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Chuck Ross
By 2014, lighting manufacturers will no longer be producing the incandescent bulbs (or “lamps” to lighting pros) found in millions of table, desk and ceiling fixtures. So, what’s going to take their place? Compact fluorescent lamps have made inroads, but LED manufacturers say their solid-state lighting alternatives offer performance advantages that make them a clear favorite.
LEDs long have been recognized for their efficiency, producing light levels equivalent to those of incandescent products using a fraction of the energy, but they also have posed problems for designers. First, LED light is often unidirectional – the light is created by a flat chip and projects outward only in the direction the chip is facing. Second, while the chips, themselves, remain cool, the driver behind the chip can produce enough heat to burn itself out, without some form of heat dissipation.
After years of development, direct LED replacements usable in existing, open lighting fixtures now are becoming available (enclosed fixtures still can cause life-limiting heat buildup). Designs now provide for more omni-directional illumination, and help keep the products cooler. They may still be best suited, though, for downlight applications, such as ceiling cans and pendants or task lighting.
Dutch LED maker Lemnis Lighting launched its Pharox 300 lamp late last year. It’s fully dimmable (many LED products aren’t) and, though it uses only 6 watts, it’s said to produce illumination equal to a 60-watt incandescent. The lamps feature with a 5-year warranty.
All these advantages come at a price - $25 through the company’s website. However, Lemnis Lighting founder Warren Phillips argues his product is still a bargain.
“Based on 4 hours average use per day and a kilowatt-hour price of $0.15, you will save almost $12 per year,” he says, comparing his LEDs to standard incandescent. Over the 5-year warranty period, savings total up to $60.
Photo courtesy of Lemnis Lighting
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