LED Fun facts 

Article from: ambientlightingcorp.com/lighting-details/led-fun-facts


Mosquitoes and other bugs don’t buzz around LEDs

If you turn on a regular old fashioned light at nigh you will instantly become a magnet for bugs. LEDs don’t have the same effect on the insect population.  This is because LED bulbs do not emit wavelengths in the UV spectrum which is what the bugs are attracted to.  Think of the old bug zappers with the blue lights, a.k.a and infrared bulbs.

LEDs mimic natural light
LEDs operate in the color temperature range we call “Pure White” (5800 to 6200 Kelvin) providing Full Spectrum Light that is the closest thing to natural sunlight without the harmful UV rays.

LED lights help you to keep food fresher for longer.

LED lights do not emit ultraviolet rays and that is why they are better options for supermarkets, restaurants, and kitchen lighting. However, other light sources, natural and artificial, emit UV rays. Ultra Violet rays decrease nutrient levels in foods. In addition,LED lights do not give-off heat, keeping food fresher for longer.

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t get hot

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t create harmful ElectroMagnetic Fields

LEDs operate on DC (Direct Current), meaning electric current flows in one direction only, creating a static electromagnetic field (EMF). Static EMFs are not linked to the health issues associated with AC lights and appliances.

LEDs don’t get hot

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t create harmful ElectroMagnetic Fields

LEDs operate on DC (Direct Current), meaning electric current flows in one direction only, creating a static electromagnetic field (EMF). Static EMFs are not linked to the health issues associated with AC lights and appliances.

LEDs have been around for a long time

The first LEDs were infrared. They were
developed in 1955. White light LEDs were not developed around 1995.  The regular light bub was invented in the 19th century

LED lights help you become a safer driver

Thinking about how it does that. LED headlights have a higher color temperature, which improves the vision of the driver in low-light conditions. Also, the amount of blue light in LED, aids with peripheral vision.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes

They are actually not bulbs.  An LED is a semiconductor diode. It consists of a chip of semiconducting material treated to create a structure called a p-n (positive-negative) junction. LEDs have no filament or moving parts, making them extremely durable and low maintenance.

Some advantages of LED Lighting

Basic advantages of LED Light

• Energy efficient - LED’s are now capable of outputting 135 lumens/watt
• Long Lifetime - 50,000 hours or more if properly engineered
• Rugged - LED’s are also called “Solid State Lighting (SSL) as they are made of solid material with no filament or tube or bulb to break
• No warm-up period - LED’s light instantly – in nanoseconds
• Not affected by cold temperatures - LED’s “like” low temperatures and will startup even in subzero weather
• Directional - With LED’s you can direct the light where you want it, thus no light is wasted
• Excellent Color Rendering - LED’s do not wash out colors like other light sources such as fluorescents, making them perfect for displays and retail applications
• Environmentally friendly - LED’s contain no mercury or other hazardous substances
• Controllable - LED’s can be controlled for brightness and color

Why LED's are chosen for many applications

• LEDs are ideal for use in applications that are subject to frequent on-off cycling, unlike fluorescent lamps that burn out more quickly when cycled frequently, or HID lamps that require a long time before restarting.

• LEDs can very easily be dimmed or strobed.
• LEDs light up very quickly. A typical red indicator LED will achieve full brightness in microseconds.
• LEDs mostly fail by dimming over time, rather than the abrupt burn-out of incandescent bulbs
• LEDs, being solid state components, are difficult to damage with external shock, unlike fluorescent and incandescent bulbs which are fragile.
• LEDs can be very small and are easily populated onto printed circuit boards.
• LEDs do not contain mercury, unlike compact fluorescent lamps
• Disadvantages and challenges in using LEDs

LEDs are currently more expensive, price per lumen, on an initial capital cost basis, than more conventional lighting technologies. However, when considering the total cost of ownership (including energy and maintenance costs), LEDs far surpass incandescent or halogen sources and begin to threaten compact fluorescent lamps.
The Chart Below compares different light sources based upon the life of the bulb and the electrical cost at 10 cents per kWh (kilowatt hour). Note: fixture costs and installation costs are not included.

LED performance largely depends on correctly engineering the fixture to manage the heat generated by

the LED, which causes deterioration of the LED chip itself. Over-driving the LED or not engineering the product to manage heat in high ambient temperatures may result in overheating of the LED package, eventually leading to device failure. Adequate heat-sinking is required to maintain long life. The most common design of a heat sink is a metal device with many fins, which conducts the heat away from the LED. For more information on this, refer to the Thermal Management tab.
LEDs must be supplied with the correct voltage and current at a constant flow. This requires some electronics expertise to design the electronic drivers.
LED’s can shift color due to age and temperature.  Also two different white LED will have two different color characteristics, which affect how the light is perceived.

LEDs were first used for signal lighting, such as in a dashboard and later in tail lamps. In the past few years several companies have developed high power LEDs which are extremely bright and can now be used in applications that require a high light output, such as street lighting and task lighting. These are often referred to as "lighting class LEDs."