Characteristics of LED lamps: color temperature, power, light and others

Advantages and disadvantages of LED lamps

Let's summarize and define the advantages and disadvantages of semiconductor light sources. Their advantages include:

• Record high energy efficiency. The light output of LEDs (the ratio of the generated luminous flux to the power consumed), as we found out, is almost an order of magnitude higher than the light output of incandescent lamps, which can significantly save on electricity.
• Long service life. I did not touch on this topic, but it will be interesting for you to know that the LED lamp will work 20-30 times longer than the Ilyich lamp without a significant decrease in the level of luminous flux.And such reliability is an additional savings, since diode lamps will have to be changed extremely rarely.
• Operation in harsh conditions. LEDs do not have flasks and spirals, and therefore are not afraid of vibrations and even shocks. Semiconductor illuminators can be used in the most severe conditions and at ambient temperatures from -40 to +40 degrees Celsius.
• Almost do not heat up. The maximum temperature to which a powerful LED lamp heats up does not exceed 60 degrees Celsius. You can use it on fire hazardous objects.
• Optimal color temperature. The vast majority of LED lamps, except for special ones, create a luminous flux similar to daylight. With such lighting, the eyes get tired the least, and the colors of the surrounding objects are not distorted.

LED lamps have, unfortunately, a very significant drawback - their cost is still quite high. But this partly pays off with a long service life and low power consumption. Moreover, the development of LED technology has just begun, which means that in the near future the price of LED light sources will definitely decrease.

Now you know about LED lamps and their luminous flux enough to be able to decide: how and in what cases semiconductor light sources are better than conventional light bulbs.

Previous
LED How to choose a powerful rechargeable LED flashlight
Next
Lamps, sconcesChoosing LED ceiling lamps Armstrong

Practical use

The calculation of color temperature is necessary in all areas where lighting is generally used.Each of the spectra has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, which are used to ensure that a certain light source performs its function best. Some examples of using lights with different parameter values ​​look like this:

Bright warm lighting with a temperature of 3000-4000 K allows you to see well not only objects, but also the space around them, which makes them convenient to use in conditions of limited or poor visibility. Examples of this are fog lights and flashlights for underwater research.
Lamps with cold color temperature are used in working areas

They help to concentrate attention and do not allow to relax. This lighting is especially effective in hospitals, laboratories, examination rooms, factories and industrial facilities.

However, their prolonged exposure leads to refraction, so for offices it is recommended to use rather neutral white lamps.
Cold lighting is also popular in the design of warehouses, shop windows, exhibitions, museums and other places where you need to draw people's attention to something. It helps to emphasize colors and contrasts, draw the eye to the details. Because of this, it is also used in billboards and emergency lighting. In addition, the colors of the cold spectrum give the illuminated objects a freshness, which makes them beneficial to use in grocery store windows, for example, with fish.
Neutral color temperature in the range of 4500-5000 K is universal and suitable for any kind of task. It does not strain the eyes, has the least effect on color rendering, and is suitable for decorating all types of workspaces, as well as many living rooms.
A strictly defined color temperature value also needs to be maintained in some other cases not related to human comfort, for example, when creating photographic film and in printing.

Special attention should be paid to the use of lamps with different levels of color temperature in the design of residential premises. Color sources of different shades are used for such purposes:

• Warm red-orange light up to 2700 K helps to create a warm and cozy atmosphere. They set you up for relaxation due to the similarity with natural evening lighting. Such light is also the least irritating to the eyes. It is irreplaceable at registration of bedrooms and rest rooms.
• Orange light with a temperature of 3000-3500 K tunes in to communication, creates a friendly and lively atmosphere. It is often used in the interior design of public places: restaurants, shops, boutiques, libraries, as well as residential areas such as hallways and living rooms.
• Neutral white light, corresponding to a color temperature value of 3500-4000 K, enhances the feeling of security and creates some comfort, but does not allow you to relax too much. Can be used in the design of the kitchen, bathroom and almost any other living space.
• Cold light with temperatures up to 5000 K sets the mood for work, increases productivity, clarifies thoughts and helps to concentrate better, and also makes the room clean. It is used to decorate workplaces, for example, in table lamps for a desktop or in an office.

