LED Lamps: Everything you need to know

So that you do not get lost in the hallway with the bulbs every time you want to buy a bulb to replace a burned out one, we are here to help you!

THE AGE OF incandescent bulbs has passed irrevocably. LAMP MANUFACTURERS BEGIN TO ORIENTATE TECHNOLOGIES WITH GREATER ENERGY EFFICIENCY, LAPS

So what happens now? Most of us have a laid back attitude when it comes to painting a picture about ourselves. The reasons; They are cheap and have almost the same look, feel and function as traditional incandescent bulbs. However, they are only 25% more efficient.

LED lamps are proving to be the most "exciting" alternative. For "beginners", they are highly efficient: the average efficiency of an LED lamp is 78 lm / W (Lumen per Watt), while the corresponding value for an equivalent incandescent lamp is 13 lm / W and for an equivalent halogen lamp 18 lm / W.

ARE THEY EXPENSIVE?

As demand has increased significantly and production processes have been modernized, their costs have plummeted. You should also consider the following: LED bulbs consume one-sixth of the electricity consumed by incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. Replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with an equivalent LED saves about 100 euros in energy costs over the entire lifespan of a new bulb. Thus, the average household can save up to about 110 euros in annual electricity bills if they replace all the incandescent bulbs in the house with LED bulbs. You should also consider the following: LED bulbs consume one-sixth of the electricity consumed by incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer.

WHAT TO BE CAREFUL OF

Today, all lamp packages have a lighting element label, which allows you to compare similar bulbs in terms of performance and not just Watt. The label provides various information about the lamp, such as brightness (in lumens), life expectancy (in years), appearance of lighting (or color temperature) in degrees Celsius, and energy consumption (in watts). And do not forget: the brightness of an LED lamp is not indicated by the Watt value, but by the lumen value. A 60 Watt equivalent LED lamp delivers a brightness of around 800 lumens - about the same as a 60 Watt incandescent bulb.

POSSIBILITY OF VOLUME ADJUSTMENT

The LED lamps that have the ability to adjust the light intensity work satisfactorily with most state-of-the-art switches. The best of them provide the possibility of reducing lighting by about 5%. Make sure the light bulb you intend to buy is certified to work properly in conjunction with your switch. Refer to the manufacturer's website for a list of compatible dimmer switches. If you want to install a new switch, buy one that is specially designed and built to "work" with LED bulbs

WHERE THEY ARE USED?

Some of the LED bulbs have large, "space type" heat sinks. Others, on the other hand, incorporate this much-needed accessory in a more elegant way in their construction. The lamps with the so-called "snow-cone" type design are equipped with a heatsink that occupies the entire lower half of the lamp. They emit only directional light, which is good enough for use in multi-lights, but they cast unwanted shadows when placed, for example, on table lamps with a hat. For luminaires of this type you will need a directional light bulb, so check the packaging before proceeding to purchase.