Commercial Lighting Tampa Florida

Why Long-life LED Light Bulbs Will Likely Boost Lighting Control Adoption

Light bulb manufacturers have created a dilemma. LEDs now last so long that replacement cycles could be as long as 68 years, so revenues will crash. That's why smart bulbs (and lighting control) might be their savior.

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Light bulb makers are facing a self-created dilemma: they have made LEDs so efficient that replacement cycles for residences can be as long as 68 years apart. That means revenues are set to fall dramatically for manufacturers. According to one analyst, “smart bulbs” might just be the only viable solution for the industry.

 

That is good news for integrators because smart bulbs are likely to be linked to lighting control systems, or at least introduced the homeowner to the concept of lighting control. Smart bulbs include microprocessors that allow them to do things like blink when the phone rings or simulate a sunset to aid in going to sleep. These sorts of functions can also be done with lighting control systems and don’t require the homeowner to manipulate an app on their tablet or smartphone to initiate.

According to IHS Research, lighting manufacturers have “backed themselves into a corner” with 50,00-hour lifecycles for LED bulbs, or 20 years on average… up to 68 years in some instances depending on usage. IHS predicts the residential bulb industry will only grow 1.17 percent, so the industry needs to encourage homeowners to replace bulbs for different reasons than just waiting for them to burn out.

The research firm estimates there is a globally 38 billion to 40 billion residential light bulbs installed. With the new lifecycles, it means 550 million to 600 million fewer light bulbs will be purchased over the typical lifecycle. That is “significantly below” the current levels of shipments.

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IHS Research shows bulb shipments will fall dramatically over the next seven years as the percentage of LEDs installed in homes rises.

Given a future average price of less than $5 a bulb, this could limit the residential lamp market to under $3 billion a year, says IHS. The firm even used lower lifecycle estaimtes for just 25,000 hours and came to a similar conclusion.

So, what should bulb makers do? IHS came to three conclusions:

The first two options don’t seem viable for consumers. That means “smart lighting” will likely become a focus for bulb manufacturers, and over the long term should elevate the lighting control industry. In the meantime, integrators can continue to offer bulb replacement services to homeowners (and commercial clients).

REF: CEPro

 

'Finally' joins ranks of bulbs

In the quest for long-lasting, cost-effective light bulbs, startup Finally Light Bulb is rolling out yet another bulb to compete with LEDs, compact fluorescents and others vying to replace incandescent bulbs. Finally's bulb uses what it calls "acandescence," a 3-inch antenna in copper wire that creates a magnetic field. The field interacts with gases to create a coating inside the bulb that produces light. It's said to last 15 times longer than incandescents. A 60-watt bulb can be pre-ordered now for $9.99.

Read More At Investor's Business Daily: http://news.investors.com/051314-700726-finally-joins-ranks-of-bulbs.htm#ixzz31is6MUnE 
 

George Will: Incandescent light bulb has 'no effect whatever on the planet'

"Power is the ability to achieve intended effects," Will said on Fox News Sunday. "And this is not intended to have any effect on the real world. It’s a little bit like what environmentalism has become. The incandescent light bulb becomes the enemy. It has no effect whatever on the planet, but it makes people feel good about themselves."

We wondered about Will’s claim that the incandescent light bulb "has no effect whatever on the plant." We reached out to Will and did not hear back.

Neal Elliott, associate director for research at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, called Will’s claim "demonstrably untrue." The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy includes representatives from utilities, manufacturers and academia.

Elliott points to the work of the U.S. Energy Department. Following passage of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, the department has encouraged the use of more efficient alternatives such as compact fluorescent bulbs.

"Switching to energy-saving bulbs will reduce the growth of U.S. energy demand and avoid carbon emissions," the department writes on one of its many Web pages on this topic.

When it examined the lifetime energy use of different bulbs, from manufacture to end use, the department found that incandescent bulbs required three times more energy. All things being equal, the need for more electrical power translates into burning more fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, which leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions.

That is certainly an effect on the planet.

The government estimates that if every household got rid of incandescent bulbs, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to getting rid of 800,000 cars.