According to regulations, light sources with a colorimetric temperature of more than 5300 K should not be used in residential areas.This is due to their harmful effect on the eyes when they stay indoors for too long. So, a lamp with a temperature of 6500 kelvins (the light that happens outside on a clear summer day) will be useful for short procedures that require a high concentration of attention, but it will hurt if it is installed in the bedroom.

Converting an incandescent lamp to an LED: table

For example, let's compare three lamps that give a flux of light of 250 lm. This setting corresponds to:

• 20 W incandescent lamp;
• fluorescent - with a power of 5-7 watts.

Such an intensity of illumination can be provided by an LED lamp with a power of only 2-3 watts.

Below is a table for converting incandescent, fluorescent and LED lamps by luminous flux:

The results of the above comparative analysis clearly indicate the benefits of LED lamps.

Advantages and disadvantages of LED lamps

The advantages of LED lamps include:

• Lifetime. Light sources operate from 50,000 to 100,000 hours without interruption.
• Economical energy consumption. LEDs are classified as light sources with an efficiency 10 times higher than their counterparts.
• Thermal stability. LED lamps are resistant to atmospheric changes, do not deteriorate with a sharp change in temperature.
• Environmental friendliness. They are made on the basis of safe materials that do not harm health.

Cons of LED lamps:

• Price. Lighting elements are more expensive than their main counterparts.
• The size. High power lamps are large. This is not always convenient for rooms with a small area.
• LED driver.For stable operation of the LED system, you need a special power supply, which also has a high cost.

Another disadvantage is the difficulty in replacing diodes in case they burn out. Sometimes this is not possible.

The most obvious benefit is energy savings.

The difference between LED lamps and other light sources lies in the transformation of light into any shade.

Perception of colors

The color perception of each individual has its own characteristics. Color perception is the effect of the refraction of light waves received by the optic nerve and processed by the brain's visual center. Each person has their own perception of shades. The older a person becomes, the more his color perception is distorted. Features of the psyche of the individual also affect his color perception.

The perception of a particular color can be distorted by solar radiation. The warmth of light is also characterized by individual perception and depends on the characteristics of the organism and the state of the person at the time of perception.

color temperature scale

In another way is called the colorimetric index. It is indicated on the packaging of the lamps. Based on these parameters, you can determine in what range the lamp will illuminate the room. For a comfortable stay (so that the light does not irritate the eyes), you need to find out in advance which spectrum is preferable for each room: warm, neutral, cold.

Sometimes it is not possible to find a lamp with the right temperature. Then you can combine the lamps of the cold and warm range.

Color rendering index of LED lamps

It shows how clearly colors will differ in a certain radiation spectrum.For example, at dusk, colors visually fade and can merge, while blue and burgundy can be perceived equally by vision.

The table shows the ratio of light sources with color temperature and color rendering index (measured from 0 to 100):

The cold range of waves allows them to dissipate further. For comfortable lighting and acceptable color rendering, the index should not fall below 80.

Which light is better warm or cold

LED lamps, which are used in lighting, are divided into cold and warm. The psychological and emotional state of the residents of the house depends on the type of color. Warm glow LED lamps are suitable for the evening. They contribute to the speedy falling asleep, relaxation, creating comfort. Cold tones are most natural for daytime. It invigorates, keeps a person in good shape.

The use of cold and warm colors at inappropriate hours can disrupt the functioning of the body.

It is important to remember that the lampshade, shades and other diffusers also affect the light.

Also, at different ages, people perceive lighting differently. With increasing age, there is a distortion, which must also be taken into account. Features of the psyche also affect color perception.

Answering the question, what is better - cold or warm color, the answer will be a combination of shades.It is desirable that it also be possible to control lighting fixtures separately.

What is color temperature?

Color temperature is a physical phenomenon. It characterizes the intensity of radiation from a light source and determines the composition of the visible spectrum. The color temperature does not indicate how hot the body is, but only shows how the human eye perceives the light flux. This indicator is measured in Kelvin (K).

In simple terms, color temperature is the shade of light emitted by a source. Zero Kelvin has a completely black body.

If we talk about metal, the first colors appear when the temperature rises to above 500 ° C: the object becomes dark red. With further heating, the color spectrum shifts to orange, then yellow, then white, and finally blue.

