LED Fun facts 

Article from: ambientlightingcorp.com/lighting-details/led-fun-facts


Mosquitoes and other bugs don’t buzz around LEDs

If you turn on a regular old fashioned light at nigh you will instantly become a magnet for bugs. LEDs don’t have the same effect on the insect population.  This is because LED bulbs do not emit wavelengths in the UV spectrum which is what the bugs are attracted to.  Think of the old bug zappers with the blue lights, a.k.a and infrared bulbs.

LEDs mimic natural light
LEDs operate in the color temperature range we call “Pure White” (5800 to 6200 Kelvin) providing Full Spectrum Light that is the closest thing to natural sunlight without the harmful UV rays.

LED lights help you to keep food fresher for longer.

LED lights do not emit ultraviolet rays and that is why they are better options for supermarkets, restaurants, and kitchen lighting. However, other light sources, natural and artificial, emit UV rays. Ultra Violet rays decrease nutrient levels in foods. In addition,LED lights do not give-off heat, keeping food fresher for longer.

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t get hot

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t create harmful ElectroMagnetic Fields

LEDs operate on DC (Direct Current), meaning electric current flows in one direction only, creating a static electromagnetic field (EMF). Static EMFs are not linked to the health issues associated with AC lights and appliances.

LEDs don’t get hot

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t create harmful ElectroMagnetic Fields

LEDs operate on DC (Direct Current), meaning electric current flows in one direction only, creating a static electromagnetic field (EMF). Static EMFs are not linked to the health issues associated with AC lights and appliances.

LEDs have been around for a long time

The first LEDs were infrared. They were
developed in 1955. White light LEDs were not developed around 1995.  The regular light bub was invented in the 19th century

LED lights help you become a safer driver

Thinking about how it does that. LED headlights have a higher color temperature, which improves the vision of the driver in low-light conditions. Also, the amount of blue light in LED, aids with peripheral vision.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes

They are actually not bulbs.  An LED is a semiconductor diode. It consists of a chip of semiconducting material treated to create a structure called a p-n (positive-negative) junction. LEDs have no filament or moving parts, making them extremely durable and low maintenance.

Top 10 Benefits of Using LED Lights Instead of Conventional Lighting

Top 10 Benefits of Using LED Lights Instead of Conventional Lighting

You certainly hear and read a lot about the advantages and benefits of the energy efficiency of LED light emitting diodes vs traditional lighting. When you compare them to other energy-saving illumination methods that are available on the market today, you will find that LED lighting is by far the most power-saving and smart solution. Recent research and developments in the field of LED illumination is about to bring upon us an intelligent green LED lighting revolution that will help us save the planet. Join us now and become a part of it!

By far the most energy efficient, the cleanest and most eco-friendly way of illumination is LED lighting, which is basically digital light and comes with a multitude of amazing benefits.

In fact, in makes a big leap in technology that can been seen much as an upgrade from analog to digital. LED is digital light, and the advantages versus conventional ‘analog’ lighting are so huge and of major


1. Long Life
Long life time stands out as the number one benefit of LED lights. LED bulbs and diodes have an outstanding operational life time expectation of up to 100.000 hours. This is 11 years of continuous operation, or 22 years of 50% operation. If you leave on the LED fixture for 8h per day it would take around 20 years before you’d have to replace the LED bulb.
LED’s are different to standard lighting: They don’t really burn out and stop working like a standard light, moreover the lighting diodes emit lower output levels over a very long period of time and become less bright.


2. Energy Efficiency
Todays most efficient way of illumination and lighting, with an estimated energy efficiency of 80%-90% when compared to traditional lighting and conventional light bulbs. This means that about 80% of the electrical energy is converted to light, while a ca. 20% is lost and converted into other forms of energy such as heat.

With traditional incandescent light bulbs who operate at 20% energy efficiency only, a 80% of the electricity is lost as heat. Imagine the following scenario:

If you use traditional lighting and have an electricity bill of e.g US$ 100, then US$ 80 of that money has been used to heat the room, not to light it! Using LED illumination with 80% efficiency, the electricity costs would be around US$ 20 and you’d have saved around US$ 80.

