LED LightsLED (light emitting diode) lighting is at the forefront of new lighting technology simply because of its versatility. It is ideal for use both creatively as well as for providing general illumination around the home. However, at the present time the main use of LED lights is in appliances; digital alarm clocks and remote controls are fitted with LED light bulbs as are many others.LED lights are special semi conducting diodes; this means that their ability to conduct electricity varies. When connected to a power supply both negative and positive charges flow through the chip at the heart of the LED light, when these charges combine energy is emitted as a photon of light. The colour of the light given off by each individual LED will depend on the semi conductor materials used to create the chip. By combining different semi conducting materials, different frequencies of light are emitted; this is why LED bulbs are inherently coloured. The fact that LED bulbs need no filter or coating to give them colour, unlike other light sources, makes them perfect for use in both appliances (as is already widespread) and also for creative lighting features. There are also a number of other characteristics of LED lights which in the future will make them a more preferable lighting solution for around the home. LED lights are an incredibly efficient light source, as they transfer approximately 90% of their energy into light as opposed to the 15% of a regular incandescent bulb. This also means that they give off a comparably tiny amount of energy as heat and so are much cooler, and safer to touch. Additionally, LEDs have no filament subject to being burnt out unlike regular bulbs making them almost maintenance free. Their life expectancy is, on average, 100,000 hours, not only is this significantly greater than that of their incandescent and fluorescent counterparts, but they also fade over time instead of suddenly blowing out. As LEDs are housed in a plastic coating as opposed to the glass of regular bulbs, they are highly durable. Add this to the fact that they are safe to touch and visible even in direct sunlight and LEDs measure up to be a very functional light source indeed. There is a downside to the use of LEDs as a main source of lighting; although relatively inexpensive to purchase (especially when you consider their longevity) they are currently more expensive to run in terms of lumens per pound than fluorescent lighting. At the moment it is estimated that the average LED light emits roughly 30 lumens per watt (significantly less than that of a fluorescent bulb), however technology is moving forward all the time and this average output is soon expected to increase to up to 80 lumens per watt, making it a more cost efficient option. The form of LED lighting designed to replace the use of incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs in provide general illumination around the home is called Solid State Lighting (SSL). This involves the housing of a group of white LEDs in a traditional ‘light bulb’ shaped casing. Solid State Lighting is set to become more popular in the near future as the efficiency of LED lighting grows. Because of its flexibility in terms of both the variety of colours and quality of light it provides, coupled with its longevity and durability, LED lighting is set to become commonplace as a general, as well as a practical and creative lighting solution in the home. |
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