The closest we could find to an argument that might support Will was a group of scientists in Canada who said the switch to compact fluorescent bulbs might not always have a positive effect in every location. Factors such as the source of power — hydroelectric, coal, natural gas, nuclear, etc. — and the balance between the need for heating and air conditioning, could change the outcome from province to province. For example, in British Columbia, greenhouse gas emissions might go up, while in Saskatchewan, they would plummet.

Nevertheless, in total, they still found that emissions dropped using alternative light bulbs.

Electric utility companies across America are spending millions of dollars to promote the use of compact fluorescents on the theory that they will be able to avoid expensive investments in new power plants.

California is a leading state in this approach with over half a billion dollars slated to be spent over seven years. The energy savings have fallen short of expectations but the program has produced savings nevertheless.

Our ruling

Will said incandescent light bulbs have no effect whatsoever on the planet. There is broad consensus that incandescent bulbs are less efficient than alternatives such as compact fluorescent bulbs. And because they are less efficient, they require more energy — and generate more greenhouse gas emissions.

Hence, they clearly have an effect on the planet.

Alternative bulbs may not be a panacea, but Will went way too far in saying incandescent light bulbs play no role in how we consume energy resources. We rate Will’s claim False.

REF: Tampa Bay Times

Sleeping under an artificial sunset: Hands-on with the Drift Light bulb

Can a light bulb with a microprocessor help you sleep better? Crave's Amanda Kooser tucks in with the Drift Light, a high-tech Sandman.

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There are all sorts of apps out there you can use to track your sleep. Sometimes they involve keeping your phone or a fitness wristband in bed with you to pick up on all your tossing and turning. If apps and hardware accoutrements just aren't your thing, then you might like Saffron's Drift Light, a smart light bulb that is also incredibly simple.

The 40W-equivalent LED Drift Light has a built-in microprocessor. No app, no extra hardware, and no fuss. You just screw the bulb into a light fixture. In my case, I used the bedside lamp I always have on before bed. Turn it on once and the Drift acts like a regular light.

Turn it on, off, and back on, and it blinks to let you know it's entered midnight mode, in which it fades to dark over the course of 37 minutes, mimicking the light change involved in a real sunset. The third option is called moonlight mode and it fades the bulb down to a gentle glow to act as a nightlight.

The idea behind the artificial sunset is to encourage your body to react like humans did before we had electricity, laptops, tablets, and phones to keep us occupied way into the wee hours. Saffron says the bulb is meant to promote relaxation and increase melatonin to encourage good sleep.

I've been testing out the $29 Drift Light for the last week. I'm notoriously bad about falling asleep. I shuffle around looking for a comfortable position and listen to podcasts when I really can't get into dreamland. The first night I used the Drift Light in midnight mode, I really noticed it moving silently down through the dimness settings and ultimately turning off. Over the next few nights, it got to the point where I never caught it turning off because I was already asleep.

It helps when you can really dial in the timing for the bulb. Knowing it takes 37 minutes to count down to blackness, you can time it to turn off right about when you would normally be going to sleep.

There is something soothing about the world dimming around you. It's like being a kid with an early bedtime, sensing the sun set outside your window.

My one-week trial run is hardly a huge sample size. I still woke up a few times during the night, but most of that was due to a 12-pound cat weighing down my knees. Your experience with a product like this may vary, but it's a temptingly simple alternative to a lot of the other, more complex sleep-aid technologies out there.

REF: CNET

Here comes another new idea to replace the traditional light bulb

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As long as I’ve been covering energy technologies, there have been ambitious entrepreneurs looking to offer better replacements for the traditional incandescent light bulb (which is being phased out in the U.S.). Among the problems that face lighting startups: The bulb is too expensive, manufacturing is really hard for a startup and regulatory hurdles take too long, among other things.

Finally bulbRegardless of the hurdles, though, here comes another startup with major ambition. On Monday a startup calledFinally Light Bulb Company launched, led by entrepreneur John Goscha, who previously founded a company that makes dry erase whiteboard paint. Finally makes a replacement for an incadescent (A type) light bulb that is both energy efficient and relatively inexpensive compared to some of the LEDs out there.

