AllAboutLEDLighting

byRandallGhent

IntroductionDidYouKnow?...
1/3oflightbulbsalesbyPhilipsandOsramarenowLED.
1/3ofUKhouseholdshaveLEDlightinginstalled.
Still,publicawarenessisverylow.CaseinpointaspartofadisplayatWilkinsondesignedto
informthepublicaboutLEDlighting:Wattsarenowmeasuredinlumens.Wrong!orthe
widespreadviewthatsocalledenergysavingbulbsarethemostefficient.

WhySwitchtoLED?
1. Energyefficiency(lumens/watt)50%savingsoverfluorescent,90%overhalogenor
incandescenttodayandimprovingrapidly.Thistranslatesintoenergycostsavings.
2. Longerbulblifee.g.halogen1,500hourstoLED30,00050,000hours,whichalsoequatestoa
lowermaintenancecostincommercial/industrialenvironments.
3. LEDbulbcostscomingdownwhilstenergycostsaregoingup.
4. ManyLEDbulbsaredimmable,unlikefluorescents.
5. ColourtemperatureLEDsavailableinarangeofwarmtocoldlightversionsaswellasarange
ofcoloursforspecialistuses(e.g.nightlightingofMillenniumBridgeinYork).
6. Flexibilitynotonlyavailableinbulbsbutbendablestripsandsheets,rangeofbeamangles,fitting
types,frostedvsunfrosted,etc.
7. Excellentforoffgridinstallationsbecause(a)limitedpowerisavailableandthecostperwattof
energydeliveredishigh,and(b)LEDiswidelyavailablein12VDC.
8. Nostartupdelaywhenswitchingon,unlikemanyfluorescents.
9. Worksbetterincoldenvironmentsthanfluorescents.
10. Lessheatoutputthanothertechnologiesespeciallyimportantinhotclimates,inrefrigeration
lighting,andtoreduceelectricalfiredanger.

Reason1:EnergyEfficiency
Theresnopointreplacingbulbstoreducewatts,ifyourereducingthelightoutputtobelowyourneeds.
Soyouneedtolookatlumens(lightoutput)togetherwithwatts(powerconsumption).

Energyefficiencyismeasuredinlumensperwatt.Thatshowmuchlightoutputyouregettingforagiven
amountofpower.Itsimportanttocalculatelumens/wattbecauseevenamongLEDbulbs,theresquitea
rangeofefficiencies.Curiously,youwontfindlumens/wattfiguresonproductpackaging.Soyoullhaveto
calculateityourself.Fortunately,itsnothard.Forexample,ifyouseea3Wbulbemitting300lumens,
thats100lumens/watt.Youllwanttostrivefor100+lumens/watt,whichisusuallypossibleifyoulook
around.PrototypeCreeLEDbulbshavesurpassed300lumens/watt,soitsjustamatteroftimebeforethe
barisraisedonceagain.

Reason2:LongerBulbLife
Thisisamassiveissueforcompaniesemployingfacilitiesmanagementcontractorshighhourlyratesto
changelightbulbsevenmoresowhenthebulbsareoutofreachandrequirehiringinascissorlift.With
halogenGU10bulbs,whichlast1,500hours,itsanobrainertoreplacethemwithLEDs,whichlast25,000+
hours.Insuchasituation,evenwhentheLEDbulbscostatleasttwiceasmuchashalogenbulbs,youcan
easilydevelopabusinesscaseforswitchingbasedonbulblifealone.

Foreveryoneelse,bulblifeisthesecondfactortoincludeincostsavingscalculations,evenifitsaquick
androughmentalcalculation.

PaybackandReturnonInvestment(ROI)
Paybackisthepointintimewhenyouverecoupedthecostsyouveoutlaidbyreplacingyourbulb(s).That
is,whenyoubreakeven.Toachievethequickestpayback,youwillneedtoreplaceyourhigherwattage
bulbs,andthosethatareusedmostoften.Ifyouneedtocalculatewhichbulbswillbecosteffectiveto
replace,youcanuseasimplecostcalculateasbelow.

