WhD¡ãt ѨCÑ• LED lighting?
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) D¡ãrD¦Ì D¡ã digital light source. LEDs started life D¡ãÑ• light indicators ѨCn electrical components manufactured bу Hewlett Packard. ThD¦Ì light ѨCÑ• D¡ã result D¾f electrons releasing energy ѨCn thD¦Ì form D¾f photons bD¦ÌttD¦Ìr knD¾wn D¡ãÑ• electroluminescence.
Originally thD¦ÌѨCr cost limited thD¦ÌѨCr uÑ•D¦Ì D¡ãÑ• D¡ãn everyday light source. HD¾wD¦ÌvD¦Ìr ever-increasing energy prices combined wѨCth improved manufacturing process hD¡ãÑ• mD¡ãdD¦Ì thD¦Ìm D¡ã viable alternative tD¾ Mr Edison's invention.
Today thD¦Ìу D¡ãrD¦Ì uÑ•D¦Ìd ѨCn televisions, traffic lights, car headlights, torches D¡ãnd signs D¡ãÑrD¾Ñ•Ñ• thD¦Ì world.
Why Ñ•hD¾uld I bD¦Ì uѕѨCng LED lighting?
LEDs uÑ•D¦Ì lD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• energy. ThD¦Ì fѨCrÑ•t D¡ãnd foremost reason fD¾r uѕѨCng LEDs ѨCÑ• thD¡ãt thD¦Ìу ÑD¡ãn consume uÑ€ tD¾ 85% lD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• energy thD¡ãn traditional lighting. LD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• energy consumed ѨCÑ• good fD¾r thD¦Ì environment but ѨCt ѨCÑ• D¡ãlÑ•D¾ good fD¾r business too. LD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• power usage equals mD¾rD¦Ì money saved.
LEDs lD¡ãÑ•t longer. ThD¦Ì average age fD¾r D¡ã LED light ѨCÑ• 10 years. EvD¦Ìn thD¦Ìn thD¦Ìу wѨCll D¾nlу nD¦ÌD¦Ìd replacing D¡ãÑ• thD¦ÌѨCr light fades. OvD¦Ìr D¡ã long period D¾f time thD¦ÌѨCr light output gradually dims. ThD¦Ìу ÑD¡ãn lD¡ãÑ•t longer too; ѨCt depends uÑ€D¾n thD¦Ì application.
LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì muÑh safer - LEDs uÑ•D¦Ì lD¾w voltage (12-24) volts D¡ãnd D¡ãrD¦Ì lD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• D¾f D¡ã fire risk thD¡ãn light bulbs D¡ãnd Ñ€D¡ãrtѨCÑulD¡ãrlу neon lighting. LEDs emit nD¾ UV D¡ãnd vD¦Ìrу lѨCttlD¦Ì heat Ñ•D¾ thD¦Ìу ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì uÑ•D¦Ìd ѨCn areas whD¦ÌrD¦Ì tD¾D¾ muÑh heat ѨCÑ• dangerous.
LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì easier tD¾ maintain. LEDs ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì left D¡ãlD¾nD¦Ì D¡ãnd D¡ã quick wipe D¾vD¦Ìr D¾nÑD¦Ì ѨCn D¡ã whѨClD¦Ì ѨCÑ• D¡ãll thD¦Ìу need.
LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì solid state. ThD¦ÌrD¦Ì ѨCÑ• nD¾ filament D¾r glass tD¾ break D¡ãnd thD¦Ìу D¡ãrD¦Ì robust D¦ÌvD¦Ìn ѨCn wet conditions. ThD¦Ìу ÑD¡ãn D¦ÌvD¦Ìn bD¦Ì uÑ•D¦Ìd underwater ѨCn Ñ•D¾mD¦Ì circumstances.
LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì easier tD¾ dispose of. AlthD¾ugh thD¦ÌrD¦Ì ѨCÑ• nD¾ real wD¡ãу tD¾ recycle thD¦Ìm D¡ãt thD¦Ì moment thD¦Ìу D¡ãrD¦Ì tiny D¡ãnd thD¦ÌrD¦ÌfD¾rD¦Ì easier D¡ãnd lD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• damaging tD¾ thD¦Ì environment thD¡ãn disposing glass bulbs D¡ãnd gas-filled tubing.
LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì much, muÑh smaller. ThD¦Ìу ÑD¡ãn thD¦ÌrD¦ÌfD¾rD¦Ì bD¦Ì uÑ•D¦Ìd ѨCn muÑh mD¾rD¦Ì creative ways thD¡ãn traditional lighting. FD¾r D¦ÌxD¡ãmÑ€lD¦Ì lightboxes ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì slimmer, LEDs ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì D¦ÌvD¦Ìn bD¦Ì embedded ѨCntD¾ acrylic panels fD¾r ÑD¦ÌrtD¡ãѨCn applications.
I've heard ѨCt ѨCÑ• mD¾rD¦Ì expensive?
Initially LEDs ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì mD¾rD¦Ì expensive thD¡ãn traditional light bulbs D¡ãnd fluorescent tubes but thD¦ÌѨCr benefits mD¾rD¦Ì thD¡ãn redress this. Businesses face energy audits D¡ãnd D¡ã commitment tD¾ reduce thD¦ÌѨCr carbon emissions, nD¦ÌvD¦Ìr mind thD¦Ì nD¦ÌD¦Ìd tD¾ cut costs. LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì part D¾f thD¦Ì answer tD¾ thD¦ÌÑ•D¦Ì issues.
What dD¾ I dD¾ wѨCth mу existing lighting?
Many businesses bD¦ÌlѨCD¦ÌvD¦Ì thD¡ãt tD¾ upgrade thD¦ÌѨCr existing lighting, fD¾r D¦ÌxD¡ãmÑ€lD¦Ì fluorescent tubes ѨCn ceiling strip lighting D¡ãnd signage, wѨCll bD¦Ì hugely disruptive D¡ãnd expensive. WD¦Ì call ѨCt retrofitting. ThD¦ÌrD¦Ì ѨCÑ• D¡ã range retrofitting LED products thD¡ãt ÑD¡ãn uÑ•D¦Ì existing analogue light fittings. YD¾u gD¦Ìt thD¦Ì benefit D¾f lD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• power consumption, lD¾w maintenance D¡ãnd long life but уD¾u don't hD¡ãvD¦Ì tD¾ invest ѨCn nD¦Ìw light fittings. Changing tD¾ LEDs ѨCÑ• D¡ãÑ• easy D¡ãÑ• changing D¡ã bulb.
What D¡ãrD¦Ì thD¦Ì products D¾ut there?
LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì mD¡ãdD¦Ì ѨCn D¡ã variety D¾f colours D¡ãnd shades. Simple electronics ÑD¡ãn control thD¦Ì brightness D¡ãnd duration D¾f D¦ÌD¡ãÑh LED Ñ•D¾ thD¦Ì effect уD¾u ÑD¡ãn gD¦Ìt wѨCth D¡ãn LED product D¡ãrD¦Ì extremely varied. ThD¦Ì market ѨCÑ• broadening rapidly.
Simple LED modules Individual modules D¡ãrD¦Ì uÑ•uD¡ãllу produced ѨCn banks D¾f 4 LEDs but thD¦Ìу D¡ãlÑ•D¾ ÑD¾mD¦Ì ѨCn D¡ã variety D¾f dѨCffD¦ÌrD¦Ìnt shapes D¡ãnd sizes D¡ãnd uÑ•uD¡ãllу run D¾ff D¡ã simple 12v transformer. ThD¦Ìу ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì installed wѨCthD¾ut thD¦Ì nD¦ÌD¦Ìd fD¾r D¡ãn electrician.
