LED — lighting modernisation

When buying a new light source, most people consider three things most important: consumption, service life and, of course, price. Today there is an LED replacement for practically every widely used luminaire. In most cases the light-emitting diodes are soldered onto printed boards, oriented to suit the cap. The electronics needed to run them are also housed in the light source, so these newer, more modern lamps can be used directly in standard fittings. They are also known as “retrofit” LED light sources.

But what specific advantages are there in favour of LED lighting?

LEDs are more efficient than other lamps, so we can produce the same (or greater) light output for less electricity. It is no small matter, either, that LED light sources emit no UV radiation, tolerate frequent switching far better than their classic counterparts — which gives them a much longer service life — and are also more resistant to fluctuations in the supply.

When it comes to service life, LEDs really do lead the field. A conventional tungsten filament bulb provides light for about 1,000 hours. Their rivals, halogen light sources, can “live” up to twice as long — as much as 2,000 operating hours. Most compact fluorescent lamps can light for 10,000–15,000 hours, while the useful life of LED light sources can reach 20,000–30,000 hours. Useful life is the period within which the light source retains its operating characteristics as specified. Useful life is therefore not the end of the light source's life.

For anyone to whom energy efficiency or protecting the environment matters particularly, modernisation can also be a good decision, since LEDs — depending on type — can have a very favourable effect on consumption. The average energy consumption of light sources used in households is less than 20 W. By comparison, an LED light source equivalent to a 100 W conventional bulb consumes only around 12 W.

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