subject: Why Businesses Are Moving To Led Lighting [print this page] Wht LED lighting? Wht LED lighting?
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) r digital light source. LEDs started life light indicators n electrical components manufactured b Hewlett Packard. Th light result f electrons releasing energy n th form f photons bttr knwn electroluminescence.
Their energy efficiency, lw maintenance, robustness nd long life mn tht th r nw bright alternative t th energy-hungry nd delicate analogue light sources w ll grew u with.
Originally thr cost limited thr u n everyday light source. Hwvr ever-increasing energy prices combined wth improved manufacturing process h md thm viable alternative t Mr Edison's invention.
Today th r ud n televisions, traffic lights, car headlights, torches nd signs r th world.
Why huld I b ung LED lighting?
LEDs u l energy. Th frt nd foremost reason fr ung LEDs tht th n consume u t 85% l energy thn traditional lighting. L energy consumed good fr th environment but t l good fr business too. L power usage equals mr money saved.
LEDs lt longer. Th average age fr LED light 10 years. Evn thn th wll nl nd replacing thr light fades. Ovr long period f time thr light output gradually dims. Th n lt longer too; t depends un th application.
LEDs r muh safer - LEDs u lw voltage (12-24) volts nd r l f fire risk thn light bulbs nd rtulrl neon lighting. LEDs emit n UV nd vr lttl heat th n b ud n areas whr t muh heat dangerous.
LEDs r easier t maintain. LEDs n b left ln nd quick wipe vr n n whl ll th need.
LEDs r solid state. Thr n filament r glass t break nd th r robust vn n wet conditions. Th n vn b ud underwater n m circumstances.
LEDs r easier t dispose of. Althugh thr n real w t recycle thm t th moment th r tiny nd thrfr easier nd l damaging t th environment thn disposing glass bulbs nd gas-filled tubing.
LEDs r much, muh smaller. Th n thrfr b ud n muh mr creative ways thn traditional lighting. Fr xml lightboxes n b slimmer, LEDs n b vn b embedded nt acrylic panels fr rtn applications.
I've heard t mr expensive?
Initially LEDs n b mr expensive thn traditional light bulbs nd fluorescent tubes but thr benefits mr thn redress this. Businesses face energy audits nd commitment t reduce thr carbon emissions, nvr mind th nd t cut costs. LEDs r part f th answer t th issues.
What d I d wth m existing lighting?
Many businesses blv tht t upgrade thr existing lighting, fr xml fluorescent tubes n ceiling strip lighting nd signage, wll b hugely disruptive nd expensive. W call t retrofitting. Thr range retrofitting LED products tht n u existing analogue light fittings. Yu gt th benefit f l power consumption, lw maintenance nd long life but u don't hv t invest n nw light fittings. Changing t LEDs easy changing bulb.
What r th products ut there?
LEDs r md n variety f colours nd shades. Simple electronics n control th brightness nd duration f h LED th effect u n gt wth n LED product r extremely varied. Th market broadening rapidly.
Simple LED modules Individual modules r uull produced n banks f 4 LEDs but th l m n variety f dffrnt shapes nd sizes nd uull run ff simple 12v transformer. Th n b installed wthut th nd fr n electrician.
LED grids
LEDs n b bought ready fixed nt sheet f plastic r run lng th edge f piece f acrylic whh n thn b cut t suit th rtulr application. Th tight formation f th LEDs means tht vr vn area f light n b achieved.
Slimline LED lightboxes
When fluorescent tubes r ld t close t th front f lightbox u ftn striping effect. Fluorescent tubes r l short lived. If n g u face n expensive call ut fr replacement. LEDs llw fr thinner lightbox nd mr vn light source fr ur graphics. Long life nd lw maintenance means tht site visits r muh l frequently required. Jut n occasional wipe-over huld d it!
Retrofitting non-LED products
There r nw retrofitting products tht simply fit nt current fluorescent nd light bulb fittings. Th short t medium term fix whn u hv large amount f traditional lighting, lk strip lighting, nd don't hv th budget t change th fittings. Yu wll instantly benefit frm th energy savings td wth LED lighting. Th mt common products r fluorescent tubing replacement units nd halogen replacement spot lights.
Neon replacement LED tubing
Neon n eye-catching w t advertise ur business. It l vr expensive t produce, takes high levels f energy t run nd bad fr th environment too. Nw u n simulate neon effect wth range f neon tubing replacements. LED tubing n b cut nd bent nt n shape, muh lk traditional neon. But, bu t runs cold nd u lw voltage, n b installed b nn - u don't nd qualified electrician t connect t th mains.
Low energy LED products LEDs r lw voltage nd th gv u n opportunity t u solar power cells nd wind turbines fr th frt time. It nw bl t hv n illuminated sign tht runs ff t wn power.
Which products huld I use?
The LED market is, lk ll markets, filled wth good products nd bad products. LED lights r md n single sheet called wafer, muh lk computer chips. A mn 6000 LEDs n m frm ut n wafer. Thr r imperfections r th surface f h wafer individual LEDs r graded n th r pressed out. Quality control differs frm manufacturer t manufacturer t important t mk ur u select trusted supplier. Thr level f quality wth LEDs ranging frm th whitest, brightest lights thrugh t th lw cost mass produced LEDs tht won't lt long r give u th m quality f light.
There lttl point investing n th cheapest bl LED lighting whn th bulbs r gng t hv short life-span. Th electronics powering th LEDs r l important factors n th results u gt frm ur LED lighting. Octink h invested considerable time nd money nt researching nd partnering wth th bt LED suppliers n th UK nd Europe. W understand th technology nd r knowledgeable but ll th products suitable fr ur customers.
A range f LED lighting products frm Octink Yu n find mr information but LED lighting n Octink's website.
William Tyler th CEO f Octink, n award-winning display specialist. Octink based n Brentford, London n th UK nd rvd marketing environments, event branding nd sign services frm design nd production, thrugh t installation nd project management.
Octink offers t customers range f LED lighting specifically designed fr th display, signage nd architectural markets. Octink encourages th u f LEDs vr neon, fluorescent nd bulbs whrvr possible. Find ut mr at