The bulb uses induction technology and, as the New York Times explains it, the engineers at the company were able to shrink down the induction device to a three-inch antenna wrapped in a copper wire. The result is a magnetic field inside a bulb, which enables mercury to make ultraviolet light that interacts with a phosphor coating on the bulb to produce visible light. They’re calling the technology “Acandescence,” and the startup, which is based outside of Boston, has raised about $19 million in funding.

The big upside of the Finally bulb is that the company says its quality of light is similar to an incandescent — a warm solid glow — but without the crazy-high LED prices. Many consumers hate CFLs, because the light can be such a low quality, and until very recently LEDs have been in the two-digit dollar prices. The Finally bulb is 75 percent more efficient than an incandescent and lasts 15 times longer.

Finally.bulb2The company says it intends for the first 60-watt replacement Finally bulb to be available in stores in July of this year for $7.99 (you can pre-order it now for $9.99). The 75-watt and the 100-watt will be available in the fall, says the company. They’re manufacturing it in India, and it “has almost all of its regulatory approvals,” notes the New York Times.

The big issue I see with the Finally bulb is that $8 doesn’t seem cheap enough to replace the incandescent. Big LED companies like Cree havelaunched sub-$10 LEDs and they have deep pockets to promote and distribute their bulbs. LED bulbs are just getting cheaper and cheaper, and seem as if they will inevitably be the dominant form of lighting in the future. A startup with novel tech could make money off of the slow-moving LED price drop in the short term, but LEDs will eventually get so good and cheap that it will be hard to compete with them.

REF: GIGAOM

Everything You Need To Know About Life Beyond The Incandescent Light Bulb

 

Wherever we work, rest, play or live, we depend on light. It illuminates our world, creates powerful ambiance, and has limitless applications.

So when the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) passed in 2007, there was some concern over what it would mean for consumers. The next seven years marked a count down to what would ultimately be a complete phase out of the ever popular incandescent bulb.

As of January 1, 2014, incandescent bulbs can no longer be manufactured in and imported to the U.S. However, most Americans say they feel left out in the dark about the phase out. Only 40% of Americans were aware of the changes, according to the results of our 2008 Socket Survey. But, with two-thirds of us already planning to switch to more efficient bulbs, the good news is most of us are well on our way to being prepared for life beyond the incandescent.

For over 125 years, the incandescent bulb has remained relatively unchanged: an electrical current passes through a filament, causing it to heat and give off light. However, these bulbs only harness 10% of that energy, and the other 90% is lost as heat. Multiply this by the EPA's estimated 3 billion incandescent lights in use today, and you get a lot of wasted energy. We've come a long way since Thomas Edison's breakthrough back in 1879, and we will never forget his historical legacy. But as an innovator, we doubt he'd approve of our continued use of inefficient technology.

While the truth is that new, more energy-efficient bulbs have a higher price tag, they're well worth the investment. That's because they are longer lasting, more durable and consume a fraction of the energy of their predecessors. By switching to smarter lighting choices – halogen, compact fluorescent and LED bulbs -American households could collectively save $6 billion on energy costs in 2015 alone.

Still not sure about your lighting choices? Don't worry. With today's energy saving options, we need to look at lumens to determine the brightness of a bulb, and not simply focus on wattage. Wattage indicates energy consumption. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light, and vice versa. Just as more efficient cars get more miles per gallon, more efficient light bulbs get more lumens per watt.

Here's a breakdown of what you can expect from the new lighting choices:

Halogen bulbs improve over traditional incandescent technology by putting a small amount of gas together with a tungsten filament. The new halogen general-purpose lamps meet EISA standards and last an average of 1,000 hours–the same as most traditional incandescent bulbs. The most affordable option of the three, halogen bulbs are available in most shape, style, and beam angle imaginable, and offer a range of color quality from clear, bright white to a familiar warm light of traditional incandescent bulbs. 