Comparison of lamps by pulsation factor

LEDs outperform all other lighting sources in yet another way. We are talking about the flickering of lamps, which reflects the ripple coefficient (%). This is one of the most important characteristics of the light source, the magnitude of which determines the comfort and safety of lighting. The smaller the ripple factor, the better. If it exceeds 5-10%, negative processes begin in the body: headaches appear by the end of the day, fatigue, insomnia.

The pulsation coefficient of lighting in office and other non-residential premises must comply with established sanitary standards, and this is controlled by inspection bodies. At home, we ourselves must monitor the quality of light if caring for the health of the family is important to us.

Table 3Typical pulsation coefficients of household lamps.

As can be seen from table 3, LEDs can pulsate the least. But only those in the design of which a high-quality power source is installed. Some cheap "ices" shimmer so that it is clearly visible to the eye. You cannot use these devices.

But, even if the pulsations are not fixed visually, this does not mean that they do not exist. Perhaps the eye does not notice fluctuations in the light flux, but at the same time they exceed the norm. To establish the presence of low-frequency pulsations of an unacceptable level, a light meter with the function of a RADEX LUPIN pulse meter will help. This device complies with GOST and provides high measurement accuracy.

Efficiency

This parameter (efficiency) characterizes the efficiency of converting electrical energy into light. The higher it is, the less heat loss. LED lamps have the highest efficiency: the efficiency of high-quality models reaches 90%. The LED converts energy into light directly, with minimal heat generation.

Incandescent lamps have the lowest efficiency - 4-5%. During operation, they heat up significantly, as they convert more than 90% of the power consumed into heat. The efficiency of "halogens" is higher - 15-20%. For fluorescent lighting fixtures, this parameter depends on the type of bulb. The lowest efficiency of spiral CFLs is 7-8%. The efficiency of their use is also reduced due to the loss of most of the light energy that goes inside the spiral. Therefore, at a higher light output, the illumination created by these lamps is the lowest (see).

Choose your lamps with the multifunctional light meter

The only way to check the quality of lighting is to buy a household light meter, such as RADEX LUPIN. It measures the main characteristics - the brightness of the lamp, the illumination of the surface and the ripple factor. The light meter will help to establish:

• whether the manufacturer indicated the parameters of the lighting fixture or lamp correctly;
• whether the illumination of the rooms of the apartment, office, children's rooms corresponds to the norm;
• what is the pulsation of lighting in your home and workplace.

It is impossible to determine all this without a luxmeter-pulsemeter. With this light meter, you will select the best LED lamps for your home, and it will be a technically sound choice. High-quality "ices" really surpass other lighting devices in most respects. They do not heat the air, do not overload your eyesight, and also help you save on electricity bills. And you don’t have to change such bulbs often: their service life is more than 30,000 hours.

So what's better

Most often, the best option will be a combination of cold and warm light, as well as the ability to control lighting fixtures individually to create a certain mood in the entire room or part of it.

In the evening, you can turn on incandescent lamps, light a fireplace to relax and unwind in an atmosphere of warm light. And if you suddenly want to read a book, use a separate lamp that gives a colder light.

Warm lighting will perfectly fit into a small apartment decorated in vintage style with a predominance of warm colors in the interior, while cold light will favorably emphasize modern design solutions in a spacious room with bright colors and light walls.

LED lamp: design and main technical characteristics

LED lamp - a light source, the radiation of which is carried out by using several LEDs in the design, connected in one circuit. Unlike other types of lamps, it does not use a tungsten filament, various gases, mercury and other components that are dangerous to human life. It is an environmentally friendly device that does not emit harmful substances during operation and failure. According to its energy-saving indicators, it is the most economical among analogues. It can be used to illuminate streets, industrial or residential facilities and premises.

The design of this light bulb consists of the following elements: a diffuser, LEDs, a circuit board, a radiator, a power supply, a housing and a base. The last element can have two cartridge sizes: E14 (small) and E27 (large).

