LED Lighting 101

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LED lighting is the cutting edge in lighting technology. The energy efficiency and considerable lifespan of LEDs make them the best available lighting option, reducing electricity costs and overall energy use.

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What is LED?

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. LEDs produce light by passing electricity through a semiconductor material. This process (called electroluminescence) is more efficient than the process by which incandescent bulbs produce light, and the components of LEDs are also longer lasting. Because they are so efficient, LEDs are small (about the size of a speck of pepper), allowing them to be used in a variety of applications that go beyond use as a traditional light bulb.

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What are the Benefits of LED Lighting?

Lasts Longer

LED lights and fixtures last years without burning out or quitting. Due to their lighting efficiency and increased lifespan, LED lights can last 30 times longer than incandescent and 3–5 times longer than compact fluorescents (CFLs) – paying for themselves 10x in the long run.

No Heat or UV Emissions

If you’ve ever tried to change an incandescent light bulb right after it goes out, you know how hot they get when they’re in use. Traditional lighting sources use up to 90% of their energy to make heat and only about 10% of their energy is transmitted into visible light.

LEDs emit almost no heat, and most of their light is within the visible spectrum. This feature is one reason medical experts are looking at LEDs as a possible solution for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects many people during the darker months of the year. It also makes LEDs ideal for illuminating works of art that will degrade or break down over time with exposure to UV rays.

More Energy Efficient

LED lighting produces less waste light and more useful lumens than other lighting solutions. If you replaced all of the lights in your office, school, or home with LED lights, you would see a 60–70% increase in overall energy savings.

Design Flexibility

Because LEDs are very small, they can be used in almost any application in many different forms. The original use of LEDs was for indicator lights on circuit boards. If you combine them in bunches, you can create a traditional bulb or you could create a series of LEDs and create a strip or string, like a string of Christmas lights. LEDs' small size lends to endless possibilities for lighting your facility, from LED strips in tight, hard-to-reach places to lighting a shop floor or football stadium.

Low Voltage Operation

If your building is in a location where flooding may occur, you want to be able to light your facility with devices that require as little voltage as possible. LEDs are perfect for this because they operate at very low voltages. When you use a low-voltage system in areas that may be prone to flooding, you protect your staff and others from potentially harmful or fatal shocks.

LEDs’ low voltage operation also makes them extremely useful to use outdoors, where other lighting solutions might not meet local codes.

Ability to Operate in Extreme Temperatures

Traditional lighting sources don’t like cold weather. When the temperature drops, lighting sources, particularly fluorescent lamps, require a higher voltage to start, and the intensity of their light diminishes. LED lights are able to withstand cold temperatures and continue to operate at high levels.

Lower Environmental Impact

It is becoming increasingly important for companies to practice sustainability and environmental responsibility. Customers increasingly want environmentally friendly options, and using an eco-friendly light source can help companies reduce their energy use and appeal to socially conscious consumers.

The environmental benefits of LED lighting also extend to its manufacturing process. Many traditional lighting sources, like fluorescent lighting and mercury vapor lights, use mercury internally as part of their construction. Because of this, when they reach the end of their lifespans, they require special handling. LED lighting, on the other hand, does not contain toxic chemicals, and many of its components can be recycled.

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FAQ

EarthTronics carries indoor and outdoor LED lights and fixtures, as well as LED lamps.

EarthTronics EarthConnect is a mesh network lighting control system that makes it easy for commercial facilities to maximize energy savings, improve comfort, and achieve building code compliance for indoor and outdoor applications, all while controlling their lighting straight from a smartphone!

EarthTronics carries general-purpose bulbs, lamps, and linear tubes (TLED).

Yes, EarthTronics products are covered under warranties ranging from 3 to 10 years, depending on the specific product. Click here for more information on our warranties.

Many of our LED lighting products are ENERGY STAR® certified or listed as qualified products by the DLC.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. These diodes create light through a process called electroluminescence, during which an electrical current is passed through a semiconductor, which then emits light. LEDs are quite small and can be combined in a variety of ways to create different lighting products, such as light bulbs, strips, strings, and more.

LEDs last longer, are more energy efficient, have a lower environmental impact, use lower voltages, emit no UV or heat, operate in extreme temperatures, and can be combined in many different form factors for any application.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lighting lasts 3–5 times longer than compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and up to 30 times longer than traditional incandescent lights. Depending on the product and amount of use, some LED lights can last over 10 years.

Yes! Compared to traditional lighting such as incandescent and fluorescent lighting, LEDs use less energy and produce more visible light. Much of the energy used by incandescents actually creates heat, not light, or light not on the visible spectrum.

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