The Science Behind LEDs – Part 2: Benefits & Applications of LEDs

Welcome to Part II of our series, The Science Behind LEDs. In this article we will focus on energy & money savings benefits of LEDs, as well as their ever-expanding applications. As of 2010, many LED lamps are available as replacements for the ordinary screw-in incandescent or compact fluorescent light bulbs, ranging from low power bulbs from 5 up to 40 watts, through conventional replacement bulbs for 60 watt incandescent bulbs (typically requiring about 7 watts of power), and a few lamps are now becoming available to replace higher wattage bulbs.

Safety/Toxicity:

Of course, the vast majority of LEDs are completely safe and do not represent any hazard to the human eye. As far as “toxicity,” LEDs do not contain any toxic particles or chemicals. Fluorescents carry mercury and are considered “Hazardous” if shattered. The vast majority of devices containing LEDs are “safe under all conditions of normal use”, and so are classified “Class 1 LED product.” At present, only a few extremely bright LEDs that also have a tightly focused viewing angle of 8° or less—could, in theory, cause temporary blindness, and so are classified as “Class 2.” “Class 2” LEDs are currently not on the market.

Energy Efficiency:

Energy efficient lighting is a phenomenal way to reduce the amount of carbon emissions added to the atmosphere. LED lighting does just that and lowers your utility bills, making it a smart long-term investment. Energy efficient lighting products minimize energy consumption. Efficient lamps generate an equal or greater amount of light as traditional incandescent bulbs while consuming much less energy and generating much less cost. Additionally, many new choice materials used to construct lamping products are environmentally friendly. Many manufacturers now offer recycling programs for their products so that they can later be reused for the production of new lighting items.

An LED produces light when “electrons move around within its semiconductor structure.” A much higher percentage of energy going into an LED bulb is converted to light, which means less energy is needed to make the bulb function. The lit LED bulb produces very little heat, so a greater percentage of electricity goes into generating light rather than wasting energy. Because LEDs lack filaments, powered instead by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material, they outlast incandescent bulbs.

An LED bulb can last ten years. LED’s resist vibration and shock, making them a reliable light source. It comes in a variety of appealing colors and can add ambient, decorative light in ways incandescent, fluorescent, and halogen bulbs cant. With shading, efficiency, and cost becoming more consumer friendly, LEDs are increasingly going to be found in homes and businesses.

In fact, you can now find LED replacement bulbs that emit light equivalent to a 60-150 watt incandescent light bulb. LEDs are 85 percent more efficient than the vacuum/filament method used in incandescent bulbs. Solid-state lights like LEDs are more stable light sources than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, and the difference is startling. Check out our new LED lights and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate, contact us!