The long operational life time acts as a multiplicator and helps achieve even more energy efficiency, especially large scale and when thinking in terms of urban infrastructure projects, such as cities, railroads and airports.

Think of e.g an airport using energy efficient LED lighting exclusively and achieving a 30% power consumption reduction in comparison with an airport using conventional lighting technology.

Because the long life span of LED lights, also the maintenance work - think of all the work and energy it would take to purchase, stock and change the conventional light bulbs of an airport - you’ll see that you can make significant energy savings also when it comes to maintenance and replacement due to the long operational life times of LED lighting.


3. Ecologically Friendly
LED lights are free of toxic chemicals. Most conventional fluorescent lighting bulbs contain a multitude of materials like e.g mercury that are dangerous for the environment.

LED lights contain no toxic materials and are 100% recyclable, and will help you to reduce your carbon footprint by up to a third. The long operational life time span mentioned above means also that one LED light bulb can save material and production of 25 incandescent light bulbs. A big step towards a greener future!


4. Durable Quality
LEDs are extremely durable and built with sturdy components that are highly rugged and can withstand even the roughest conditions.

Because LED lights are resistant to shock, vibrations and external impacts, they make great outdoor lighting systems for rough conditions and exposure to weather, wind, rain or even external vandalism, traffic related public exposure and construction or manufacturing sites.


5. Zero UV Emissions
LED illumination produces little infrared light and close to no UV emissions.

Because of this, LED lighting is highly suitable not only for goods and materials that are sensitive to heat due to the benefit of little radiated heat emission, but also for illumination of UV sensitive objects or materials such a in museums, art galleries, archeological sites etc.


6. Design Flexibility
LEDs can be combined in any shape to produce highly efficient illumination. Individual LEDs can be dimmed, resulting in a dynamic control of light, color and distribution. Well-designed LED illumination systems can achieve fantastic lighting effects, not only for the eye but also for the mood and the mind:

LED mood illumination is already being used in airplanes, classrooms and many more locations and we can expect to see a lot more LED mood illumination in our daily lives within the next few years.


7. Operational in Extremely Cold or Hot Temperatures
LED are ideal for operation under cold and low outdoor temperature settings. For fluorescent lamps, low temperatures may affect operation and present a challenge, but LED illumination operates well also in cold settings, such as for outdoor winter settings, freezer rooms etc.


8. Light Dispersement
LED is designed to focus its light and can be directed to a specific location without the use of an external reflector, achieving a higher application efficiency than conventional lighting. Well-designed LED illumination systems are able to deliver light more efficiently to the desired location.


9. Instant Lighting & Frequent Switching
LED lights brighten up immediately and when powered on, which has great advantages for infrastructure projects such as e.g traffic and signal lights.

Also, LED lights can switched off and on frequently and without affecting the LED’s lifetime or light emission. In contrast, traditional lighting may take several seconds to reach full brightness, and frequent on/off switching does drastically reduce operational life expectancy.

10. Low-Voltage
A low-voltage power supply is sufficient for LED illumination. This makes it easy to use LED lighting also in outdoor settings, by connecting an external solar-energy source and is a big advantage when it comes to using LED technology in remote or rural areas.

Did these top 10 benefits of LED lighting convince you? LED lighting has even more benefits and advantages, so make sure you go LED and save both the planet - and your money!

The Future of LEDs

The Future of LEDs

LEDs continue to get brighter, more efficient and cheaper. Some predict a 2 or 3 times improvement in efficiency and brightness before the decade is over with significant price decreases. Whether these predictions are true or not remains to be seen, but what is certain is that millions of dollars are being invested in this technology every year ensuring a bright future for LED technology.

The future of household lighting will soon be the wide spread adoption and use of white energy efficient LED light bulbs. Though the present market for finished white LED products is geared mainly towards enthusiasts and early-adopters, the efficiency and cost effectiveness of LED lighting systems will drive demand for more affordable LED lights. Opto-electronics is an exciting area and we predict, that in the near future, white LED lighting applications will be powerful and cheap enough to replace incandescent lighting for everyday use in our homes, in street lights, outdoor signs, and offices.
Advantages of LED Lights

The operational life of current white LED lamps is 100,000 hours. This is 11 years of continuous operation, or 22 years of 50% operation. The long operational life of an led lamp is a stark contrast to the average life of an incandescent bulb, which is approximately 5000 hours. If the lighting device needs to be embedded into a very inaccessible place, using LEDs would virtually eliminate the need for routine bulb replacement. 

