Frequently Asked Questions about LED Lights

Why LED’s?

As a rule, LED bulbs use 90% less electricity than standard bulbs. They have an unparalleled even spectrum of light and have a lifespan beyond ten years. LED’s provide us the most efficient way to save energy and conserve our natural resources. If LED’s were implemented right now universally, we would not need to build another power plant. LEDs would actually eliminate the need for over 30 existing power plants!

Do LED light bulbs contain mercury?

No. LED bulbs do not contain mercury. They can actually be recycled as they do not contain hazardous substances and are manufactured without hazardous substances.

How do LED light bulbs compare to CFL bulbs?

Studies show LED light bulbs use 50% less energy than CFL bulbs and in many cases last 10 times longer than CFL light bulbs. They are much more durable, environmentally friendly, vibration and shock resistant and offer excellent light quality, both indoor and outdoor.

Do LED bulbs produce as much heat as CFL or Incandescent bulbs?

LED light bulbs emit much less heat than a CFL or incandescent bulb. In many cases, you can actually feel the temperature difference just by being near the light. LED light bulbs will always operate at a lower temperature than a CFL or incandescent which has immediate benefits in reduced cooling bills in the summer months where we are paying for our Air Conditioning to cool our offices.

Why are LED lights more expensive?

LED light bulbs use an actual circuit board to operate and are made of electronic components. Essentially, they could be considered an electronic device. This technology continues to gain advantages almost daily. The manufacturing and supply/demand of general lighting products are gearing up today, and we will see costs continue to decline as the adoption rate of LED Lighting increases.

Is LED light a different type of light?

Yes, LED light is said to be a safer, healthier light. LEDs do NOT produce any sort of ultraviolet radiation which causes fabric fading, color fading in Art, carpeting and other soft goods. There is none of the ‘buzzing’ or ‘flickering’ that many people are sensitive to with LED Lights. Residential and especially commercial and industrial plants, stores libraries, galleries, and warehouses can immediately benefit from LED Lighting.

How long do LEDs for general lighting really last?

Remember, the longevity of LED Lighting can be 100,000 hours. LED’s are Solid State devices (SSL – or “solid state lighting”); they will not burn out. Life expectancy for SSL lighting is upwards of 50,000 to 100,000 hours or more which means no maintenance costs for facilities workers to replace lights. Over time, the cost of the fluorescent or incandescent bulbs themselves can add up to a significant savings when converting to LED’s.

LED lights are typically rated to last about 100,000 hours. An incandescent light bulb is rated for about 1000 hours. CFLs or Fluorescent Tube lights are rated for 6-8000 hours. The product replacement cost math is easy: (see chart below showing the next 10 years)

TYPE OF LIGHT      LIFE HOURS REPLACE COST

LED Lighting 100,000 hrs (10 Years)   Buy Once

Fluorescent / CFLs 6-8,000 hrs Buy 13 Times

Incandescent         1,000 hrs     Buy 100 Times

Did You Know?

LED lighting offers excellent light quality for both indoor and outdoor uses. It takes 50 incandescent light bulbs or 8 CFL’s to equal the lifespan of 1 LED light bulb.

LED light emits 90% less heat than a conventional bulb therefore producing more light than heat and gaining maximum energy efficiency.

An LED light is the bi-product of electricity jumping between two different alloys. This produces a small amount of light and depending upon the alloys, the color is dictated.

LED light is truly a solid state light as there are no gases, no filaments and no moving parts to fatigue.

Q. What are the main benefits of LED-efficient lighting?

A: There are several key benefits.  Energy efficient LED lighting just makes sense. Spread the word.