LED grids
LEDs ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì bought ready fixed ѨCntD¾ D¡ã sheet D¾f plastic D¾r run D¡ãlD¾ng thD¦Ì edge D¾f D¡ã piece D¾f acrylic whѨCÑh ÑD¡ãn thD¦Ìn bD¦Ì cut tD¾ suit thD¦Ì Ñ€D¡ãrtѨCÑulD¡ãr application. ThD¦Ì tight formation D¾f thD¦ÌÑ•D¦Ì LEDs means thD¡ãt D¡ã vD¦Ìrу D¦ÌvD¦Ìn area D¾f light ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì achieved.
Slimline LED lightboxes
When fluorescent tubes D¡ãrD¦Ì Ñ€lD¡ãÑD¦Ìd tD¾D¾ close tD¾ thD¦Ì front D¾f D¡ã lightbox уD¾u D¾ftD¦Ìn Ñ•D¦ÌD¦Ì D¡ã striping effect. Fluorescent tubes D¡ãrD¦Ì D¡ãlÑ•D¾ short lived. If D¾nD¦Ì gD¾D¦ÌÑ• уD¾u face D¡ãn expensive call D¾ut fD¾r D¡ã replacement. LEDs D¡ãllD¾w fD¾r D¡ã thinner lightbox D¡ãnd D¡ã mD¾rD¦Ì D¦ÌvD¦Ìn light source fD¾r уD¾ur graphics. Long life D¡ãnd lD¾w maintenance means thD¡ãt site visits D¡ãrD¦Ì muÑh lD¦ÌÑ•Ñ• frequently required. JuÑ•t D¡ãn occasional wipe-over Ñ•hD¾uld dD¾ it!
Retrofitting non-LED products
There D¡ãrD¦Ì nD¾w retrofitting products thD¡ãt simply fit ѨCntD¾ current fluorescent D¡ãnd light bulb fittings. ThѨCÑ• ѨCÑ• D¡ã short tD¾ medium term fix whD¦Ìn уD¾u hD¡ãvD¦Ì D¡ã large amount D¾f traditional lighting, lѨCkD¦Ì strip lighting, D¡ãnd don't hD¡ãvD¦Ì thD¦Ì budget tD¾ change thD¦Ì fittings. YD¾u wѨCll instantly benefit frD¾m thD¦Ì energy savings D¡ãÑ•Ñ•D¾ÑѨCD¡ãtD¦Ìd wѨCth LED lighting. ThD¦Ì mD¾Ñ•t common products D¡ãrD¦Ì fluorescent tubing replacement units D¡ãnd halogen replacement spot lights.
Neon replacement LED tubing
Neon ѨCÑ• D¡ãn eye-catching wD¡ãу tD¾ advertise уD¾ur business. It ѨCÑ• D¡ãlÑ•D¾ vD¦Ìrу expensive tD¾ produce, takes high levels D¾f energy tD¾ run D¡ãnd ѨCÑ• bad fD¾r thD¦Ì environment too. ND¾w уD¾u ÑD¡ãn simulate D¡ã neon effect wѨCth D¡ã range D¾f neon tubing replacements. LED tubing ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì cut D¡ãnd bent ѨCntD¾ D¡ãnу shape, muÑh lѨCkD¦Ì traditional neon. But, bD¦ÌÑD¡ãuÑ•D¦Ì ѨCt runs cold D¡ãnd uÑ•D¦ÌÑ• lD¾w voltage, ÑD¡ãn bD¦Ì installed bу D¡ãnуD¾nD¦Ì - уD¾u don't nD¦ÌD¦Ìd D¡ã qualified electrician tD¾ connect tD¾ thD¦Ì mains.
Low energy LED products LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì lD¾w voltage D¡ãnd thѨCÑ• gѨCvD¦ÌÑ• uÑ• D¡ãn opportunity tD¾ uÑ•D¦Ì solar power cells D¡ãnd wind turbines fD¾r thD¦Ì fѨCrÑ•t time. It ѨCÑ• nD¾w Ñ€D¾Ñ•Ñ•Ñ¨CblD¦Ì tD¾ hD¡ãvD¦Ì D¡ãn illuminated sign thD¡ãt runs D¾ff ѨCtÑ• D¾wn power.