There is no comparison between the cost of LED lights vs. traditional incandescent options. With incandescent bulbs, the true cost of the bulb is the cost of replacement bulbs and the labor expense and time needed to replace them. These are significant factors, especially where there are a large number of installed bulbs. For office buildings and skyscrapers, maintenance costs to replace bulbs can be enormous. These issues can all be virtually eliminated with the LED option. 

The key strength of LED lighting is reduced power consumption. When designed properly, an LED circuit will approach 80% efficiency, which means 80% of the electrical energy is converted to light energy. The remaining 20% is lost as heat energy. Compare that with incandescent bulbs which operate at about 20% efficiency (80% of the electrical energy is lost as heat). In real money terms, if a 100 Watt incandescent bulb is used for 1 year, with an electrical cost of 10 cents/kilowatt hour, $88 will be spent on electricity costs. Of the $88 expense, $70 will have been used to heat the room, not light the room. If an 80% efficient LED system had been used, the electricity cost would be $23 per year - there would be a cost savings of $65 on electricity during the year. Realistically the cost savings would be higher as most incandescent light bulbs blow out within a year and require replacements whereas LED light bulbs can be used easily for a decade without burning out. 

Our white LED lights currently come in packages which contain 36 or 48 LED lamps and can be adapted for use with any power supply or casing. Our clusters allow for conversion to operate from all common caving batteries, e.g. FX5/Kirby pack down to two AA cells, in case portability is needed. We have produced a seven-LED cluster light source as an alternative to low wattage light bulbs and a possible portable light source. 

The main limitation to the adoption of white LED lighting as a lighting standard is the current high cost of led bulbs. Although the cost keeps going down, LED light bulbs are still expensive. A single AC bulb (17 LED), replacing a 25 watt incandescent, will cost about $40. Although LED's are expensive, the cost is recouped over time and in energy cost savings. Factor in that it is significantly cheaper to maintain led lights, the best value comes from commercial use where maintenance and replacement costs are expensive. Traffic lights and outdoor signs, for example, are being switched over to LED's in many cities. Smaller arrays, such as those in flashlights, headlamps and small task lights are great for specialty and outdoor use. LED based automotive headlights are current being used in high end luxury cars.

It will be interesting to see what developments are coming for more residential applications of LED lights. LED lighting technology has been researched and developed for the past two decades and we are beginning to see practical applications from this work. There is already wide spread use of LED traffic signs and LED headlights where a premium is placed on a reliable light source that is cheaper and less labor intensive to maintain. We in the industry are certain that tomorrows LED lights will last longer and consume even less power than todays energy efficient led light bulbs. LED lighting will be used to replace virtually every type of light, bulb, and lamp that is currently in use. 

Some advantages of LED Lighting

Basic advantages of LED Light

• Energy efficient - LED’s are now capable of outputting 135 lumens/watt
• Long Lifetime - 50,000 hours or more if properly engineered
• Rugged - LED’s are also called “Solid State Lighting (SSL) as they are made of solid material with no filament or tube or bulb to break
• No warm-up period - LED’s light instantly – in nanoseconds
• Not affected by cold temperatures - LED’s “like” low temperatures and will startup even in subzero weather
• Directional - With LED’s you can direct the light where you want it, thus no light is wasted
• Excellent Color Rendering - LED’s do not wash out colors like other light sources such as fluorescents, making them perfect for displays and retail applications
• Environmentally friendly - LED’s contain no mercury or other hazardous substances
• Controllable - LED’s can be controlled for brightness and color

Why LED's are chosen for many applications

• LEDs are ideal for use in applications that are subject to frequent on-off cycling, unlike fluorescent lamps that burn out more quickly when cycled frequently, or HID lamps that require a long time before restarting.

