Since old fashioned incandescent and halogen bulbs are being banned by governments around the world, most home owners have had to consider low energy alternatives.
The favourite choice now is LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs, which are currently leading the field in terms of energy savings, product life and ease of use.
But how many of us understand the ways in which LED bulbs are different to incandescent models, and how to ensure that when we upgrade our lighting we actually make the right choices?
Let’s start with some basic facts about LED bulbs.
Basically, they offer a number of significant advantages to the obsolete incandescent types:
Major power saving: LEDs use approximately five times less energy as incandescent bulbs. As an example, you can replace an old 40W reading light bulb with an 8W LED. And since LEDs offer a more focused light, the energy savings could be up to 90%, and you can therefore have a lower-wattage bulb.
‘Cleaner’ Product: LEDs are non-toxic, and in particular contain no mercury.
Less Heat: Much less heat is produced by LED bulbs, in comparison with incandescent lights. That is especially important in Southern climates where air-conditioning is used.
Longer Life: LED bulbs do not need to be replaced very often – they can last up to twenty years in regular use.
Better Investment: They do cost more to buy, but when you consider their longer life and energy savings, they are a great investment.
So, when the time comes to replace old light bulbs, LEDs are the obvious choice, but how do we go about making the right selection for our home? There are so many styles, sizes, shapes and special formats on the market now, how do you know which is the right one?
Here are some tips to help you make the right decision…..
Consider how much brightness you need
Back in the bad old days, we all got used to measuring a light bulb’s brightness simply by its wattage. A 60 Watt bulb gave us an average light output for most domestic situations. However, wattage actually measures the amount of electrical energy a light bulb uses – a lot of which is given out as heat. Clearly, an LED will use fewer watts to generate the same amount of light.
To make sure that you get an LED with sufficient light output, you will need to get used to measuring brightness in lumens. An old fashioned 60-watt incandescent bulb generates about 800 lumens, so to get an equivalent, you need to look for an LED rated at 800 lumens of light output. A lot of LED packaging will tell you what wattage of incandescent bulb the lamp would be equivalent to.
What about quality of light?
Depending on where you are planning to use the LED bulbs, the quality of light may well be an important factor. Light quality is generally measured by CRI or Colour Rendering Index. This number indicates how accurately the bulb illuminates colours on a scale from 1 to 100. If you plan to use the lamp frequently – say in a living room – or it is going to be used in a prominent location like an entrance hall, CRI is a very important metric to consider. However, if it’s going to go into an airing cupboard or toilet, CRI isn’t as crucial. CRI ratings in excess of 85 and above are indications of very good colour rendering.
Are “warm” or “cool” light colours important?
There is a wide variety of LED bulbs available now, offering a range of light “colour temperatures” in Degrees Kelvin, or simply “K”. How do you know what colour temperature works for you? Colour temperatures with high K ratings, 6,000 or more, are classified as ‘cool’ colours, while those with lower K ratings, 3,500 or less, are classified as ‘warm.’ You will find most retailers referring to their products as cool white and warm white LED Bulbs.
Warm white bears a close resemblance to the light produced by halogens and incandescent bulbs. It is soft, easy on the eyes and promotes a comfortable and domestic aesthetic. As a rule of thumb, warm white bulbs should be used in ‘habitat’ spaces, such as living rooms, hallways and bedrooms, and as general illumination. In contrast, cool white is a very bright, sharp white light; less suitable for domestic spaces where the brightness of the light can be too harsh and even create a clinical effect.
What shape or type of LED bulb do you need?
LEDs now come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and will be suitable for replacing just about any kind of incandescent light bulb. You will now find LED globe light bulbs, chandelier light bulbs, and reflector light bulbs – along with lots of newly manufactured shades, lamps and fixings that have them built-in.
The traditional “light bulb” shapes are designed to give an all-round source of light, for instance in a table lamp or ceiling fitting, and are known as “omni-directional”. Reflector types are designed to give light off in one direction, so they’re best for overhead lighting, spotlights, and display lighting.
How about replacing incandescent bulbs in dimming systems?
