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An LED bulb produces light by passing the electric current through a semiconducting material—the diode—which then emits photons (light) through the principle of electroluminescence. Don’t let that big word scare you! It essentially means that a material (in this case, the diode) casts light when power is applied to it.
What is LED lighting and how does it work?
LED stands for light emitting diode. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs. How do they work? An electrical current passes through a microchip, which illuminates the tiny light sources we call LEDs and the result is visible light.
How do LED lights produce light?
A diode, as in LED (Light emitting Diode), is a combination of different materials that does this and as a result light is emitted. As electricity passes through these materials the electrons in the compound become excited and emit photons of light.
Do LED lights need to be plugged in?
Do LED Lights Burn Out? LEDs draw very little power so they can run for a long time on a small battery without any issues. There is no need for a bulky wall transformer and a wall plug to light your project.
How long do LED lights work?
One of the biggest advantages of LED light fixtures, is their extended lifespan. While incandescent light bulbs were built to last around 1,000 hours, the most enduring LED light fixtures have been tested to last as long as 100,000 hours. On average LED light bulbs will not have to be changed for at least 20 years.
How do LED ceiling lights work?
LED lights work by passing a current through a semiconductor, compared to CFLs which use a current through gas, or incandescent bulbs, which pass the current through a filament, heating it up.
Do LED lights need electricity?
LED strip lights do not cost a lot of electricity compared to traditional incandescent lights. Consumption is directly determined by the length of the strip light and its light density. A standard 5-meter strip will cost less than $3 a year to run, on average.
Do LED lights get hot?
Yes, new technology LED lighting can and will get hot, but when compared to the lighting of the past, temperatures are much safer. The heat from the lighting will also warm your surrounding environment but in comparison to old incandescent lighting, this ambient heat is greatly reduced when using LED lighting.
Can I leave LED lights on all the time?
To put it simply, well-manufactured LED lights are extremely long-lasting and can be left on 24 hours, 7 days a week. This is because, unlike conventional types of light, LEDs produce minimal amounts of heat, which means they are unlikely to overheat or set on fire. In some scenarios, LEDs can and will fail.
Who created the LED?
The next year, in 1962, Nick Holonyak, Jr. (the “Father of the Light-Emitting Diode”) invented the first LED that produced visible, red light while working at General Electric. Throughout the 1960s, researchers and engineers continued experimenting with semiconductors with the goal of producing more efficient LEDs.
Do LED bulbs work on AC?
LEDs do not work in AC. The LED lights you might be using in your homes convert AC to DC before it passes through the actual LED. If you connect a LED directly to a 220V AC line, it’ll burn out.
What is inside LED bulb?
In order to explain how an LED works we must explain the four main components of an LED lamp; the LED Chip, the Driver, the The LED chip emits lights the in the bulb. Heat Sink, and the Optic lens. The driver then regulates the input current. The Heat Sink draws the heat away from the LED Chip.
Can LED strip lights catch fire?
The possibility of led strip lights catching fire is minuscule, even though they are hot to touch. Incandescent bulbs have a filament that emits excessive heat, the light sources can ignite a fire on overheating, but as LED lights produce light at a lower temperature, they don’t catch fire as easily.
Can you cut LED strip lights?
LED Strip Lights are such a versatile product due to the fact that they can easily be cut on the given cut lines and connected at any point between the copper dots on the LED Strip Lights, cut lengths vary between products. Use a pair of sharp scissors to cut the LED Strip Light directly down the given cut line.
Can LED lights be left on 24 7?
Because LED lights have good brightness, providing absolute safety for consumers when using them for service in life and extremely long life with 24/7 operating frequency, with LED lights you can turn on and Use them all day, no need to worry about explosion or damage when forgetting to turn off.
HOW LONG CAN LED strip lights stay on?
LEDs have an unbelievably long expected life-span, compared to both incandescent and fluorescent lights. With an average life-expectancy of some 50,000 hours, LED strip lights will still be burning bright in 17 years’ time, long after their traditional counterparts will have expired.
How long do LED strings last?
LED strings will generally last for 35,000 to 50,000 hours, or six years of continuous use, before they diminish to 70 percent of their original output. Blast them all night if you need.
Do LED lights require a special switch?
Yes, LED lights require a special dimmer. An old fashioned incandescent dimmer switch will not work properly with LED bulbs. You cannot just simply lower the voltage to the LED driver.
Do LED lights require a neutral?
A neutral wire is the most common requirement of an automated light switch. Only switches that don’t require a neutral will limit you to incandescent. A neutral is required for those of us using energy efficient bulbs under 20w.
Do LED lights need a special switch?
LED lights need their own special electronic dimmer switch to have a fully functioning and dimming light.