LED Strip Lighting
Russell Neal asked:
The power and strength of LED strip lighting emanates from LED lighting lamps whose revolutionary approach to illumination will soon change the entire lighting industry. LED lighting lamps utilize semiconductors and diodes to produce low voltage lighting with minimal heat. LED lighting lamps consume far less energy than any other form of light bulb, and with reduced heat they offer little, if any, fire hazard and no damage to their immediate environment. Phantom’s LED lighting lamp technology offers the best and most technologically sophisticated value for task and aesthetic lighting needs of both residential and commercial clients.
Phantom strip lighting employs LED lamps that operate for up to 50,000 hours and produce ZERO UV rays. Patrons of the art find LED lighting lamps the optimal solution to the problematics of heat and UV radiation that can damage oils and canvases. They especially appreciate the added value of longer burn time, as LED’s do not have filaments that emit heat. LED lighting lamps feature an on board heat sink to dissipate heat and extend lamp life. LED technology offers backward compatibility benefits as well. LED’s can be used as replacement lamps for any lighting strip operating at 12V. Their miniature size and high output diodes benefit users with maximized effects and reliable performance. Virtually maintenance free and requiring only rare replacement, they continue to rise to preeminence as the favored lighting technology of designers, manufacturers, and contractors.
Phantom Lighting uses the finest light emitting diodes on the market with tight lumen output and color binning that produces up to five times the output of typical festoon lamps. LED lighting lamps are available in four color temperatures: 2950K, 3500K, 5000K, and 6500K, each with specialized application to task, functional, aesthetic, and commercial lighting needs. 2950K LED lighting lamps produce levels of brightness comparable to 7-watt incandescent festoon lamps up to 42 lumens. Our 6500K LED lighting lamps produce up to 50 lumens and produce a level of brightness and clarity that commercial and retail establishments find equal, if not superior, to more costly halogen and fluorescent light sources. Phantom strip lighting clients range from commercial entities such as jewelry storeowners, industrial manufacturing facilities, fine art galleries, on to residential arenas such as private art collections, bookshelf and fine furniture lighting, and task lighting for work areas and kitchens.
If technology continues to evolve at its current pace, LED lighting lamps may soon replace all other forms of lighting. As energy prices continue to fluctuate problematically, the cost effectiveness of low-voltage lighting is readily apparent as an energy saver. Furthermore, as environmental awareness mounts worldwide, gasless lighting offers a “green” alternative to toxic gases used in older technologies. Reduced risk of fire hazard, lower maintenance costs, and longer burn time per unit offer added value to LED lamp lighting-all of which translates into reduced overhead and superior illumination throughout both industrial and commercial markets.
The power and strength of LED strip lighting emanates from LED lighting lamps whose revolutionary approach to illumination will soon change the entire lighting industry. LED lighting lamps utilize semiconductors and diodes to produce low voltage lighting with minimal heat. LED lighting lamps consume far less energy than any other form of light bulb, and with reduced heat they offer little, if any, fire hazard and no damage to their immediate environment. Phantom’s LED lighting lamp technology offers the best and most technologically sophisticated value for task and aesthetic lighting needs of both residential and commercial clients.
Phantom strip lighting employs LED lamps that operate for up to 50,000 hours and produce ZERO UV rays. Patrons of the art find LED lighting lamps the optimal solution to the problematics of heat and UV radiation that can damage oils and canvases. They especially appreciate the added value of longer burn time, as LED’s do not have filaments that emit heat. LED lighting lamps feature an on board heat sink to dissipate heat and extend lamp life. LED technology offers backward compatibility benefits as well. LED’s can be used as replacement lamps for any lighting strip operating at 12V. Their miniature size and high output diodes benefit users with maximized effects and reliable performance. Virtually maintenance free and requiring only rare replacement, they continue to rise to preeminence as the favored lighting technology of designers, manufacturers, and contractors.
Phantom Lighting uses the finest light emitting diodes on the market with tight lumen output and color binning that produces up to five times the output of typical festoon lamps. LED lighting lamps are available in four color temperatures: 2950K, 3500K, 5000K, and 6500K, each with specialized application to task, functional, aesthetic, and commercial lighting needs. 2950K LED lighting lamps produce levels of brightness comparable to 7-watt incandescent festoon lamps up to 42 lumens. Our 6500K LED lighting lamps produce up to 50 lumens and produce a level of brightness and clarity that commercial and retail establishments find equal, if not superior, to more costly halogen and fluorescent light sources. Phantom strip lighting clients range from commercial entities such as jewelry storeowners, industrial manufacturing facilities, fine art galleries, on to residential arenas such as private art collections, bookshelf and fine furniture lighting, and task lighting for work areas and kitchens.
