What Is LED Lighting?
LED Lighting incorporates the use of LEDs as a source of illumination. Incandescent and fluorescent lamps make up most lighting used in the environment today. Our LEDs can be incorporated into traditional lighting fixtures and can be used like most other lamps. LEDs are much more energy efficient than incandescent, halogen (resulting in about 90 % savings) or fluorescent lamps (50 % savings).
LEDs or Light Emitting Diodes are semi-conductor devices that convert electrical energy to light by using the movement of electrons. LEDs were first invented in Russia in the 1920´s. They were put into practical use in the United States in the 1960´s by General Electric, and Hewlett-Packard used them in its early calculators.
There are numerous consumer advantages of LEDs over incandescent or fluorescent lamps. LED lights consume much less energy. They are 300 percent more efficient than a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), and 1,000 percent more efficient than incandescent lamps. A typical 60 watt incandescent bulb may last about 1000 hours, but LEDs have a very long life, about 50 000 hours of use and at the end of their lifetime, still shine at 70 % of their original intensity. Good quality LEDs don’t burn out or flicker, they simply fade. This implies that LED lights can be used up to 8 hours a day, for 13 years at 70 % intensity. LED lighting contains no mercury or other toxins. LEDs do not emit any ultra violet (UV) light, so they do not attract insects and dust particles. As these bulbs do not generate much heat, they are cool to touch, thus alleviating the worry of burns. Since LEDs do not generate radio frequency waves, they do not interfere with radio or television broadcasts. These lamps are also resistant to vibrations and shocks.
Unfortunately there is also a downside to LED lighting too. Good LED lights are more expensive to buy. They are heat sensitive, so if they are not used with a steady and consistent electronic and a good heat-dissipation design, they can stop working or fade quicker. They are usually used in directional lighting and now also for general lighting.
Very small LEDs are often used in clocks and watches and as indicator lights in cars. They have fast switching capabilities, so they are often used in remote controls and lights that are turned on and off frequently. Due to their directional nature they are best used under kitchen counters, in stairways and hallways, or as reading lamps, landscape lighting, and night lights.
LED lighting comes in many forms, including screw-in light bulbs, flashlights, strips or clusters., As with other types of lighting, they are simple to install, but be careful what you buy, there are a lot differences in quality. Cheap LEDs can be found in DIY-stores or where consumers buy other bulbs and lights.
When good lights go bad
how do I choose the best LED lamps
It is the long life and the 80%-to-90% reduction in electricity that make LEDs the “great light hope” in the illumination world.
“At the moment, there are good LED products, but at the same time, also bad products,”
“It’s difficult for the customer to make a good choice.”
“We’re entering a world where you will find on the shelf low, very bad, better (and) higher quality lamps . And the quality of what you get will depend on the price you’ll be ready to pay,”
LED lamp quality varies widely across all aspects, including brightness, longevity, heat dissipation, durability and the light’s ability to faithfully render an object’s color.
But do you really want to spend hours wandering through hardware and do-it-yourself stores pouring over the pros and cons of myriad bulb options and finally end up with a light that does not correspond to your needs ? “You as the consumer will get confused, and will be confused for quite some time”.
Good quality LEDs are not cheap. Why ??
Turning an LED into a lamp requires the integration of some pretty sophisticated technologies. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Components on the circuit board are often assembled by hand because it is still too complicated for factory machines.
- The actual good quality LED wafer can cost as much as R 950 per unit.
- The brightest LEDs generate blue light. So in order to get the more natural white glow, manufacturers typically coat the bulb with yellow phosphor, an expensive rare earth metal compound imported from China.
- LEDs additionally require the use of drivers to convert energy into electrical current. This component alone can cost from R45 to R1000 for a good quality.
- Although LEDs burn cooler than Edison bulbs, they still need a conducting material to dissipate the heat. The aluminum used to accomplish this can cost from R30 to R2500 for a decent designed heat dissipation system.
The stronger the LED-chip is, the more expensive the LED lamp will be.
What are the results ?
Because of our personal approach, our experienced lighting-advisors will come with a customized proposal.
When the LED-systems are implemented inside and outside your premises you will:
- save 50% to 80% on your lighting-installation ( Lighting consumes approximately 15% to 30% of your total electricity-bill )
- save a lot of money and time on buying and replacing lamps
- not have dirty ceilings and walls from the enormous heat of the old lamps , which attract dust and burn plaster
- have a pleasant and relaxed light, customized for all areas, no different colours and intensity anymore
- not have to worry about changing and shopping for bulbs anymore for many years
- not have damage from UV-radiation on your furniture, curtains, paintings or objects of art
- not have dangerous radiation which existing energy-saving bulbs have and which causes, amongst else, headaches and skin-problems
- have the same, sparkling colours of your interior, as it would look like in the outside daylight
And last but not least, we will have a happy and satisfied customer for many years !
Why LED´s ?
We work only with the best quality LED chips, produced by leading manufacturers around the world.
Because we buy big volumes directly from these manufacturers we can offer you the best deal.
The LED lamps we offer you :
- consume 90% less energy compared to incandescent and halogen lamps.
- consume 60% less energy compared to fluorescent lamps.
- do not emit Carbon, hence reducing the carbon emission from 60% up to 90%.
- have an extremely long lifespan, lasting from at least 25.000 hours to 50 000 hours.
- due to the long lifespan, there is no need for frequent replacement hence avoiding maintenance and replacement costs.
- have no heat buildup, hence the lamp remains cool.
- are durable and resistant to quick movements and is shock absorbent .
- keeps the same colour rendering throughout the lifetime.
- immediately gives 100% light output when they are switched on compared to fluorescent, mercury vapor and metal halide lamps which require warm up time.
- can be switched on/off more than 100.000 times.
- have no ultraviolet and infrared radiation, hence does not attract insects and is ideal for outdoor use.
- have high colour rendering as opposed to fluorescent and cheap LEDs available on the market.
- have no mercury, which is a neurotoxin, providing a safe environment for the family.
