Halogen light vs LED

Smart LED bulbs allow you to control elements such as colour range, light warmth and strength to your liking. Each type of light has positives and negatives but when put alongside LED technology, Halogen bulbs are mostly on the losing side. Because of their high energy efficiency, LED lights are more affordable to run. For the same amount of light, a halogen bulb consumes up to 500 watts per hour, while LED light uses a maximum of 20 watts per hour. Halogen lights are based on a light-emitting filament. This filament can be extremely hot, consequently leading to heat wastage. Further, this component is prone to shock when on. LED lights are shock and vibration-proof. The average life span of a halogen light is around 1,200 hours compared to 50,000 hours for LED lights.

Changing to LED lights from halogen lights immediately translates into energy savings. Reducing 500 watts per hour to 20 watts per hour for the same light amount is impressive. When it comes to durability, the LED bulb lasts longer than a Halogen bulb. LED bulbs present 50,000 hours lifespan, compared to up to 15,000 hours for Halogens. LED light bulbs require very minimal maintenance and are preferable due to their low environmental impact. Most LEDs are made from recyclable material. With a 40-watt bulb LED gives out 4,000 lumens of light output. A CFL and incandescent bulb of the same wattage provides 2400 and 450 lumens respectively.

LEDs use solid-state technology - their light is produced from a semiconductor. This is different from gas emission in halogen lights. Considering fire risk, this is an advantage to LEDs. Overheating is a popular cause of fire in electrical and electronic equipment and LED lights are highly unlikely to overheat and generate a fire. The running temperature for LEDs is significantly lower compared to halogen bulbs. The LED bulb is much cooler compared to the halogen bulb because it features a heat sink. At the lower section of the light, there is a central place where all the heat goes. LED technology ensures that the majority of the electricity is used to illuminate the actual light. The halogen bulb has a significantly higher energy emission which poses a serious fire risk, especially where carpets and curtains are nearby.

When buying lighting, it is important to understand the concept of colour temperature. A simple approach is to imagine heating a metal strip. With sustained heat, the strip assumes different colours. It usually starts with red and ends with blue. Colour temperature refers to the white light shade being produced. If you have ever heard a salesperson talk about a light being “warmer” or “cooler”, they were referred to colour temperature. Colour temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin and cooler temperature corresponds to higher degrees Kelvin while warmer temperature relates to lower degrees Kelvin. Newer fluorescent tubes have cooler temperatures, but conventional incandescent bulb are warmer. LED bulbs can emit warm colour from 2700K to 6500K.