Whereas the marketplace for colored (Red, Green, Blue) RGB LEDs is well established, the market for white LEDs is still growing. Why? When led stadium lighting think about industries that still depend on white, non-LED lighting, such as for example televisions, automotive manufacturers, computer monitors, mobile computing, LCD backlights, etc., it is possible to understand the push to end up being the leader in white LED manufacturing.
Lots of people are surprised that a business would pass up a revenue generating opportunity that converting a home or business to LED would create. However, just because replacement white LED bulbs and retrofits are finally that you can buy, does not mean that they should be on your own immediate grocery list. In very simple terms, the marketplace for colored and color-changing LEDs is mature. While engineers remain finding ways to make them brighter and much more efficient, the holy grail of the LED industry is in developing volume production of high-efficiency, high-brightness white LEDs.
It may be simpler to think about colored LEDs (RGB) and white LEDs when it comes to another industry: Automotive. RGB LEDs are just like the internal combustion engine: Reliable, abundant, user friendly and manufacture, and fairly well toned in terms of the prospect of new or breakthrough technologies. There are lots on manufacturers and each has their own group of patents and “tricks of the trade” to greatly help give themselves some marketing leverage on the competition. White LEDs are like the alternative energy industry for transportation: Quite varied, still relatively “new”, still needing to be market proven, more expensive, more challenging to control.
There are many manufacturers, each utilizing a different technology or combination of technologies to accomplish what they believe may be the “the next big thing.” Third , analogy, RGB LEDs are mature enough to compete on cost alone and the drop in costs is what fuels new applications for colored LEDs that had not been thought of previously. White LEDs, alternatively are still developing technically and should not be shopped predicated on cost alone. The necessity for quality and longevity is what fuels the further research and development into white LEDs.
11 THINGS TO CONSIDER IN DETERMINING LED UPGRADES
Because you can find so many variables that require to be considered, making a quick and easy recommendation about transitioning to white LEDs isn’t possible. To obtain a jump start on the near future, consider every lighting source in each room and establish what it’s primary purpose is. When you have done this, review the next items to help determine where on the priority purchase-list each replacement should be. Here are some general guidelines to help you determine if an LED upgrade is the right choice for you:
1.) Is the lighting located in a home where the primary resident is older or has mobility issues?
If the LED replacement produces adequate light levels, LED alternatives are ideal for used in homes where safety is really a top priority. Realizing that an ill or older person won’t have to change a burned-out lamp again can provide peace-of-mind.
2.) Is initial cost a primary factor in determining if you are going to upgrade?
The existing nature of the white LED market means that prices are still relatively high, especially compared to traditional lighting. Being an early adopter means paying reduced; are you more comfortable with knowing you might have paid less for exactly the same technology if you had waited?
3.) Is the light situated in bright daytime sunlight or a location of high heat?
High degrees of heat will noticeably shorten the lifespan of any LED, especially white LEDs. When considering LEDs, try to ensure that both fixture and the positioning allow for adequate passive cooling in order to avoid color-shift and longevity issues. This is a much bigger concern when considering retrofit bulbs versus considering a “total package” LED fixture and lamp.
4.) Are you needing to decrease the heat output from the traditional light source?
In bathrooms, laundry rooms and small spaces, conventional lighting can produce uncomfortable heat. LED lighting is great for these areas because they produce no heat and because affordably illuminating smaller areas with LEDs presents much less of a challenge.
5.) May be the lighting located in an area of rough service or environmental extremes?
Garage door openers, unheated/cooled utility rooms and outdoor workshops place extreme demands of lighting equipment. Vibrations that may break a light bulb filament and winter that can cause a fluorescent tube to flicker are of no consequence to LED lighting, making these replacements a fairly easy decision.
6.) Is the brightness critical to the application form?
LEDs are directional naturally, so attempting to meet a specific brightness expectation over a wide area is not the very best use of LED lamps. The existing crop of standard fluorescent tubes or high-bay lighting is going to be more efficient for these applications.
7.) Are you trying to retrofit an existing lighting fixture to support an LED replacement?
Most current lighting fixtures are created to capture and reflect just as much light as possible from conventional light sources that produce light from all 360 degrees. Because LEDs emit very directional light, you can find often many compromises that must be made by manufacturers in order to make LEDs “work” for the best amount of retrofits. When possible, instead of retrofit bulbs consider a “total package” LED lighting fixture that is designed from the ground around efficiently use LEDs.
8.) May be the light output and quality of the LED version acceptable compared to your existing lighting?
With all of the lighting technology available (incandescent, fluorescent, LED, etc.) the only method to get an accurate idea of how the lighting will perform is to compare the light output or lumen and color temperature specifications rather than the wattage as is typical of all folks raised with traditional lighting in the home. The US Department of Energy has devised a standardized “lighting facts” label similar in concept to the nutrition label entirely on foods, to greatly help consumers compare lighting.
9.) Are the bulbs you’re considering replacing difficult to gain access to or reach?
If they’re, LED replacements are excellent candidates because once they are changed, you’ll likely never have to change them again since LEDs do not “burn out” like a conventional bulb.
10.) Are you currently replacing all the lights in a particular area or just an individual bulb?
Unless you know the colour temperature of all lighting in the area, try to be consistent in whatever lighting technology you select. For instance, if your room uses primarily halogen lighting, it is likely a warm color temperature and changing an individual reading lamp to LED with a cooler lighting temperature will not only be noticeable, but may also be distracting.
11.) Does the power savings and/or return on investment (ROI) ensure it is worthwhile at this stage?Prepare an energy audit using free web calculators to determine how much money you will put away on energy and what the potential profits on return is. Just enter your time rates, the total wattage of one’s conventional lighting and the total wattage of the LED lighting you are considering and the calculator will let you know how much money each technology will cost you per year.
As you can see, every lighting situation is highly recommended individually contrary to the above checklist. Doing this will help you to determine LED upgrade plans that fit within both your allowance and your expectations. Generally, LED lighting will continue to improve in both output and efficiency every year similar to the way the personal computer market has evolved. What could possibly be considered a “middle of the street” LED lamp today, was very likely considered a premium product per year or two ago. Prioritizing your LED lighting purchases so that the basics are covered first and delaying your more demanding lighting requirements because the technology improves will ensure a cushty transition to tomorrows lighting technology.