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Turning the spotlight on to the LED.
By Jeff King
There can be no question about it the light bulb is one of the greatest inventions that man has made. Since it's first appearance it has been improved in many ways, first by the introduction of fluorescent light bulbs, then by the appearance of halogen bulbs and next by the arrival of energy saving bulbs. The latest incarnation to arrive on the scene is the LED light bulb. These bulbs are approximately 35 time more efficient than an incandescent bulb and about 10 times more energy efficient than a fluorescent lamp. They come in many different colours as standard and can easily create a completely different mood in your home, depending on the color chosen.
An LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a form of semiconductor device that emits light when an electrical charge is placed across it. The type of light that emanates from the semiconductor depends upon the composition of the encapsulating material and can vary from ultra violet to infrared. There are many advantages of using LED bulbs over the standard incandescent bulbs. The main advantage is the energy efficiency aspect. An LED bulb is brighter than a standard bulb and generates much less heat for the amount of light output. They use only about 10% of the energy used by a standard bulb and come in many colours as standard.
The most widely used application of LED bulbs is in the automotive industry. A cluster of LEDs in place of a bulb are brighter and more reliable than a single bulb whilst using much less electricity. The other advantage is that if one led fails in the cluster the rest continue to work, thus giving and obvious health and safety benefit.
Another application for led bulbs is within the Christmas decoration industry. Because LED bulbs use so much less power than traditional Christmas lights they can be powered from a simple battery pack rather than have the need for a transformer and electricity supply to light your exterior Christmas lights. Another advantage is seen with interior Christmas tree lights. Because LED bulbs run much cooler that incandescent lamps they are a much safer option when lighting your indoor tree, far less chance of a fire with less heat.
A less obvious application for LED bulbs is in the vintage automobile industry. If the original bulbs are replaced with super efficient LED equivalents there is much less drain on the vintage car's electrical system. This reduces the strain on an already over tired charging system and there is much less chance of a catastrophic failure of the antique electrical system. There is an added advantage that headlights do not go dim when stationary and not revving the engine as they need much less power to remain bright.
All in all LED bulbs are a fantastic replacement for more traditional forms of light bulb and they will continue to gain popularity over the coming years. Who knows, one day Edison's original incandescent invention may be a dim memory.
About the Author
Jeff King is a technologist with a background in consumer electrical devices. Learn more about light bulbs at http://www.lightbulb-world.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/41265.html
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