LED Light Bulbs (NOT)
Not all bright LED light
bulbs are able to replace
screw-in bulbs, globes or even some lamps to light your a place.
And just
because a LED bulb is very bright it may not count as super-bright.
Also learn the real cost versus benefit of having them.
Photo:
courtesy Philips
Not
all LED bulbs perform as expected. And some can do much more than
others.
I collected most everything I know about them for making a good choice.
And looking into the future it is possible that they will be even
greater than today. Here
are
my reasons.
- L E D
bulbs are
not light bulbs.
- Market is growing,
but
from a low
level,
unit prices start dropping.
- The
future of LED lighting is in less
cost, and much more fun.
Artificial room lighting has come an
awful long way since
the dawn of your incandescent light bulbs. And on the face LED bulbs
kind of seem light bulbs too.
So
why they are NOT
bulbs?
Well, because light bulbs are generally
replacable lighting
fixtures (screw-in, screw-out kind of.) And LED bulbs are not - not in
that conventional sense. And this small step
actually marks quite a big
shift in home lighting.
Once properly in
place, lighting will
no longer need to be replaced. They become part of your building much
like walls, floors and skirting boards are. And most LED bulbs might
not even have the shape of the Edison bulb we are so used to.
Some will be as flat as the painting on your wall. And some just travel
wirelessly from here to there. Yet another type will stay where you
fixed it - no need to touch it any more...
TIP
#1
These few brigth Led(non)Bulbs have heat sinks
>>
more
TIP
#2 Nice
bright task lights where you need them >>
more
My current top picks
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For LED
Light bulbs the
current fad is the bulb shaped LED light that can be slipped in place
of low voltage lights in most
DC
or AC applications.
But LED light bulbs are unlike your halogen, compact fluorescent or
even
incandescent light bulbs. They are solid state lights.
And once in position, these so called bulbs can easily become part of
the
building. Much like a skirting board is part of the wall. Or a cornice
is
part of the ceiling. You don't really replace them. (Unless may be when
you move or renovate.)
So
the best way to think about
led bulbs is that they are
NOT
like anything you know so far as
bulbs.
That will help you sort out thinks easier. Because they can come with a
whole lot of 'baggages' -- internal
LED dimmer,
light engine (need for good operation and heat management), converter
or adaptor, and last but not least - microcontroller.
Color
and Color Index
Led lights in general are narrow spectrum lights. With the manipulation
of three
basic color units any shade is achievable without the use of filters.
Broad spectrum is only achievable with some kind of filtering or doping
- industrial process for micro-thin lining of a surface.
Click here for
color temperature comparisons
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What to
look Out for and HOW
“LED
light bulbs are NOT
light bulbs ... !
Ask about size, type,
light output in Lumen (same as luminous flux), where do I want to put
it / weigh it against what suits me best. If outdoors -- does it suit
the elements, under
water, external UV light, -- Is it UL listed, (or your local
certifying body) ?
Remember, you want to be energy efficient and save
on power, so -
Whenever
you can: look for possible long life or
solar rechargeable battery operated lower voltage LED bulb and
lower
heat output options. Look for some hefty piece of metal or
good 'radiator-like' perforation for good heat sinking. But also think
of recycled
plastic -- LED products come in plastic housing.
Switches to choose:
variability of light and light beam to suit (lower angle for spot -
wider for flood light), complexity of wiring and use itended.
Understand this: - Dimmer if present, always internal. (External dimmer
with a LED is tweaking to push it beyond comfortable operation.)
Other:
Heat output, heat sinking - built-in or specially
made, wattage, brightness, controller ability.
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for The next
few years of LED light bulbs
Photo: courtesy Philips
Philips has been developing this for some time now...
A light tap of the third
kind…
The
type pictured here has a touch sensor and changes colour when you
gently touch it.
Not
available yet,
only for display. Here courtesy of Philips. Commercially available
probably about 2007-08. Will keep checking, but I hope some day to see
this in fun-LED store.
And all these LED bulbs and the
coming generations of LED lights
are so smart that you will even need a new
kind of house to fit them: -- Houses with radically less windows and
yet radically
more natural light
WILL
become possible, but also a
necessity.
Just this year we had the hottest month on record. Clear
windows are affordable, but they are not the best future friends of
your home.
More about the expect shift in home lighting
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The transformer (often called adaptor) used for low voltage led light
bulbs must not be much greater then the total wattage of all the LED
bulbs connected together. In effect, the transformer you use should be
as
close as possible to the total wattage of the bulbs.
Question:
Led
bulbs? They look great, the concept sounds great.., but --
can they be retro-fit
in your current bayonet or screw bases connected to the main?
Answer: Yes
and No. YES, with built in converter.
But not WITHOUT it. (Don't recommend DIY for this one unless you know
what you do...) Reason? Most Leds
are Direct Current devices (DC) unlike the home main, which is
Alternate AND Direct Current (AC-DC.)
Refer to FAQ for other questions and anwers
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Related Articles,
Resources, Products:
Selected
LED
replacement bulbs
with heat management reviewed
Learn the
cost vs benefits of a LED replacement
bulb and how to calculate
All LED bulbs need
good
heat management for reliable operation
About
bulbs
that are not all LED but save energy
Compliment
the effects of LED light bulbs with
LED rope lighting.
Just because it's small it still can be
super bright!
The ways and the need for heat
sinking with LED light
And there are other affordable
long
life bulbs that last for some time
Whenever you can: - Think
recycled plastic for key components
Great task lights
where
and when you need them
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Go to
LED bulb store
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Lights Guide
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