GUIDE TO LED

LED lighting has become the top lighting choice for homes and commercial properties. Manufacturers now produce an LED equivalent for almost every type of traditional lighting. Why? Because of its biggest perk: energy efficiency.

Adding onto the popularity is this statement from the U.S. Department of Energy: “Switching entirely to LED lights over the next two decades could save the U.S. $250 billion in energy costs, reduce electricity consumption for lighting by nearly 50 percent, and avoid 1,800 million metric tons of carbon emissions.”

Other government entities are catching onto the benefits, too. If you’re in California, you now have certain lighting qualifications outlined in Title 24. New York will soon require some of its largest buildings to reduce energy by using primarily LEDs. Local building codes can even include lighting regulations. It’s pretty clear LEDs are not going anywhere.

But what is an LED light bulb? What are the benefits beyond energy efficiency? And where can you really use an LED? We’re outlining some of the top questions we get in this article.

WHAT IS LED?

You probably hear the word “LED” so much that you don’t take time to think about what an LED light bulb really is. Sure, LED is a type of lighting that’s much more energy-efficient than traditional types. But how does it work? And what makes it different?

LED stands for light emitting diode. At Regency Supply, we like to say LED is like magic. Here is the actual definition: “semiconductor device that produces visible light when an electrical currency passes through it.”

Here’s another way to put it: LEDs produce light when an electrical current passes through a microchip. That electrical current illuminates the tiny light sources we call LEDs. The end result is visible light.

Before any light is emitted, electricity must first pass through an LED driver. Drivers convert electricity to direct current. Drivers also control that electricity. Almost all LEDs use a driver to operate, although some are coming onto the marketplace without them. For most of your standard screw-in LEDs, the driver is built right into the light bulb.

We get light from LEDs when electricity passes through the diode (a type of semiconductor). The light is then emitted through a phosphor coating. The coating improves the light quality and also helps determine color temperature.

Today, LEDs are incredibly common in commercial buildings. That’s due to more advanced technology (meaning better efficiency and light quality) and lower prices. You have the option to replace almost any type of light bulb with an LED. You can even buy LED fixtures for better overall energy efficiency. Now that we know what LEDs are, we can dig into the background.

HISTORY OF LED

When did the technology for LEDs first get started? Sylvania actually traced the history of LED back to 1907, when a scientist discovered that inorganic materials can light up when an electric current is applied.

Through a series of different discoveries around light emission, we can fast forward nearly 60 years to the first known patent. Scientists at Texas Instruments patented LED technology in 1961. Then, just a year later, the first LED entered the market. However, at that point, LEDs were mostly used as small red indicator lights on electrical devices.

LEDs really emerged on the market in the 2000s. By this time, manufacturers produced LEDs in all different colors, including white. Another major milestone was achieved in 2006, when the first light-emitting diodes with 100 lumens per watt were produced.

Since then, it’s been off to the races for LED manufacturers. There are advances in technology like color tuning, warm dimming, color pumping, and wireless controls. But as the technology takes off, so do knock-off manufacturers trying to make the products cheaper. Have you ever bought an LED bulb that burns out quickly? Now you have to spend even more money on a new product. That’s why it’s so critical to buy from a trusted manufacturer, and that’s why it’s one of Regency Supply's core values to deliver reliable products.

If you would like to read more about LED history, we have the full timeline on our blog.

LED VS. OTHER TYPES OF LIGHTING

With all of the advanced technology, you would think LEDs would be far superior to other types of lighting. After all, they should be more efficient, more versatile, and last longer. While there are obvious benefits, it’s still good to compare to LEDs to other popular types of lighting, like incandescent and fluorescent, because there are major differences.

LED VS. INCANDESCENT LIGHTS

LEDs can produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs, according to Energy Star. That can translate to huge savings on your electricity bill, especially if you are currently using a large number of incandescent lights.

Besides energy usage, one of the biggest differences between LED and incandescent light bulbs is their ability to shine light in a specific direction. Incandescent light bulbs produce light all the way around. LEDs, however, produce light in a single direction. Lighting engineers have found a way to mimic that uniform glow – manufacturers use diffusers or optics that bend, soften, or reflect the light coming off the diodes to mimic incandescent light bulbs.

Incandescent light bulbs use electricity to heat a metal filament until it produces light. That means that incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat, and the bulbs get very hot. LEDs use heat sinks to keep from overheating and burning out.

LED VS. FLUORESCENT LIGHTS

LEDs are also much more energy efficient than most type of fluorescent light bulbs, including CFLs.

Similar to incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent light bulbs are also omni-directional, and LEDs are not. However, LED products on the market today mimic the light output of most fluorescent light bulbs. In many cases, the directional light from an LED works better than the original fluorescent light bulb.

Fluorescent light bulbs also contain mercury, which means you need to recycle them. There can be negative effects on the environment if fluorescent light bulbs end up in a landfill and are not handled correctly. LEDs do not contain mercury, so the environmental impact and risk is lower when you use LED bulbs.

