Bureaucrat, staff, administrator
4,335
edits
Changes
m
→LED
Ongoing research has dramatically improved the efficiency of LEDs; although this is only starting to appear in production versions. LED efficiency improved dramatically in 2006. Nichia Corporation of Japan demonstrated white LED prototypes with an efficiency of 113 lumens per watt. The industry target is 100 lumens per watt, which is better than fluorescent tubes. The Nichia work was partly funded by the UK Department of Trade & Industry. (White LEDs are actually blue in wavelengths of 450 nm – 470 nm.)
However, as of December 2015 there is still wishy-washiness in the claims for LED efficiency. <ref>http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/17/leading-lightbulb-brands-making-false-claims-on-energy-efficiency</ref> <ref>https://greenwashinglamps.wordpress.com/consumer-tests-halogen/</ref> <ref>http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/can-leds-be-nearly-as-cheap-as-incandescents-by-2020</ref>
In addition, LEDs produce no discernible heat and are more robust than fluorescents and incandescents. LEDs have become the lighting of choice for many marine applications.
In a low voltage DC system, their driving system is simple and cheap compared to a fluorescent, which requires an oscillating ballast circuit. LEDs use a simple voltage-dropping resistor. They are tough and resistant to shock and vibration. They are safe near explosive gases and liquids. In a marine installation, use a dual-pin ungrounded LED. Until recently LEDs were rated in millicandela (mcd), as measured at the light source, not lumens. This made direct comparisons with other light types fuzzy. (One lumen is approximately 79.5 mcd.)
Now that LEDs are more competitive, manufacturers are also stepping up and rating them in lumens.
=== Fluorescents ===