Unfortunately, many old incandescent dimmers aren’t fully compatible with LED lighting, so you need to be careful when considering dimming. Many of the newer types of LED light bulb do have dimming capabilities – a great option if you want to save even more energy and control the room’s ambient environment. But you may need to invest in an LED-specific dimmer. If you’re looking for a dimmable LED, carefully check the specification on the bulb’s packaging and make sure you control it with a compatible dimmer.
Some don’t like it hot!
LED based light bulbs work best when they are kept cool. If you use an LED outdoors in winter or inside a refrigerator, it will actually last longer. However, excessive heat can cause problems, particularly as LEDs exposed to extreme heat may degrade more quickly over time. So, if you plan to use them in an area that can get hot (like in overhead recessed spotlights) it would be better to invest in high-temperature specification types which use an advanced cooling system – like the types produced by Megaman.
And finally, how can you actually get the ball rolling to take advantage of LED technology in your home?
Right at the beginning it takes a little research effort – initially you need to go round your home and make a note of all the bulbs you are currently using – including wattage (60W, 100W etc.), type of fixture (screw, bayonet etc.), bulb type (reflector, standard, golf ball, etc.) size and colour (warm, cool, etc.). Also approximately how much usage each bulb gets.
Next you need to figure out the type of LED bulb which can be used to replace each incandescent type in terms of lumens, shape, size and fixture. Check out dimming requirements carefully, then make a comprehensive list and check prices on the Internet or through lighting retail outlets.
All that’s needed then is to make the investment, change the bulbs, and start making real savings on your electricity bill!
Megaman has extended the comprehensive Economy Lamp range of LED lamps that have been designed to offer the perfect alternative to their CFL counterparts, using only a fraction of the power with no sacrifice in performance, output and quality of illumination. The Economy 15,000 hour lamp range, represents unbeatable value and provides a myriad of options to cater for the requirements of most domestic and leisure installations.
This extended range introduces the new Gold Filament range of classic and globe shaped lamps that have been designed for use in decorative applications, including restaurants, bars and other hospitality areas. These visually striking lamps have been designed with a 2200K colour temperature to provide an extra warm illumination for mood lighting. All lamps in the Gold Filament range are 3W and dimmable available in Classic, 95mm Globe, 125mm Globe and ST58, providing endless design possibilities. The lamp life across the range is an impressive 15,000 hours with 210 lumens.
No lamp range would be complete without the popular Candle lamp and the Economy Range includes 3.5W and 5.5W opal, both with an even light distribution of 330º and the 5.5W opal 4000K that also provides a 330º distribution but differ in its cooler appearance. Megaman’s LED Candle lamps are infinitely suitable for use in chandeliers and decorative fittings plus a host of other applications.
The Classic lamps in the range are available in 5.5W, 11W, 9.5W and 9.5W in 4000K/6500K colour variants that produce a ‘daylight’ effect for crafting and art use. All Megaman Classic LED lamps have an intelligent heat sink design and an even light distribution of 330º. A 10.5W Classic Shatterproof has also been included in the range, featuring a polycarbonate cover that makes it suitable for use in areas where glass covered lamps are not an option.
To complete the range, Megaman has included Globe, Golf Ball, G4 and G9 lamps, plus a revolutionary new LED tube in 9.5W, 18W and 22W that is compatible with traditional magnetic ballasts, offering a real alternative to traditional T8 fluorescent lamps.
The Economy Lamp range from Megaman carries a 2 year warranty and are manufactured using the same expertise that has made the Megaman name synonymous with reliable, energy efficient lighting that uses the very latest technology.
Visit us today to explore the Megaman LED range: www.novelenergylighting.com, or call us for quotations: 0208-540-8287
The Philips MASTER LEDtube has now been extended with a complete portfolio including the new 6ft addition to the range.
Whatever you need, the Philips MASTER LEDtube portfolio has it all. From best energy efficiency to the best light output for the most demanding applications.
A simple switch, our LEDtubes come in a choice of lengths and colour temperatures, with the option of rotating end caps and three value ranges.
