LED light technology
An energy efficient solution for your home or office
LED light technology can be an energy efficient solution for your home or business. A light-emitting diode, commonly known as LED, has many benefits – and you’ll find them all in this week’s blog. Light up the way, please!
What is the science behind LED light technology?
They may be little but they provide a generous amount of light whenever and wherever you need them to. First used as status and indicator lamps in the early 1960s, LEDs have been gradually adopted and used in many other domains such as automobiles, advertising, traffic signs, electronics, medicine, as well as aviation lighting.
Technically, a LED is a two-lead semiconductor light source. When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This is called electroluminescence and the color of the light is determined by the energy band gap of the semiconductor.
What are the advantages of LED lights?
- Compared to a 100W incandescent bulb that lasts for about 2000 hours, LED lights can last up to 50,000 hours. In other words, you’d need to replace the incandescent 25 times more than a LED. Incredible, isn’t it?
- High Energy Efficiency. This is probably the greatest advantage of all: LEDs use far less electricity than other types of bulbs. For instance, a 9W LED can emit the same amount of light as a 100W incandescent. This way there is less strain on the electrical grid, less greenhouse gas emissions from the power plant that supplies the electricity, as well as a reduced carbon footprint.
- Low heat.Most of the energy consumed by other types of light bulbs is wasted as heat loss. LEDs don’t have the same amount of heat loss, due to their efficient design and lack of filament. In fact, they run cooler, so you don’t have to worry about any fire or burn risks caused by them in your home, office or retail space.
- Waste reduction. Since LEDs have a long lifespan and are more durable than other types of bulbs, we throw fewer LEDs in the trash.
- Safe materials to build them. Unlike CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs), for example, which contain mercury and require special instructions to dispose them properly, LEDs do not contain any harmful chemicals or materials.
- Recyclability. Manufacturers choose not only safe but also recyclable components for LED lights. For a responsible recycling, LEDs should be taken to designated drop-off locations where they can be collected and sent off to be disassembled. Some parts can be then reused, repurposed or recycled in later manufacturing.
Is LED light technology the right choice for the long run?
Any lighting option has costs associated with it, no matter what type of bulb you’re using. LEDs are extremely efficient and long-lasting, making them a natural choice for energy-conscious consumers.
The only thing about these lights that sometimes causes hesitation is the upfront cost. Similar to a hybrid car, LED lights cost less to operate on the long term but they are more expensive to purchase. That is why we recommend you take into considerations more factors before making the purchasing decision, such as: the annual cost of using the bulb, the expected lifespan of the bulb and the cost to replace the bulb.
Having all of the above as benchmarks, you will certainly have the peace of mind of choosing the best energy efficient lighting option for your home or business.
Contact Jaric Electrical for electrical work at your business
The expert team at Jaric Electrical can offer you the advice you need to plan your business’s lighting.
To find out more, call Jaric Electrical on 1300 452 742 or contact us online.