If technology continues to evolve at its current pace, LED lighting lamps may soon replace all other forms of lighting. As energy prices continue to fluctuate problematically, the cost effectiveness of low-voltage lighting is readily apparent as an energy saver. Furthermore, as environmental awareness mounts worldwide, gasless lighting offers a “green” alternative to toxic gases used in older technologies. Reduced risk of fire hazard, lower maintenance costs, and longer burn time per unit offer added value to LED lamp lighting-all of which translates into reduced overhead and superior illumination throughout both industrial and commercial markets.
Light Emitting Diode: Where Did This Technology Come From?
Ben Anton asked:
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were an accidental discovery at first. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered that when electricity was applied to the semiconductor Silicon Carbide (SiC) it produced a light. This light was too dim to be of any use so the research was never distributed. This could have been the end for the LED, but it wasn’t content to die out.
Nearly 20 years later Russian and German scientists revisited the idea of light produced this way. The light was still of such poor luminance that the idea nearly died again. A report published in 1936, which helped to invent the term electroluminescence, revived the research for light from this source. The science of electroluminescence languished in obscurity for a while. It began to gain favor again in the 1950s when some British scientists started experimenting with it again. This led to the first infrared LED. From this technology came the first visible spectrum LED, in red, from Gallium Phosphide (GaP).
This was the start of the LED revolution. From that point each decade brought advances in the technology of light-emitting diodes. The use of different substrates brought brighter lights of different colors. The colors advanced from red to orange and on to pale green, then yellow and on to a brighter green. By the 1990s the use of Gallium Nitride helped usher in the era of blue LEDs. These blue lights became the basis for white light. The use of fluorescent phosphors helped change that blue light into high intensity white lights. Now LEDs can be found in almost every visible color of light.
This technology has led to additional uses for the LED as well. Due to their low light output they started out in indicator lights and display light applications only. The cost of materials was an issue at first and, therefore, they were used only in expensive laboratory and test equipment. They later began to be used in appliances, calculators and watches. The advent of additional colors increased their use in displays. They could be used in signs and digital display equipment.
The first LED flat panel television prototype was produced in 1977, by James P. Mitchell. This prototype was a red, monochromatic display. Later, in the 1990s, low-cost, efficient blue LEDs emerged moving this use along. Once a full spectrum of colors was realized in the late 1990s the flat panel LED television became a fully functional and popular option.
As the LED technology advanced and the luminescence increased, the uses for LEDs increased. LEDs began popping up in devices used to illuminate areas. Flashlights, landscape lighting, and other lighting sources became popular. Emergency lights began to use this technology. Traffic lights were replaced with LEDs. Interior lighting and headlights in vehicles became a common home for these lights, as well. As the cost of producing the lights decreased, and the availability of colors and brightness increased, the uses exploded.
From an accidental discovery to a common household name, the history of LEDs is a long one. The early discovery and limited uses of the light-emitting diode did not show much promise. Very few early researchers would probably have predicted the many, varied uses for this technology. The LED certainly earned its prominent spot in today’s society.
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were an accidental discovery at first. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered that when electricity was applied to the semiconductor Silicon Carbide (SiC) it produced a light. This light was too dim to be of any use so the research was never distributed. This could have been the end for the LED, but it wasn’t content to die out.
Nearly 20 years later Russian and German scientists revisited the idea of light produced this way. The light was still of such poor luminance that the idea nearly died again. A report published in 1936, which helped to invent the term electroluminescence, revived the research for light from this source. The science of electroluminescence languished in obscurity for a while. It began to gain favor again in the 1950s when some British scientists started experimenting with it again. This led to the first infrared LED. From this technology came the first visible spectrum LED, in red, from Gallium Phosphide (GaP).
This was the start of the LED revolution. From that point each decade brought advances in the technology of light-emitting diodes. The use of different substrates brought brighter lights of different colors. The colors advanced from red to orange and on to pale green, then yellow and on to a brighter green. By the 1990s the use of Gallium Nitride helped usher in the era of blue LEDs. These blue lights became the basis for white light. The use of fluorescent phosphors helped change that blue light into high intensity white lights. Now LEDs can be found in almost every visible color of light.
