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LED Lighting Pros And Drawbacks

LED lights isn't a new technology; as a matter of fact, it has been around us from the 1960's. LED light bulbs were originally used as a substitute for incandescent indicators and displays in lab device and after a while in TV's, different watches, radios and calculators. LED costs have only recently has lowered enough to make them viable for residential and commercial markets. LED home lighting can include anything from outdoor to Christmas lighting. With the current looming energy crisis in South Africa, and pressure forced on governments and businesses alike for more sustainable energy solutions, LED lights have a bright future in space lighting solutions.

Major benefits of making use of LED lighting

First of all, LED lights are far more efficient than any other lights alternative commercially available at the moment. LED bulbs have a 100000 hr lifespan, and will last for eleven years at continuous operation, or 22 years at 50% operation. Compare this to the approximate lifespan of 5000 hrs for an incandescent light bulb and 10000 hours for a fluorescent light. Many businesses find the lifespan of LED light bulbs very interesting - imagine only have to change the signage on a business property once every eleven years. With incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, the real cost of the bulb should include the labor charge and time required to exchange them. LED lights virtually eliminate lighting maintenance costs.

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

Major drawbacks of using LED lighting

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

Major businesses are doing it

Different blue chip companies and hotels in United States and UK currently use LED lighting solutions. LED lights are used from stair-nose lighting, light line, wall wash lighting and signage illumination to colour-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 rates plummeting, more companies will follow these business leaders and discover a painless lighting solution which will last them a decade, and help save them money.