•  What should you consider while looking for the right replacement bulb?

    It is a common perception that wattage is the measurement that defines the brightness output of the bulb. It thus becomes the parameter on which a bulb is bought by the consumer. Wattage is the amount of energy consumed by the bulb to produce light. To find out the level of light produced, one has to check the lumen (lm) value output. The higher the lumen, the brighter will be the light produced out of the bulb. So it is logical to look for lumen value of the bulb to replace the similar intensity bulb. The lumen value is specified on the label cover along with other details of the bulb.

  •  What is Color Temperature in an LED and how does it affect your environment?

    LEDs can be catogorized according to different color temperatures- indicated by a standard unit popularly known as Kelvin (K). A warm yellow or a cool white light is a result of color temperature achieved by a bulb.

    Modern bulbs come in three different color variations i.e. warm white, cool white and neutral white. Depending on color (K) temperature, they emit light that vary from yellow to bright white. You can achieve different lighting conditions depending on your moods by installing bulbs accordingly. A warm white light creates a cozy and relaxing environment while the cool white and neutral white helps achieve an energising atmosphere. 

    It is well known that exposure to bright light at night affects the sleep patterns adversely. Whereas dim lights in office lead to lethargy. This is why it is important to pick the right lighting that goes well according to the moods.

  •  Are LEDs dimmable?

    Not all LEDs are dimmable but dimmable LEDs are sold separately in the market. You can control the lighting with a dimmable LED and enjoy savings over and above the benefits that come with non-dimmable LED bulbs.  

    The dimmable LEDs can be controlled with dimmer switch that helps in creating different lighting effects.

    A room is used for different purposes and a lighting variation can be created for achieving the ambience. Need bright light for reading? Or soft lighting for a romantic dinner? You can adjust light levels according to your desires.

  •  What is the brightness level achievable from LED light bulbs?

    Standard LED bulbs available in the market vary in brightness range from 50 lm-1200 lm. The brightest among LED bulbs for standard fixtures are the flood lights and spotlights. Different wattages of bulbs achieve different level of radiance. However, it is best to first calculate the size of the area to be illuminated before selecting the right bulb.

    Whether you are looking for spotlighting or more dispersed lighting, LED come in options that will meet your specifications.  Different fixtures would require different LED bulbs to achieve maximum output. While a Globe LED bulb produces dispersed lighting, a spot or reflector bulb is meant for directional lighting.

    You can achieve the light output of a 120 watt incandescent from a 25 watt LED bulb with the right placement. Even though LEDs are compact, they are comparable in efficiency and effectiveness.  Even when you replace a conventional bulb with multiple LEDs for the same light output, you will save more with usage.

  •  How efficient are LED bulbs compared to incandescent bulbs and how much can one save?

    LED light bulbs are almost five times more superior to comparable incandescent bulbs. In other words, LED light bulbs with 1/5th of the wattage of a conventional bulb can produce similar amount of light output thereby giving you 80% savings on the electricity cost. However, because LED bulbs produce focused and directional lighting, in many applications they turn out to be 10 times more effective than incandescent bulbs, reducing energy use by a whopping 90% and providing you unlimited savings with each installation.

    Even though the initial cost turns out to be a deterrent while buying LED bulbs, the operational costs can help recover the initial expenses faster with regular use. Since the LEDs have a life span of 15 years, you will be able to save on the replacement costs as well.

  •  Does the brightness of LED bulb depend upon the number of LEDs inside?

    The light output from a bulb is dependent upon LEDs embedded inside it.  But the size and number of LEDs is not the deciding factor behind the illumination intensity of a bulb. The accurate way to find the brightness of a bulb can be measured in lumens or lux. Lumens measure the total amount of light output from a bulb. Lux is a measurement that determines the extent of brightness that is falling on a surface at a specific distance.

    The lumens value of a bulb is specified at the label which is the standard metric to find out the brightness output of a bulb. You can find lux value of a bulb’s output with a online calculation tool.

  •  How does the LED lighting compare with a conventional bulb?

    LED light bulbs are the brightest in the category compared to any bulb manufactured in the market. For the amount of wattage that an LED consumes, you can enjoy savings of almost 80% to 90% electricity compared to that of incandescent bulb. For replacing a 100 watt incandescent bulb, you will need to replace it with a 14 watt LED bulb. For achieving equivalent lighting output under any scenario, look for lumens produced by the LED bulb in order to replace it from incandescent or CFL.

    The LED bulbs can fit in different fixtures as they are perfect retrofit alternative and are perfectly suited to enhancing the decor of a place.

  •  What do colors like "cool white" and "warm white" in lighting terminology mean, and what is color correlated temperature(CCT)?

    Color correlated temperature (CCT) is the measure of color appearance that an LED bulb emits. CCT values indicate ‘warmth’ or ‘coolness’ of the light emitted from the source. The color (CCT) of the LED bulbs ranges from warm yellow (2700K) to cool blue white (7000K). Neutral white comes in the a color range of 4500K while cool white fluorescent comes in the range of 6000K or more.

    By comparison, a typical incandescent bulb comes with a CCT of 2800K. A typical halogen is a bit higher, around 3500K. However, light is perceived differently depending upon the surroundings and conditions.

    The background light has a huge effect on the appearance of colors perceived by the human eye. The same light will appear different in a dark room compared to that of the room exposed to sunlight. Even though color consistency standards are being followed at the manufacturing stage, these differences result out of variations in the surroundings.

    Light has a psychological effect on moods and small variations in light color have an influence on the disposition of a person.  It is important to choose the right bulb with the right color to create the ambience you desire.

  •  What is the difference between a floodlight and a spotlight?

    LED spotlight produces a narrow beam of light, typically less than 45 degrees wide angle. Most of the illumination from a spotlight is concentrated onto a small area producing a bright spot. LED floodlights however produce a wide beam of light, up to 120 degrees, producing light that is spread out to a larger area but with lesser brightness than the spotlight.  

    Because the light is more concentrated, a spotlight will appear brighter than a floodlight but only within its limited area of focus. A spotlight is more suited to lighting up objects and a floodlight is more suited to illuminating areas.

    Spotlights are suited for highlighting paintings, in under-cabinet places for accentuating showpieces, lighting for bathroom mirrors and other places. Floodlights are meant for open areas and outdoors where focused lighting is not needed.

  •  What is an LED?

    Light emitting diodes (LEDs), are small diodes that are integrated in LED lamps and fit effortlessly into an electrical circuit. But, unlike incandescent bulbs, they do not have a filament that will burn out, and do not get especially hot as they come with heat sink that moves away the heat produced at the time of operation.

    LED technology is a breakthrough in the world of lighting that has become popular choice in industrial vertical. Like every other technology, people have their own apprehensions but with informed choice, preference towards LEDs in the consumer segment will increase with each passing day.

  •  Are LEDs too expensive?

    Although initial costs of buying LEDs turn out to be a bit expensive compared to others, it is only a fraction of the cost and can be recovered faster once the operational costs are taken into consideration.

    In order to find the true lamp cost, it is important to factor in energy costs, savings that can be derived out of the running lifespan of a bulb & lamp replacement costs as well. The savings cumulated from these factors can add up quickly, especially when there are many lamps in question. LED lamps are continuously evolving and as they continue to gain mass appeal, the initial costs will come down and increase long term savings.

  •  Do LEDs heat up and stop functioning similarly like CFLs?

    LEDs come with heat management capabilities that add to their efficiency and keep them from heating up. While some of the energy is converted to heat in the process of lighting, the heat sink dissipates the heat away from the lamp in order to ensure that the bulb does not burn and affect its components in the process.  With the heat sink, the LED does not burn or run at high temperature, ensuring that its efficiency and long life is not affected adversely.

  •  Do LED lamps emit UV or infrared radiation?

    No, LED lamps provide cool light that is free of any harmful UV and infrared emission. Closely resembling the features of natural light, there is no flaw or discolouring effect on anything that falls under the light and it has no effect on the health of people who are exposed to it.

  •  How are LED Lighting for commercial and retail more advanced today?

    Electricity savings and energy efficiency are important parameters that help us choose the right lighting.  In today’s scenario when electricity costs are becoming expensive, LED lighting is becoming a necessity rather than choice. Today retail and commercial sectors are consuming tremendous amount of electricity with their 24*7 usage. The replacement of conventional bulbs with compact LEDs brings immense savings in terms of cost and efficiency. LED lights are available in many variants that are perfectly fit for the applications they are designed and intended for.

  •  Is light output different in LEDs from that of conventional bulbs?

    The quality of light emitted from LEDs is much superior to that of other conventional sources of lighting. Incandescent bulbs and CFLs emit Omni directional light; hence the amount of useful light is dispersed leading to more wastage. LEDs emit directional light, which means, it gives focused light as per the application and cause slight wastage. LED focuses the light to the area where the light is actually needed.

  •  What is Ambience Lighting?

    Ambient lighting is an all-purpose illumination that provides a comfortable level of brightness to the overall area without causing any glare. This type of lighting is in contrast to directional lighting. The source of lighting can be concealed but creates enough visibility.

  •  What is Task Lighting?

    Task lighting is focused lighting where light is centred on a particular area. For example, operation theatre lights used in surgery, work desks. LEDs produce directional lighting that increases the illumination in a particular area enhancing brightness at a particular spot. With unscattered lighting, the objects appear clear as higher contrast levels result in increased visibility. The most important aspect of LED is that they do not produce multiple shadows as they are point source or single source lighting and do not cause any strain on the eyes.

  •   What is Accent Lighting?

    Accent Lighting is lighting that highlights a landscape or an object in a room. This lighting has a striking effect and adds to dimension of a room by highlighting certain aspects of a room's design and decor. The lighting is able to enhance the aesthetic aspect of the place. For example, highlighting a picture or painting, LEDs produce concentrated light on the object without causing any reflection or glare.

  •  What is Street Lighting?

    LED Street Lighting is rugged and robust and can stand all type of climate conditions while providing a uniform distribution of light without being affected by any external influence. The fixture is dust proof, water proof and comes with excellent thermal design. There are cases where it is required to direct light behind the pole too, to light up the pavement or footpath, which is provisioned in the fixture design.

  •   Are there LEDs available for different fixtures meant for personal spaces like bedrooms, dens and bathrooms?

    The various options that are available for spaces like bedrooms, dens and bathrooms are spotlights, downlights, chandeliers, cove lights, table lamps, cupboard lighting, etc., and come in various color combinations. These can be easily controlled as per the requirement and mood. Besides they also look elegant, sober and create a cozy and relaxing feel. You can create an environment of bright as well as diffused lighting with the use of different lighting options.

  •  Are there LED options available specifically meeting the needs of offices, restaurants, for exteriors, balconies, lobby, etc?

    All the conventional light fixtures can now be replaced with LEDs in offices, restaurants, for exteriors, balconies, lobby etc. LED lighting and fixtures for different business verticals are available in the market that can create perfect lighting and ambience which you desire.

  •  Is LED an environmental friendly choice?

    Since LEDs contain zero mercury and do not come with any toxic material, they are extremely eco-friendly. LEDs are the most energy efficient light source produced till date, as they can save 90% more energy than incandescent bulbs and 40-50 % more than CFLs,and have a much longer life span. Since incandescent bulbs are extremely energy inefficient source of light, their carbon footprint is very high causing unintended damage to the environment. On the other hand, LEDs owing to their great energy efficiency capacity, are very environment friendly and come with huge savings in the long run. Also, incandescent bulbs waste more electricity into producing light and generate most of its energy as heat which in turn affects the life of the bulb. Prolonged exposure to heat can also cause health issues to humans.

    LED turns out to be the most pocket friendly choice once the consumer is able to cross the initial price barrier that stops them from buying it.

  •  Do LED bulbs work on existing fixtures and fittings?

    The fastest growing segment in LEDs is the retrofit segment where we can use the existing fixtures for LED lamps by just replacing conventional lamps with the LEDs without doing any modification to the fixtures.

    There are retrofits available for LEDs across the board, whether it is lamps or tube lights and fit perfectly well without causing any difficulties. LED retrofits come in compact size and can fit into any fixture, small or big.

  •  LED vs CFL: which one is the best and why?

    LED lighting is the technology of the future and is 50% more energy efficient than CFLs. LEDs have a longer life than CFLs, are energy efficient, eco-friendly and do not contain any mercury. LEDs can last anywhere upto 50K hours. Yet the initial cost is considered a big deterrent and that is the reason why it is yet to be adopted wholesomely. Consumers are unaware of the long term benefits and find it difficult to invest into a new technology. However, the retail and commercial sector has been quick to adopt the technology as it reduces the electricity costs by 80% and provides a faster payback.

    Once the technology gains critical mass and a wide appeal, LEDs will become cheaper and more affordable. Already LED retrofits are gaining acceptance as they can be replaced easily without needing any modification in fixtures. 

    LEDs have become irreplaceable in sectors that require heavy usage such as BPO’s, IT & ITeS, hotels, restaurants and in applications such as street lighting, operation theatres etc. LEDs in home lighting segment will get a boost with technology becoming cheaper

  •  What are the advantages and disadvantages of CFL and LED?

    1. Energy saving- LEDs are the most energy efficient lighting solutions produced till date. CFLs provide 80% energy saving over an incandescent bulb while LEDs are 50% more energy efficient than CFLs.

    2. Lifespan-Incandescent bulbs come with a life of approx 1,000 hours, CFLs provide a life span of around 5000 - 6,000 hours. LED bulbs can last up to 25000-50000 hours. LEDs work on semiconductors which have an infinite lifespan.

    3. Environment friendliness- CFLs contain small amount of Mercury and electronic waste, due to which disposing them becomes a possible hazard. LEDs on the other hand are eco friendly, as they are mercury-free.

    4. Cost- CFLs are expensive than incandescent bulbs, but cheaper than LEDs. CFLs have been adopted worldwide by the consumers and have become very popular. Hence in a period of time, the cost of CFLs has gradually come down, making them affordable to masses. LED based lighting is currently a new technology and in near future, with wide acceptance, LEDs will achieve a major share in the lighting industry.

    5. Quality of light- CFL emit Omni directional light, hence the amount of useful light is dispersed and causes lot more wastage. LEDs emit directional light, which means it gives focused light as per the application and causes no wastage. LED beams the light specifically to the area where the light is actually needed.

    6. Installation method- CFLs tend to burn while they are installed upside down as they do not come with Heat sink capabilities that LEDs are equipped with. CFLs are sensitive to the temperature and tend to die in enclosed fixtures because of lack of air vent. LEDs perform equally well in a colder terrain while the performance of CFL is affected by the external temperature.

  •  What are the major parameters to judge a good quality LED?

    a) All LEDs are quality certified, check for it on the cover label.

    b) The heat sink of the product should be designed in a way that it provides proper thermal conductivity and dispersal.

    c) Check whether lumens per watt is better by comparing it with other options to find out the efficacy of a good quality LED.

    d ) Driver is an important part which determines the life of the product. For Indian operations, the driver should be capable of handling wide voltage ranges i.e. between 150 to 270V and surges up to 2 kVA.

    e) Low maintenance cost, energy saving, retrofit capability, environment friendliness are few of the parameters to judge a good quality LED.

    f) Check for reliability and life span of a bulb before making an investment as this will decide your return on investment.