This technology has led to additional uses for the LED as well. Due to their low light output they started out in indicator lights and display light applications only. The cost of materials was an issue at first and, therefore, they were used only in expensive laboratory and test equipment. They later began to be used in appliances, calculators and watches. The advent of additional colors increased their use in displays. They could be used in signs and digital display equipment.
The first LED flat panel television prototype was produced in 1977, by James P. Mitchell. This prototype was a red, monochromatic display. Later, in the 1990s, low-cost, efficient blue LEDs emerged moving this use along. Once a full spectrum of colors was realized in the late 1990s the flat panel LED television became a fully functional and popular option.
As the LED technology advanced and the luminescence increased, the uses for LEDs increased. LEDs began popping up in devices used to illuminate areas. Flashlights, landscape lighting, and other lighting sources became popular. Emergency lights began to use this technology. Traffic lights were replaced with LEDs. Interior lighting and headlights in vehicles became a common home for these lights, as well. As the cost of producing the lights decreased, and the availability of colors and brightness increased, the uses exploded.
From an accidental discovery to a common household name, the history of LEDs is a long one. The early discovery and limited uses of the light-emitting diode did not show much promise. Very few early researchers would probably have predicted the many, varied uses for this technology. The LED certainly earned its prominent spot in today’s society.
LED Strip Light Bulbs
Russell Neal asked:
LED strip lighting replaces soon-to-be antiquated lighting sources of fluorescent and halogen light bulbs. Linear strip lights that utilize LED lamps employ semiconductor technology to generate illumination. This reduces the risk of fire hazards that result from overheated lighting equipment and cuts cost on energy consumption. Phantom LED strip lighting delivers value to both commercial and residential lighting arenas and is sweeping the technology world as the wave of the future.
LED strip lighting lends itself perfectly to commercial applications where energy saving and maintenance costs are a concern. Both gas and filament bulbs consume a great deal of power and become very hot if burned too long. Commercial entities must pay close attention to lighting to regulate overhead and often must limited the use of their lighting systems to ensure minimized overhead. This is not a concern with LED strip lighting. The average lamp life of LED strip lights is 50,000 hours-the longest lamp life of the industry. LED lamps generate very little heat and no ultraviolet radiation. For commercial entities in need of task and aesthetic strip lighting, LED technology offers a low-voltage, cost effective solution with minimized maintenance and dramatically reduced replacement costs.
The aesthetics of an LED strip light are equally impressive to its performance. The small low profile design of Phantom strips combines with custom shielding to allow designers to use LED lighting strips in many unique and creative ways. LED linear strips may be field cut to any size. Designers highly value the flexibility that our products deliver to them any time they work with round coves or radius applications. Phantom LED strip lights also deliver a level of task lighting unsurpassed by fluorescent and halogen lights. Because they use only minimal low voltage power and do not burn hot, they can subsequently be left on for longer periods without risk of overheating and damaging their environment.
LED lamps have evolved far beyond the red, green, and blue diodes of their early prototypes. LED lamps are now able to generate millions of colors and degrees of illuminations. Many proprietary LED strip lights are fully dimmable, and can even be used in conjunction with automated home lighting and other sophisticated aesthetic methodologies. Cool white LED lamps serve ideally in commercial arenas as sources of lighting for watches, necklaces, and diamonds in jewelry stores. The brilliant white light adds a sparkle to jewelry that maximizes retail showcasing of high-end merchandise. Warm white LED lamps produce a soft, pleasant light source conducive to both commercial and residential display applications. Fine art lighting, cove lighting, and even cabinet lighting normally call for this type of LED strip light to create a mystical aura around the piece
LED strip lighting replaces soon-to-be antiquated lighting sources of fluorescent and halogen light bulbs. Linear strip lights that utilize LED lamps employ semiconductor technology to generate illumination. This reduces the risk of fire hazards that result from overheated lighting equipment and cuts cost on energy consumption. Phantom LED strip lighting delivers value to both commercial and residential lighting arenas and is sweeping the technology world as the wave of the future.
