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LED Lights Benefits And Drawbacks

LED lighting is not a new technology; in fact, it is with us from the 1960's. LED light bulbs were in the beginning used as a substitute for incandescent indicators and displays in laboratory equipment and after a while in TV's, different watches, radios and calculators. LED rates have just most recently has reduced 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 put on governments and businesses same for more sustainable energy solutions, LED lights have a bright future in space lighting solutions.

Major benefits of making use of LED lights

First of all, LED lights are far more efficient than any other lighting alternative commercially accessible 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 appealing - imagine only have to alter the signage on a business property once every eleven years. With incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, the actual cost of the bulb should include the labor charge and time needed to replace them. LED lights virtually get rid of 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 eighty% of the electrical energy used into light energy. The left over 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 80% of electrical energy is lost as heat energy. If you examine the 80% efficiency of LED lights with the 20% efficiency of incandescent lights, the optimal choice of light bulb is quite noticeable.

Large drawbacks of using LED lights

The primary limitation is the present high price of LED light bulbs. Even though the cost of LED lights in South Africa is slowly reducing, replacing a 100W incandescent light bulb with a LED substitute can cost about Rs 5000. The starting price may seem frightening, but LED light bulbs pay for themselves over time since they can last for up to 11 years, and saves a lot of money in respect of electricity utilized. For businesses, using LED lights makes a whole lot of sense since the reduced maintenance costs more than make up for the steep start-up cost.

Established businesses are doing it

Various blue chip companies and hotels in United States of America and UK presently use LED lighting solutions. LED lights are used from stair-nose lighting, light line, wall wash lights and signage illumination to colour-changing till numbers and controls, architectural lights and freezer lighting. These businesses have recognized LED as the preferred lighting solution for the coming future. With LED bulb start-up rates falling, more companies will follow these business leaders and discover a painless lighting solution which will last them a decade, and save them money.