1. LED Lights – A Brief Introduction
This E-Book contains the following information for Lighting professionals and
domestic users about the latest revolutionary LED Lights which are very energy
efficient in the market.
The History of LED
The Uses and Benefits of LED Light Bulbs
How LED Lights Can Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Things to Consider Before Buying LED Lights

2. The History of LED
We are hugely dependent upon technology and sometimes take it for granted. It is always
worth reminding ourselves where it all began so we can fully appreciate how lucky we are.
Take Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for example. They have come a long way in a relatively
short time. When they were first used as low-intensity light emitters in electronic devices, it
is difficult to believe anyone would foresee them one day lighting our homes. But here we
are!
The scientific principle behind the LED is electro-luminescence. Electroluminescent materials
emit light when they receive an electrical current. The phenomenon was first discovered in
1907 by H J Round. The discovery of the light bulb by Thomas Edison predates this by many
years.
Nick Holonyak is widely considered the 'father of the LED.' He developed the first practical
LEDs in 1962 and it was in the very same decade that they became commercially viable. At
this early stage they were used as electronic components in computers, remote controls and
other appliances.
It would be a few more decades until LED technology was developed to encompass the
entire visible spectrum of light, therefore making them a viable alternative to other forms of
lighting. Modern high-power LEDs producing high intensity white light were developed in the
1990s by Japanese manufacturers, and it would not be long after that before LEDs began
replacing the light bulbs in our homes.
LED Lights have revolutionized the lighting industry. They are many times more efficient
than traditional forms of lighting such as CFL bulbs, etc. This is because LED Lights convert
more of their energy into useful light and waste less as heat. About 90 per cent of LED
Bulbs energy is turned into visible light. The lifespan of an LED Bulb and lights is also a lot
longer than the older forms of lighting products. You can expect them to last up to 30,000
hours, with some more recent models, such as the GU10 24 SMD LED, lasting as long as
50,000 hours. That's why the phrase 'long lighting life' get attached with the LED lights and
bulbs.
LED Lights are now available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. You will be able to find
them in the most common lighting fittings including GU10, MR16, E27 and B22. They are
also available as flexible LED Tape, which is becoming a popular substitute for older forms
of effects lighting.
The Uses and Benefits of LED Light Bulbs
LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. This technology has actually been with us for a very
long time. They began life as components in electronic appliances, such as televisions,
computers, remote controls and digital clocks. Now they are even lighting our homes. You
will hear a lot of people claiming that LED Light Bulbs are 'revolutionising' the lighting
industry, but you may also be wondering why exactly this is. The advantages they hold over
conventional forms of lighting are many and varied. This article will take you through a few
of them.
Energy Efficient

3. One of the main drawbacks of traditional lighting is that a lot of the energy they consume is
wasted. In fact, only about 10 per cent of a typical light bulbs energy is converted into
useful light, the rest is lost as wasted heat. This is largely due to their design and the
filaments they use. LED Lights do not have the same problem. They convert about 90 per
cent of the energy they use into useful light. This means they use a lot less energy in
achieving the same brightness. It only takes about 4 watts in energy for an LED Bulb to
achieve 60 Watts of brightness. This is even more impressive than Compact Fluorescent
Lamps (CFLs).
Long Lasting
The average lifespan of an incandescent bulb is about 1,000 hours. This is because their
delicate filaments heat up and burn out quite quickly. As such, you can expect to be
changing your bulbs a couple of times a year, a cost that mounts up over time. Because
they don't rely on a filament, LED Bulbs can last much longer. They last anywhere between
30,000 and 50,000 hours. As such, you will only be changing an LED Light once over a
period of several years.
Cost
One of the biggest drawbacks about these Bulbs is cost. The initial asking price for an LED
Bulb is significantly higher than incandescent. However, you should not be put off by this.
These are designed to pay for themselves overtime, so instead of baulking at the immediate
price, you should calculate the cost over a long period of time.
The actual cost of an incandescent bulb is a lot more than its initial price. Overtime you will
end up paying much more in labour expenses, replacement costs and electricity bills.
Due to their low energy use and longer lifespan these Lights begin paying for themselves
very quickly by lowering your electricity bills and maintenance costs.
Versatility
LED can be manufactured to very small sizes, which makes them a lot more versatile. Most
of these Lights are classified as 'retrofit.' This means they will swap straight over with your
existing bulbs without the need for rewiring. The range of LED Light Bulbs now include all
standard light fitting, such as 240V GU10 and12V MR16 Spotlights, and domestic fittings
such as B22 Bayonet Cap and E27 Edison Screw.
Durable
LED Lights are actually a lot more durable than standard light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs and
halogens are quite fragile, particularly their delicate filaments. LED Light Bulbs can
withstand a lot of punishment before they break, making them even more versatile.
The energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of LED Light Bulbs is really driving demand and
in the near future you can expect them to be used in even more commercial and domestic
light setups. It really is time to say goodbye to wasteful incandescent bulbs and ephemeral
Compact Fluorescents.

