Dimmable LED lamp and its advantages

Dimmable LED lamp is evolving

LED is one of the fastest growing technologies in the world. LED technology has grown at a tremendous pace and has already completely revolutionised the world of lighting. This is one of the reasons why last year (2014) the Nobel Prize in Physics for LED inventors was awarded to the inventors of blue (enabled white light) LED light. LED technology saves nature and offers many advantages over traditional lighting solutions.

The LedStore dimmable LED luminaire is available in traditional colours (white, silver, brushed aluminium, etc.) and you can choose between the familiar halogen colour (3000K) or modern white light (4000K).

Dimmable LED lamp and its advantages

Dimmable LED lamp and heat

One of the most common sources of lighting are halogen lamps and light fixtures. The main problem with halogen lamps is the enormous heat they generate (up to 230 degrees Celsius!) and the resulting risk of fire. The heat generated by halogens also increases the need for cooling, so the light consumes energy not only in terms of power usage, but also in terms of increased cooling needs. The heat source would be good, if it was on the floor, as the heat rises upwards. In addition, most of the world’s population lives in warm areas where an additional heat source is not really needed. This is the reason why most countries have abandoned the use of halogen lamps in offices and buildings.

A GOOD dimmable LED bulb will not be warmer than 50 degrees Celsius. If a dimmable LED lamp is more than 50 degrees, its lifetime will drop dramatically. According to the study, constant temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius will reduce the lifetime of an LED luminaire from a best of 80,0000 hours to 10,0000 hours. So a good quality dimmable LED lamp stays also cool. This also allows the installation of a dimmable LED luminaire in a low space without the risk of fire. Halogen requires fire protection, which is usually a bulky, sheet metal or plastic cup inside the ceiling (space requirement 15-20cm). A good dimmable LED bulb will fit in the 45mm lath + 13mm plaster structure popular in Finland! Dimmable LED lighting is also long-lasting because it is cooler when dimmed (runs on less current). Another advantage of dimming an LED lamp is, that it does not change the colour of the LED lamp towards a yellowish tint, as is the case with traditional halogen and incandescent lamps.

Dimmable LED bulb saves electricity

In addition to wasteful heat, halogen consumes a lot of electricity for the light it produces, so it also puts a strain on your electricity bill. If you compare electricity consumption and light, a dimmable LED bulb produces 20% of the energy consumed by a halogen bulb for the same amount of light! For example 50W halogen can be replaced by 8-10W LED light. Of course, LED technology has advanced and it is now possible to produce the +600 lumens required for a 6-7W LED luminaire without sacrificing the life of the luminaire.

First dimmable LED luminaire in Finland

For Finnish consumers, the LED light with dimmable dimmers arrived in 2009 (in professional use, yes, something expensive and difficult to operate). LedStore’s dimmable LED lamp, LED-033 was the first dimmable and low-profile LED lamp in Finland that produced enough light to replace a 50W halogen lamp and had a colour rendering index suitable for home use (natural beautiful light). Until now, the main obstacle to sales (apart from the bluish light) had been the lack of dimming. So we developed an LED luminaire that works the way it should without the need for the customer to change the peripheral lighting technology in their home (dimmers, cabling, etc.).

Liisa Korhonen

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