Replacing T12′s with LED Tube Lights

March 22nd, 2012

There are many options available when warehouse or factory owners want to upgrade their outdated and inefficient lighting. Too often we walk into factories that promote health and safety and the number of accident free days only to see the facilities barely lit with T12′s that should have been replaced years ago.

We hear about high maintenance costs of replacing bulbs. And all too often, bulbs are only replaced when they don’t light up anymore. Even though their effectiveness has been long diminished and their workers are laboring in under lit environments.

Replacing T12′s with LED makes sense (and cents) on many different levels.

1. The quality of the work environment will dramatically improve. Not only will there be more light, but the quality of light will also improve.

2. Energy consumption will drop dramatically. In many, but not all, applications you can remove the number of tubes lit because of the dramatic improvement in quality and quantity of lumens that LED Tubes provide. As well, each LED Tube uses considerably less energy than their T12 counterpart.

3. Reduced maintenance costs. With lifespans averaging 50,000 hours, that means less maintenance time replacing fluorescent tubes and ballasts.

And while there is a cost to upgrade to LED Lighting or Induction Lighting, there is an even bigger cost doing nothing.

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LED lights and Butterfly wings: Humbled by nature

January 7th, 2012

LED lights are the last word in lighting technology. LED technology holds the promise of reducing human carbon footprint to manageable levels. The light produced by an LED chip depends on the gross light output and on the efficiency with which the chip design makes the light escape from the chip.

When LEDs were invented, the light output was miniscule and impractical for lighting applications. Then, sometime in the 1990s, scientists added tiny mirrors to the LED chip to channel the light outside. They also added small holes to increase light output from LED devices to make the idea of a truly green, eco-friendly light a reality.

It seems that human beings were neither the first nor the best in using these solutions. Scientists at Exeter University were surprised to learn that swallow-tail butterflies have been using the same strategies to increase the reflection of light from their wings for billions of years. These butterflies have scales in their wings that perfectly mimic the design of a 2 D photonic crystal and increase the light output.

The thought that butterflies beat human beings to it when it comes to perfecting the art of extracting light from LEDs is humbling. Things like these remind us how valuable nature is and how humanity can benefit from a deeper understanding of the ways of nature.

The next time you look at the bright spots on a butterfly’s wings you could be looking at the source of the next big breakthrough in lighting. Perhaps a study of natural photonic crystals will teach us to build still better LED lights in the future. Beetles, dragonflies, moths, the list of animals that use light reflection strategies is long and impressive and each tiny insect is the result of 380 billion years of uncompromising research and development.

At My LED Lighting Guide, we endeavor to bring innovative lighting products to you – products that make perfect sense – financial and environmental.

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Eco friendly packaging

January 4th, 2012

When we feel passionately for the environment we make radical changes in the way we live. Just as important as these radical changes are so are the little things that we do every day. These tiny acts, though merely drops in the ocean, can collectively make the Earth a cleaner and greener planet. The next time you go to a store browse carefully through the products. Base your choice not only on the quality and price of the product but also on the kind of packaging it has undergone. Opt for products   that have eco friendly packaging.

Ever wondered what happens to the packaging material – thermocol, plastics, etc. of any purchase that we make from a store? Environmental conscious people that we are we dump it carefully into a trash can and think that we have done our bit. But this just the beginning of an earth shattering saga! Millions of tons of packaging material are dumped every year. They require huge landfills for disposal. Residing comfortably in there for several years, they cause extensive soil and ground water pollution.

What is eco friendly packaging?

In a stricter sense Eco friendly packaging involves using degradable packaging material, reducing the amount used or doing away with it altogether. It involves the entire packaging process, its design, disposal and degradation. Eco friendly packaging has the following features-

  1. The packaging material should be reusable. An ideal packaging material can be removed and reused to package other goods.
  2. It should be recyclable. It should be possible to employ it elsewhere into making other products.
  3. It should be biodegradable. Unlike plastics that persist in the environment for years these packaging materials should undergo rapid decomposition without liberating any harmful contaminants.
  4. The packaging process should used packaging material with care. Weight and volume of the packaging should be minimal.
  5. Very little energy should be spent in its production and transportation.

What you can do?

  1. Opt for products that have recycled and not recyclable packaging material. If the packaging material has already been recycled it has already gone through the process and is more environmentally friendly.
  2. Let the product speak for itself. Avoid products that have layers of packaging. The more funky, elaborate or …………the packaging is the longer it will stay in the environment. Opt for ‘no frills’ products. You will be saving not just money!
  3. A packaging container that serves other functions is a good buy. A box of chocolates that can be used to store ornaments after you have finished the goodies is wise packaging. Go for it!
  4. When you go to a store, voice your opinion. Tell the store incharge and others around why you are not buying such products. You would soon be a trendsetter.

 

There is no dearth of biodegradable packaging materials. Several natural materials such as sugarcane fibers, bulrush grass corn etc. can be used to make excellent packaging substitutes. Synthetic biodegradable polyesters that are as versatile as contemporary plastics are also now available. Their only drawback is their high cost. However, they can be used as a coating over natural materials to increase the latter’s strength and water resistance. Recycled paper, glass and aluminum also serve as useful packaging material.