ThefirststepistoconvertthebulbwattagetokWbecausethatistheformatusedtocalculateenergy
costs.Justdivideby1,000.Therestofthecalculationdeterminesthekilowatthoursperyearofyourbulb,
basedontheaveragehours/dayanddays/yearofusage.Thelaststepsaretomultiplybyyourutilitycosts
perkilowatthour,andthenaddinthecostofthebulb(andanyinstallationcosts).

Halogen>LEDpaybackcalculation:

35WhalogenGU10:0.035kWx12hx365dx0.15util=23.00energycosts/year+1.50bulb

3WLEDGU10:0.003kWx12hx365dx0.15util=1.97energycosts/year+4.03bulb

Year1savings:24.506.00=18.50 Year2savings:24.501.97=22.53

Simplepayback=differenceinbulbcost/electricitysavingsperyear:
2.53/21.03=0.12years=paybackin1.44months

BulbLifetimeReturnonInvestment:TheLEDsgainfrominvestmentisthe21.03savedin
electricityperyeartimes20years(thelifetimeofthebulb),or420.60.Then,wemustaddthe
costofthehalogenbulbreplacementsovertheLEDslifetime,whichis20times,or30(20x
1.50).Therefore,theROI=(420.60+304.03)/4.03x100=11,081%

Year1ROI:(21.03+1.504.03)/4.03x100=459%

Fluorescent>LEDpaybackcalculation:

12WCFL:0.012kWx4hx365dx0.15util=2.63energycosts/year+3.00bulb

6WLED:0.006kWx4hx365dx0.15util=1.31energycosts/year+6.00bulb

Year1loss:7.315.63=1.68 Year2savings:2.631.31=1.32

Simplepayback=differenceinbulbcost/electricitysavingsperyear:
3.00/1.32=2.27years=paybackin27.27months

BulbLifetimeROI:TheLEDsgainfrominvestmentisthe1.32savedinelectricityperyeartimes20
years(thelifetimeofthebulb),or26.40.Then,wemustaddthecostoftheCFLbulb
replacementsovertheLEDslifetime,whichis2times,or6(2x3).Therefore,theROI=(26.40
+36)/6x100=390%

Year1ROI:(1.32+36)/6x100=28%

WhyAvoidSwitching?
1. Mylightfixtureisntusedveryoften,soitwouldntpaytoswitch(oftentrue;seeabove).
2. ThebulbtypeformyfixtureisntavailableinLEDversion(lessandlesstrue;haveasearch!).
3. ThequalityofLEDlightingisinferiortoothertechnologiesformyparticularinstallation(usually
untrue,butsometimestrueincertainapplications,sostayopenminded).
4. IvebeenburnedbybadexperienceswithlowqualityLEDlighting(legitimate,buttheansweristo
avoidlowquality).
5. Therangeofproductsisconfusingandvariableevenwithinonebulbtype(legitimate,butthis
guidewillhelpyou!).

StepstoTake
1. Prioritisereplacementofhighwattagebulbsandthosewiththemostusage(inhours/day).
2. Checkyourexistingbulbwattageandbulbtype(e.g.56WT8fluorescenttube,1200mm).
3. DeterminetheequivalentLEDwattageneeded(approx50%forfluorescent;approx10%for
halogenorincandescent)andadjustthisupordownifmore/lesslightneeded.Alternativelyand
moresimply,youcouldchoosetheequivalentlumensofyourexistingbulb.
4. Determinethecolourtemperatureneeded(onrangefrom2700Kto6500Kwarmtocold).
5. Determinewhethertogowithfrostedorunfrosted(frostedisusuallybest,toavoidglare)and
dimmableornondimmable(dimmablerequiresLEDspecificorlowvoltagedimmerswitch).
6. Determinethebulbshapeandsizeyoudlike,basedonthefitting,shadeandbeamangle.
7. Huntforappropriatebulbbasedonyourchoices,lookingatlumens,lumens/wattandcost.
8. Avoidunbrandedandsuspicioussuppliers,andthoseoneBaysolddirectfromChina.Stickto
trustedbrandsintheindustry,butnotethatmanyofthesemaybeunfamiliartoyou(e.g.CREE,
Kosnic,Aurora,Megamaninadditiontothebigthree:Philips,OsramandGE).
9. Comparemultiplebrandsandsourcesforcost(Internetiseasiestforthis),butavoidchoosing
basedoncostalone,asthisisoftenafalseeconomy.
10. Buyandtestonebulbbeforecommittingtoalargerorder.