We have recycling boxes available for purchase so you can make sure any fluorescent bulbs are disposed of properly.

TYPES OF LEDS

You can find an LED replacement for almost any type of light bulb, whether it’s fluorescent, HID, incandescent, or halogen. But there are certain specifications you want to pay close attention to in the process. When LEDs first came on the market, one of the biggest complaints was, “They’re too bright,” or “The color isn’t right.” People had a hard time finding the right product to fit their space, especially in areas where ambiance is important.

Now there are many different options of colors and brightness, and it’s important to pay close attention to the product you’re buying. The specifications can make a huge difference.

We created this list of important qualities to pay attention to when you’re buying LED:

• Color temperature – If you’ve bought a product, took it home, plugged it in and thought, “This light is too blue,” then you probably bought a light bulb with wrong color temperature. Color temperature is technically called Correlated Color Temperature. It’s a number that indicates the color of light a particular fixture or bulb will emit. The warm temperatures have a lower number and tend to look more yellow or orange. The cooler temperatures have a higher number and may look brighter, or more blue.
• Color Rendering Index (CRI) – CRI is a light bulb’s ability to reflect color properly. The higher the CRI, the more true or real a color appears under the light. A high CRI (90 or above) may be extremely important in certain applications, like retail stores where you want products to shine, or in commercial offices when you don’t want to strain workers’ eyes. A lower CRI will be acceptable in other applications, like stairwells and parking garages.
• Wattage – Wattage is very important to pay attention to when you’re buying LEDs. Wattage is the measure of how much energy a lamp needs to light up. You might be looking at a fluorescent and comparing it to an LED and wondering why the wattages are so different. LEDs are more energy-efficient, so the wattage is likely lower than traditional lighting sources.
• Replacement wattage – Replacement wattage indicates the wattage of the traditional lamp that is being replaced by the LED bulb or fixture. It will help you find an LED bulb that will be bright enough to replace the one that you are currently using. For example, an LED A-lamp, the kind used in a normal table lamp, may only use 8 watts. But its replacement wattage is 40W, telling you it will produce the same amount of light as a 40W incandescent bulb.
• Rated life – The rated life of an LED product is how long it is intended to operate before its original brightness decreases by 30 percent. Unlike traditional light sources, LEDs typically do not suddenly burn out when their operating time is over. They slowly dim over time. So when an LED reaches its rated life, it should still be operating at 70% light output.
• Lumens – There is some confusion over wattage and lumens. Wattage is the energy consumed to operate a light bulb. Lumens measures how much light the bulb puts out. When you’re choosing LED products, you want to make sure you pick a light bulb with the right lumens. Too much light output might kill the mood of a restaurant, but too little light output will not work in a commercial office space.
• Dimmable – Dimmability is especially important if you are trying to use LEDs to replace incandescent and halogen light bulbs. While LED technology has come a long way, you need to check compatibility before you buy. We have a filter on the left side of our product search screen that makes it easy to sort and find dimmable products. Just click “Yes” under the “Dimmable” section. You can also read more about dimming issues on our blog.

BENEFITS OF CHOOSING LED

Switching to LED can make a huge difference, especially for commercial properties. Plus, now that product cost is dropping, you could be losing money while you wait to switch.

Here are four big benefits of choosing LED over traditional light sources:

1. Energy efficiency – This is probably the most touted benefit of LEDs. At the very minimum, LEDs are 75% more efficient than incandescent light bulbs. Plus, since energy costs represent about 85% of the overall cost of traditional lighting, this is a great advantage. Less energy consumed can amount to savings on your electricity bill. Those savings will eventually pay for the up-front costs of the more expensive LED bulbs. LEDs also emit less heat than traditional light sources. Less heat means your HVAC system won't need to work as hard to remove heat from a room or building. That amounts to even more savings. In many cases, current LED products will pay for themselves in energy savings in less than 12 months.
2. Durability – We love it when we can talk about reduced maintenance headaches. After all, appearance is extremely important in most commercial buildings. The last thing you want is to be on a ladder changing light bulbs as a huge group arrives to your hotel. Talk about a bad first impression. LEDs last about 35-50 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Even if you run an LED bulb 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the life rating could still be three to five years. Plus, with the durability that LED offers, other expenses might drop. You won't have to rent special equipment just to change a light bulb.
3. Increased lifespan – If you operate a quality LED product, LEDs do not typically burn out or fail. You may notice they do depreciate in brightness over time. So, the lifespan is defined as when the light output decreases by 30% over time. Lifespan for LEDs can depend on which products you buy. The Department of Energy published a report on LED failure in 2017. It found lifetime claims for more than half of LED products to be inaccurate or miscalculated. That's why Regency Supply often stresses the importance of choosing products from a reputable manufacturer, like the ones we list on our website. The last thing we want is for early failure to happen and you to be left high and dry with a bad product and more expenses.
4. Visual advantages – LED technology has improved a lot. This is especially beneficial for lighting designers. One advancement that we've talked about on our blog is color tuning. With color tuning, you can actually change the color temperature of a light bulb. It works by separately dimming and brightening arrays of warm and cool LEDs. You can adjust the look and feel of a room or tune lights for more color consistency. LEDs also give you the ability to direct light where you want it to go because they are directional light bulbs. This is beneficial for retail stores and other areas where you want to use accent lighting, like lobbies. LED lighting is also getting better in other areas like CRI, or color rendering index, increasing the overall quality of the product.

WHEN YOU SHOULDN'T CHOOSE LED

We understand that LEDs might not be right for every project. Yes, LEDs have many benefits, but there are situations where other types of lighting might work better.

Here are three situations when you shouldn't choose LED lighting:

1. When aesthetics is the main priority. In certain spaces, you want to set a mood or a tone. The look and feel of lighting can really make a difference in a restaurant or hotel lobby. This is especially true if you want to dim lights. While LED technology has come a long way, it can still be the secondary choice in these situations. It's worth noting on this point that LEDs are getting better every month, so if you tried LEDs a few months ago and they didn't work, it may be worth revisiting.
2. When the product application is meant for incandescent or something else. Sometimes the shape of LEDs doesn't fit with your current fixture, and that's ok. For instance, if you have a fixture where the light output needs to be 360-degrees, it might be better to go with the incandescent or HID you need. Again, LED technology has come a long way and there are more shapes than ever before, but that doesn't mean it's always the best choice.
3. When the existing burn hours won't provide significant energy savings. You've probably heard it a million times: LEDs save energy. That means LEDs are a great option for places where burn time is extremely high, like a parking garage or stairwell. But what if you have lights that are only on for a couple of hours a day, Monday through Friday? In that case, investing in more expensive LED light bulbs might not earn the payback that you expected.

In some area of the country, you may be required to use LED technology to meet efficiency requirements necessary for getting a building permit. If that's the case, we can help you find the best LED to meet your needs. The good news is that new options and creative products are coming out every month. Let us know if there's a project you'd like help with.

COMMERCIAL LED INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

LEDs can have different advantages for different industries and commercial properties. They are becoming increasingly common for all types of buildings, like commercial offices, hotels, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Here are some examples if you're looking for specific uses:

• Property development or commercial offices – Commercial offices tend to use a lot of fluorescent lighting, specifically linear fluorescent tubes. Replacing those bulbs with LED tubes in areas like hallways, stairwells, and common areas will contribute to a more energy-efficient environment. Since LEDs also give off less heat, it can be more comfortable for employees who are sitting under lights all day. Higher quality LED products can also help reduce eye strain for workers, promoting an all-around better working environment.
• Medical or healthcare facilities – Medical and healthcare facilities also use a lot of fluorescent lighting, especially in areas where lights need to be on all day, every day. Those high burn areas are where LEDs can have a huge impact and quick payback. Hospitals especially need to be ready for emergencies at any time. Since LEDs have a longer life, that means reduced maintenance times and more energy efficiency. Focusing your LED efforts on areas with high burn times like parking garages, hallways, and stairwells will have the biggest impact on energy savings.
• Schools or universities – Creating a productive learning environment for students is a top priority for schools and universities. Fluorescent lighting is a popular choice because of the clean, crisp light. Using LEDs with color tuning technology can give teachers the option to create different environments, instead of having blue light at all times. Some teachers have even found that changing the light color enhances learning and attention spans. Additionally, budgets are typically tight for educational institutions, so saving on electricity with LED lighting can be a big win.
• Restaurants – Restaurants are all about the ambiance. You want to deliver an experience for your guests from beginning to end. That's why restaurants often use incandescent or halogen lighting to deliver a warm, comforting glow. However, incandescent and halogen light bulbs use the most energy. With the advancements in LED technology, you can find the right bulbs to keep the ambiance you want but still enjoy the energy efficient advantages. LED dimming technology has also come a long with wireless controls.
• Retail – Retail stores are all about the accent lighting. Since LEDs are by nature directional light bulbs, they excel at pointing light in very specific directions. This helps highlights the right products and catch the eye of potential shoppers. Higher quality LED products can also give your products a crisp, clean look and make sure your products appear the right color. Since retail stores also use incandescent and halogen light bulbs frequently, LED products can make a huge impact on energy usage.
• Hotels – You might be thinking about using LEDs in every hotel room. However, since hotels need to be ready for guests at all hours, LEDs can have a huge impact in other areas like stairwells and parking garages. Guests should feel safe from the first moment they step onto your property. Using LEDs in areas of high burn time will have the biggest impact on your electricity bill and give guests the security they need.

OUR LED OPTIONS

Regency Supply has been a family-owned, national distributor since 1983. From lighting projects to replacement products to recycling, our team has the expertise to deliver the right lighting solutions for your commercial LED needs. We only work with trusted manufacturers to make sure you get the best products – especially when it comes to the ever-changing world of LED lighting.

We have sales and distribution centers across the U.S. to better serve you. If you have a question, or need help finding a specific project, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can leave a message, give us a call, or use the chat in the bottom corner of your screen.