LED Outfitters: How LEDs Work – Part 3, Benefits of LEDs

continued from LED Outfitters: How LEDs Work – Part 2, Colors

As you have seen in parts one and two of LED Outfitters’ series on how LEDs work, light-emitting diode products produce white light and colored light in very different ways from more traditional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. In the third installment, leading emergency vehicle equipment supplier LED Outfitters examines the benefits that LED lighting offers in comparison with other types of illumination.

1. Efficiency: LED lights draw very little current to operate. They use up to 90 percent less power than similarly bright incandescent bulbs.

2. Durability: LEDs do not have delicate filaments like incandescent light bulbs. These small lights also contain no moving parts, and may last as many as 20 years before requiring replacement. The average LED receives a 100,000-hour rating, as opposed to a 3,000-hour rating for an incandescent bulb. Because LED devices rely on groupings of multiple small bulbs as opposed to one large bulb, a single burned-out light does not necessitate replacement of the entire grid. In addition, the plastic bulb that surrounds the diode remains far less fragile than glass in fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.

3. Safety: LEDs provide a light source that remains cool to the touch, making them a very low fire risk. They are also safer than fluorescent lights, which contain mercury.

4. Customization: LED lights come in an array of colors and brightness levels, providing a high degree of customization for multiple applications.

5. Affordability: LED technology continues to decrease in price. With a decent initial price and the longevity of LED products, lifetime costs are usually more affordable than other light sources.