Watch the Installation guide for Philips MASTER LEDtube based on Electro Magnetic ballast:
Watch the installation guide for Philips MASTER LEDtube based on High Frequency Electronic Ballast (HF)
Royal Philips has, through its Lighting Division, completed the upgrade of 10 ships for Europe’s leading holiday cruise company, Costa Cruises. More than 300,000 Philips LED lights have been installed to enable a massive 60% reduction in the energy used to power each ship’s lighting. By James Hunt:
Philips has installed MasterLED spots and CoreProLED tubes installed on 10 Costa Cruises’ ships – saving large amounts of fuel, money and carbon emissions.
Costa Cruises
This interior shot of Costa Fascinosa shows just how much lighting there is in a modern cruise liner – the energy savings can be big using LED lighting.
Costa Cruises & AP
In modern cruise ships, lighting systems account for up to 25% of the total energy consumption that is not used for propulsion. Therefore, any reduction in electricity consumption for lighting reduces the vessel’s operating costs, as well as reducing the environmental impact.
Electricity aboard these big cruise ships is provided by the diesel engines and generators – no direct drive to the screws these days. Typically, Costa Cruises’ ships are powered by diesel-electric power plant comprising four to six 12-cylinder four-stroke medium speed diesel generating sets (usually by Wartsila with electric propulsion motors by GE of around 21MW coupled to fixed-pitch propellers – though some ships use azipod thrusters instead).
A typical output, depending upon the actual ship, might be around 70 – 80MW (over 100,000 BHP). As well as providing propulsion, these main generators provide power for all shipboard consumers from propulsion motors to hotel functions, such as lighting and air conditioning.
Regardless of the propulsion system used, fuel consumption cost is always a big issue with cruise ships and Costa, for example, has reported a reduction of around 11% in fuel consumption, and with reduced CO2 emissions too. The company has already experimented with LED lighting combined with automatic lighting-control that adjusts light levels to match sunlight intensity.
Slashing carbon emissions
It is here, of course, that Philips comes in, with its over 300,000 LED lights being installed in ten of Costa Cruises’ ships. This lighting renovation enables total annual savings of 30,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions.
It is only relatively recently that the shipping industry has had to meet increasingly tough emissions targets, and the switch to energy efficient LED technology is the latest step towards Costa Cruises’ goal to slash its CO2 emissions according to targets it set out in its Sustainability Report published in 2014.
LED spots and tubes
Philips’ MasterLED spots and CoreProLED tubes installed on these ten cruise ships emit excellent quality white light that does not irritate or tire the eyes. Moreover, the LED light sources last far longer than the older conventional lamps (up to 40,000 hours), so maintenance costs are reduced, while the lighting itself is bright and warm and provides an inviting atmosphere for passengers.
Philips completed the re-lamping of three ships back in 2013, with the lighting of the remaining seven ships completely renovated by December 2014. Philips is also involved in the LED lighting renovation of Costa Cruises’ headquarters in Genoa, Italy.
Cruise ships operate with big fixed costs, so Costa Cruises’ aim as an operator is always to maximise efficiency. Fuel is one of the biggest costs, and prices have soared over the last few years (the fall in price in 2014 is unlikely to be sustained for long) so the company is keen to keep associated expenditure under careful control.
A sustainability boost
Commented Stefania Lallai, Costa Cruises Sustainability Director: “This initiative between two companies engaged in providing solutions for the mitigation of the impact on the environment represents another step forward by Costa Cruises in the field of sustainability. The lighting project with Philips is an important initiative undertaken to lower the CO2 impact generated by our fleet and to reduce energy consumption on board.”
Philips has long had an important emphasis on sustainability. For example, we reported only a few days ago that in its continued sustainability drive, the company had increased its sales of ‘Green Products’ to 52% of total sales and has achieved its ‘Green Innovation’ target a year ahead of schedule (read about this by using the link at the bottom of this web page).
In terms of Costa Cruises, the Head of Sustainability for Philips Lighting, Nicola Kimm, said: “Travel by sea already has the lowest carbon footprint compared to other forms of transport in the wider tourism industry.
‘’Think of cruise ships as self-contained mini floating cities, powered by their own energy supply. Switching from 50W bulbs to 7W LED technology increases energy efficiency by more than halving each ship’s electricity consumption required for lighting,’’ she pointed out.