LED strip lighting lends itself perfectly to commercial applications where energy saving and maintenance costs are a concern. Both gas and filament bulbs consume a great deal of power and become very hot if burned too long. Commercial entities must pay close attention to lighting to regulate overhead and often must limited the use of their lighting systems to ensure minimized overhead. This is not a concern with LED strip lighting. The average lamp life of LED strip lights is 50,000 hours-the longest lamp life of the industry. LED lamps generate very little heat and no ultraviolet radiation. For commercial entities in need of task and aesthetic strip lighting, LED technology offers a low-voltage, cost effective solution with minimized maintenance and dramatically reduced replacement costs.
The aesthetics of an LED strip light are equally impressive to its performance. The small low profile design of Phantom strips combines with custom shielding to allow designers to use LED lighting strips in many unique and creative ways. LED linear strips may be field cut to any size. Designers highly value the flexibility that our products deliver to them any time they work with round coves or radius applications. Phantom LED strip lights also deliver a level of task lighting unsurpassed by fluorescent and halogen lights. Because they use only minimal low voltage power and do not burn hot, they can subsequently be left on for longer periods without risk of overheating and damaging their environment.
LED lamps have evolved far beyond the red, green, and blue diodes of their early prototypes. LED lamps are now able to generate millions of colors and degrees of illuminations. Many proprietary LED strip lights are fully dimmable, and can even be used in conjunction with automated home lighting and other sophisticated aesthetic methodologies. Cool white LED lamps serve ideally in commercial arenas as sources of lighting for watches, necklaces, and diamonds in jewelry stores. The brilliant white light adds a sparkle to jewelry that maximizes retail showcasing of high-end merchandise. Warm white LED lamps produce a soft, pleasant light source conducive to both commercial and residential display applications. Fine art lighting, cove lighting, and even cabinet lighting normally call for this type of LED strip light to create a mystical aura around the piece
Led Lights: The Next Generation Of Home And Outdoor Lighting
Ben Anton asked:
Light Emitting Diode or LED lighting has been in existence for many years, mainly in niche applications like small trinkets and indicator lighting. However, due to LED lighting being highly energy efficient, not to mention technologically superior over other light sources such as incandescent and fluorescent lighting, it is forecasted to reach beyond electronic applications into commercial and home LED lighting as well. In a recent report by Global Industry Analysts it is predicted that the market for fluorescent and LED lighting could climb to $97 billion by 2010. The spike in growth would be mainly from construction and industrial development industries.
As more individuals become aware of the energy efficiency of LED lighting, the price of such items as LED bulbs will decrease in price. Currently, the price of one LED bulb is substantially higher than the price of incandescent or fluorescent lighting. However, the initial price for LED bulbs would more than pay for itself in the long run. On average, one incandescent 60-watt bulb lasts 1,000 hours whereas one 2-watt LED light bulb lasts 60,000 hours. Therefore, one would need to purchase 60 incandescent bulbs for every one LED light bulb.
Home LED lighting is a cut above the rest when it comes to energy efficiency. As compared to incandescent lighting, LED lighting wins hands down where energy consumption is concerned. For every 60,000 hours of usage, incandescent lighting uses approximately 3,600 kWh of electricity where LED lighting uses 120 kWh. Bottom line: energy efficiency equals a significant cost savings. LED lighting gives off directional light. Therefore, it is useful as a source of light for reading or spotlighting in the home. Its powerful light output also makes it great for outdoor floodlighting and path illumination. LED bulbs are now available that can replace most halogen or fluorescent light bulbs used in the home.
Although LED lighting may not be useful for all home lighting needs, replacing a few bulbs with LED bulbs would have a noticeable affect in the amount of electricity used.
LED light displays are already used in signs and videos in many indoor and outdoor sporting events and concerts. LED video displays and signs are often preferred because of their higher brightness, which is critical when people are viewing a sign or video from a long distance. Added advantages of LED video displays are their capacity to incorporate curves and 3-D design. This makes LED video displays technologically superior to currently available large screen displays. Research and developers in the consumer electronics space are eager to take advantage of this overwhelmingly useful technology in future products.
Other uses for LED lighting include LED flashlights and key chains, automobile taillights and interior lights, and LED based projection televisions. LED lighting is also being used in the military for LED flashlights that work with night-vision goggles, UV-LED canteen water treatment devices and the sterilization of surgical equipment.
With LED lighting being more energy efficient and technologically superior to many other light sources, numerous LED light applications are sure to evolve. Future generations can expect to consider LED lighting as the standard light source for most lighting applications.
