WHY AND HOW TO INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING?
You have probably heard of led strip lights. It is in televisions, lamps, traffic lights and emergency lights, as it is one of the most efficient and economical options in terms of lighting.
However, do you know what LED is? In this post, we will explain some basic information about this technology. Continue reading and check it out!
WHAT IS LED?
LED is an acronym for the English term light emitting diode, which we translate as light emitting diode. The diode is an electronic component, made of silicon or germanium, which has two terminals and conducts electrical energy in one polarization only.
It is the simplest kind of semiconductor that exists, because it generates light only through the movements of electrons.
What are LED strips and why use them?
First of all, it is appropriate to make a small introduction regarding LED strips. These tools save energy and do their job perfectly. Plus they manage to create a great atmosphere when installed in the right way. That’s why it’s really worth choosing them.
When and why to choose a 12 or 24 volt strip?
It should be known that there are two types of LED strips on the market: those of 12 and those of 24 Volt. But when is it appropriate to choose one type over another? Surely to be able to understand this aspect we must understand the use made of these led strip lights.
Generally, 12 Volt strips are suitable for home and intermittent use. In fact, these strips are less powerful and cheaper. They can be ideal for illuminating non-professional environments that need adequate and not constant light. Ultimately, these strips can be excellent when used on trade show stands or for a few hours a day
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEDS?
LED technology is very flexible and therefore allows for different formats and uses. We chose some types to exemplify this variety.
COMMON LEDS
They produce diffuse and scattered light, but still have stronger and weaker points.
HIGH BRIGHTNESS LEDS
Its light is more focused and focused, with a brighter glow than usual.
LED STRIPS
The tapes come in varying sizes and lengths and can also be found in different colors. They have several led strip lights, which can be controlled in different ways.
BICOLOR LEDS
Here, the light is transparent or diffuse, presenting two colors, which sometimes combine to form a third.
HPLED
They have high power and can be used in flashlights, car headlights and even to illuminate environments.
WHERE TO USE THE DICHROIC LED?
This type of lamp can be used to solve most lighting problems. This is because such utensils are very versatile and emit a lot of light with low energy consumption.
The lamps can also be installed in different rooms in the house or outdoors.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LED STRIP LIGHTS?
The LED provides several benefits when compared to traditional lighting. It is more efficient, turning about 95% of the energy into light and losing only 5% in the form of heat. This greater use of energy makes it also more economical.
Unlike fluorescent lamps, which have mercury in their composition, the LED has no toxic components, which represents benefits for our health and the environment. In addition, it is 100% recyclable and reduces carbon emissions by one third compared to traditional light bulbs.
Its operation also at low voltage allows its external use, when it is connected to a source of solar energy, which is clean and renewable.
LAMP POWER: HOW MANY WATTS IS THE LED LAMP EQUIVALENT TO?
The led strip lights lamp gains more and more consumers, due to the several advantages in relation to the others , such as longer life, more efficiency, low operating voltage, less environmental impact, among other differentials. The problem is that when it comes to replacing, many doubts and misunderstandings arise, especially in relation to the lamp’s power.
With this in mind, we have prepared this article with all the necessary information to carry out the correct replacement of your lamps, without running the risk of taking a pig in a poke. If you are planning to modernize the lighting in your home, industry or office with LED technology , it is best to read this text to the end. We guarantee that it will be very useful!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WATTS AND LUMENS?
Watt (W) refers to energy consumption, that is, the power of the lamp. Although this measure is commonly used as a parameter in the choice of lamps, it does not concern light emission. A shower, for example, also has a value in watts, but does not emit light.
The lumen (lm), in turn, is a measure of the luminous flux that is nothing more than the amount of light emitted by the lamp. As you can see, the two concepts are different, but equally important.
HOW TO CALCULATE THE LUMINOUS EFFICIENCY?
Thinking about obtaining the best cost-benefit from led strip lights, the ideal is always to opt for the model with high illumination (greater number of lumens) and with lower energy consumption (reduced number of watts).
This value is not always expressed on the packaging, so it is good to remember the formula, if necessary. Light efficiency is the result of the number of lumens divided by the number of watts. Therefore, the greater the result, the more efficient the lamp is.
- Light efficiency = lm (lumens) / W (watts)
HOW TO CHOOSE AN EQUIVALENT LED STRIP LIGHT LAMP?
A common mistake when replacing ordinary lamps with led strip lights models is to use only the lamp power as a parameter. If one of the main advantages of LED parts is economy, consequently, their power (or consumption) will naturally be lower than that of conventional lamps.
We have already explained, the lower power does not mean lower luminosity, quite the opposite. LED lamps are more efficient, so they illuminate more, consuming much less. Therefore, lumens are the correct equivalence parameter. Observe the table below:
- 600 lm = 6 W LED lamp = 40 W incandescent = 12 W fluorescent;
- 1010 lm = 10 W LED lamp = 68 W incandescent = 20 W fluorescent;
- 1311 lm = 12 W LED lamp = 87 W incandescent = 26 W fluorescent.
The above data is a general reference. Values may vary depending on the product.
HOW TO CALCULATE THE IDEAL BRIGHTNESS FOR EACH ENVIRONMENT?
To adjust the luminosity of each room , we need to use another unit of measurement: the lux, which represents the amount of luminous flux per square meter. Lux can be obtained by the value of lumens divided by the square meter of space:
- Lux = lm (lumens) / m²
WHAT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD I TAKE?
Always observe the information on the led strip lights lamp packaging to check its specifications. In online shopping, pay attention to the description of the products. If the manufacturer of a 7 W LED lamp, for example, reports that it is equivalent to a 100 W incandescent lamp, but does not present any information about the luminous flux, be wary.
As we have seen throughout the article, only the power of the lamp does not inform its brightness. Therefore, the correct thing is to choose the model by the amount of lumens. The correct labeling with all the necessary data
Conclusion
To meet the needs of the family and save electricity, there is the so-called dichroic LED. After all, one of the most important decisions in our home is the choice of lamps.
They affect the daily environment, including cooking, bathing, and reading and having friends over for dinner. The lamps we buy have yet another consequence that appears every month: the electricity bill