LED lights USES AND PRICES

LEDs last considerably longer than incandescent or fluorescent lights, and are more efficient. But these advantages may not be enough. Their current prices are too high for many uses.

LEDs Prices

Currently, the prices of LED bulbs are often in the range $25-$60 (for small lamps and night lamps), which makes them uncompetitive in many applications, even taking into account that they are at least as efficient as the best fluorescent and that the best of them may have a lifespan of 50,000 hours, that is, 20 years or more for average uses.

Things will surely become different in the next few years, with the expected lowering of the prices of LEDs, but meanwhile their advantages are limited to some specific uses.

Uses where LEDs can be competitive

The cost savings of LEDs make them worthy for applications where their higher longevity is important (places difficult to reach, for instance). They can also be competitive for uses demanding smaller wattage lamps.

Dimmable LED Light LEDs are also advantageous for uses involving dimming. Since dimmable fluorescents are expensive, and since LEDs are much more energy efficient and last much longer than incandescent, that make LEDs competitive for larger uses.

The small size of the LED lights, or their resistance to shocks and to frequent on-off cycling can also make them a good choice for specific uses, where such features are important.

Outdoor uses

LEDs have also a word to say for safety and security uses in the outdoors, where fluorescents are often a bad solution: only specially designed fluorescent lamps operate at very low temperatures: down to –20°F.

LEDs operate well in low temperatures (though not in very high ones…) and may incorporate automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensors, which make them an option to consider for some outdoor uses.

LED Decorating lights

See: Decorating Christmas Lights

General uses of LEDs

LEDs in task and reading applications Other uses where LEDs can be considered include task and reading applications, stair and walkway lighting, cabinets, recessed lighting (ceiling cans) and accent lighting...