~Ben Anton, 2007
Light Emitting Diode or LED lighting has been in existence for many years, mainly in niche applications like small trinkets and indicator lighting. However, due to LED lighting being highly energy efficient, not to mention technologically superior over other light sources such as incandescent and fluorescent lighting, it is forecasted to reach beyond electronic applications into commercial and home LED lighting as well. In a recent report by Global Industry Analysts it is predicted that the market for fluorescent and LED lighting could climb to $97 billion by 2010. The spike in growth would be mainly from construction and industrial development industries.
As more individuals become aware of the energy efficiency of LED lighting, the price of such items as LED bulbs will decrease in price. Currently, the price of one LED bulb is substantially higher than the price of incandescent or fluorescent lighting. However, the initial price for LED bulbs would more than pay for itself in the long run. On average, one incandescent 60-watt bulb lasts 1,000 hours whereas one 2-watt LED light bulb lasts 60,000 hours. Therefore, one would need to purchase 60 incandescent bulbs for every one LED light bulb.
Home LED lighting is a cut above the rest when it comes to energy efficiency. As compared to incandescent lighting, LED lighting wins hands down where energy consumption is concerned. For every 60,000 hours of usage, incandescent lighting uses approximately 3,600 kWh of electricity where LED lighting uses 120 kWh. Bottom line: energy efficiency equals a significant cost savings. LED lighting gives off directional light. Therefore, it is useful as a source of light for reading or spotlighting in the home. Its powerful light output also makes it great for outdoor floodlighting and path illumination. LED bulbs are now available that can replace most halogen or fluorescent light bulbs used in the home.
Although LED lighting may not be useful for all home lighting needs, replacing a few bulbs with LED bulbs would have a noticeable affect in the amount of electricity used.
LED light displays are already used in signs and videos in many indoor and outdoor sporting events and concerts. LED video displays and signs are often preferred because of their higher brightness, which is critical when people are viewing a sign or video from a long distance. Added advantages of LED video displays are their capacity to incorporate curves and 3-D design. This makes LED video displays technologically superior to currently available large screen displays. Research and developers in the consumer electronics space are eager to take advantage of this overwhelmingly useful technology in future products.
Other uses for LED lighting include LED flashlights and key chains, automobile taillights and interior lights, and LED based projection televisions. LED lighting is also being used in the military for LED flashlights that work with night-vision goggles, UV-LED canteen water treatment devices and the sterilization of surgical equipment.
With LED lighting being more energy efficient and technologically superior to many other light sources, numerous LED light applications are sure to evolve. Future generations can expect to consider LED lighting as the standard light source for most lighting applications.
~Ben Anton, 2007
Led Light Bulbs
Russell Neal asked:
Led light bulbs will one day become the dominant source of lighting on the planet-if not the exclusive source. They solve a multitude of economic and environmental problems that have plagued and continue to plague users of other types of lamps. The reason for this lies in the manner in which a led bulb generates light. Unlike incandescents and fluorescent bulbs, a led light does not utilize a filament or any type of luminary gas. Instead, led lighting bulb technology is based on something completely different-a semi conductive component known as a “diode.” By passing a low voltage current through a diode, one can agitate electrons within its composite substances, causing light to radiate into the surroundings. This light is cool burning and will not cause heat pollution in work and living areas. Because these bulbs do not rely on inert gases of any kind, they pose no threat to the environment, and the substances of which they are composed are virtually unbreakable compared to standard lamps.
Led light bulbs offer every color in the rainbow now to both home and commercial users. A led’s color directly results from the chemical composition of the diode itself. The most recent breakthrough came a few short years ago, when Chinese scientists learned to mix blue and yellow in the precise combination necessary to create a white LED. Previous to this advancement, led light bulbs always represented a primary color, and as such were very useful for display, indicator, and instrument lighting, but not yet ready to replace incandescents whose bright white light established them long ago as the world’s primary source of artificial lighting. When white led bulbs entered the lighting market, an explosion in size, design, modification, and engineering followed as lighting manufacturers immediately saw the benefits of creating alternatives to previous technologies and seizing the opportunity of the moment to pass on both green technology and cost-conscious savings to corporate and individual clients. Not long after these developments occurred, California passed a law that now requires all incandescent lights be replaced no later than 2010, making retrofitting a legal matter at this point for West Coast residents as well as a cost and earth conscious decision.
