Do LED lights for Home Use impress? Pt2

There’s no doubt today’s LED lights for home use are much improved. But how do they work in practice? SuperHomer and Interior Designer Oliver Heath reports from his home in Hove.

LED lights for home use

The new generation of LED lights includes spotlights, strip lights, floodlights and down-lighters. LED bulbs are incredibly long lasting – up to 50,000 hours. The LED replacement for a 60W tungsten produces the same amount of light but consumes 80% less electricity. And LEDs now come with a higher colour rendering index than before. A higher CRI means we can see the natural colour of the things they’re illuminating even better. In fact, given the benefits, LED lights look set to replace compact fluorescents for most applications:

• LED option available for most purposes
• Long lasting – up to 50,000 hours
• Consume 80% less electricity than a tungsten
• Improved colour rendering

Here are some of the options (and their benefits) explored in the above June 2013 SuperHomes video review of LED lighting for home use:

LED Outdoor Lighting

An LED light bulb makes sense outdoors for a number of reasons:

• Not sensitive to low temperatures
• Switching it on and off quickly won’t reduce its life
• Works with the infra-red sensor
• Instant full brightness

Dimmable LED lights

7w clear golf ball LEDs are decorative and dimmable and come with a standard LED bayonet fitting. The clear bulb and filament affect really draws the eye. The more orangey light is comparable with the warm effect of a tungsten bulb. But it converts electricity into light rather than heat. LEDs are now available in different colour temperatures. These range from cool white to warm white.

• Dimmable
• Single filament look
• Very bright
• Throws sharp shadows
• Range of colour temperatures

LED bulb with silver crown

With a 7W LED with a silver crown, the silver top reflects the light downwards, so it suggests a pool of light with no glare.

• No glare

LED light for the kitchen

LED light strips are easily installed inside wardrobes, below wall units and above cupboards to illuminate the ceiling. In the kitchen it’s great to have some task lighting over a work surface. What you want is an even spread of light. LED lights aren’t sensitive to humidity and very little heat radiates from the front of LEDs, even compared to compact fluorescents.

• Easily installed inside, below or above units
• Not sensitive to humidity
• Radiate very little heat

LED GU10 Bulbs

LED GU10 bulbs are bright, compact, dimmable and emit much less heat and last up to 8 times longer.

• Bright
• Compact
• Dimmable
• Long lasting

To find out where you can buy the LED light bulbs shown in this video, see www.megamanuk.com

Also See:
Do LEDS for home use impress Pt1
Low Energy Lighting at free eco open house events in September