• LEDs can very easily be dimmed or strobed.
• LEDs light up very quickly. A typical red indicator LED will achieve full brightness in microseconds.
• LEDs mostly fail by dimming over time, rather than the abrupt burn-out of incandescent bulbs
• LEDs, being solid state components, are difficult to damage with external shock, unlike fluorescent and incandescent bulbs which are fragile.
• LEDs can be very small and are easily populated onto printed circuit boards.
• LEDs do not contain mercury, unlike compact fluorescent lamps
• Disadvantages and challenges in using LEDs

LEDs are currently more expensive, price per lumen, on an initial capital cost basis, than more conventional lighting technologies. However, when considering the total cost of ownership (including energy and maintenance costs), LEDs far surpass incandescent or halogen sources and begin to threaten compact fluorescent lamps.
The Chart Below compares different light sources based upon the life of the bulb and the electrical cost at 10 cents per kWh (kilowatt hour). Note: fixture costs and installation costs are not included.

LED performance largely depends on correctly engineering the fixture to manage the heat generated by

the LED, which causes deterioration of the LED chip itself. Over-driving the LED or not engineering the product to manage heat in high ambient temperatures may result in overheating of the LED package, eventually leading to device failure. Adequate heat-sinking is required to maintain long life. The most common design of a heat sink is a metal device with many fins, which conducts the heat away from the LED. For more information on this, refer to the Thermal Management tab.
LEDs must be supplied with the correct voltage and current at a constant flow. This requires some electronics expertise to design the electronic drivers.
LED’s can shift color due to age and temperature.  Also two different white LED will have two different color characteristics, which affect how the light is perceived.

LEDs were first used for signal lighting, such as in a dashboard and later in tail lamps. In the past few years several companies have developed high power LEDs which are extremely bright and can now be used in applications that require a high light output, such as street lighting and task lighting. These are often referred to as "lighting class LEDs."

INTRODUCTION TO THREE TYPES OF LIGHTING

INTRODUCTION TO THREE TYPES OF LIGHTING

There are three basic types of lighting: ambient, accent, and task. While it's not required that every space have all three types present, the best lit rooms and spaces will. The best designs will integrate layers of light to create moods and draw the eye to key points of interest. It’s not just recessed cans, it’s not just table lamps, it’s not just accent lighting; it’s the integration of these sources to create a balanced design.

Note that often decorative lighting is considered a 4th type of lighting. Personally, I don't consider lighting that is purely decorative to be part of a lighting scheme. A purely decorative source (that doesn't produce ambient light) is really a piece of art.

CREATING AMBIENT LIGHT

Sometimes referred to as "general lighting," this is the primary lighting element of the room. Ambient lighting will determine the look and feel of the space; think of it as your overall illumination, although that doesn't mean you need to light every corner of the room. Ambient light is the primary lighting choice, and all others fall in around that.

Ambient lighting is commonly created using:

Reflected Light
Recessed Downlights
Concept section - recessed down light.

The recessed downlight (commonly referred to as a high hat) became popular in the 1980s and remains a staple of interior design. Recessed into the ceiling, they create a hole flush with the ceiling plane from which light pours downward. Recessed downlights are capable of accepting compact fluorescent and halogen A-lamps, as well as a wide variety of halogen and LED point sources. CFL and Halogen A-lamps in recessed downlights are truly down lights. Point sources in recessed cans can be aimed (more on that soon).

Since recessed downlights are installed in your ceiling, there are some things to consider (these will apply to their adjustable cousins as well). In the U.S., all electrical connections must be protected within a junction box. So recessed down lights have some version of a housing, and it is within that housing that the electrician will make their wiring connections. Whether you’re building the room as new construction or a renovation, the space between your ceiling and the structure above and whether the ceiling is insulated will all determine what kind of housing is required.

The last thing to consider is what the fixture will look like in your ceiling and how easy it will be to change light bulbs when the time comes. Manufactures have come up with a wide variety of ways to finish the hole created in the ceiling so that the fixture becomes a true architectural element. Usually, these treatments are called trims. A trim is a plate (options include square, round, overlapping the ceiling, flush to the ceiling, deep regress, shallow regress, lensed, all in a multitude of colors, etc.) that will be removed to change a light bulb. It’s important to understand how trims are installed and removed, because these fixtures will have to be maintained over time, even if it’s just changing light bulbs.

