What is an LED Light?

With the current hot topic in energy consumption being LED lights and their energy efficiency benefits, some consumers might find that they are not completely familiar with what an LED is.  It is important for consumers to not only know that LED lights can save them money on utility bills and help the environment, but how the technology behind the lights allows them to do it.
 
LED is the acronym for “Light Emitting Diode”; a semiconductor device that produces light.  LEDs have evolved from small indicator lights to now being used for indoor and outdoor lighting solutions.  The LED consists of a plastic housing containing a cathode and anode, which are separated by a crystal of semiconductor material.  The anode and cathode work together to carry the current when voltage is applied.  The LED bulb is a collection of these LEDs, which need to be combined to increase the light output per bulb to a level suitable for personal use in a home or office environment. 

All the LEDs within a bulb have the same voltage and current requirements, creating a uniform device.  Besides this LED cluster, an LED bulb has other non-moving parts: Driver Electronics act as the “brain” of the bulbs and convert voltage; a Heat Sink acts as a thermal manager, keeping the bulb cool – unlike common incandescent lights: Optics diffuse the directional light, which creates a direct swath of bright light that doesn’t appear yellow, dull or directionless, like incandescent lights.  This technical superiority is what makes LED lights the perfection replacement for old incandescent lighting. 
New Tek Partners is a company that provides LED lighting solutions to everyone; from a new consumer looking to try a bulb in their home to an LED veteran looking to branch out and get creative.  Replacements for old screw-in incandescent bulbs, LED tubes, flood/wall packs and many other varieties of LED lights are available.  For those just getting into LED lighting, it would be best to take advantage of New Tek’s free Lighting Audit to see how much LED bulbs can help in your quest to save money.

Where in your home or office can you replace incandescent lighting with LED's?