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LED Lights Pros And Drawbacks

LED lighting is not a new technology; actually, it has been around us since the 1960's. LED light bulbs were initially used as an alternative for incandescent indicators and displays in laboratory device and after a while in Televisions, different watches, radios and hand calculators. LED rates have just recently has lowered enough to make them viable for personal and commercial markets. LED Lights can have anything from outdoor to Xmas lighting. With the current looming energy crisis in South Africa, and pressure exerted on governments and businesses same for more sustainable energy solutions, LED lights have a bright future in space lighting solutions.

Huge benefits of using LED lights

First of all, LED lights are far more efficient than any other lighting alternative commercially available at the moment. LED bulbs have a 100000 hour lifespan, and will last for 11 years at continuous operation, or 22 years at 50% operation. Compare this to the approximate lifespan of five thousand hours 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 change 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 required to replace them. LED lights virtually eliminate lighting maintenance costs.

The second major benefit and key strength of using LED lighting above conventional lighting is the decreased power consumption. LED bulb is capable of converting 80% 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. If you examine the 80% efficiency of LED lights with the twenty% efficiency of incandescent lights, the optimal choice of light bulb is quite apparent.

Large disadvantages of using LED lights

The primary limitation is the present high cost of LED light bulbs. Even though the cost of LED lights in South Africa is steadily decreasing, replacing a 100W incandescent light bulb with a LED alternative can cost about 5000 Rs. The start up cost may look daunting, but LED light bulbs pay for themselves over time since they can last for up to eleven yrs, 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 starting cost.

Major businesses are doing it

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