LED lighting is a complex subject. It is new, and it is a game-changer. I’ll endeavor to make this all comprehensible.
Part of the problem is that LEDs are an electronic component, not a traditional lighting source. I believe that is the root of nearly all the confusion. We’re trying to shoehorn components that are meant to build things like computers and radios into a lighting fixture. LED stands for “light emitting diode.” We’re trying to take advantage of the “light emitting” part, but the component is still a diode. The traditional function of a diode is to control the direction of an electrical current.
LED proponents have a variety of claims for the advantages of LED lighting. The most common claims are that LED have higher efficiency and long life than traditional lighting sources. These claims are technically true in a laboratory setting, but in the real-life application the picture is much more complex. Development is taking place, and someday the full potential of the LED light may be realized, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Over the next few posts I’ll address issues surrounding LED lighting in what I hope will be understandable bite-sized chunks. I’ll address energy efficiency and lifespan, but also get into other factors such as color and light directionality that affect the use of LED in lighting but get less popular coverage.
As an aside, an OLED is an LED where the emitting layer is an organic compound instead of an inorganic compound. They are a newer development and less efficient at present, but one of the exciting aspects of them is that they can be flexible. Developers are looking at them for flexible displays and luminous cloth.
Tags: LED lighting
