate lighting maintenance costs.

The second large benefit and key strength of using LED lighting over conventional lighting is the decreased power consumption. LED bulb is capable of converting 80% of the electrical energy used into light energy. The remaining 20% electrical energy is left as heat energy. Incandescent light bulbs only convert 20% of the electrical energy used into actual light energy, which means that a staggering eighty% of electrical energy is lost as heat energy. If you compare the 80% efficiency of LED lights with the 20% efficiency of incandescent lights, the optimal selection of light bulb is quite apparent.

Large drawbacks of using LED lighting

The primary limitation is the present high cost of LED light bulbs. Even though the cost of LED lights in South Africa is steadily decreasing, replacing a 100W incandescent light bulb with a LED substitute can cost about 5000 rupees. The starting price may appear frightening, but LED light bulbs pay for themselves over time because they can work for up to 11 years, and saves a lot of money in terms of electricity used. For businesses, using LED lights makes a whole lot of sense because the reduced maintenance costs a lot more than make up for the high starting price.

Established businesses are doing it

Different blue chip companies and hotels in United States and United Kingdom presently use LED lighting solutions. LED lighting are used from stair-nose lighting, light line, wall wash lighting and signage illumination to color-changing till numbers and controls, architectural lighting and freezer lighting. These businesses have identified LED as the preferred lighting solution for the coming future. With LED bulb start up prices falling, more companies will follow these business leaders and discover a painless lighting solution that will last them a decade, and save them money. More information