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No more headaches with led tube lights

January 1st, 2012

Do you find that you get many headaches at work or at home? The reason might be an unexpected one: the light. The usual light people use is kind of tiring causing eye fatigue and stress. That is because normal light from conventional light sources flickers, doesn`t show vivid colors and it emits UV light. Moreover, it often emits a humming noise. You can get rid of those problems by installing led tube light. Apart from being able to reduce maintenance cost and the utility bill by up to 80%, led tube light also emits very focused and clear light that does not cause eyestrain and that does not emit any humming noise. Led tube light does not emit UV light and does not have that annoying flickering effect. Trust led tube light to solve at least a part of your problems. You can always benefit from saving some money.

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LED Tubes

August 23rd, 2011

This is the story of a bank that wanted to cut down operating expenditures. The bank’s management was concerned that such a step might adversely affect the safety of its employees and adversely affect its brand image. “Safety and brand image are non negotiable. Unless we provide a safe working environment to our people we will never be able to attract the best talent. That and the brand image are the biggest drivers of business in the banking world.”

While several steps were hotly debated and many were eventually discarded, installing LED lights was one decision where there was complete agreement once every one saw the projected savings. The area in question was the staircase of the bank. The entire staircase spanned several floors and was illuminated 24 X 7 by 250 fluorescent tube lights. LED tubes provided a 70 % reduction in energy costs – a massive reduction of 113,568 kW per year and resulted in a total annual savings of over $ 125,000 in maintenance and operating costs. Over its lifetime, each modern LED tube would save $3120 in energy costs alone.

“We have access to some of the most sophisticated risk and return analysis techniques. But this was one project where only common sense and basic spreadsheet skills were called into play. The fact that the risk associate with this high return investment is practically nil it makes for a very compelling choice.”

The bank had earlier tested the waters with 50 watt halogen down lights and is now planning to replace its 35 watt CFLs in favor of plug in LED replacements. Everyone appreciates the dimmable lights that provide high quality, uniform illumination. The fact that each light will save almost 2 tons of CO2 over its lifespan is an added bonus. “The feeling of being able to do something  for the environment is very satisfying. The license to boast about the company’s impeccable environmental credentials comes free.” LED lights demonstrate how modern technology makes to possible to reduce energy consumption, improve the quality of life and get a high return on your investment. With high return LED products in place, many new environment friendly measures can be implemented without any additional budgetary provision, solely from the savings achieved by energy efficient lighting. Once the benefits of modern lighting became apparent many employees of the bank opted for modern energy efficient LED tubes.

“The path to a financially and environmentally secure future of the world is lit by solid state lighting.”

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ROI and LED Lights

February 18th, 2011

LED lights may turn out to be an instant payback investment, even cash flow positive investment with smart finance options. The savings in energy and maintenance are more than enough to cover the monthly installment of the financing availed to install these lights.

Don’t believe it? Do the math yourself. Here is the summary of such a project.

a)    The lighting infrastructure – 50 incandescent lamps of 65 watt each used for 8 hours every day 21 days a month.
b)    LED replacement – 50 LED bulbs each using 9 watts
c)    Estimated investment – $ 2000
d)    Finance variables – 100 % finance at 5.92 %.

And here are the results

a)    Loan EMI – $ 22
b)    Annual loan repayment – $ 265
c)    Annual Energy savings – $ 677
d)    Annual maintenance savings – $ 900
e)    Annual savings in air conditioning costs – $ 118
f)    Total savings – $ 1430 per annum

It is clear that whichever way you may cut or dice the data you will reach only one inescapable conclusion – LED lights are a great route to save money, improve performance and reduce your carbon footprint.

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How does LED Lights measure up?

February 15th, 2011

As time goes on, we see a steady pattern of similar questions and we seem to engage customers with varying degrees of knowledge about LED Lights. Some seem to be experts, and some seem to be new to this new kid on the block. For the most part, we find there is as much good information as misinformation about LED Lighting.

So over the next few months, we are going to talk a bit about LED Lights, all the specs, truths, untruths, where they excel, the truth about lumens, and hopefully dispel some rumors and misgivings. We’ll start with a simple one today: Do you need a frosted LED Tube?

Lately, we are finding that many of the manufacturers are stepping away from frosted LED tubes. When first conceived, there was a specific purpose and need and it had a lot to do with the specific setting and technology being used in early tubes. First generation LED Tubes used first generation DIP Diodes, and in certain office situations, these produced a glare on certain surfaces and computer monitors. As good as LED Lights are in an office environment (no flickering, no humming, no eye strain when compared to their fluorescent counterparts), LED’s did produce a glare that was noticeable and annoying. To combat this, manufacturers started to produce a frosted lens and offered it as an option instead of clear lens’.

However, products evolve, and the latest versions of DIP LED’s and SMD LED are much better than the first version of DIP LED’s, and the need for frosted lens to offset the earliest designs are no longer required. So although tubes are still available with a frosted lens, the need is more for aesthetic reasons than for ones of function.