Recessed downlights are great for providing illumination, but be careful: The tendency with these is to use too many and over-light the room. Downlight isn't the most complimentary angle to light people or objects; good for general ambiance, yes, but don't rely too heavily on this concept.


Table and Floor Lamps

No surprise here: Table and floor lamps have been a staple since the kerosene era. Most older table and floor lamps are based around incandescent bulbs (refer back to Part I for the various replacements to the A-lamp including CFL, LED and halogen). People often ask me if there's a problem only lighting a room with table and floor lamps, and there isn't. It's just important to understand that table and floor lamps offer only ambient light. Usually, a glow cast in all directions all the time; if that's the effect you want, then that's great. The right lamps with the right light source can make a room magical. At the same time, table and floor lamps are often a fallback when other ideas seem too daunting. Don't fall into that trap.

Cove Lighting

One of the most underused lighting concepts in residential lighting is the cove light. Ambient cove lighting can provide a spectacular indirect light source for your room. If the architecture supports it,
think about coves as a way to bounce light off your ceiling, or wash light down your walls. Cove lighting can be achieved with linear and compact fluorescent, halogen strips, and increasingly with LEDS. Cove lighting is especially great for creating luminous surfaces, like walls in a bathroom or vaulted ceilings in an older home. Make sure you understand the design of cove lighting so you can ensure proper maintenance.

Surface Mounted Decorative Fixtures
These are fixtures mounted tight to walls and ceilings and are meant to be viewed. Surface mounted fixtures can be amazing when they fit with the decor and provide the desired lighting effect. Here's my cautionary note with surface mounted fixtures: Big box stores that shall remain unnamed have pushed lots of sub-par fixtures into the market. Don't get me wrong; you can find a decent fixture at your local big box retailer, but if you're looking for great lighting, do your research.

There are amazing fixtures from all over the country that are works of art in and of themselves and will dramatically improve the execution of your design. Look at photos online and go to shops if you can, because finding the right fixture can change everything.

Chandeliers and Wall Sconces

The mother of all decorative fixtures, a chandelier can be utterly spectacular. When the word is uttered,
most people think of a crystal piece with dozens of tiny lamps. I invite you to expand your concept of what a chandelier is to modern forms and singular light sources. I think of a chandelier as any hanging light source that is some height below the ceiling. Like other decorative sources, expand your thinking from what's available at the local big box store; I've seen chandeliers made of used spoons, hubcaps, and painted glass. Chandeliers can be totally expressive pieces of art as well as good ambient light sources.

Wall sconces are decorative pieces mounted at some distance off the wall. There are as many kinds of sconces as there are kinds of taste. When walls themselves become luminous,  good things can happen. Good sconces, like table and floor lamps provide ambient light from a relatively low angle. This soft glow creates complimentary shadows on the faces of people and furniture. Light from lower
angles (though not uplight from the floor) will also be perceived as warmer and more inviting.

Basic Types Of Lighting

 Basic Types Of Lighting

Ambient lighting provides an area with overall
illumination. Also known as general lighting, it radiates a comfortable level of brightness without glare and allows you to see and walk about safely. In some spaces such as laundry rooms, the ambient lighting also serves as the primary source of task lighting.

It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track lights and with lanterns mounted on the outside of the home. Having a central source of ambient light in all rooms is fundamental to a good lighting plan.

Task lighting helps you perform specific tasks, such as reading, grooming, preparing and cooking food, doing homework, working on hobbies,

playing games and balancing your check-book. It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting and under-cabinet lighting, as well as by portable floor and desk lamps.

Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows and should be bright enough to prevent eye strain.

Accent lighting adds drama to a room by creating visual interest. As part of an interior design scheme, it is used to draw the eye to houseplants, paintings, sculptures and other prized possessions. It can also be used to highlight the texture of a brick or stone wall, window treatments or outdoor landscaping.

To be effective, accent lighting requires as least three times as much light on the focal point as the general lighting surrounding it.

Accent lighting is usually provided by recessed and track lighting or wall-mounted picture lights.

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