LED Light Bulbs

LED Lighting is now becoming more widely available and has become the biggest development in lighting in recent times.
A brief look at the key facts:

What is an LED?

LED is an abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. The Diode is a semiconductor which conducts an electric current in one direction more easily than in the other direction. As this current flows, the electrons release energy in the form of a photon, what we know as light. LEDs are classified as solid state lighting where visible light is created with reduced heat generation which reduces the amount of energy wasted as heat, and not converted as light.

Are LEDs more efficient?
LEDs consume less energy, have a longer lifetime, are smaller in size and can switch faster than conventional bulbs. LEDs also have a higher efficiency, as measured by light output per unit power input.

60–100 W Incandescent light bulb: 15 lumens per watt
LEDs: 30-60 lumens per watt
Fluorescent lamps: 80-100 lumens per watt

As you can see, LEDs are still not as efficient as Fluorescent lamps, and this is why fluorescent lighting is still used in the majority of applications where lights are required to remain on for a significant amount of time, such as in offices and in the workplace.

Advantages
LEDs however have one environmental advantage over fluorescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury which is toxic, whereas LEDs do not contain this.
As different chemical coatings and lenses are applied to the LED, the LED can come in various colours and beam angles, allowing for much more creative and interactive lighting.

The problems
The actual part in the LED which generates the light is usually less than 1sqmm. If more energy is applied, to generate more light, this small area generates a lot of heat, which in turn reduces the efficiency. This is why most LEDs require a heat sink or some design to aid cooling it, to ensure that the LED does not become too hot. An LED can fail if it becomes too hot.

The future
LED technology is advancing rapidly so it will not be long before we will see more and more LED lighting used in more and more applications.

What to buy
There are many LED light bulbs and complete light fittings available to buy today. We recommend that you buy branded LED light bulbs, which are tested and come from reputable manufacturers. These light bulbs will have their light output measured and tested, and will also have a lifespan that has been tested.

We offer the Osram Parathom Par 16 GU10 LED, the Philips Master LED MR16 and the Philips Master LED GU10. These are a good choice to start using LED light bulbs, especially where lights maybe on for a long time, and where it is difficult to access or change the light bulbs.

Osram 5W Parathom Par 16 GU10 LED

Philips 4W MASTER LED 12V MR16 GU5.3

Philips 7W MASTER LED GU10

We also offer various LED light fittings which are battery operated, such as the Osram Dot-it.

Osram Dot-it