Use for: high-quality task lighting for places like office spaces and craft rooms or pendant fixtures that hang over a kitchen island

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use up to 75% less energy than incandescent, and can last up to 11 years, making these bulbs more than worth the initial investment. Improvements in CFL technology have also reduced the harsh light often associated with them, and are now available in soft white, bright white, and daylight colors. However, if you plan to use a CFL with a dimmer switch, make sure to choose a bulb with "dimmable" on the packaging. Not all CFLs have this function.


Use for: bright, crisp lighting in places like garages and utility closets

LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs, like CFLs, have increased energy efficiency (up to 80% less consumed), generate a fraction of the heat, and last anywhere from 15 to 20 years. With solid state lighting, LEDs offer a great range and quality of color and are incredibly reliable and sustainable. Though these bulbs have a higher initial cost, in most cases the total cost of ownership over the life of the bulb is actually the lowest of the three. On top of that, many energy suppliers are encouraging customers to make the switch to LED lights, so keep an eye out for utility rebate programs.


Use for: general, ambient light for table lamps all around the home including bedrooms and living rooms

So consider this an opportunity to refresh your lighting lingo and make smarterlighting choices. Not only will you create a more energy-efficient home, but you'll do your part to create a more sustainable future. Because after all, there is life beyond the incandescent bulb.

GE’s LineFit Light LEDs Allow Fast, Simple Retrofit of Fluorescent Cabinet Signs, Transform Visual Appeal with Up to 76 Percent Energy Savings

GE’s LineFit Light LEDs Allow Fast, Simple Retrofit of Fluorescent Cabinet Signs, Transform Visual Appeal with Up to 76 Percent Energy Savings - As a key visual touchpoint for consumers, bright and evenly illuminated outdoor signage is crucial to the brand image of countless businesses and stores - GELighting.com

 

GE continues to provide business owners and sign makers alike with the reliable, easy-to-install and energy-saving sign lighting they desire with its latest innovation, GE’s LineFit Light LED Lighting System.


The new GE LineFit Light LED system is designed as a simple replacement for upgrading fluorescent cabinet and box sign lighting with energy-efficient LED technology providing 58 to 76 percent energy savings compared with T12HO fluorescents. Available in 11 sizes and three color temperatures, the LineFit Light LED offers versatility for a multitude of double-sided signage sizes and styles to improve overall visual aesthetics with bright, uniform light that is virtually maintenance-free.


“LED lighting offers several benefits and improvements for outdoor signage lighting compared with standard fluorescents. From significant energy cost reductions and easier jobsite installation, to less frequent maintenance and more consistent brightness, as well as uniformity and cold weather performance across your signs, LED stands as the ultimate choice,” said Mark Shepard, global product manager for GE Lighting. “GE’s new LineFit LED system offers all these benefits and more with the potential to save money not just in operation, but on the installation as well.”


Utilizing existing fluorescent sockets (R17d) for a quick and easy four-step installation, the GE LineFit Light LEDs can be up-and-running in just minutes per fixture, immediately slashing installation labor time and costs. LineFit Light’s specialized rotating end caps also ensure proper alignment and ultimate light output directed toward the sign face.


And, GE’s patented OptiLens™ optical lens technology ensures that light is used efficiently, while also helping to protect each LED against moisture, humidity, damage and corrosion. Unlike fluorescent options that emit light in a 360° pattern, each LED module is optimized to capture otherwise wasted light and redirect it where it is needed toward the illuminated surface of the sign. OptiLens also eliminates striping and shadows on the sign face that can occur with fluorescent tubes.


Additionally, with a life rating of 50,000 hours, the new LineFit Light LED lighting system helps to eliminate frequent bulb changes associated with fluorescent tubes, further cutting down on maintenance time and costs.


To determine the type and quantity of LED sign lighting products that are ideal for your company’s specific needs, check out the interactive Tetra® Signage Design Tool.

REF: Newswire Today.com

Why New Lightbulbs Will Make White T-Shirts Look Bad

LEDs spell the end of a time-honored laundry detergent trick.

LED lightbulbs are incredibly energy efficient, but they could do a number on your crisp white button-downs: According to a new study led by Kevin Houser, a professor of architectural engineering at Penn State University, the most common type of LED lightbulb renders clothing brighteners—the chemicals in detergents that claim to make your whites whiter—useless.