1.  First, it uses a lot less energy per unit of light output.

2.  Second, you’ll save money.  Energy-efficient lighting lasts a lot longer, so be sure to amortize your bulb costs over the expected life of the bulb. In addition to the cost of the bulb, you should include the cost of the labor to change the bulb. The high-temperature bulbs increase the load of your A/C and add to your cooling costs.  If you have to move retail racks or food preparation equipment, or disassemble a luminaire, or find a ladder or lift, gas to the store, the labor cost to replace a bulb or string of lights can be high. There’s always the risk that the person changing the bulb will break the luminaire or something under it, so a 50,000 hour LED has a big advantage over a 2,000 hour halogen, for example, because the re-lamping occurs much less frequently. Additionally, there’s a risk the bulb will be dark for a while before being changed. What is the cost to your reputation if your hotel, restaurant or other business that has burned out lights? With long-life bulbs, it just won’t happen as frequently.

3. Third, since energy-efficient lighting lasts longer, you’ll be generating less trash for our landfills.

4.   Finally, you can feel good about using energy-efficient LED lighting. You’re being a good corporate or private citizen for conserving energy. Increasingly, people will notice your energy conservation. And that’s great for your reputation.

Halogens, a type of improved incandescent lamp, are somewhat energy efficient, but are losing ground to more energy-efficient technologies. They tend to get really hot, too – halogens can hit over 350 degrees.  Incandescent lights, the ones Thomas Edison commercialized over 100 years ago, are obsolescing rapidly. The bulbs are really cheap, but they don’t last long and they consume far too much energy to be competitive except in locations where they are rarely used, such as an attic. They make decent heaters, but you wanted a light, right? Especially if you have to pay for air conditioning to offset the 90% heat output those 19th century relics are throwing off.

The goal is to pay LESS for lighting, including all the cost factors: the bulbs, the cost of replacing the bulbs, gas to get them, the additional heat and you will pay higher power-rent each monthly check you write to the electric company.

Q. OK, but there’s no way it will make sense to replace a cheapo halogen cup bulb I can buy on discount for $5 with an LED lamp that might cost $45, right?

A:   Wrong. It is less expensive to use a $45.00 LED MR16 cup lamp than a FREE halogen cup lamp that averages 3000 life-hours. That’s right! If you used it 10 hours/day and pay 13 ¢/KW hour, you’ll save $48.75/year (see our example click here) with the high-tech LED lamp and that does assume paying someone to change and you to buy another halogen bulb during that 3,650 hour year.  So you could take out halogen bulbs you’ve already paid for (essentially free, at this point) and save money by buying a $45 LED MR16.  If the light is inconvenient to change because of its location, you’re even better off with the LED because it lasts so long.  If the bulbs still work, you’ll be tempted to keep them, but remember; the biggest cost of lighting is the energy consumed, not the bulb.

Question: What does the symbol CE stand for?

Answer: The  symbol stands for “Conformité Européenne” which is French for “European Conformity”. When the symbol is affixed to a product it is the manufacturer’s declaration that the product conforms to the essential requirements of all European directives. The essential requirements would include Safety, public health, Electromagnetic Compatibility, and consumer protection, among other things.

CE marking is a mandatory requirement for selling all products that it applies to into EU Countries. It implies that the product has been subject to all applicable evaluation and assessment procedure(s) as defined by the CE directives. CE marking is not a quality symbol. It only indicates that the product conforms to the directives set forth by the EU. It is not an indicator of the overall quality of the product.

What is RoHS?

RoHS is the acronym for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. RoHS, also known as Directive 2002/95/EC, originated in the European Union and restricts the use of specific hazardous materials found in electrical and electronic products. All applicable products in the EU market after July 1, 2006 must pass RoHS compliance.

What are the restricted materials mandated under RoHS?

The substances restricted under RoHS are lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (CrVI), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE).

Why is RoHS compliance important?

The restricted materials are hazardous to the environment and pollute landfills, and are dangerous in terms of occupational exposure during manufacturing and recycling.

How are products tested for RoHS compliance?

Portable RoHS analyzers, also known as X-ray fluorescence or XRF metal analyzers, are used for screening and verification of RoHS compliance.

What is ETL?

From coffee makers to chemical processing equipment to treadmills, Intertek has helped thousands of manufacturers get their products to the North American marketplace months before their competition.