Sources
EbayandAmazone.g.MiniSun,Ledlam
Specialistwebsiteswww.energybulb.co.uk,www.ledbulb.co.uk,www.switch2leds.co.ukand
manymore,oryoucanstartwithaGoogleShoppingsearche.g.typeinPhilips4WMASTER
DimmableCandleLED
B&QsellsPhilipsandfullrangeofDiall(ownbrand)LEDbulbs
LocalhardwareshopsorWilkousuallymoreexpensivebutkeepchecking

Terms
Colourrenderingtheabilityforlightingtorevealthecolourofobjectsfaithfully,measuredona
ColourRenderingIndex(CRI)scoreofupto100.Fluorescentsscore50to90.LEDsscore80to98.
Incandescentsscore100(fullmarks).
Lumenaunitoflightoutput(orluminousflux)
Lumensperwattameasureoftheenergyefficiencyoflighting
Luxaunitofilluminanceonasurface(1lumenperm2)
Kelvinmeasureofcolourtemperature,fromwarmtocold,typically2700Kto6500K.
Kilowatthour1,000wattsconsumedoverthecourseofonehour(usefulinenergycost
calculationsandbilling)
Wattaunitofpower,orenergyuse


Lux level requirements by location (for rail industry use)

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
openplan purely messrooms atfloorlevel minimumat
offices screenbased incorridors platform
work edge

source: The Society of Light and Lighting, Railway Group Standard GI/RT 7010
About12VMR16Bulbs
IfyoureplacehalogenMR16swithLEDequivalents,youllneedtoreplacethetransformerwith
whatscalledanLEDdrivertothebackendofeachbulbtoavoidflicker.Alternatively,Philips
MASTERLEDMR16bulbshavesomethinginternalthatovercomestheneedforthis.Athird
alternativeistoreplaceMR16s(12V)withGU10s(mainsvoltage).

AboutLEDTubes
LEDtubeswillhalveyourenergyuseoverfluorescenttubes.OsramSubstiTUBEisoneofthemost
efficienttypes.IfyoureplacefluorescenttubeswithLEDtubes,youllneedtocheckthatthefitting
hasamagneticballastratherthananelectronicballast.Electronicballastsaremoreefficientfor
fluorescentlightingbutarenotcompatiblewithLEDtubes.Ifyouhaveanelectronicballast,the
wiringtoallowforLEDtubesisquitecomplicatedandmaybedangerous.Bettertoavoidswitching,
asreplacingtheentirefittingwithanLEDfittingwillnotbecosteffectiveintheresidentialcontext.

AboutAutomaticControls
ChangingyourlightingtoLEDisnttheonlywaytosaveenergy.Therearealsoautomaticcontrols
suchasmotionsensors(PIRspassiveinfraredsensors)andlightsensorswithtimersand
sometimesdimmingcapability.Forexample,atthemoretechnicalendofthespectrum,theOne
Luxsensorturnsonthelightswhenpresenceisdetected,dropthelightingdowntoacertain
dimmerlevelafteracertainnumberofminuteshavepassed(customisable),andthenturnsoffthe
lightsentirelyafterafurthernumberofminutes.Italsotakesintoaccountnaturallightlevels.The
advantageisforpublicsafety/securityinthatyourenotturningoffthelightsentirelyrightaway.
PIRsarenormallymoreappropriateforbusinessesthanresidences,withtheexceptionofoutdoor
securitylighting.

AboutSMDLEDs
SMDstandsforSurfaceMountedDiode.It'salightemittingdiodethatismountedontoand
solderedontoacircuitboard.SMDLEDsarequitesmallsinceithasnoleadsorsurrounding
packagingthatcomeswithstandardLEDs.Theyarebetter,becausethey'resimpler,cheaperand
about20%moreefficient.AnSMDLEDalsohasawideviewingangle,thankstothefactthatitdoes
nothavethestandardLED'sepoxyenclosurethatfocusesthebeam(andcreatesmoreglare).The
beamangleis120degreesratherthan60or30.TheSMDLEDlifespancanreach100,000hours.