Unlike bleaches, those detergents don’t actually change the fabric’s color: but they make it look whiter, at least under the lights we’re used to. Optical brighteners are used to make white clothes (and other things, including printer paper and blond highlights) appear whiter. These “fluorescent whitening agents” produce a subtle blue glow under most sources of light, counteracting dingy yellow tones and creating a perception of brightness. They have been engineered over decades to work well under sunlight, fluorescent light, and incandescent light.

But if you are one of the many people making the switch to blue-pumped LEDs, your life (or at least your laundry) might get a little bit dingier. The whiteners only glow under violet and ultraviolet light, which the most common type of LED bulb—the blue-pumped LED—lacks.

You probably don’t realize it, but your laundry detergent is always ready for a rave. (Wikimedia Commons)

The study compared test subjects’ perception of different levels of fluorescence on white backgrounds (with progressively more optical brighteners) under several lighting conditions. A halogen lamp was used, along with a typical blue-pumped LED bulb and three violet-pumped LEDs. Sure enough, participants saw the more fluorescent objects as whiter with each increase in violet light emission. And when they tried to sort the objects by perceived “whiteness” under the light of a blue-pumped LED, they seemed to guess randomly.

It’s hard to choose, they’re all so different. (Penn State / Patrick Mansell)

The market for LEDs is expected to increase rapidly in the coming years: A recent projection by the consulting group McKinsey & Company estimated that dropping costs and an increase in bans on incandescent bulbs mean that LEDs will make up 45 percent of the global general lighting market by 2016, and 69 percent of the market in 2020.

For those moving from incandescent light to a more energy-efficient source, many prefer LEDs to fluorescents. And indeed, research has established that colors are still distinguishable and pleasing to the eye under blue-pumped LEDs, the researchers said. But in a home or business lit with LEDs, you might not see the sparkling white products you’ve grown used to—ranging from paper documents to platinum blond hair to tablecloths. That’s because of a mismatch between the way fluorescent whitening agents were engineered and this new form of lighting.

The researchers offer a solution to this mismatch: If companies producing lightbulbs focus on putting violet light into household LEDs, they suggest, we might end up feeling a lot better about our freshly-laundered gym socks.

REF: The Atlantic

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The Best LED Light Bulbs for Vivid, Rich Colors

What to look for in an energy-efficient LED light bulb. Plus shining examples like the Cree TW, GE Reveal, and Sylvania Ultra HD

http://live.wsj.com/video/led-bulbs-what-to-know-before-you-buy/0F869A4C-793D-4E6E-878E-F1E522D623E9.html

FINDING a light bulb that casts a crisp, flattering glow can be complicated these days. The most advanced bulbs on the market—known as LED models—are kind of like the Tesla Roadster of the lighting world: eco-friendly, high-performance and loaded with dizzying options.

While the light from early-gen LED bulbs could be pallid, the latest models from major manufacturers—like Cree, CREE +1.80% GE, Lighting Science (often sold under Home Depot's EcoSmart brand), Philips and Sylvania—are indistinguishable from a standard incandescent. They've also gotten brighter: You can now find models comparable to 100-watt incandescent bulbs

Prices have plummeted, too. Although at roughly $10 to $20 each, the average LED bulb is more expensive than an incandescent, you can get superlative light for that premium.

Photos: Top LED Light Bulbs: An Apples-to-Oranges Comparison

Even our three favorite LED bulbs produced drastically different types of light. See what effect glow had on three common fruits.

View Slideshow

 

Click to view slideshow

 

 

 

The only problem is, you can rarely tell what kind of light a bulb will emit just by looking at the box. "We're still in the wild West," said Mark Rea, director of the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "You almost need to be a lighting nerd to know what to buy." The only sure way to assess a bulb's performance is to test it at home. Dr. Rea recommends buying from a retailer with a good return policy.

Here are five things picky lighting consumers should know before hitting the hardware store.

