frequently asked questions

1. Why LED's?

In recent years there has been an increase in environmental awareness in terms of energy consumption, and everyone is looking for new ways to save energy. Sometimes people are just looking to save money on their electric bill, but other times they really are concerned about the planet. Whatever the case, LED lights have become quite popular today, and there are a number of reasons that people everywhere are deciding to choose them over other, more traditional light bulbs. The reasons may range from appearance to long-term economical savings. LED bulbs use upto 40 % less electricity than standard CFLs and 80% less electricity than the regular incandescent bulbs. They (LED lights) have an unparalleled even spectrum of light and have a lifespan beyond ten years. LED's provide us the most efficient way to save energy and conserve our natural resources.

2. Do LED light bulbs contain mercury? LED lights do not contain even the slightest trace of mercury, which makes them the safest alternative when it comes to lighting an office or home. Other forms of light bulbs, such as the currently trendy CFL bulbs, contain mercury as well as a number of other toxic chemicals that emit vapours into the environment, making them very dangerous for personal or commercial use. Some of the following light bulbs do contain mercury, and special care should be taken when handling them. LED lights can actually be recycled as they do not contain any hazardous substances. All lights manufactured by MAXLIT are RoHS compliant. 3. How do LED light bulbs compare to CFL bulbs? Studies show LED light bulbs use 30 - 40% less energy than CFL bulbs and in many cases last 10 times longer than CFL light bulbs. They are much more durable, environmentally friendly, vibration and shock resistant and offer excellent light quality, both indoor and outdoor. 4. Do LED bulbs produce as much heat as CFL or Incandescent bulbs? LED light bulbs emit much less heat than a CFL or incandescent bulb. You can actually feel the temperature difference just by being near the light. LED light bulbs will always operate at a lower temperature than a CFL or incandescent which has immediate benefits in reduced cooling bills in the summer months where we are paying for our Air Conditioning to cool our offices. 5. Why are LED lights more expensive? LED light bulbs use an actual circuit board to operate and are made of electronic components. Essentially, they could be considered an electronic device. This technology continues to gain advantages almost daily. The manufacturing and supply/demand of general lighting products are gearing up today, and we will see costs continue to decline as the adoption rate of LED Lighting increases. 6. Is LED light a different type of light? Yes, LED light is said to be a safer, healthier light. LEDs do NOT produce any sort of ultraviolet radiation which causes fabric fading, colour fading in Art, carpeting and other soft goods. There is none of the 'buzzing' or 'flickering' that many people are sensitive to with LED Lights. Residential and especially commercial and industrial plants, stores libraries, galleries, and warehouses can immediately benefit from LED Lighting. 7. How long do LEDs for general lighting really last? The longevity of LED Lighting can be 100,000 hours. LED’s are Solid State devices (SSL – or “solid state lighting"); they will not burn out. Life expectancy for SSL lighting is upwards of 50,000 to 100,000 hours or more which means no maintenance costs for facilities workers to replace lights. Over time, the cost of the fluorescent or incandescent bulbs themselves can add up to a significant savings when converting to LED’s. LED lights are typically rated to last about 40-50000 hours. An incandescent light bulb is rated for about 1000 hours. CFLs or Fluorescent Tube lights are rated for 4-5000 hours.

 

8. How much energy do LED lights use?

Find the answer to the frequently asked LED Lights related question: How Much Energy Do LED Lights Use?

There is a ton of media attention being given in recent years to LED lights and the fact that they are energy efficient. As a result, many consumers are asking just how much energy do LED lights use. The answer to this question depends on what the LED lights will be used for. As a general rule of thumb though, LED lights consume about 80% less energy than incandescent light bulbs. There are other energy conserving lighting sources available on the market as well; however, they are nowhere near as efficient as LED lights, and they have also proven to be a danger to the environment.  LED Lights and Heat One of the biggest offenders responsible for high electric bills is incandescent lighting. Those bulbs look innocuous enough, but they burn extremely hot, wasting altogether too much energy. Not only do they require more energy to light up, but they produce so much heat that climate control becomes an issue. LED lights do not produce heat so they will never create a need to run the air conditioner for climate control indoors. How much energy do LED lights use? They certainly don’t require extra energy to cool down the interior of a building!  LED Energy Expenditure in Home Use Most homeowners, when introduced to LED lighting for the first time ask, “How much energy to LED lights use if the entire house is converted to LED lights?” The typical home that uses incandescent bulbs to light each room will use approximately 40% of the total electric expenses in just lighting alone. Since LED lights only utilize 20% of the energy that incandescent bulbs use, that’s a significant reduction in energy usage. In other words, by transitioning to LED lights throughout the entire home and grounds, a homeowner can expect to save as much as 30% to 35% of his or her monthly electric bill.  CFL Light Bulbs and Energy It is true that CFL light bulbs do utilize less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, but they are still nowhere near as energy efficient as LED lights. A modest estimate is that CFL and other types of fluorescent bulbs are about three times more energy efficient than incandescent, while LED’s are ten times more efficient. How much energy do LED lights use? They use less energy than any artificial lights on the market. Only sunlight is more efficient!  How much energy do LED lights use shouldn’t actually be the question. Consumers are actually concerned with how much energy LED lights can save in terms of their monthly electric bills. While it is possible to save enough energy to have a reduction by as great as 50%, that would mean a total conversion to LED lights throughout the home, which would in turn require less air conditioning. The best answer, then, would be that LED lights use approximately 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs, which translates to an electric bill that is half of what it normally runs.