Linear strip lights utilize a bulb type known as “festoon,” and many high-end resorts, casinos, and country clubs in California use festoon bulbs for both seasonal and year round decorations. With a ban on incandescents now pending, corporations and individuals alike in California will now have to look for retrofitted alternatives if they are currently using any type of incandescent festoon light source. This is not as big a problem as it may sound, nor is it expensive when one considers ROI beyond up front procurement costs.
In an era where concern over global warming is approaching the level of worldwide alarm, now more than ever is a time to consider going “green,” not necessarily in terms of the color of a led light bulb, but in terms of its innate quality and value. It never hurts a company’s public image to promote itself as a leader in newer, more efficient forms of non-destructive power. Furthermore, led lights feature a bulb life that ranges from 30,000 bulb hours to over 100,000 bulb hours. Replacements are very rare, and therefore, seldom a cost factor to consider when forecasting budget. Immediate return on the front-end investment one makes in begins to accrue monthly on every subsequent power bill post retrofitting date. This is truly a win-win scenario for anyone.
Led light bulbs will one day become the dominant source of lighting on the planet-if not the exclusive source. They solve a multitude of economic and environmental problems that have plagued and continue to plague users of other types of lamps. The reason for this lies in the manner in which a led bulb generates light. Unlike incandescents and fluorescent bulbs, a led light does not utilize a filament or any type of luminary gas. Instead, led lighting bulb technology is based on something completely different-a semi conductive component known as a “diode.” By passing a low voltage current through a diode, one can agitate electrons within its composite substances, causing light to radiate into the surroundings. This light is cool burning and will not cause heat pollution in work and living areas. Because these bulbs do not rely on inert gases of any kind, they pose no threat to the environment, and the substances of which they are composed are virtually unbreakable compared to standard lamps.
Led light bulbs offer every color in the rainbow now to both home and commercial users. A led’s color directly results from the chemical composition of the diode itself. The most recent breakthrough came a few short years ago, when Chinese scientists learned to mix blue and yellow in the precise combination necessary to create a white LED. Previous to this advancement, led light bulbs always represented a primary color, and as such were very useful for display, indicator, and instrument lighting, but not yet ready to replace incandescents whose bright white light established them long ago as the world’s primary source of artificial lighting. When white led bulbs entered the lighting market, an explosion in size, design, modification, and engineering followed as lighting manufacturers immediately saw the benefits of creating alternatives to previous technologies and seizing the opportunity of the moment to pass on both green technology and cost-conscious savings to corporate and individual clients. Not long after these developments occurred, California passed a law that now requires all incandescent lights be replaced no later than 2010, making retrofitting a legal matter at this point for West Coast residents as well as a cost and earth conscious decision.
Linear strip lights utilize a bulb type known as “festoon,” and many high-end resorts, casinos, and country clubs in California use festoon bulbs for both seasonal and year round decorations. With a ban on incandescents now pending, corporations and individuals alike in California will now have to look for retrofitted alternatives if they are currently using any type of incandescent festoon light source. This is not as big a problem as it may sound, nor is it expensive when one considers ROI beyond up front procurement costs.
In an era where concern over global warming is approaching the level of worldwide alarm, now more than ever is a time to consider going “green,” not necessarily in terms of the color of a led light bulb, but in terms of its innate quality and value. It never hurts a company’s public image to promote itself as a leader in newer, more efficient forms of non-destructive power. Furthermore, led lights feature a bulb life that ranges from 30,000 bulb hours to over 100,000 bulb hours. Replacements are very rare, and therefore, seldom a cost factor to consider when forecasting budget. Immediate return on the front-end investment one makes in begins to accrue monthly on every subsequent power bill post retrofitting date. This is truly a win-win scenario for anyone.
What Your LED Flashlight Can Do
Ben Anton asked:
The bright light of an LED flashlight can be an invaluable tool when on a camping or hunting trip, and a potential life saver in a home or car emergency. The power and efficiency of these light sources has made them incredibly popular throughout the world. How did these bright lights become so popular? How does the LED bulb in the flashlight actually work? Science and practicality have come together to create these innovative light sources – it may just be a good idea to know why.
What is an LED?
To understand how an LED flashlight works it is important to understand what an LED light is. LED stands for light-emitting diode. It is a semiconductor diode that emits light when an electric current passes through it, like a simple circuit. This circuit produces electroluminescence, which can be infrared, visible, or ultraviolet, and a number of different colors depending on the make up and condition of the semiconducting material used. These lights are often very small, typically less than 1 mm. Manufacturers usually add special optics or lenses to the chip to help with reflection, creating an incredibly powerful beam for the size of the bulb.
