LED lights are the latest in lighting technology, and they look like in a very short time they are going to replace most other conventional lighting systems as the preferred choice of lighting. Yet the LED or Light Emitting Diode technology as such is not new.
The basis for the LED was discovered in 1907 and the practical use of this technology was started as early as 1967 itself. The only problem was that the technology was very expensive. It was only after the 70's that they started to be manufactured in sufficient numbers and at a cheap enough prices for it to be widely adopted.
Even then LED’s did not catch the fancy of the public until only about a decade back, and now they have become one of the most popular lights to be used for certain purposes. For example LED’s were used more than half a decade ago to provide lighting for such devices like calculators and digital watches.
One of the biggest reasons for them not being used as lighting systems as such was because until very recently the amount of light produced was very low. This meant that they were only useful for such purposes as indicator lights in electronic appliances, and were used for this purpose since the beginning.
In order to understand how an LED light works, it is important that we understand the concept of electroluminescence. Electroluminescence is the term that is used to describe the property of a material to emit light (luminescence) when electricity is applied to it.
The actual way this happens in an LED is highly technical, but suffice it to say that instead of a filament that emits light, they use other materials that are not only more efficient than the usual tungsten filaments, but also emit different colors depending on the material used.
As of now, commercially, you get Red, Blue and Green, while other colors are a combination of the different colors. For example by mixing the three different colors it is possible to get a yellow or a white light. White however is generally not produced like this.
Most manufacturers use the same system as the CFL bulbs where a phosphorescent layer is painted on the external surface of the casing, which converts light of other colors to white.The outer surface of these LED’s is not made of glass like other bulbs. They are made of an epoxy or some other material that is both transparent as well as very strong and can take quite a bit of abuse. In fact many remote control manufacturers use LED’s that emit infra-red light in their remotes, and as everyone knows, these things can take a lot of abuse and still function.
The biggest problem with an LED is that they do not emit much light. They have very low luminosity and surprisingly, they become more inefficient as the current increases. Thus by increasing the strength of the current you will get less output than if you use lower current.
Over the years however advancements have been made to such an extent that they are able to emit more light now, and you get LED’s that can be used in torches, bulbs, and even as automobile headlamps.
As of now these kinds of LED’s are very expensive. Another problem with LED’s is that when the output increases the heat released is so high that the electroluminescent material is damaged within just a few seconds. Most manufacturers who make such high output LED’s therefore ensure that they have an aluminum heat sink to dissipate this heat. Combined with the high cost, these lamps are as of now very niche products. Yet the average manufacturer of LED’s has found a way around for this too.
For example there are LED bulbs that are composed of a number of low wattage LED’s jammed together into the same case thus giving a high total output. These lamps are very cheap, and last a very long time too. The only difficulty is that there is a physical limit to the number of LED’s that can be jammed together into a certain area which means that above a certain output the size of the bulbs are just too large.
You get a number of such LED lights for homes. Of course the output will not be very high, but for those instances where low output light is needed they are very suitable. Plus you can get the color that you want in the bulb itself instead of using a color filter which will reduce the output even more. The advantages are that they are not too much more expensive than the incandescent bulbs, and last you a lifetime.
Then comes the better quality of LED home lighting. These lights are specifically made by manufacturers for home lights and are composed of LED clusters too. Each LED however has a much higher output than the previous ones which means that they can actually replace normal lights in your home.
The number of LED’s that you get in each bulb depends on the output that you want, and you get bulbs that look like traditional bulbs with a glass casing, and you also get ones that do not have any casing and where the LED’s inside are left open.
You get a number of different designs in both the bulbs and the fixtures. For instance starting from the Edison screw type of fixture to the bayonet socket and the GU series, you get any kind of bulbs that you want. In fact starting 2010 you even get tube lights and flash bulbs for flashes in cameras using LED lights.
