LED Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Are LED Lights, and Do They Save Energy?

LED lights are much more energy-efficient than all other lighting technologies that came before them. This includes metal halide, high-pressure sodium, CFL, fluorescent, incandescent, and halogen lights. Any facility that replaces traditional lighting with LED will reduce its energy consumption by 50% to 80% immediately. Cost savings will also be greatly enhanced due to their longer lifespan (up to 100,000 hours and more) because less time and money is spent on their maintenance.

2. How Do LEDs Work?

LEDs are comprised of three main components: the LEDs (the light-producing chipset), the driver (used to convert AC to DC), and the heat sink (used for heat dissipation). DC power is taken by the LEDs from the driver to create light, while the heat sink is used to keep the LEDs and the driver cool. Even though LEDs produce much less heat than other lighting technologies, the heat that they do generate must still be managed so they can function efficiently and realize their potential lifespans.

Efficiency is key when it comes to LED lighting, and this is why they are a superior choice to other types of lights. For example, a 400-watt metal halide lamp can be replaced with a 100-watt LED light.

3. Are There Benefits to Replacing Traditional Lamps With LEDs?

Yes, and there are many:

• The cost of your electricity bill will be reduced immediately.
• They produce less heat. Only about 5% of the electricity used by LED lights is converted into heat.
• They have a long lifespan: 50,000 hours at a minimum and over 100,000 hours potentially.
• They are extremely durable and practically indestructible. No brittle glass or fragile filaments are used in their construction.
• They don’t contain any hazardous materials such as mercury.
• They are easy to recycle with no special disposal requirements.

4. How Much Money Can You Save When You Convert to LED?

This will depend on the type of old lighting you are replacing. At a minimum, you will realize savings of 50% when you replace fluorescent lights. This number jumps to 70% or more when replacing metal halide or high-pressure sodium lights. As the efficiency and light quality of LEDs improve over time, the cost savings will be even greater.

5. Can You Use Dimmer Controls With LED Lights?

Yes, but there are two conditions that must be met. First, the bulb’s driver must be designed to allow it. Second, you’ll need to have the proper type of dimmer. Dimmers made specifically for LED bulbs can be found at most retail stores. If you use a non-dimmable LED bulb with a dimmer, it will fail, and its warranty will be voided.

There are two basic types of dimmers used with LED lights:

• TRIAC dimming: Controls the flow of AC current and is typically used in residential applications. The current flow can be adjusted to set the light output of an LED bulb.
• 0-10V low-voltage dimming: Typically used with commercial and industrial LED fixtures. It requires special wiring and a dedicated DC voltage signal ranging from 0 to 10 volts.

6. Do LED Bulbs Have Hazardous Materials Such as Mercury?

No. LED bulbs don’t contain mercury or any other hazardous chemicals or metals. CFLs and fluorescents, however, contain small amounts of mercury that must be disposed of correctly. When your LED bulb eventually stops working, you don’t need to be concerned about special disposal requirements.

7. What Color Temperatures Are Available With LED Bulbs?

Color temperature for light bulbs is represented as a measurement on the Kelvin scale. LED bulbs are available in a range of color temperatures, but the most common range is from 2700 Kelvin to 7500 Kelvin. Manufacturers often use terms like “Warm White,” “Natural White,” “Day White,” and “Cool White,” but these terms do not have standardized Kelvin temperature definitions.

Common color temperature ranges:

• 2700 – 3200 K: Warm White – typically used in residential applications
• 4000 – 4500 K: Natural White – typically used in office applications
• 5000 – 5500 K: Day White – typically used in warehouse/industrial applications
• 6500 – 7500 K: Cool White – not typically used

8. Are LEDs Used for Outdoor Applications?

Yes. However, they need to be able to withstand outdoor conditions. This means they must be waterproof or watertight. An LED bulb or fixture used outdoors can be damaged or rendered inoperable if water penetrates its housing. Check the IP rating of the product to determine its level of protection against solids and liquids. An IP65 rating or better is typically suitable for wet environments.

9. Will There Be a Decrease in Light Level During the Lifespan?

Yes. Toward the end of its operating lifespan, an LED light will fade at a very gradual pace, which is barely noticeable. This phenomenon is called “lumen degradation” and is expressed as L70, which refers to the time it takes for a light to reach 70% of its initial lumen output.

10. If I Want to Replace a 400-Watt Metal Halide Fixture, How Many Lumens Do I Need?

Several factors must be considered. The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) specifies a minimum of 10,000 lumens to replace a 400-watt metal halide lamp. Other factors include surface reflection, obstructions, and additional light sources.

• Indoor metal halide lights: 15,000 to 21,000 lumens
• Outdoor metal halide lights: 12,000 to 21,000 lumens

Using a lighting photometric analysis, we can determine how many lumens are needed to create the appropriate foot candles for your application.

11. What Are the Steps to Replace a Fluorescent Tube?

Replacing a fluorescent tube with an LED involves the following steps:

1. Remove the fluorescent tubes and ballast.
2. If necessary, replace the existing lamp sockets (for single-end powered tubes).
3. Rewire the fixture for LED tubes or use ballast-compatible tubes for a direct replacement without rewiring.

12. Should I Buy LED Lights Based on Watts or Lumens?

Always buy based on lumens. Watts indicate how much energy a bulb uses, while lumens measure the amount of light produced. Choose products with a higher lumens-per-watt (lm/W) ratio to ensure energy efficiency.

13. What Component of the LED System Typically Fails First?

Almost always, it is the driver. This is why it’s important to choose products with high-quality drivers from reputable brands such as Philips, Inventronics, or Meanwell. A good driver should last more than 50,000 hours.

14. What Is the Most Common Reason LEDs Fail?

Heat. Heat is the enemy of electronics. Products with good heat management and external drivers typically last longer than integrated fixtures.

15. What Is the Color Rendering Index (CRI)?

CRI measures the quality of light on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating better quality. LEDs typically range from 70 to 95 CRI, with higher CRI values correlating with higher costs.