Whereas the marketplace for colored (Red, Green, Blue) RGB LEDs is well established, the marketplace for white LEDs continues to be growing. Why? Once you think of industries that still depend on white, non-LED lighting, such as televisions, automotive manufacturers, computer monitors, notebook computers, LCD backlights, etc., you can 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, because replacement white LED bulbs and retrofits are finally in the marketplace, does not imply that they should be on your immediate shopping list. In very easy terms, the marketplace for colored and color-changing LEDs is mature. While engineers are still finding ways to make them brighter and much more efficient, the ultimate goal of the LED industry is in developing volume production of high-efficiency, high-brightness white LEDs.
dimmable high bay led lighting may be easier to think about colored LEDs (RGB) and white LEDs with regards to another industry: Automotive. RGB LEDs are just like the internal combustion engine: Reliable, abundant, easy to use and manufacture, and fairly well toned in terms of the prospect of new or breakthrough technologies. You will find plenty on manufacturers and each has their very own group of patents and “tricks of the trade” to help give themselves some marketing leverage over the competition. White LEDs are like the alternative energy industry for transportation: Quite varied, still relatively “new”, still having to be market proven, more expensive, more challenging to manage.
There are plenty of manufacturers, each utilizing a different technology or combination of technologies to accomplish what they believe is 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 was not considered previously. White LEDs, however are still developing technically and really should not be shopped based 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 need to be considered, making a fast and simple recommendation about transitioning to white LEDs is not possible. To acquire 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 following what to help determine where on the priority purchase-list each replacement should be. Here are some general ideas to help you determine if an LED upgrade is the right choice for you personally:
1.) Is the lighting located in a home where in fact the primary resident is older or has mobility issues?
If the LED replacement produces adequate light levels, LED alternatives are ideal for use in homes where safety is really a top priority. Realizing that an ill or older person won’t have to change a burned-out light bulb again can provide peace-of-mind.
2.) Is initial cost a primary factor in determining if you’re going to upgrade?
The current nature of the white LED market means that prices remain relatively high, especially compared to traditional lighting. Being an early adopter means paying reduced; are you more comfortable with knowing you could have paid less for the same technology in the event that you had waited?
3.) May be the light located in bright daytime sunlight or an area of high heat?
High levels of heat will noticeably shorten the lifespan of any LED, especially white LEDs. When contemplating LEDs, try to make sure 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 having to decrease the heat output from a traditional light source?
In bathrooms, laundry rooms and small spaces, conventional lighting can produce uncomfortable heat. LED lighting is ideal for these areas because they produce no heat and because affordably illuminating smaller areas with LEDs presents significantly less of a challenge.
5.) Is the lighting located in a location 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 by nature, so trying to meet a particular brightness expectation over a broad area is not the best usage of LED lamps. The existing crop of standard fluorescent tubes or high-bay lighting will probably be more efficient for these applications.
7.) Are you trying to retrofit a preexisting lighting fixture to accommodate an LED replacement?
Most current lighting fixtures are made 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 definitely be made by manufacturers in order to make LEDs “work” for the best number of retrofits. When possible, rather than retrofit bulbs look at a “total package” LED lighting fixture that is designed from the bottom up to efficiently use LEDs.
8.) Is the light output and quality of the LED version acceptable in comparison to your existing lighting?
With the variety of lighting technology available (incandescent, fluorescent, LED, etc.) the only way to get a precise idea of how the lighting will perform would be to compare the light output or lumen and color temperature specifications rather than the wattage as is typical of most of us raised with traditional lighting in the house. The US Department of Energy has devised a standardized “lighting facts” label similar in concept to the nutrition label found 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 are, LED replacements are excellent candidates because after they are changed, you will likely never have to change them again since LEDs do not “burn up” such as a conventional bulb.
10.) Are you replacing all the light bulbs in a particular area or just a single bulb?
Unless you know the color temperature of all lighting in the area, try to be consistent in whatever lighting technology you select. For example, if your room uses primarily halogen lighting, chances are a warm color temperature and changing an individual reading lamp to LED with a cooler lighting temperature can not only be noticeable, but can also be distracting.
11.) Does the power savings and/or return on investment (ROI) make it worthwhile at this point?Prepare a power audit using free web calculators to find out how much money you will save on energy and what the potential profits on return is. Just enter your time rates, the full total wattage of your conventional lighting and the total wattage of the LED lighting that you are considering and the calculator will tell you how much money each technology will cost you per year.
As you can see, every lighting situation is highly recommended individually against the above checklist. Doing so will assist you to determine LED upgrade plans that fit within both your allowance and your expectations. In general, LED lighting will continue to improve in both output and efficiency every year like the way the personal computer market has evolved. What could possibly be considered a “middle of the road” LED lamp today, was very likely considered reduced 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 as the technology improves will ensure a comfortable transition to tomorrows lighting technology.