9. Do LED lights cause Cancer?

When asking the question, “Do LED lights cause cancer?” it is essential to understand many forms of cancer in terms of UV radiation and why we are at such increased risk from these harmful rays. Of all the sources of artificial light, LED lights are least likely to play a role in contributing to the risk of cancer. Because they utilize such a small amount of power to operate, they have an extremely small carbon footprint. Less damage is done to the ozone, which in turn helps to protect against an overabundance of naturally occurring UV radiation from the sun. So in effect, when seeking to determine, “Do LED lights cause cancer?” the best answer is, they probably even help to guard against it! 

 

10. How Much Energy Do LED Lights Save

LED lights are a far better choice when it comes to a light source that will function just as well, if not better than incandescent bulbs, using only a fraction of the electricity. The big question is, “How much energy do LED lights save?” Well, the answer to that question really depends on how dedicated a person is. In other words, if an entire house is lit with nothing but LED lights, the savings will be much more significant than if only one or two light bulbs are replaced in the home. The following statistics may provide the best answers to the question of how much energy do led lights save. 

Lighting and the Average Household

An average household spends 35% to 40% of total energy costs in lighting alone. If a home is lit exclusively by incandescent bulbs, that amounts to quite a sizable amount of money to power those lights! Consider an electric bill that is Rs. 1000 per month in order to understand just how significant the savings would be by converting to LED lights. If 40% of that bill is electricity required for lights, the amount is Rs. 400. Since LED lights only utilize about 20% of the power that incandescent bulbs use, that’s Rs. 80 per month for LED lights. Add that to the 600 for other electricity needs and the bill is now only approximately Rs. 680. A savings of Rs. 320 per month, i.e., Rs. 3840 per year. How much energy do LED lights save in the average household? Roughly 1/3 of the electric bill! 

LED Lights in the Office

Those tubular lights that are often seen in office buildings, schools, government buildings and even medical centres are normally fluorescent tubular lights. While these lights will save a bit of money in comparison to incandescent lights, the risks involved with them do not make them a safe alternative to incandescent bulbs. In fact, they are worse for the environment than extra energy expenditure because of the toxic metals and gasses they contain. So, even though they use less energy than incandescent bulbs, they still are not a good alternative because they are not as energy efficient as LED lights. How much energy do LED lights save in comparison to fluorescent bulbs? The ratio here is about 3:1. 

When considering exactly how much energy to LED lights save, there are a number of variable which must be considered. First of all, it must be taken into consideration what types of lighting are currently utilized. Secondly, how much of the total energy bill is spent on providing lights. Because of these variables, it is safe to say that an average electric bill can be reduced by as much as 40%, and sometimes more, when converting to LED lights. That’s a significant savings in the long run. 

 

11. Why are LED Lights so expensive?

They do cost more, but there are many reasons for this. One of the things people need to keep in mind is that LED lights are so much more efficient than standard light bulbs that they will surely earn their keep in a very short period of time. That is, the money spent on obtaining them will be made up for quite quickly in the form lower electricity bills, and the less frequent need to replace them.

Cost of Production

Anytime a technology is in its early phases, the cost of that product will almost always be a bit higher. Take the microwave oven, for example. Some of the very first models cost over Rs. 65000 – Rs. 75000 and now they can be purchased for as little as Rs. 25000, and lower in some cases. This is because LED technology, while already excellent, is still in its infancy. As a result, the materials and man-power hours that go into development are much more expensive. By the time the product reaches the store, it will almost always result in a higher price tag. As consumer demand is creating a need for more and more LED products, manufacturers are better able to mass produce these items, and this drives prices down. This is already happening with LED lights and the question “Why are LED lights so expensive?” is already a thing of the past.

Less Energy Consumption = More Money Saved

With all the talk about how expensive these LED lights are to buy, some people are probably thinking there is no way they are going to go out a buy a bunch of fancy, expensive light bulbs. Well, for those people, LED lights may be expensive and even fancy, but they are definitely a better buy! LED lights use approximately 80% less electricity or battery power to function. This is a huge savings! In fact, this type of savings would more than likely make it seem as if the LED lights had paid for themselves within a matter of a few months. And the bulbs themselves will last as many as 50 times longer than an incandescent bulb. If you are tired of changing bulbs two or three times a year, try changing LED bulbs every decade or two! The initial investment is really nothing when compared to how much money having LED lights will save. 

12. Can I replace my existing CFL down-lights with LED down-lights?

With MAXLIT, yes it is very much possible as we also have retrofits which are direct replacement for the CFLs and can be fitted in your existing down-light fixtures.