There is, however, one Costa Cruises ship that won’t be benefitting from Philips LED lighting – the ill-fated Costa Concordia that sank in early 2012.
The Down Hall Hotel, one of the UK’s most established country house hotels, has achieved considerable energy savings on lighting thanks to a simple retrofit to Megaman LED lamps. With Phase 1 of the project concentrating on the main function rooms, lounge and anti-lounge areas, the current estimated figures are 7736kw of energy saved per annum which equates to an annual CO2 saving of 4.21 tons.
Located in Hatfield Heath on the Hertfordshire/Essex borders, Down Hall was built in the Italianate style of architecture, which was a distinct 19th century phase in the history of Classical architecture and the hotel dates back to 1322 with luxurious interior and ornate ceilings, all set in 110 acres of parkland. The hotel has many high ceiling function rooms including the Prior Suite, and this was the first room to be considered for the new LED lamps.
With chandeliers and wall lights in constant use, the old Halogen 28W lamps were constantly failing which meant a scaffolding tower had to be erected each time to replace the lamps, taking up valuable maintenance time and causing serious potential health and safety issues. On review of the lighting it was agreed to switch the existing lighting to Megaman’s 5w candle lamps in warm white, which also offer dimming capabilities for changing the ambience of the room at different times of the day and evening. On completion of the Prior Suite, the staff at Down Hall were so delighted with the result that the other function rooms, namely
Rookwood, Lyndhurst, Harley and the lounge and anti-lounge, were also changed to the new LED lamps. Bob Parker at Down Hall commented “We are extremely happy with the new LED lamps which, apart from the energy savings achieved, actually look better and complement the existing fittings, plus they offer 50,000 hours life. The light output is excellent and staff are commenting that the new lighting has improved the whole ambience of the building. We are now in the process of putting Phase 2 into action which will include the Bridgeman Selwin Suites which is our main ballroom for wedding receptions”.
Novel Energy Lighting supplies LED lighting to the hospitality sector and can provide many references of hotels which have been retrofitted. We sell LED lamps and fittings, and can provide services such as surveys, lighting designs, and installation to help you start saving energy as quickly as possible.
Call us: 0208-540-8287, or email: sales@novelenergylighting.com for more information
Optics in the new OSRAM classic bulb-shaped LED lamps ensure uniform light with beam angles of up to 300°
The unique optic by OSRAM
Whether the light of a lamp is perceived as being pleasant by customers depends on many different factors, for example color temperature and luminous intensity.
The distribution of luminous intensity in the so-called far field is also important, meaning where light hits walls, floors or table surfaces, and of special importance in this respect is that light is distributed homogeneously and that no shadowing or linear structures are seen.
These tasks are achieved by optics assembled within the LED lamps with classic forms, i.e. pear, candle or drop shapes. In the past this often presented a problem particularly with clear lamps, because with these lamps such optics can be seen from the outside, meaning that these are not only a functional element but must also be visually attractive. In this respect the optic also ensures that the “technology” of the lamp, meaning its LEDs and electronics, cannot be seen from the outside, making it more attractive for consumers.
Optics in the classic bulb-shaped lamps in the new OSRAM LED portfolio have been designed to largely exclude irregularities such as dark shadow lines in the far field light and to achieve homogeneous light distribution, achieved by the particular form of the plastic optic, developed specifically for the new lamp generation.
The optic design was challenging due to the high technical and aesthetic demands, and was developed with the aid of in-house programmed software. Optics in the new OSRAM LED classic portfolio radiate at angles of up to 300° and are based on a uniform optical concept across all lamp types.
This achieves a uniform design appearance, and also shorter development periods and lower costs because the optics of various lamp types are compatible with identical mechanical components. This modular construction principle has been consistently applied by OSRAM to all components in its new LED lamp portfolio.
Philips has announced extensions to its popular MasterLED retrofit lamps range, and also to LED fittings and luminaires.
