This will now be a 2-part post, since I deleted an old website of mine and decided to combine some of the related articles together, along with spreading out the remaining content over multiple blogs, etc.
Part 1: LED Technology will eventually replace Incandescent Light Bulbs?
This tech-related subject has been nothing but boisterous chatter over the last few years in the U.S. Some parts of the world have already banned incandescent light bulbs and others have had partial bans. Of course, some primitive areas are still using even cruder methods for lighting, but that is not what this short post is about. I'm the oddball here, evidently, because I still like the fluorescent light technology that has been around for many decades. I really liked it when they started making those swirly fluorescent bulbs several years ago, but many folks didn't feel the same way.
People mainly complain about fluorescent lights because they don't work very well in extreme cold temperatures, they are not generally made for dimmer switches, and they contain mercury, etc. I've never made a habit of breaking mine and the inside of my home is not normally below freezing, so I haven't had any problems with mine. On the other hand, you have the hardcore incandescent light bulb enthusiasts. I have literally seen people hoarding these when they first thought they were going to be banned in the U.S. Well, that ban was lifted and/or delayed a while back, but the time for the end of incandescent lights is approaching.
LED technology seems to be the direction we are heading towards. They are expensive but save loads of electricity and are much better for the planet. I didn't like the original models nor did I like the type of light they emitted, but things are slowly improving, going by what I read the other day.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Source = en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_light_bulbs
Update (11-6-2021): It has been several years since I originally posted this and, outside of a few flashlights, I have rarely had any "at home" use for this particular technology. I still have fluorescent light bulbs along with some semi-improved incandescent ones. However, I recently got involved with indoor hydroponics that uses these LED lights and, I must say, they make for some excellent grow lights for plants! When speaking of growing lamps, in the past you used to hear about how much excessive heat they put off and/or how much electricity they use. Well, in this distinctive case, LED fixes that problem. ---End of Update
---End of Part 1: "LED Technology will eventually replace Incandescent Light Bulbs?"
Part 2: “CFL & LED Light Bulbs – Energy-Efficient Lighting”
Original Post Date: Sometime during the year 2012...
Compact Fluorescent Light and the advanced clusters of Light Emitting Diode Bulbs:
Energy-efficient lighting is more important now, than it has ever been before. Many people are struggling to pay their expensive electric bills, and the planet could use any break it can get, when it comes to cutting down on pollution and CO2 emissions.
With that being said, incandescent bulbs are slowly becoming a thing of the past, as they are gradually being phased out throughout the globe. Incandescent bulbs would have had a better chance of sticking around, if the only other energy-efficient alternatives would have been compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Now that LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology is on the rise and these cluster bulbs are starting to become more available, there really is not many excuses left.
Of course, many of you are familiar with the old-style fluorescent lights, which are long tubes that are commonly used to light up warehouses, stores, shops, aquariums, tanning beds, etc. The compact versions, CFLs, have been around now for several years, and it surprises me still today, just how many people haven’t even switched over to them yet! However, there are some traits that CFL bulbs have, that some folks just plain detest, such as:
CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury, but if you handle them carefully and keep them out of harm's way, it will cut down on the risk of them breaking. Some people complain that CFLs don’t last as long as they claim to, and that they are expensive when you keep having to replace them and am I really saving very much money? Well, here’s the thing, if you constantly flick them on and off, it will greatly shorten their life. But, even if you cut their life in half, it will still save you money because they are very efficient. Plus, the price on those have come down over the years, when compared to their original, inflated price.
Another complaint is that CFLs make for a poor outdoor light when it is cold outside. Yeah, they do, as the gas doesn’t heat up enough to produce a full light in really cold temperatures. Another common complaint is that CFL bulbs don’t work in their dimmer switches. Dimmable CFLs are available for lights using a dimmer switch, but not all compact fluorescent lights can be used on dimmer switches.
Personally, I’ve used compact fluorescent bulbs for several years and I haven’t had any problems with ’em, outside of the occasional bulb that shoots prematurely.
I just use the basic spiral bulbs, although I have used the fluorescent globe-style bulbs for a vanity mirror in a bathroom before, and standard enclosed bulbs for lamps or wherever I needed a softer light, and when I lived at another place, we had a chandelier that I used fluorescent chandelier bulbs and/or Candelabra (bulb with a small base and a torpedo shape) CFL bulbs.
I also like the natural daylight effect fluorescent bulbs have. They make for excellent grow lights for plants and aquariums – especially the traditional tube-style bulbs. I understand that LED lights are on the rise, but for now, although LED is even more energy-efficient than fluorescent lights, I’m sticking with my CFL bulbs, for now. Will LED technology eventually replace them? Only time will tell...
Now, what’s so special about LED lights? Well, although the bulbs are rather expensive, they produce very little heat and use only a small amount of electricity and they last for a very, very long time. LED technology has been around for quite some time, but in the past, they were limited to single-bulb use in applications such as electronics, instrument panels, pen lights, etc. Over the last few years, I’ve being seeing strings of indoor and outdoor LED Christmas lights being sold in some stores along with LED night lights and flashlights. Now, you can find clusters of LED lights within a bulb, although still not easily found like CFLs, you can buy LED light bulbs to replace your standard incandescent or CFL bulbs that you use throughout your home.
At the time I’m writing this, the Walmart that is closest to me, only sells LED night lights, flashlights, and those strings of LED lights that I mentioned a moment ago. As the incandescent bulbs are getting phased out, the bigger LED lights (small LED clusters within a bulb) should start to become more readily available. You can always shop online, if this is the type of lighting you desire. I’ll give an example of how energy-efficient they are:
A 75-to-100-watt incandescent bulb puts out about as much light as a 23-to-30-watt CFL, and a 16-to-20-watt LED light bulb.
I just checked Amazon, and they seem to only have a limited amount of LED products at this time, but you can always browse around or check back later, as they are always adding to their inventory.
I just found a website that has some bigger LED bulbs available. Here’s a quick excerpt from their site: “The high cost of producing LEDs has been a roadblock to widespread use. However, researchers at Purdue University have developed a process for using inexpensive silicon wafers to replace the expensive sapphire-based technology. This promises to bring LEDs into competitive pricing with CFLs and incandescent bulbs. LEDs may soon become the standard for most lighting needs. We are following these developments with interest and will report the latest updates in this research.” Read more, here: http://eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm
Image Credit: Fair Use - Product Image - Amazon.com
—End of Part 2: “CFL & LED Light Bulbs – Energy-Efficient Lighting”
---End of Post "LED Technology will eventually replace CFL & Incandescent Light Bulbs?
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