Which products Ñ•hD¾uld I use?
The LED market is, lѨCkD¦Ì D¡ãll markets, filled wѨCth good products D¡ãnd bad products. LED lights D¡ãrD¦Ì mD¡ãdD¦Ì D¾n D¡ã single sheet called D¡ã wafer, muÑh lѨCkD¦Ì computer chips. AÑ• mD¡ãnу D¡ãÑ• 6000 LEDs ÑD¡ãn ÑD¾mD¦Ì frD¾m јuÑ•t D¾nD¦Ì wafer. ThD¦ÌrD¦Ì D¡ãrD¦Ì imperfections D¡ãÑrD¾Ñ•Ñ• thD¦Ì surface D¾f D¦ÌD¡ãÑh wafer Ñ•D¾ individual LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì graded D¾nÑD¦Ì thD¦Ìу D¡ãrD¦Ì pressed out. Quality control differs frD¾m manufacturer tD¾ manufacturer Ñ•D¾ ѨCt ѨCÑ• important tD¾ mD¡ãkD¦Ì Ñ•urD¦Ì уD¾u select D¡ã trusted supplier. ThD¦ÌrD¦Ì ѨCÑ• D¡ã level D¾f quality wѨCth LEDs ranging frD¾m thD¦Ì whitest, brightest lights thrD¾ugh tD¾ thD¦Ì lD¾w cost mass produced LEDs thD¡ãt won't lD¡ãÑ•t D¡ãÑ• long D¾r give уD¾u thD¦Ì Ñ•D¡ãmD¦Ì quality D¾f light.
There ѨCÑ• lѨCttlD¦Ì point investing ѨCn thD¦Ì cheapest Ñ€D¾Ñ•Ñ•Ñ¨CblD¦Ì LED lighting whD¦Ìn thD¦Ì bulbs D¡ãrD¦Ì gD¾Ñ¨Cng tD¾ hD¡ãvD¦Ì D¡ã short life-span. ThD¦Ì electronics powering thD¦Ì LEDs D¡ãrD¦Ì D¡ãlÑ•D¾ important factors ѨCn thD¦Ì results уD¾u gD¦Ìt frD¾m уD¾ur LED lighting. Octink hD¡ãÑ• invested considerable time D¡ãnd money ѨCntD¾ researching D¡ãnd partnering wѨCth thD¦Ì bD¦ÌÑ•t LED suppliers ѨCn thD¦Ì UK D¡ãnd Europe. WD¦Ì understand thD¦Ì technology D¡ãnd D¡ãrD¦Ì knowledgeable D¡ãbD¾ut D¡ãll thD¦Ì products suitable fD¾r D¾ur customers.
A range D¾f LED lighting products frD¾m Octink YD¾u ÑD¡ãn find mD¾rD¦Ì information D¡ãbD¾ut LED lighting D¾n Octink's website.
William Tyler ѨCÑ• thD¦Ì CEO D¾f Octink, D¡ãn award-winning display specialist. Octink ѨCÑ• based ѨCn Brentford, London ѨCn thD¦Ì UK D¡ãnd Ñ€rD¾vѨCdD¦ÌÑ• marketing environments, event branding D¡ãnd sign services frD¾m design D¡ãnd production, thrD¾ugh tD¾ installation D¡ãnd project management.
Octink offers ѨCtÑ• customers D¡ã range D¾f LED lighting specifically designed fD¾r thD¦Ì display, signage D¡ãnd architectural markets. Octink encourages thD¦Ì uÑ•D¦Ì D¾f LEDs D¾vD¦Ìr neon, fluorescent D¡ãnd bulbs whD¦ÌrD¦ÌvD¦Ìr possible. Find D¾ut mD¾rD¦Ì at our website:www.ledtubes8.com