The only problem with these lights is their cost. As of now they cost anywhere above $30 which is just too much for a home lighting system. When you factor in the fact that these lamps are expected to last for at least 25 years of operation, when a normal incandescent lamp will only last you an average of 750 hrs., it may be cost effective in the long run but nobody wants to pay so much for a light for the home.
LED lamps for home are however catching on because their prices have been falling steadily over the past couple of years, and they are becoming more and more easy to come by. Then comes the money that you save over the lifetime of the product in terms of electricity cost (one 13 watt LED is as powerful as a 100 watt incandescent bulb) and more and more people are opting to go with LED’s.
For outdoor lighting, LED’s have taken over so fast that the other lighting systems are wondering what hit them. As of now it is only the gas vapor lamps that are still holding out simply because they are very efficient as it is, and although LED’s are even more efficient, as of now they do not make economic sense.
Yet these gas vapor lamps are only used in certain cases like in street lamps etc, and are a niche product anyway. As of now most stop traffic lights are LED’s and most shop signs are switching over fast. The reason for this is not hard to see. Any place where lower electricity consumption is imperative will be the first place to switch over, and most commercial centers appreciate anything that will reduce their power consumption.
When it comes to traffic signals, governments really appreciate the fact that LED’s do not have to be replaced for decades. Although the same goes for street lamps too, as of now there are no large scale replacements going on. The understanding is that as the current ones expire, LED’s can replace them.
There are however other LED outdoor lighting systems too. For instance you get LED landscape lighting and other kinds of LED outside lights. Although these lights are also as expensive, they are catching on very quickly for the same reason as above, economy of operation.
As of now most outdoor lighting is usually incandescent and power costs are only going up. People who like driveway lights, perimeter lights etc. will be shelling out quite a bit just in power costs alone.
Nowadays not only do you get LED lights that are quite effective, you get solar powered ones which means that you can pretty much install them wherever you want to without having to worry about wiring for them.
And they are not too expensive either. You get very good solar powered outside lights starting at around $30 and the number of designs that you can choose from is innumerable. For this price you get any type of outdoor light you want, including the polard kinds, a solar receiver on top with a battery inside that will power the light for between 8 and 12 hrs. All it requires is that you install them at a place where they get between 4 and 6 hrs of sunlight a day.
If you pay a little more you even get the remote lights, in the sense that you have one solar collection plate which is then connected to the other lights via wires. The advantage of this is that you can keep the light in shade while the collection plate will be kept in sunlight. For landscape lights these are very useful. Even outdoor highlight lights are available in this fashion, and the lights are powerful enough that they are actually comparable to halogen lamps.
As already mentioned, it is usually the cost that puts most people off, but in this case at least, most normal outdoor lights too will cost the same if you include the cost of the wiring etc. These lights are therefore very good value for money.
While earlier replacing LED’s were a difficult chore, nowadays you get different types of LED’s. Starting from e27 led, gu10 led bulbs, mr16 led bulbs and g4 led bulbs you get any type you want. This means that you can pretty much opt to change them just as you would any old light bulb in your home.
In fact LED’s are the future and the pace at which they are getting accepted is phenomenal. Lights that were prohibitively expensive just a couple of years back are not only really cheap now, they are even cheaper than normal lights. It is only a matter of time before the whole world changes to LED’s and if you are thinking of moving from incandescent to CFL bulbs, you may be well advised to go in for LED’s now because they cost you less and give you more savings.
In these contemporary times, it has become possible to grow a plant without ever exposing it to the sun. During winter when one hardly ever sees a ray of natural light, bulbs that can replace the sun can be of great help. Though it’s often depicted as yellow in most paintings and portraits, the sun actually emits a blue light that makes a plant grow through the process of 
photosynthesis. Right before spring, the seeds can already be grown so that they will surely blossom beautifully. The leaves engage in a chemical process after the rays of light come in contact with them. Red-orange light is useful for the latter stages of plant growth. All of the colors needed by plants should be provided to make them grow well.