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LED Lights: Three main reasons why consumers buy

February 3rd, 2011

We have found there are three main reasons why a customer wants to buy LED Lighting:

1. Reduced energy consumption: who doesn’t want to use less electricity and pay less to their utility companies? But some have no choice. 24X7 operations or facilities mandated by law have to keep their lights on. And today’s ever growing competitive market, every dollar saved counts.

2. Reduced maintenance costs: LED Lights last a very long time. Some of the lights on the site are rated for 200,000 hrs. That is over 23 years of running, 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. While other light technologies need constant replacement, LED Lights will run trouble free, thus freeing up the maintenance staff for more important issues.

3. Reduced heat creation: Some facilities already have issues with heat. Building loaded with electronics generate heat, and hvac needs to be introduced to keep the electronics cool. While lights like fluorescents, HPS, Metal Halide, Halogen and Incandescent are probably better suited as furnaces than sources of light, LED Lights run cool to the touch, eliminating the need to produce more air conditioning to offset the heat generated by these other light sources.

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THINK GREEN

January 27th, 2011

In the United States, the government is encouraging its people into installing energy efficient solar panels in the roofs, windows and other sun-exposed area of the house. The government is offering low-interest financing to aid the people in installing such.

This act is in accordance with the idea of producing electricity by using alternative energy sources. This is also a campaign into attracting and encouraging people to think green; to think of ways in saving the ailing Mother Earth. This step is just one of numerous possible ways in extending help to the environment.

Photovoltaic solar panels are designed primarily to collect light energy from the sun. This energy excites the electron making it move and cause the depletion area between the PN junctions of the semiconductor to create an electric field. The movement of electrons creates electricity. The electricity created is used to charge the rechargeable batteries connected. The charge of the battery is consumed by all the loads connected to it. Solar power technology is used in secluded areas and areas that can’t be reached by the main power lines, however, now that the campaign to think green is in progress, even in the city, one can find solar panels installed elsewhere. This is with the aim of combining the function of the coal-generated electricity with the solar-generated power. An enormous slash in the electric bill can be experienced by the consumer.

Think green program doesn’t only emphasize the use of alternative energy sources, but also on the utilization of energy efficient loads that will replace the high-energy consuming loads. One cited example of this is on the lighting system. An incandescent lamp of 60W can be substituted by a 5W LED light giving also the same quality of brightness and luminance. By just merely subtracting the power consumed by the two, an unbelievable 55W difference will definitely amaze the consumer and therefore attract more and more consumers to make a big shift and be one of those who supports green living. LED lighting technology has already made a bond with the solar power technology in providing quality and energy efficient lighting. LED solar area lights and LED solar street lights are now available to the consumer. Why LED lights? LED lights were chosen because of the quality and features of the light that it delivers. Aside from an enormous energy saving scheme, LED lights are designed to last for a very long service life. The constant wear and tear experienced by a consumer in the incandescent lamps is totally eliminated in this technology. It is designed to last for around 50,000 to 80,000 hours depending on the frequency and application. Moreover, LED lights do not emit a substantial amount of thermal energy that will likely to end up as thermal pollution (except for LED grow lights). There are a lot proven benefits of LED lighting that one will surely experience.

Thinking something good and beneficial for the environment is definitely an act into hoping and envisioning a lot more worthwhile living here on Earth.

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What’s the catch with LED Lights?

January 19th, 2011

LED lights are in the forefront of the efforts at curbing environmental pollution without compromising your lifestyle. The financial case for these energy efficient lights is very compelling. They use almost a tenth of the energy used by incandescent bulbs and last up to 50 times longer. Clearly, the table of benefits is stacked in favor of these energy efficient lighting products.

All this sounds too good to be true. Is there a catch? Only one!

You need to choose the right product from the right retailer. When shopping for an LED product, do remember that not all LED lights are the same. There may also be a world of difference between two sellers selling the same product in terms of timely delivery, commitment to customer care, range of products available and terms of purchase.

My LED Lighting Guide has an impressive array of the leading energy efficient lighting products.  With a payback period as short as an year, up to 200,000 hours life span, ideal products for new construction and retrofits there is hardly any reason to not “go green” with your choice of lighting technology.

No country can survive without adequate power for its factories and homes. However, there is only so much electricity that you can produce. Nuclear energy is marred by risks of radiation leaks, hydro plants by environmental concerns, solar energy is too expensive and coal power is one of the leading causes of global warming. Not surprisingly, saving electricity has become one of the most important aspects of nation building. Everyone from Tanzania, emerging Asian economies like China and India and European countries have realized this. Australia which produces most of its energy from coal probably has this option at the top of their ‘to do’ list. Of course, United States preserves the lead in the development and adoption of solid state, energy efficient lighting technology.

Your choice of energy efficient lights helps not only helps you invest your money in a high return instrument it will also help the United States cement its position as the true leader of the globe – one who performs as it expects others to – like a responsible warden of planet earth.

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