LED Lighting

      the lighting of the future

By: Jonathan Z. Kremer

June 11, 2007

Practically everyone has heard of the new LED bulbs that are coming out lately, but few know exactly what they are or what makes them different from other bulbs. In short, Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are bulbs without a filament, that are low in power consumption and have a long life span.

A Little History

In 1907, a British experimenter, H. J. Round, was the first to report of a light-emitting solid-state diode. Unfortunately, this discovery produced no practical use for many decades. In the 1970s LED indicator lights started to become commercially available for use in appliances such as TVs, radios, and telephones. Although these LEDs were bright enough to use as indicators, they were not able to illuminate an area. As the technology started to advance, the light output of LEDs increased, and have now become bright enough to be used for illumination.

Today, LED technology has provided us with LEDs which can be used in many lighting applications. We have LED flashlights, headlights, boat lights, and you can find many types of LED bulbs to replace the bulbs you have in your home.

How Are LEDs Different From a Regular Incandescent Bulb?

As we mentioned above, unlike ordinary incandescent bulbs, LEDs do not have a filament that will burn out, and they don't get especially hot. They are special diodes that emit light when connected in a circuit. They are illuminated solely by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material, and they last as long as a standard transistor.

For a more technical explanation go here: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/led1.htm

More About LEDs

LED light bulbs give off directional light, which means that the light goes where the bulb is pointing. LEDs are closer to the color of daylight than incandescent bulbs, with an excellent "Color Rendering Index" of around 85. They are about 5 times more energy-efficient than florescent bulbs, and can last up to 10 times as long.

LEDs are just starting to rival conventional lighting, but unfortunately they just don't have the output (lumen) needed to completely replace incandescent, and other type, bulbs just yet. Being relatively new, the price of LED lighting is still high enough to discourage many homeowners. Never the less, technology is advancing everyday, and it will not be long until the LED bulb will be the bulb of choice for most applications in the home and work place.

Jonathan Z. Kremer (better known as Yoni) is the proprietor of "Yoni - Electrical Design and Installations", a Maale Adumim (Israel) based business that has been serving primarily Jerusalem, Maale Adumim, and surrounding areas since 1989. We undertake various forms of electrical work including renovations, maintenance, installations, and repairs - encompassing the domestic (home), industrial and commercial arenas. We believe that our success tomorrow will be determined by how well we serve you today. http://www.yoni.kremer.co.il