4. How LED Lights Can Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
'Carbon Footprint' is a well-known ecological phrase that relates to human activities and
their impact on the level of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. To be more
precise a Carbon Footprint is defined by the Carbon Trust Website as a "measure of the total
greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or
product."
Everything we do in our day-to-day lives, from switching on a light bulb, to driving a car, to
using a product, all contribute to our individual carbon footprint, which, in turn, goes
towards making up the collective footprint of the nation.
What types of Carbon Footprint are there?
An individual Carbon Footprint is made up of two parts; a primary and a secondary.
A primary footprint is a measure of the CO2 emissions produced directly from the activities
of an individual or organisation. These are carbon emissions that we have direct control over
and can actively reduce by, for example, monitoring and moderating our use of energy
intensive appliances such as light bulbs and electrical appliances.
A secondary Carbon Footprint is the indirect CO2 emissions created across the entire
lifecycle of a product. This includes anything from the extraction of raw materials and
manufacturing, right through to its use and final reuse, recycling or disposal. At every phase
of its existence a product is contributing to an indirect Carbon Footprint of this sort.
Why is it important to reduce our Carbon Footprint?
During the 18th and 19th centuries the western world underwent a period of sustained
industrial growth that has become loosely referred to as the Industrial Revolution. While it is
possible to identify lasting social, economic and cultural changes from this period, one of the
most profound impacts has been environmental. Population growth, urbanization,
industrialization and an increasing dependency on fossil fuels and, more recently, consumer
products, have all contributed to larger and more far-reaching carbon footprints in the
modern world.
Nowadays it is more important than ever to reduce our Carbon Footprint. Developed
countries, such as the United Kingdom, are producing more and more carbon emissions.
However, some of the world's largest contributors are actually developing countries such as
China and India that are only now undergoing the same period of industrialization that we
once did.
By leading the way we can set a precedent for cutting carbon emissions in the years to
come!
Start with your lights and the rest will follow.
The majority of electricity in the UK is produced by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal.
By lowering the amount of electricity you use, you will subsequently lower your carbon

5. footprint. The lighting in a typical household constitutes about 10 per cent of your annual
electric usage.
With the development of long-lasting, energy-efficient LED Light Bulbs, reducing this figure
is incredibly straightforward. They are one of the easiest measures you can take to making
your house more energy-efficient and help you start reducing your footprint today. A lot of
people are deterred by factors such as cost and effort, but replacing your light bulbs could
not be easier. Most have a like-for-like retrofit design that allows them to replace older
incandescent and halogen bulbs without the need for refurbishing your lighting system.
LED Lights use 90 per cent less energy than a typical incandescent bulb, which will greatly
decrease you primary footprint. As LED Lights also last up to 20 times longer than a
traditional bulb they will also help you reduce your secondary footprint as you will find
yourself using fewer replacement bulbs overtime.
Energy efficient LED Lights won't just reduce your carbon footprint; they will also reduce
your energy bills.
As soon as you see how easy and pain-free converting to LED Lighting is and what an
impact it can make on your Carbon Footprint you will be just as eager to search for new
ways to make your lifestyle more eco-friendly.
Things to Consider Before Buying LED Lights
The internet is now one of the best places to buy low energy LED Lights. However, before
you buy there are a few things worth considering. Despite what everyone says, buying
these Lights requires some careful consideration. It isn't difficult, but at least you will avoid
the hassle of having to return your LED bulbs if the event arises. By following some simple
steps not only will you buy the best LED lights every time, you will also be spending less
money on your electricity bills in no time.The first thing to check when buying theshi-tech
Llghts is the fitting. Check the fitting on your existing bulb. This will be in the form of a
code. For example it might be GU10, MR16 or B22. LED lights have the same fittings as
conventional halogen and incandescent bulbs, so by getting this right straight away you will
know what you are looking for and what questions to ask when you need to. You can
identify your fitting by either checking the bulb itself or using a fitting guide, which most
websites now provide. Simply compare your fittings against the high resolution images.
Next you need to check wattage when you by LED lights. Find out what wattage your
existing bulbs are, either by checking the original packaging or, if you no longer have the
original packaging, by looking at the bulb itself. Light bulbs will usually have the wattage
printed somewhere on their surface. Once you know the wattage of your existing bulbs
compare these with the 'equivalent wattage' which can be found either in the product
specification or on the product images. An equivalent wattage simply describes the wattage
of the halogen or incandescent bulb the LED lights are designed to replace. For example a
GU10 LED (48 Cluster) uses 2.5 watts, but its equivalent wattage is 30 watts. This means
the bulbs is designed to replace a 30 watt halogen.
The final thing to check is the size of the bulbs. One of the biggest problems customers
have is that they get home and find that their brand new LEDs don't fit inside their recessed
ceiling fittings. This is because some GU10 LED Bulbs are made to slightly larger
specifications to accommodate heat sinks and drivers. Before you buy make sure you

6. measure the size of your fittings and compare these with the sizes quoted on the website in
the product specifications area.
By following the aforementioned advice you shouldn't have any trouble finding exactly which
bulbs you need and swapping them over.
Buy LED Lights such as GU10, MR16, etc today and begin saving immediately on your
energy bills.
References:
http://www.wholesaleledlights.co.uk
http://www.ledstriplights.co.uk
http://www.ledtape.co.uk
http://www.onlineledlights.co.uk
http://www.ledgu10.co.uk