As everyone evaluates newer technologies like LED lighting, a common question comes-up - is it worth it for my situation? Here are some signs that a situation warrants a closer look at LED lighting...
- Current lighting is consuming a very large amount of energy
- Current lighting is hard to access for maintenance
- Current lights require constant changing (large number of lights, so always some going bad)
- Current lighting creates excess heat in an area that needs to stay cool
- The area being lit regularly experiences vibrations or lights need to be durable
- Areas surrounding the area being lit should not be lit
- The area needs to be Dark Sky compliant
- Lights in this area are turned off and on regularly
- Instant full intensity lighting is desirable
- Environmentally friendly disposal is not easily achieved
1. Current lighting is consuming a very large amount of energy
- This is one of the most obvious and easily measured signs that LED lighting could be beneficial because LED lighting uses much less energy for a given amount of light created. This is often measured in Lumens (brightness) per watt (energy used). While not always higher than all conventional lighting, the combination of efficiency plus long life make LEDs one of the best choices any time significant energy is being used for current lighting.
2. Current lighting is hard to access for maintenance
- Maintaining lights requires effort and replacement parts, which both translate into cost. Therefore, because LEDs have a much greater projected lifetime than conventional lighting, they are a great choice when it is difficult to maintain (replace) lights. Examples of this might include deep freezers or high ceilings in a warehouse or auditorium.
3. Current lights need constant changing
- This is closely related to #1 in that maintenance costs money. The focus here is on areas that have a lot of lights. When there are a large number of lights that begin to burn-out, it can require constant effort to keep replacing them, especially if the lights are critical and can't be left to replace in a batch. Because LED lights last so much longer than conventional lights, constant changing won't be necessary for a long time. Additionally, when LED lights do eventually begin to wear out, they do so gradually over time, not suddenly like most conventional lights. Therefore, an LED that is wearing out won't suddenly leave a dark spot that has no light.
4. Current lighting creates excess heat in an area that needs to stay cool
- As much as 90% or more of the energy consumed by some conventional lights (incandescent) is emitted as heat. LED lighting emits a tiny fraction of this and actually functions very well in cold temperatures. Heat generation is almost always wasteful and when an area needs to be cooled or kept at a normal room temperature, that extra cooling because of the lighting can be significant.
5. An area being lit regularly experiences vibrations or lights need to be durable
- Another name for LED lighting is solid state lighting. As that name implies, LED lighting is very rugged and actually is based on solid state circuitry like that in computers, making it much more durable than traditionally lights. Additionally, LED lights can be coated to be fully water proof and designed to withstand very harsh environments.
6. Areas surrounding the area being lit should not be lit
(no bleeding over into neighbor's yard)
- LED lights are directional, meaning that the light that they emit is emitted in a specific direction, not in all directions like most conventional lighting. This enables the light to be directed exactly where desired. Further, when an exact light pattern is desired, such as along a property line, LED lights can be focused downward to minimize or completely eliminate bleed over onto neighboring property.
7. The area needs to be Dark Sky Compliant
- This is similar to #6. The Dark Sky initiative requires that lighting that unintentionally lights-up the night sky be minimized to avoid interference with groups that require less light (such as astronomers). Excess light that is being emitted into the night sky without intention is considered a form of pollution and often needs to be minimized. Because of its directional nature, LED lighting can be designed to be compliant with Dark Sky requirements with little or no modifications, saving costs.
8. Lights in this area are turned off and on regularly
- One of the primary factors that reduces the life expectancy of many forms of traditional lighting is turning the light on and off because it creates wear and tear on the filament that is being heated in the light. Because LED lights are constructed in fundamentally different ways, being energized or de-energized has no impact. In fact, one of the methods of dimming LED lighting is to turn the light on and off very rapidly. Therefore, any time lights are turned on and off regularly is a prime candidate to use LED lights so that this does not become and issue that causes premature end of life and increased maintenance costs.
9. Instant full intensity lighting is desirable
- Many traditional lights require time to "warm-up." This is often literally the element that is producing light getting to a high enough temperature and can take several minutes in many cases. During this warm-up period, most radiational lights are not at full brightness. In contrast LED lights reach full intensity with in a fraction of a second.