1. CHECK THE SPECS

The industry uses two standard metrics to describe a bulb's light quality. "Color temperature" indicates whether the white light will skew warm (orangy) or cool (blue). For an incandescent-like glow, choose a color temp of 2,700K or 2,900K. The higher the temperature, the cooler the glow.

The second number is "color rendering index," or CRI, which indicates how accurately the light renders colors. According to conventional LED wisdom, a CRI of 80 (out of 100) is fine, but lighting aficionados will want to opt for 90.

2. TRUST YOUR EYES

These specs can be misleading, however. We found that bulbs with the same CRI could make the objects in a room look markedly different. According to Dr. Rea, that's because CRI doesn't indicate how vividly a bulb will render colors, whether hues will pop or appear more muted. Again, the best way to tell is an at-home test. "Look at the colors you care about—the faces of people in the room," said Dr. Rea. "Do they look as you expect?" Color temp can be an imperfect guide, too. Bulbs that we tested with the exact same color temperature (2,700K) varied in appearance from yellow-tinged to cooler, pure white.

3. PICK THE RIGHT SHAPE

LED bulbs are available in a standard bulb shape, which casts light all around, as well as a floodlight-style shape that shines in a specific direction. In general, we found the light quality from the floodlight-style bulb to be superior. Use these in lamps that direct light in one direction—like a task lamp or a recessed ceiling fixture. For the latter, Dr. Rea recommends running new bulbs continuously for 24 to 48 hours to make sure they don't fail prematurely. "Heat will kill these things," he said.

4. MAKE SURE IT DIMS PROPERLY

If an LED is dimmable, it'll say so clearly on the label. Just know that a compatible dimmer may be required, and that, unlike with incandescents, LEDs don't warm in color as you dim them. Sylvania's Ultra "Sunset Effects" bulb offers a clever hack: It shines warm white at full brightness but shifts to an amber-colored LED as you dim the bulb. (We found the effect to be convincing at the dimmest setting only.) Philips's DimTone bulbs have a similar feature.

5. PUT AWAY YOUR HAZMAT SUIT

Unlike compact-fluorescent bulbs, LEDs do not contain mercury. "LEDs are much safer than fluorescent because they're not likely to release vapors," said Oladele Ogunseitan, a professor of social ecology at the University of California, Irvine. A study he co-authored found that a sample LED light bulb contained toxic materials, but he clarified that "if the case [of an LED bulb] cracks, it poses no risk to individuals." Still, LEDs are small electronics and should be recycled like a cellphone or computer, he said.

Shining Examples of LED Bulbs

When it comes to light quality, one size does not fit all. Picking a great light bulb is as personal as choosing the perfect paint color for a room. That said, there are a few models worth putting on your shortlist.

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GE Reveal F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

 

 

 

At first, the light from the GE GE +0.11%Reveal 60-watt equivalent bulb (around $18), may seem cooler than you're used to, almost clinical. But give it a few days. Designed to strip away dingy yellows and highlight reds, it casts a pure white light that makes colors pop. A floodlight-style version of the bulb is also available.

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Cree TW Series F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

 

 

 

If the light of the GE Reveal appears too cool, the Cree TW Series 60-watt equivalent is a good alternative. It has a slightly yellow tint, similar to an incandescent bulb, and renders colors exceptionally well. The bulb is available at Home Depot stores in California and a few other states, as well as online. The price varies from $9 to $16, depending on local utility rebates.

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Sylvania's Ultra HD F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal

 

REF: The Wall Street Journal

  • Commercial Lighting Tampa FL, 813-935-4448 / 813-514-1264 / 813-514-1265 / 813-932-1086 / 813-932-1547 / 813-935-8235

    CommercialLightingTampa.com, 8139354448 / 8135141264 / 8135141265 / 8139321086 / 8139321547 / 8139358235

 

For maximum sparkle, nothing we've seen compares with Sylvania's Ultra HDfloodlight-style bulbs ($22-$35), which have been tweaked to accentuate reds associated with skin tone. Lowe's is the exclusive retailer; online, search for part number 352306; in store, look for "HD Lighting" on the package. A standard-shape bulb in this series will be released this summer.

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