Plants can also grow to their most beautiful when exposed to the kind of light given off by LED grow lights. The greenhouse effect of a good environment can be achieved by using them indoors as sources of light for plants. Under harsh lighting like very strong sunlight, plants could shrivel up and die because of lack of water. With the LED light systems, watering can be done minimally because the lighting don’t dry up the soil excessively.
In order to simulate the natural occurrence of light and darkness, some variations are now equipped with timers to ensure the plants are provided with all they need in order to grow. The switches can also be installed as an additional feature to the horticultural system. Plants need to be left in the dark for some time in order to use the chemicals processed after being exposed to light. For instance, flowering plants need about 12 to 16 hours of light each day. Generally, all plants should stay devoid of light for 8 hours.
In using LED lights, one should not have to worry about its effects on the room temperature because they don’t produce enough heat to do that. They last more than five times the normal bulb. Because they do not need to light up a huge area, they are also very energy-efficient unlike incandescent varieties that seem to be cheaper but devour much more energy in the long run.Many have already opted to make use of LED grow lights for their plants at home. Those who have a fondness for salad can grow their organic lettuce and tomatoes in their very own backyards or even in pots using these bulbs.
Green is the color of this century. The world is awash with millions of concerns about the continuous degradation of forests and the melting of ice glaciers north and south. As the rapid erasure of many species from coast to coast is brought on by lack of good food sources, there is a growing need for greener ideas. As we cultivate a longing for the earth’s survival, growing a bunch of carbon dioxide-emitting vines might help in reminding us of how fulfilling it is to take care of the environment.
Nowadays, many people suffer from various types of diseases due to a number of reasons. One of them is caused by eating vegetables or fruits, which have chemical contents.
Non-organic farmers usually use pesticides and other chemical compounds for growing their vegetables and fruits. The residues of these chemicals are transferred into your blood stream when you eat the vegetables or fruits. As a result, you are prone to different types of diseases especially when you grow much older.
Not surprisingly, many people are turning to organic fruits and vegetables as part of their daily diet. Organic farming hardly uses any pesticide for growing vegetables and fruits. However, organic produce is more expensive compared to non-organic farming produce.
So, if you want to save money and eat healthy fruits and vegetables at the same time, consider the option to grow your own vegetables and fruits. Due to the invention of the LED grow light, it is indeed possible to cultivate your own vegetables or fruits indoors. You do not have to set aside a special patch of land for gardening.
Grow lights are actually electric lamps. However, there is a special twist to them. They are made especially for growing indoor plants. Such a light lets out an electromagnetic spectrum, just like natural sunlight. Plants make use of this emission for the process of photosynthesis. Without this process, a plant cannot survive long.
Photosynthesis enables a plant to breathe for survival. This process also enables a plant to synthesize sugar and other components for its usage. A plant uses the carbon dioxide in the air to breathe and lets out oxygen as an emission. By keeping a plant indoors, there is less carbon dioxide and more oxygen, which benefits you and your family.
Human beings breathe in oxygen and let out carbon dioxide. Hence, keeping plants indoors balances these natural processes and helps you and your family to lead a healthier life. Nowadays, you can find high-intensity discharge or HID, fluorescents and LED or light-emitting diode lamp, which are used to make grow lights. However, in comparison to the other types of lighting, a LED grow light is less expensive, much brighter and can last for a longer period.
Furthermore, this type of light does not use up much power. If you compare it to a HID lamp, you may note that it uses only a small amount of heat. Since it generates less heat, there is no necessity for you to water the plants at short intervals, as in the case of a HID lamp. This is because plants can conserve more water with less transpiration, which occurs if there is more heat.
To put it briefly, a grow light, which uses LED, is cheaper, brighter and more durable compared to other types of grow lights. With such a light, you can grow plants indoors with ease. Other than a chance to enjoy healthy food, you can also benefit in terms of health by breathing in air, which contains more oxygen.
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