LED light bulbs are evolving rapidly. Those that were 2 years ago and now are a big difference.
- The old ice design used LEDs in a plastic case.
- An improved version of the first lamps became products with LED filament. It contains many diodes protected by a glass strip. And covered with a phosphor - a light-accumulating pigment. Such lamps are called filament lamps. They are more expensive, but have clear advantages over the outdated design of ice bulbs:
- familiar design, like an incandescent lamp,
- service life from two to five years,
- more efficient energy saving.
- The most advanced lamp design is the Crystal Ceramic MCOB technology. In it, the emitters are located on round plates of transparent ceramics. They are lined with phosphor on both sides. Thanks to this feature, the latest generation of lamps shines back and forth, illuminating the area 360 degrees.
Photo from the site: ammo1.livejournal.com
How to choose the right LED lamp for your home
Bulbs come in different color temperatures and brightness.
- warm (2700-3500 K (kelvin)) - emit soft yellow light, like incandescent bulbs. Warm glow LED bulbs are ideal for home interiors;
- neutral (4000-5000 K) - pour out daylight white light. Their temperature is similar to the glow of the sun in the morning and at lunchtime, so they have no equal for an interior design in Hi-tech style;
- cold (5500 K and above) - are distinguished by a white glow with a bluish tint, close to daylight. These lamps are good for offices, conference rooms, laboratories and other areas where bright lighting is required.
Doctors say that cold and neutral color temperatures are suitable for work. They stimulate the brain by suppressing the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and keep you awake. Choose a warm light for your home. It disposes to relax and unwind.
Some manufacturers have worse lamp brightness than stated on the packaging. Before you buy, read reviews about the model you like or measure the brightness yourself in the store.
Note: "How to choose a chandelier to successfully complement the interior of the room"
The table will help determine the brightness of the ice light bulb in relation to the power of the incandescent lamp.
| Incandescent power (W) | Luminous flux of LED lamps (lm) |
| 25 watts | 220 lm |
| 40 watts | 415 lm |
| 60 watts | 710 lm |
| 75 watts | 935 lm |
| 100 watts | 1340 lm |
| 150 watts | 2160 lm |
| 200 watts | 3040 lm |
Which lamp is better - LED or energy saving
The definition of "energy-saving" is assigned to fluorescent light bulbs (CFL).
But the advantages of LEDs over energy-saving ones are undeniable. Judge for yourself:
- ice lamps are safe... CFLs contain mercury vapors that are harmful to the body. For this reason, they are massively rejected in the West;
- more economical. With the same luminous flux, led consumes less electricity than CFLs;
- light up instantly and at full power. Luminescent light up within a minute, gradually gaining brightness. When the frost is -20 ° C at the CFL dacha it will barely "smolder".
Ice and CFLs cannot be connected to illuminated switches. From the backlight, current will accumulate in them, causing periodic flash discharges. In the off state, the lights will still flicker.
Comparison of incandescent and LED lamps
Do not rush to write off Ilyich's ordinary light bulb. It still has no equal in color rendering of light (CRI). It is as close as possible to the sun - psychologically comfortable for us, and is 100 units.
For home lighting, CRI must be no less than 80-90.At a lower value, the colors of objects are distorted (light pink and pink are perceived the same).
In other aspects, LED models have solid advantages:
- it is impossible to get burned. While for an incandescent lamp after 20 seconds. grasping is problematic. She's hot.
- not afraid of voltage drops in the network. A stabilizer is located in the base of the LEDs. It converts AC to DC voltage and provides power to the LEDs. At any voltage, Led shines equally brightly.
Study the table to correctly calculate the wattage of the LED light bulb to replace the obsolete one.
| LED | Incandescent lamp | CFL |
| 3-6 watts | 20-45 watts | 9-15 watts |
| 6-8 watts | 45-75 watts | 15-25 watts |
| 9-12 W | 75-100 W | 25-50 watts |
Watch the video. Find out why you don't need to order ice light bulbs from China
Disadvantages of LED lamps: how to identify them
When buying a light bulb, test it for light flicker.
Ripple is not standardized by the legislation of Ukraine and the EU, therefore, not every manufacturer is conscientious in this matter. Eyes quickly get tired of constant blinking (even imperceptible). When looking from one object to another, a stroboscopic effect appears (objects are doubled).
There are two ways to determine the ripple.
With a pencil
- grab the tip of the pencil and quickly move it back and forth. Observe:
- you will not see the individual contours of the pencil - the light does not flicker;
- noticed "a few pencils" - the lamp is of poor quality. The clearer the contours, the harder it blinks.
Using a smartphone camera
- look at the turned on light bulb through the smartphone camera;
- if you flicker, you will notice stripes on the screen - the brighter they are, the stronger the flashing.
Read: "How to Choose a Voltage Stabilizer"
This life hack will show you how to recognize a flashing light using your phone camera.
Keep receipt until warranty expires. For reliability - take a photo of it (special attention to the check number, date and amount). You will lose the paper receipt, but the photo will remain on the phone. Using this picture, the document will be quickly restored.
See the review of the Prestigio Smart LED Light