LED lights are embedded in a high-impact epoxy, which makes them virtually indestructible and therefore perfect for handheld lights. There are no loose or moving parts either. LED lights also produce no heat, allowing them to be used for long periods of time without concern of burning out.
LED Light Advantages
LED light technology has certain advantages that help it stand out for flashlight and lamp use – visibility, intensity, color and efficiency.
Visibility
LED lights naturally emit a high level of light, called luminous intensity. This visibility is increased by adding chips to the encapsulation or using secondary optics to distribute light. For most LED flashlights or lanterns, there are a number of individual light sources in a single lens.
Intensity
The intensity of the light is another characteristic of LED lights. The light output varies depending on the type of chip and encapsulation that is used. Although there is no industry standard for LED brightness or intensity, many manufacturers use terminology such as “ultra-bright” or “super-bright” to describe their lights. These lights have such a powerful beam that they can actually do damage to the human eye.
Color and Wavelength
Wavelength and color are other characteristics of LED lights. These lights have a pretty broad wavelength spectrum and thus can produce a number of different colors depending on the phosphorous or other compounds added to the encapsulation. The human eye is most responsive, however, to yellow, orange and red LED lights, probably why many come in those colors.
Efficiency
LEDs are solid-state devices with no moving parts. This allows the average LED light to operate for approximately 100,000 hours at relatively normal ambient temperature (25 degrees C). And unlike other incandescent bulbs, they can be turned on and off without undergoing too much wear and tear.
Putting It All Together
The basic construction of an LED flashlight is pretty straightforward. A simple closed circuit is used to charge the semiconductor diode, producing a brilliant, cool light. These lights illuminate our pathway in the dark, help us during power outages and signal for help. They are tremendous assets to a home, car or supply boxes.
The bright light of an LED flashlight can be an invaluable tool when on a camping or hunting trip, and a potential life saver in a home or car emergency. The power and efficiency of these light sources has made them incredibly popular throughout the world. How did these bright lights become so popular? How does the LED bulb in the flashlight actually work? Science and practicality have come together to create these innovative light sources – it may just be a good idea to know why.
What is an LED?
To understand how an LED flashlight works it is important to understand what an LED light is. LED stands for light-emitting diode. It is a semiconductor diode that emits light when an electric current passes through it, like a simple circuit. This circuit produces electroluminescence, which can be infrared, visible, or ultraviolet, and a number of different colors depending on the make up and condition of the semiconducting material used. These lights are often very small, typically less than 1 mm. Manufacturers usually add special optics or lenses to the chip to help with reflection, creating an incredibly powerful beam for the size of the bulb.
LED lights are embedded in a high-impact epoxy, which makes them virtually indestructible and therefore perfect for handheld lights. There are no loose or moving parts either. LED lights also produce no heat, allowing them to be used for long periods of time without concern of burning out.
LED Light Advantages
LED light technology has certain advantages that help it stand out for flashlight and lamp use – visibility, intensity, color and efficiency.
Visibility
LED lights naturally emit a high level of light, called luminous intensity. This visibility is increased by adding chips to the encapsulation or using secondary optics to distribute light. For most LED flashlights or lanterns, there are a number of individual light sources in a single lens.
Intensity
The intensity of the light is another characteristic of LED lights. The light output varies depending on the type of chip and encapsulation that is used. Although there is no industry standard for LED brightness or intensity, many manufacturers use terminology such as “ultra-bright” or “super-bright” to describe their lights. These lights have such a powerful beam that they can actually do damage to the human eye.
Color and Wavelength
Wavelength and color are other characteristics of LED lights. These lights have a pretty broad wavelength spectrum and thus can produce a number of different colors depending on the phosphorous or other compounds added to the encapsulation. The human eye is most responsive, however, to yellow, orange and red LED lights, probably why many come in those colors.
Efficiency
LEDs are solid-state devices with no moving parts. This allows the average LED light to operate for approximately 100,000 hours at relatively normal ambient temperature (25 degrees C). And unlike other incandescent bulbs, they can be turned on and off without undergoing too much wear and tear.
Putting It All Together
The basic construction of an LED flashlight is pretty straightforward. A simple closed circuit is used to charge the semiconductor diode, producing a brilliant, cool light. These lights illuminate our pathway in the dark, help us during power outages and signal for help. They are tremendous assets to a home, car or supply boxes.