Frequently Asked Questions
- What are LEDs, and how do they work?
- How energy-efficient are they?
- Do LED lights flicker?
- How safe are they?
- Why should I switch to LED lighting?
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What are LEDs, and how do they work?
LED stands for light-emitting diode - small light sources that become illuminated by the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material.
A diode is made by bringing together two slightly different materials to form a PN junction. The ‘P’ side contains an excess positive charge (‘hole’), while the ‘N’ contains excess negative charge (electrons).
When a forward voltage is applied to the semiconducting element forming the PN junction, electrons move from the ‘N’ area toward the ‘P’ area while holes move toward the ‘N’ area. Near the junction, the electrons and holes merge. As this occurs, energy is released in the form of light emitted by the LED.
LEDs have been around for many years, and their use in various applications is nothing new. LED traffic lights are used widely in Australia and most of us still use a remote control with an infrared LED as the transmitter, or a DVD or CD player with the LED to read data. -
How energy-efficient are they?
LEDs are extremely efficient, requiring very little electricity to power them: their design converts approximately 90% of the electricity they use into light. In a conventional light, the figure is closer to 10 – 15% (the rest of the electricity is wasted in lost heat). LED downlights, for example, draw only 5 Watts of electricity, compared to 50 Watts with a traditional halogen downlight. That’s an electricity saving of approximately 90%.
LEDs also have a lifespan far exceeding that of traditional halogen lights. The general life expectancy for an LED fixture is 50,000 hours. To put this into perspective: if you were to use your lights for 10 hours a day, they would last for 13.7 years. -
Do LED lights flicker?
To the human eye, there is no visible flickering with LED lighting.
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How safe are they?
Unlike incandescent globes, LEDs will not explode, nor will they shatter and spread powder throughout your house, as fluorescent tubes tend to do. Unlike Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs), LEDs do not contain mercury or other toxic substances – chemicals that make their way into our landfills and groundwater.
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Why should I switch to LED lighting?
If the power-saving benefits of LED lighting are not reason enough to make the change, there are also environmental factors which make LEDs a logical choice. During the life of one LED globe, over half a tonne of carbon dioxide can be kept out of the atmosphere, as well as significantly reducing the amount of sulphur dioxide and nuclear waste being released every day. To top it all off, 90-95% of an LED globe is recyclable. These benefits have huge ramifications in a time when our civilisation is waking up to the realities of our energy consumption and its impact on the planet.