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The efficiency of a light bulb is measured in terms of lumens per watt, or the amount of light produced for each watt of energy consumed. So in other words, if there are more lumens per watt, it simply means more light for your money. And that sounds like a valuable proposition, doesn’t it? This is just what LED lighting does. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, which is the most advanced lighting technology available in the market today. LED lights are gaining in popularity today in the domestic and commercial spaces in Melbourne, and across Australia, and that is not surprising given the host of benefits they offer over traditional lighting solutions.
LED technology has been advancing rapidly, and many new types of LED light fittings are available today. LED lights to come in all shapes and sizes, in the form of LED bulbs as well as tubes. At LightOnline, we stock a wide range of high quality LED lights online, from leading brands. You can choose from different levels of light output (lumens), colours, sizes and more more!
Conserving environmental resources and reducing our carbon footprint needs to be put on top priority today. But more often than not, environmentally-friendly alternatives come at a higher cost. It is the same case with LED lights. However, the initial high cost pays itself back many times over, monetarily and otherwise too. Here is how!
1) Energy Efficiency:
This is probably the biggest advantage of LED Lights, which convert 95% of the energy consumed into light, as compared to fluorescent and incandescent lights which convert only 5% energy into light. What makes this even better is that LED lighting uses much less power than traditional lighting, as you will see in the chart below to provide the same level of light. This also reduces the overall power demand as well as the greenhouse emissions that go along with that.
2) Better Light Distribution:
LED lighting has the quality of focussing light in one direction, which will be noticeably brighter than traditional lighting, which has a high percentage of light wastage in all directions. As a result, you will require a lesser number of LED lights for the same level of brightness, which adds to the savings in energy consumption.
3) Longer Life:
Another key reason why more people in Melbourne are switching to LED lighting is their durability. LEDs typically last 2-4 times longer than fluorescent lights and almost 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs, which again results in significant savings when it comes to manufacturing, packaging and transportation resources, not to mention the savings on the pocket as a result of lower maintenance.
4) Environmentally friendly:
Unlike fluorescent lights which contain mercury, LED lights are devoid of toxic chemicals. This becomes important due to the high degree of environmental contribution caused as a result of the disposal of toxic waste in landfills.
5) Higher safety:
Traditional lighting converts the better part of the energy consumed into heat energy, which can become an issue in case something goes wrong. In comparison, LED lights emit very less heat and are generally safer as they can also operate on low-voltage systems.
LightOnline has been the go-to supplier for lighting solutions since 1962. We also have the largest collection of LED lighting bulbs online, at competitive prices. If you have specific lighting requirements, feel free to reach out to us for honest recommendations. We service customers in Melbourne and all other regions in Australia through our website. And this is our way to spread light and joy.
To make sure your replacement LED fits when you get home, check what fitting you need (Bayonet or Edison screw base), size, shape, and voltage. Taking your old lamp in to compare against can help.
The best way to identify a suitable LED lamp replacement for an existing lamp is to look for the amount of light the lamp produces (measured in lumens or lm). Package information that says that the light output was actually tested for this performance is a good sign of a quality product.
We used to purchase incandescent bulbs by the amount of power (or watts) they used. LED bulbs produce the same amount of light using far less power, meaning it no longer makes sense to shop for watts. Using ‘lumens’ is now the way to choose the light you need.
The table below shows the number of lumens (and watts) you should look for in an LED as a replacement for a range of halogen light bulbs. Lumen values are approximate and do vary between manufacturers.
| Incandescent bulb (in Watts) | Light output in lumens (220/240 Volts) (LED) |
|---|---|
| 25 W | 250 lm (3-4 W) |
| 40 W | 500 lm (5-8 W) |
| 60 W | 800 lm (8 -12W) |
| 75 W | 1100 lm (11-17W) |
| 100 W | 1500 lm (15-23W) |
Unfortunately the information on the LED packaging is not always accurate. Sometimes the information stated on the package is about the light source within the bulb (the electronic LED chip), not the light produced by the whole LED bulb. Light sources tested under laboratory conditions will always have a higher light output than the LED bulb used in normal conditions. If you have questions about the specification you should ask the retailer or contact the manufacturer.
Best of all, if it is possible, ask the retailer to show you one of the lamps in operation. If this is possible, do not look at how ‘bright’ the LED appears, look at how well the LED illuminates surfaces compared with other lamps on offer.
All bulbs must be safe to operate. At a minimum this means they have passed mandatory safety requirements and earned their safety marks. The Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) demonstrates that the product meets the Australian electrical safety and electro-magnetic compatibility requirements and should be visible on the package. In addition, the brand must be registered on the Australian Government National Equipment Registration System.
Marking requirements are currently in transition and suppliers have until 1 March 2018 for products to be marked with the RCM. Unregistered brands and suppliers may be supplying equipment that does not meet Australian standards and regulations.
There are many factors that determine the lifetime of a LED bulb. Look for manufacturers that can back up their lifetime claims, either with testing or certification indicated on the product packaging.
For quality LED products the expected lifetime is somewhere in the range of 15,000 to 30,000 hours, however some products claim up to 50,000.
Look for a warranty of at least 2 years for a product claiming a 15,000 lifetime or a minimum of 3 years or longer for lamps claiming a lifetime over 15,000 hours.
A good approximation for information on lifetime testing is the guarantee that a manufacturer is willing to provide. Any warranty offered with a product is in addition to other rights you as a consumer have under consumer law.
Not all LED bulbs are equally efficient. Look for an energy efficiency rating in lumens per Watt (lm/W) on the bulb and compare with other products. The higher the number, the more efficient the product.
If this efficiency is not marked on the package you can simply divide the number of lumens (light output in lm) by the number of Watts. LED bulbs for most residential uses should be at least 60 lm/W, while LED luminaires intended to replace linear fluorescent lamps can achieve 85 lm/W or more.
Colour Temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). LEDs can produce white light in a number of “shades” or “colour temperatures”– from warm-white (similar to regular incandescent and halogen bulbs, 2700 to 3,300 Kelvin) to neutral or cool-white (3,00-5,300 Kelvin) or cool daylight (5,300 to 6,500 Kelvin). The lower the number, the warmer the light appears.
Just like the amount or brightness of light, different rooms can suit different colour temperatures. Warm white light is considered good for relaxing, whereas cool white can be better for concentrating. If you’re replacing a light in a series of downlights or tract lighting, it’s good to know what colour the rest of the lights are, so the colour of the new light bulb visually matches with the colour of the rest.
Some LED bulbs and fittings are colour adjustable. This allows the colour – or colour temperature – to be changed to suit your needs.
The Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is an indicator of how accurately colours can be distinguished under a light source. The higher the CRI value the better. Better still, if possible, purchase one LED and try it to see if it makes colours of objects appear appropriate before buying more.
Look for bulbs that have a CRI of 80 or above for normal tasks, while a CRI of 90+ is recommended for task lighting where colour is important.
