Whereas the marketplace for colored (Red, Green, Blue) RGB LEDs is well established, the marketplace for white LEDs is still growing. Why? When you think of industries that still depend on white, non-LED lighting, such as televisions, automotive manufacturers, computer monitors, mobile computing, LCD backlights, etc., you can understand the push to become the leader in white LED manufacturing.

Many people are surprised a business would pass up a revenue generating opportunity that converting a home or business to LED would create. However, because replacement white LED bulbs and retrofits are finally out there, does not imply that they should be on your own immediate grocery list. In very simple terms, the marketplace for colored and color-changing LEDs is mature. While engineers remain finding ways to make them brighter and more efficient, the holy grail of the LED industry is in developing volume production of high-efficiency, high-brightness white LEDs.

It may be easier to think about colored LEDs (RGB) and white LEDs regarding another industry: Automotive. RGB LEDs are like the internal combustion engine: Reliable, abundant, simple to operate and manufacture, and fairly well developed in terms of the potential for new or breakthrough technologies. There are lots on manufacturers and each has their very own group of patents and “tricks of the trade” to greatly help give themselves some marketing leverage over the competition. White LEDs are just like the alternative energy industry for transportation: Quite varied, still relatively “new”, still having to be market proven, more costly, more challenging to manage.

There are various manufacturers, each utilizing a different technology or mix of technologies to attain what they believe may be the “the next big thing.” Following this analogy, RGB LEDs are mature enough to compete on cost alone and the drop in costs is what fuels new applications for colored LEDs that had not been considered previously. White LEDs, alternatively remain developing technically and should not be shopped based on cost alone. The need for quality and longevity is what fuels the further research and development into white LEDs.

11 THINGS TO CONSIDER IN DETERMINING LED UPGRADES

Because you can find so many variables that need to be considered, making a quick and easy recommendation about transitioning to white LEDs isn’t possible. To obtain a jump start on the future, consider every lighting source in each room and establish what it’s primary purpose is. After you have done this, review the following what to help determine where on the priority purchase-list each replacement ought to be. Below are a few general ideas to help you determine if an LED upgrade may be the right choice for you personally:

1.) May be the lighting located in a home where in fact the primary resident is older or has mobility issues?

If the LED replacement produces adequate light levels, LED alternatives are perfect for used in homes where safety is a top priority. Understanding that an ill or older person won’t need to change a burned-out light bulb again can provide peace-of-mind.

2.) Is initial cost a primary element in determining if you are going to upgrade?

The existing nature of the white LED market implies that prices are still relatively high, especially compared to traditional lighting. As an early adopter means paying a premium; are you more comfortable with knowing you might have paid less for exactly the same technology in the event that you had waited?

3.) May be the light situated in bright daytime sunlight or a location of high heat?

High degrees of heat will noticeably shorten the lifespan of any LED, especially white LEDs. When considering LEDs, try to make sure that both fixture and the positioning enable adequate passive cooling in order to avoid color-shift and longevity issues. This is a much bigger concern when considering retrofit bulbs versus considering a “total package” LED fixture and lamp.

4.) Are you needing to decrease the heat output from the traditional light source?

In bathrooms, laundry rooms and small spaces, conventional lighting can produce uncomfortable heat. LED lighting is great for these areas because they produce no heat and because affordably illuminating smaller areas with LEDs presents much less of a challenge.

5.) May be 100 watt high bay led lights located in an area of rough service or environmental extremes?

Garage door openers, unheated/cooled utility rooms and outdoor workshops place extreme demands of lighting equipment. Vibrations that may break a light bulb filament and winter that can result in a fluorescent tube to flicker are of no consequence to LED lighting, making these replacements a fairly easy decision.

6.) May be the brightness critical to the application form?

LEDs are directional by nature, so attempting to meet a specific brightness expectation over a broad area is not the very best usage of LED lamps. The existing crop of standard fluorescent tubes or high-bay lighting is going to be better for these applications.

7.) Are you trying to retrofit an existing lighting fixture to accommodate an LED replacement?

Most current lighting fixtures are made to capture and reflect just as much light as possible from conventional light sources that produce light from all 360 degrees. Because LEDs emit very directional light, you can find often many compromises that must definitely be made by manufacturers in order to make LEDs “work” for the greatest number of retrofits. When possible, rather than retrofit bulbs look at a “total package” LED lighting fixture that has been designed from the bottom up to efficiently use LEDs.

8.) May be the light output and quality of the LED version acceptable compared to your existing lighting?

With all of the lighting technology available (incandescent, fluorescent, LED, etc.) the only method to get an accurate idea of how the lighting will perform is to compare the light output or lumen and color temperature specifications rather than the wattage as is typical of most of us raised with traditional lighting in the house. THE UNITED STATES Department of Energy has devised a standardized “lighting facts” label similar in concept to the nutrition label found on foods, to help consumers compare lighting.

9.) Will be the bulbs you’re considering replacing difficult to gain access to or reach?

If they are, LED replacements are excellent candidates because once they are changed, you will likely never have to change them again since LEDs usually do not “burn out” just like a conventional bulb.

10.) Are you replacing all the light bulbs in a particular area or just an individual bulb?

Unless you know the colour temperature of all lighting in the room, try to be consistent in whatever lighting technology you select. For instance, if your room uses primarily halogen lighting, chances are a warm color temperature and changing a single reading lamp to LED with a cooler lighting temperature will not only be noticeable, but can also be distracting.

11.) Does the power savings and/or profits on return (ROI) make it worthwhile at this point?Prepare a power audit using free web calculators to find out how much money you will save on energy and what the potential profits on return is. Just enter your time rates, the full total wattage of one’s conventional lighting and the full total wattage of the LED lighting that you will be considering and the calculator will let you know how much money each technology will cost you per year.

As you can see, every lighting situation should be considered individually against the above checklist. Doing so will help you to determine LED upgrade plans that fit within both your allowance and your expectations. In general, LED lighting will continue steadily to improve in both output and efficiency each year like the way the non-public computer market has evolved. What could possibly be considered a “middle of the road” LED lamp today, was very likely considered a premium product per year or two ago. Prioritizing your LED lighting purchases so the basics are covered first and delaying your more demanding lighting requirements because the technology improves will ensure a cushty transition to tomorrows lighting technology.