10. Environmentally friend disposal is not easily achieved
- Many traditional lights require being changed often and include dangerous substances such as Mercury that need to be handled properly to protect the environment. LED lights do not contain harmful substances like Mercury and also last much longer.
- This is one of the most obvious and easily measured signs that LED lighting could be beneficial because LED lighting uses much less energy for a given amount of light created. This is often measured in Lumens (brightness) per watt (energy used). While not always higher than all conventional lighting, the combination of efficiency plus long life make LEDs one of the best choices any time significant energy is being used for current lighting.
2. Current lighting is hard to access for maintenance
- Maintaining lights requires effort and replacement parts, which both translate into cost. Therefore, because LEDs have a much greater projected lifetime than conventional lighting, they are a great choice when it is difficult to maintain (replace) lights. Examples of this might include deep freezers or high ceilings in a warehouse or auditorium.
3. Current lights need constant changing
- This is closely related to #1 in that maintenance costs money. The focus here is on areas that have a lot of lights. When there are a large number of lights that begin to burn-out, it can require constant effort to keep replacing them, especially if the lights are critical and can't be left to replace in a batch. Because LED lights last so much longer than conventional lights, constant changing won't be necessary for a long time. Additionally, when LED lights do eventually begin to wear out, they do so gradually over time, not suddenly like most conventional lights. Therefore, an LED that is wearing out won't suddenly leave a dark spot that has no light.
4. Current lighting creates excess heat in an area that needs to stay cool
- As much as 90% or more of the energy consumed by some conventional lights (incandescent) is emitted as heat. LED lighting emits a tiny fraction of this and actually functions very well in cold temperatures. Heat generation is almost always wasteful and when an area needs to be cooled or kept at a normal room temperature, that extra cooling because of the lighting can be significant.
5. An area being lit regularly experiences vibrations or lights need to be durable
- Another name for LED lighting is solid state lighting. As that name implies, LED lighting is very rugged and actually is based on solid state circuitry like that in computers, making it much more durable than traditionally lights. Additionally, LED lights can be coated to be fully water proof and designed to withstand very harsh environments.
6. Areas surrounding the area being lit should not be lit
(no bleeding over into neighbor's yard)
- LED lights are directional, meaning that the light that they emit is emitted in a specific direction, not in all directions like most conventional lighting. This enables the light to be directed exactly where desired. Further, when an exact light pattern is desired, such as along a property line, LED lights can be focused downward to minimize or completely eliminate bleed over onto neighboring property.
7. The area needs to be Dark Sky Compliant
- This is similar to #6. The Dark Sky initiative requires that lighting that unintentionally lights-up the night sky be minimized to avoid interference with groups that require less light (such as astronomers). Excess light that is being emitted into the night sky without intention is considered a form of pollution and often needs to be minimized. Because of its directional nature, LED lighting can be designed to be compliant with Dark Sky requirements with little or no modifications, saving costs.
8. Lights in this area are turned off and on regularly
- One of the primary factors that reduces the life expectancy of many forms of traditional lighting is turning the light on and off because it creates wear and tear on the filament that is being heated in the light. Because LED lights are constructed in fundamentally different ways, being energized or de-energized has no impact. In fact, one of the methods of dimming LED lighting is to turn the light on and off very rapidly. Therefore, any time lights are turned on and off regularly is a prime candidate to use LED lights so that this does not become and issue that causes premature end of life and increased maintenance costs.
9. Instant full intensity lighting is desirable
- Many traditional lights require time to "warm-up." This is often literally the element that is producing light getting to a high enough temperature and can take several minutes in many cases. During this warm-up period, most radiational lights are not at full brightness. In contrast LED lights reach full intensity with in a fraction of a second.
10. Environmentally friend disposal is not easily achieved
- Many traditional lights require being changed often and include dangerous substances such as Mercury that need to be handled properly to protect the environment. LED lights do not contain harmful substances like Mercury and also last much longer.
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