First-up:
Philips Coreline Spot – these downlights now come bundled with Philips award-winning MasterLED GU10 5.5W Dimmable lamp (5 year warranty):
Philips also launch their Coreline Wall Mounted LED anti-vandal bulkhead, which comes in multiple outputs, and is available with integral emergency, PIR. This effectively replaces the Gondola
Next we see an impressive increase in the output of Philips MasterLED Candles and Lusters (golfs). Philips expand their range by supplementing the existing 4W=25W (250lm) range with the new 6W=40W (470lm) range of clear Candles (E14, E14 flametip, B22) and Lusters (E14, E27). All these products now incorporate their special ‘DiamondSpark’ lighting effect for a truly wonderful ambience:
Other impressive launches are the new PAR20 lamp, which is now a 6.5W retrofit with much higher lumens than the previous 7W model:
AND, the previously announced MasterLED Tube VALUE, which allows HF/Electronic fittings to be retrofitted without rewiring a fluorescent fittings:
We are able to supply all of the above products, and the rest of the Philips LED portfolio. Please contact us to discuss your needs, and volume pricing.
PHILIPS NEW INSTANTFIT LED TUBE PROVIDES QUICK AND EASY-TO-INSTALL ALTERNATIVE TO FLUORESCENTS
Philips, the global leader in lighting, introduces the new InstantFit LED T8 (TLED) replacement tube that reduces the cost for facilities managers replacing fluorescent tube lighting with energy efficient LED technology. LED tube lamps save up to 50% less energy compared to linear fluorescent tube lighting and require less maintenance due to their long lifetime.
Installers will replace fluorescent tubes within seconds – Philips InstantFit LED tube is compatible with all fluorescent fixtures without re-wiring. Crucially, speed and simplicity in installation mean less business disruption and cost – an average supermarket can now switch to LED lighting in less than 4 days instead of 4 weeks.
LED tubes save up to 50% energy costs on lighting – combined with their long lifetime, Facility Managers can recover their investment in 1-3 years.
Philips has led the way in designing an instantaneous ‘click-to-fit’ LED replacement alternative for linear High Frequency (HF) fluorescent tube lighting with electronic drivers. Currently, installers need to re-wire the driver to replace linear fluorescent tubes with LED tubes. This is due to a wide variety of electronic drivers that exist in fluorescent tube lamps today. The Philips InstantFit LED replacement tube requires no re-wiring as it includes a smart electronic design that is compatible with existing drivers, ballasts and sockets. The result is a dramatic reduction in the time it takes to change from fluorescent to LED tube lighting – from over 20 minutes per fixture to a matter of seconds. “We studied the process for replacing fluorescent tubes with LED technology step by step to tackle those issues that dissuade Facility Managers and installers from making the switch. We found speed and simplicity were key,” said Rene van Schooten, CEO Light Sources and Electronics at Philips Lighting.
Philips estimates that the installed base for fluorescent tube lighting today amounts to 12 billion (lamp) sockets globally. Linear fluorescent HF tube lighting with electronic drivers is one of the most common types of general lighting used in shops, offices and industrial spaces. The opportunity for energy an costs savings is huge. If current fluorescent lighting was replaced by LED tube lamps it would result in savings of EUR 42 billion in energy costs or the equivalent of energy generated by 210 medium sized power plants.
The InstantFit breakthrough is a new milestone in Philips innovation record for the LED tube lamp (TLED) market. More recently, in April 2013 Philips announced the creation of the world’s most energy-efficient lamp suitable for general lighting, unveiling an LED tube replacement prototype that produces a record 200 lumens per watt of high-quality white light (compared with 100lm/W for fluorescent lighting) without compromising on light quality.
We’re offering a 10% discount on our quality standard output Heathfield LED T8 tubes (2ft, 4ft, 5ft, and 6ft lengths) now until end of November 2013. These tubes come with a 3yr warranty and offer tremendous quality light output, as many of our major customers can attest to (hospitals, car dealerships, bank data-centres etc)
Enter code “HFIELD” at check-out for 10% off:
Heathfield LED T8 Tubes
Visit us at Novel Energy Lighting for the full range, or call or as 0208-540-8287 to discuss your projects needs. We sell far more products than we can list on the website. We also offer some great volume deals!