When choosing, you must be guided by the values ​​​​of the main characteristics:

• Luminous flux, measured in lm (lumens). The amount of light that spreads in all directions from a light source.
• Power, unit W. The amount of energy consumed per unit of time.
• Glow color temperature, unit K. Determines the color of the light flux coming from the radiation source. Incandescent lamps are mostly 3000K, this is a “warm”, yellowish tint.LED light sources are different, from 3000K to 6500K ("cold" color, with a slight admixture of blue).
• Light output, measured in lm/W. A characteristic that determines the efficiency and economy of a light source. For products from different manufacturers, it is, of course, different.
• Heating temperature, unit °C. Indicates the operating temperature for heating the glass surface of the lamp.
• Service life, measured in hours. Determines the maximum service life in optimal and declared by the manufacturer conditions.
• Color rendering index, CRI. Measured from 0 to 100 points. For optimal human perception of color rendering from a light source, the more points, the higher. A value of 80 CRI is considered normal.

This kind of energy-saving light bulb can be produced in two types: standard (pear-shaped) and in the form of "corn". This factor must be taken into account when replacing the light source in the luminaire. The latter type is not recommended, since in this design the LEDs are located on the outside.

Principle of operation and main characteristics

The production of LED lamps can be divided into three stages:

• growing a crystal using the method of organometallic epitaxy;
• creation of a chip by planar processing of films;
• chip sorting by binning;
• assembly of all parts of the LED.

The principle of operation of the LED lamp

The principle of operation of an LED can be described as the interaction of two oppositely charged semiconductors that create a p-n junction (electron contact). In the process of mutual exchange of electrons, light radiation is created at its boundary.

The main characteristics that allow you to evaluate the quality of the LED lamp:

• power (quantitative measurement of consumed electricity);
• color temperature (the color of the light emitted by the element);
• luminous flux (the amount of light produced).

The choice of lamps for home and office

High durability and simple operation of LED lamps make them indispensable in everyday life. But it is necessary to approach the choice of such a lamp thoughtfully and consciously.

The comfort of being in both working and residential premises depends on from color temperature LED lamps with which they are lit. Which lamps are better to choose for the home, and which ones for the office? The difference in the type of illumination can be seen in the light temperature table. And based on it, choose the most comfortable light in certain rooms.

Where are LED home lights suitable?

• Kitchen lighting. Warm light for a peaceful meal, or cool light for the culinary enthusiast. LED strip is an excellent solution for decorating the working area of ​​​​the kitchen.
• Light in the hallway. Definitely cold. Mobilizes and adjusts to the working mood.
• Cold or warm lighting in the bathroom, as you like.
• Warm light in the bedroom.

The main difference between office space and home is the need to adjust the psyche to a working mood. This is facilitated by increased brightness and cold white lighting. If the light is similar to natural daylight, it is the least tiring. Most people experience an increase in performance in bright light, which drives away drowsiness and increases productivity.In addition, the use of such lamps reduces the cost of electricity, respectively, the monthly additional costs of the business are reduced.

Light output of LED lamps

I did not include this important technical characteristic in the general list and deliberately left it in the end, firstly, because it does not apply to each specific lamp, but to the entire class. And, secondly, having dealt with light output, you can understand how effective this or that type of lighting fixtures is. Light output is the ratio of luminous flux to the power consumption of a luminaire and is denoted as lm/W. This parameter literally shows how efficiently the device converts electrical energy into light.

As for LED light sources, today they are light output is 60-120 lm/W, and as technology improves, this figure continues to grow. Suppose the number of lumens for a 1 watt LED is 100. Is it a lot or a little? Take a look at the comparison table:

Comparative table of energy efficiency of lamps of different types

As you can see from the tablet, well known to you compact fluorescent lamp (“energy saving”), for example, at the same power it will shine almost 2 times weaker than its semiconductor counterpart. It's embarrassing to talk about an incandescent lamp. 8 out of 10 watts that an LED device would convert into a luminous flux, Ilyich's lamp turns into heat.The efficiency of a diode lamp due to light output is by far the highest.

But back to our LEDs. Is it possible to choose such lamps not by luminous flux, but by power consumption? Since you know how many lumens an LED produces with one watt of electricity, you understand: of course you can. To get the luminous flux, it is enough to multiply the lamp power by 80. Of course, you will not get the exact figure, since the actual light output depends on many factors, including production technology, materials, type and number of LEDs used. But the result obtained is quite suitable for domestic use.

Do not forget! The factor 80 for calculating the generated luminous flux by power consumption is only suitable for LED lamps. For all other types of lighting fixtures, it will be different.

For those who do not like to multiply, I will give a table of the dependence of the luminous flux on the power of the lamp for devices of various types: