LED lamps are the newest alternative to obsolete incandescent lamps. Their assortment has recently expanded significantly, which creates certain difficulties: how can a simple consumer choose an LED lamp so that it is of proper quality and does not hit hard on the budget? And anyway, do you need it for the house?
Advantages and disadvantages of LED lamps
Doubts about the advisability of using LED lamps for a home are related to the main and, probably, their only drawback - a high price. Today the price for such a lamp starts from 200 rubles, the upper limit can be an order of magnitude higher.
The advantages of LED light bulbs are much greater:
- has a very long service life, which reaches 50 thousand hours, which corresponds to 10-12 years of continuous operation;For comparison, the average service life of incandescent lamps is about 1000 hours, and the energy-saving ones are 10,000 hours;
- low power consumption - lamps with LEDs consume several times less electricity than incandescent lamps;
- environmentally friendly - LED lamps, unlike popular energy saving, do not contain toxic substances harmful to the environment and human health;
- wide range of applications - LED devices are used in living areas as a main or additional light source, for lighting interior objects, as well as in night lamps, table lamps, flashlights, etc.
Criteria for choosing LED lamps
When buying LED lamps, pay attention toseveral key factors.
Manufacturer
The high cost of LED lamps makes us particularly attentive to manufacturing companies: only such well-known companies guarantee quality and long-term operation of their devices.
I buy LED light bulbs in this store - the choice is always huge and the prices are acceptable.
Socket type
LED lamps for home lamps have a different type of socle, the most popular of which are:
- E 27( plinth, standard for incandescent lamps);
- E 14( standard for Mignon lamps);
- GU 5.3( for spotlights);
- G 4;
- G 9;
- T 8.
Lamp shape
Lamp with LEDs can have a variety of shapes: round, pear-shaped, in the form of a candle, like corn cob, tablet, elongated, etc. The choice depends on your taste.
Presence of radiator
The radiator is a finned surface area made of aluminum. It serves to cool LEDs that do not tolerate heat very well.
If the manufacturer does not pay enough attention to cooling LEDs, the lamp will quickly fail. The plastic housing of the lamp also can not provide a sufficient level of cooling of the LED unit.
Brightness of luminescence
Modern LEDs give an opportunity to get up to 70 lumens per watt. Especially good indicators are highly efficient expensive LEDs. Buying an LED lamp, usually focus on the analogy with incandescent lamps, reducing power by 5-10 times. For example, to replace a 60 watt bulb, you need to purchase a 6 watt LED lamp.
Color temperature
This indicator adjusts the color that the LED lamp shines. The color temperature of 2700 K corresponds to the yellowish glow, which is inherent, including incandescent lamps. This shade of light is most comfortable and pleasant for the eyes. At a temperature of 2800 - 3200 K, the light becomes warm white, at 4500 - 5000 K - neutral "daylight".Thus, the higher the color temperature, the colder the shade of white.
Power Supply
The power factor of the power supply unit must not be less than 0.9.The quality of the power supply directly affects the quality of the device. It should have built-in protection against power surges, breakdowns, overheating. The lamp with a poor-quality block will flash, which can be seen with the naked eye. Therefore, to buy lamps is only from well-known manufacturers.
Packaging and appearance
A quality lamp should have the appropriate packaging. It must necessarily contain instructions on the manufacturer, power, color temperature, light output and color ration, as well as barcode.
The lamp itself should also be qualitatively designed: smooth, without burrs and roughness, without badly painted surfaces, protruding wires.
Although LED bulbs today remain an expensive pleasure, but this technology continues to evolve with many prospects. Experts are sure - the future behind the LEDs!
