[ Technology: LED lighting ]
cooler you get, the greater the light output as refl ected in the lumens and lux fi gures. Be sure to compare like-for- like – otherwise, although you may get the same light level as your old halogen lamp, it may look more like a disco than a living room.
Beam angles Beam angles are also an important consideration. LEDs tend to have fi xed beam angles, with very little or no light extended beyond the margins of the beam. Be careful to ensure the beam is equivalent to the product you are replacing or adequate for any new installation. On this note, the narrower you make a beam, the more light there will be within it. This allows manufacturers to claim higher equivalent light outputs when comparing to traditional lighting, by making the beam narrower.
Lifespan The lifespan of LED lighting products can seem staggering, with some manufacturers quoting up to 100,000 hours. Has anyone actually tested a product for 100,000 hours? To put it into perspective, a product would have to run in excess of 11 years if left on for 24 hours a day to determine if it would last that long. Sure, there are tests that can be run to estimate the product life, and the truth is that LED products do last longer, especially if well-made. Although a chip may be rated to 100,000 hours, there are other components that also make up a lamp that can fail. So be slightly sceptical of claims a product will last longer than 15 years or so, especially when the fi ne print shows calculations are based on less daily usage than your toothbrush.
Consumer and commercial Regardless of the above considerations, LED products are proving to be a viable low-energy solution in the lighting market, and not just for domestic use. Ever-increasing light outputs and maintenance-free solutions have proved an
attractive proposition for commercial applications as well. The emergence of alternatives to fl uorescent fi xtures, such as 600x600 LED light panels and like-for-like compact fl uorescent replacements, means that LED technology is becoming more common within the commercial, industrial and retail sectors. Further benefi ts may be unexpected – take cold storage-
A fact sheet about LED lighting is now available from the ECA. To download, visit
www.eca.co.uk
type installations, for example. LED low bay luminaires used in this application not only offer the benefi t of an energy reduction, but since they have a relatively low running temperature, less money has to be spent on maintaining a cool environment, compounding energy savings. Such benefi ts have been widely recognised by the industrial market, where LEDs are not restricted to traditional lighting forms and usage. LED strip lighting, for example, now reaching more than 1,000 lumens per metre, can be used for almost any application imaginable within domestic, commercial, retail and industrial-type installations.
About the author
Giuliano Digilio Giuliano Digilio is the head of ECA Technical Services. He has extensive experience in the electrical and electronic engineering building services industry, and sits on numerous technical committees for the ECA in the UK and Europe.
Initiatives LED initiatives are being pioneered across the globe as far afi eld as South America where, for the fi rst time, during this year’s carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the iconic monument of Christ the Redeemer overlooking the city will be lit up in LED. It is no wonder that they have chosen this technology, considering the huge amount of energy and money that can be saved. With an extremely long lifespan relative to other forms of lighting and a technology that’s free of hazardous material, you have a winning combination. Falling production costs with ever increasing light output and effi ciency seem to indicate that we are at the beginning of a trend.
■ For further information on LED lighting, contact Giuliano Digilio at
giuliano.digilio@eca.co.uk or call 020 7313 4825, or email Dr Michael Dangoor at
michael@orlight.com or call 01707 663 883.
Ezential LED downlight replacement for CFL
Orlight 600x600 LED panel
LED products are proving to be a viable low energy solution in the lighting market
March 2011 ECA Today 35
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