5 Things to Consider Before Investing In LED Light Bulbs

LED Headlights have caught up rage in four wheelers as well as two wheelers for being absolutely cool, bright and low energy consuming.  Using the same logic, LED lights have found place in homes and offices in a number of fixtures. Array of LED bulbs are available in the stores, shopping for these lights is somewhat different than the regular incandescent bulbs. It therefore demands some home work to get the right light at the right price, of the required brightness and also required colour. 

Here are 5 essential things which must be kept in mind before investing in these valuable lights.

1. Don't Ask For Watts

Lumens are the correct measurement indicator for LED Bulbs, unlike watts, which we are accustomed to. Being energy saving, the watts which are energy measurement indicators barely play any importance here. In comparison to incandescent bulbs which use 150 watts of energy to produce 2600 lumens of brightness, the LED'S use a miniscule 25-28 watts of energy. The brightness derived from the little diodes and circuits of the LED measured in Lumens are basic differentiators to compare the different LED Lights. Hence, when seeking an LED in a store, one must not ask for watts and look more wise and informed. Installing LED'S can definitely lower the light bills.

2. Look For The Best Colour And Shape Choices

The multiple colours available in LED bulbs give a huge range of choices. From dark hues like purple, red, there are popular LED versions which throw yellow and white hues like those of the ordinary incandescent bulbs. Hence, when looking for lighting homes, the warm whites closer to yellowish shade or bright whites closer to whiter shades can be the best choices. Certain jargons like Kelvin's must not boggle the shoppers of LED Lights. These are just measurements for the colour temperature usually common even in incandescent. A range of 2700-3500k is commonly suggestible for homes. 

Omni- directional lights instead of just one direction lights are the latest advancements in LED Light bulbs. Hence, look out for the attractive and utility based shapes accordingly.  

 

3. Don't Be Afraid Of Cost Concerns

The upfront cost of LED bulbs is definitely higher than incandescent bulbs. However, the energy efficient bulbs pay off over a long run with a longer shelf life, less heat and lower bills. The latest technology LED Lights can also be controlled with the help of Smartphone. The investment will be even more worthwhile when the plan is to change all the incandescent bulbs with these LED alternative bulbs.  

4. Check Out For Dimming Alternatives

Dimming options are warranted for further energy savings by many people. However, the LED Bulbs absolutely compatible with the traditional dimmer incandescent bulbs can be expensive. Changing the dimming switches to LED version instead can be an economical alternative. 

5. Don't Use In Enclosed Fixtures

Though popular for lower heat emission and remaining cool over the incandescent bulbs, the LED Lights can emit higher heat if used in enclosed fixtures leaving little scope for the heat to dissipate into the air from the heat sinks attached. The mechanism of remaining cool can be disturbed when used in this way. This can lead to reduction of the shelf life of the bulbs and they consequently can burn out quickly.

Make Your Car Headlights Bulbs Long Lasting [Infographic]

Headlights play a very crucial role for your safe drive in the areas where visibility is almost zero. We can’t ignore the importance of headlamps. Driving during late nights becomes critical without them. Here are some tips, shared by Auto LED Shop, which can be followed to make your car headlight bulbs long lasting.

Why One Should Upgrade To Xenon Lights?

Till even a year ago, halogens had been the common choice when it came to high intensity lighting. However, technology has fast upgraded and halogens are fast getting upgraded to a newer and “greener” alternative. Called the “Xenon” lighting, these bulbs are able to produce a brighter beam while consuming lesser amount of energy. Xenon lights also has a top advantage of being highly durable over halogens that had to be replaced every often.

Since most readers here won’t be chemists, let’s try to understand Xenon lighting technology in simpler and useful terms as opposed to statements from the Periodic Table! What we need to know is that both halogen and Xenon offer a number of benefits but to be used in a certain application; you need to know the exact advantages and disadvantages of each.

A Brief About How Xenon Bulbs Work 

Both halogen and xenon are incandescent form of lighting. Both use a thin tungsten wire/filament covered in a glass bulb to convert electric energy into heat energy and subsequently into light. The only difference here is that while halogen bulbs use halogen gas inside the glass bulb, Xenon bulbs have xenon to offer the same functionality. 

Now, adding an inert gas like halogen or xenon slows down the oxidizing process of the tungsten filament as it is heated continuously. The more the amount of time the filament lasts (doesn’t burn out) the more is the longevity of the bulb.

Now let’s understand why xenon is a more stable alternative to halogen gases and more specifically, why you should be upgrading to xenon bulbs.

The chemical reason 

Chemically, halogen gases like fluorine, chlorine, iodine or bromine are all monovalent elements, meaning that they could easily form a negative ion. So in halogen bulbs, the tungsten will gradually wear down its atoms and reform into tungsten halide, which gets re-deposited in the filament, thus keeping the filament intact for long. 

Xenon too works in the same way, but being a noble gas, it doesn’t produce negative ion and is highly stable. Practical implications point out to negative color changes (that’s why halogen bulbs get blackened over time) and give out a brighter white light.

In terms of efficiency 

For a halogen lamp, the average longevity is around 2,000 hours, 2 times longer than the regular incandescent bulbs. However, xenon light bulbs can last longer for as much as 10,000 hours, without a drop in the quality of brightness. This is 5 times the life of a halogen bulb. Further, xenon required less amount of electricity to be stimulated and thus you save a lot on energy consumption. 

In terms of sensitivity 

If you have been a user, you already know how hot it can get with a halogen bulb. The heat makes halogen bulbs unsuited to several applications like sensitive displays or artwork. Halogen bulbs also emit UV radiation, a potential hazard to your health. Touching a halogen lamp with bare hand or even getting closer is impossible and in case something cooler gets in sudden contact with the bulb, the glass will immediately burst. 

With xenon headlight bulbs, the heat production is minimal and compared to halogen, the UV radiation too is very less. This makes xenon bulbs perfect for application in high traffic areas and minimize the chance of a panic or an accident. 

The only thing “not in favor” of xenon bulbs is its price. Being a rare gas, xenon bulbs are more expensive than halogen but if you again see at the long term implication and count in energy saving, the investment is profitable.