Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

21st century lighting

 Contents
Introduction page 3
Advantages of LEDs page 4
Good ways to use LEDs page 6
Where traditional solutions may be best page 8
LEDs: facts and figures page 10
The future page 13
2 3
Introduction
LED lighting is currently the most This brochure discusses the
talked about subject within the features of LEDs for the Thorlux
lighting industry, and with good market sector (industrial and
reason: LEDs have properties that commercial lighting). It also
can be exploited to create identifies applications where
innovative, cost-effective LEDs can shine - and those where
lighting systems. existing technology may provide
a more appropriate solution.
At Thorlux, we are keen to use
new technologies to our
customers’ advantage, and have
worked to match the features
of LEDs to practical lighting
applications. LEDs are superb for
producing directional light with
sparkle and colour, for
miniaturisation, for low voltage
applications and in cases where
long life and low maintenance
are important.
 Advantages of LEDs
LEDs are directional -
With good optical design,
LEDs emit their light where it is
required, with reduced light spill.
Low power consumption -
LEDs achieve good luminous
efficacy. (Luminous efficacy
is a ratio of the visible light
created by a source to the power
consumed - higher values
therefore represent more light
per unit of electricity.)
Some typical values* are:
Luminous efficacy
(lumens/watt)
LED 80
Compact fluorescent 76
Tungsten halogen 20
Incandescent 13
* See also the values in the section
LEDs: facts and figures (page 10)
4 5
Long life -
The lifespan of an LED is often
greater than 50,000 hours.
LEDs are also resistant to shock
and vibration, and can be switched
on and off repeatedly with
no negative impact on life.
Good environmental credentials -
LEDs contain no mercury (unlike
high intensity discharge (HID)
and fluorescent lamps, which
need to be handled and disposed
of carefully). LEDs also do not
produce ultra violet or infra-red
light which can damage
sensitive surfaces.
Instant light -
When an LED is switched
on, maximum light output is
produced instantly. A fluorescent
or HID luminaire may take longer
to reach its full brightness.
Ideal in low voltage applications -
Emergency lighting normally uses
integral battery packs; the LED
operating voltage is only 4 volts
DC and therefore closely matches
that of a battery pack, without
complex inverters and high
voltage starting systems.
Flicker free -
With LEDs, a simple electronic
driver can produce comfortable
flicker free light.
Dimming -
LEDs can be dimmed using
standard dimming protocol.
Colours -
LEDs are available in a range
of different colours directly from
the chip: light is produced
efficiently without the need for
filters. Simple electronic controls
can mix multiple LEDs to produce
varying colours and colour
temperatures to suit mood.
 Good ways to use LEDs
Emergency lighting -
LEDs are ideal for emergency
lighting because:
l they operate at low voltage
and match the battery
voltages that are
commonly used
l lighting levels and colour
quality requirements are low
l glare is not too important.
The advantages of LEDs
in emergency lighting are their
long life, reliability, and low
running cost with the possibility
of using lenses to increase the
spacing of luminaires.
s Thorlux recommends
a dedicated non-mantained
high performance emergency
LED system that is totally
separate from the general
lighting installation.
6 7
Thorlux LED emergency ranges,
such as the Scanlight LED
Downlighter, enjoy significantly
increased luminaire spacings over
conventional fluorescent solutions
while improving reliability and
reducing costs.
For exit lighting, the Thorlux LEX
edge-lit exit sign uses low power
LEDs operated at only 15-20mA,
with a target life expectancy
of around 80,000 hours.
All LED circuit boards in Thorlux
emergency ranges are easily
replaceable via a plug and
socket connection.
Decorative (accent) lighting -
LEDs have intense brightness
and are ideal for creating sparkle
and effect. Their small dimensions
often allow discreet siting
providing unobtrusive
lighting solutions.
Thorlux Swivix Micro, Swivix Midi,
Quadrum and Spear are ideal
for decorating an area as
supplementary lighting, and add
an extra dimension to a lighting
system. Thorlux has launched
a whole new range of decorative
LED luminaires under its
Thorlux Design brand - see
www.thorluxdesign.com or ask
for the Thorlux Design brochure.
Outdoor lighting -
The amount of light required
(i.e. the lumen output) from
outdoor lighting systems
is usually much less than that
required indoors, so LEDs may
be suitable. Recent changes
to European standards have
reduced the lighting levels
required for many outdoor spaces.
LEDs can be used to great effect
for creating colour interest
or sparkle. Even general white
lighting applications, out of doors,
are becoming a reality as LED
lumen outputs improve.
For decorative outdoor lighting,
consider the Thorlux Blinkz, Gaize,
Circlex, Icebox and Ovix luminaires -
see www.thorluxdesign.com
or ask for the Thorlux Design
brochure. Thorlux is currently
developing luminaires that will
provide general outdoor lighting
from LEDs.
General lighting -
LEDs may be suitable for some
indoor areas which do not require
high lumen output sources, such
as toilets and circulation spaces.
However in main office and
factory environments high lumen
output packages using
fluorescent or HID will offer
better, more cost effective task
lighting solutions; see
Where traditional solutions may
be best (page 8)
As LED costs reduce and
efficiencies improve, LED
downlighters are becoming more
viable. Downlighters don’t
generally need to comply with
tough glare limits.
Tips:
s When specifying LEDs
it is important to choose the
correct colour rendition (Ra).
(Colour rendition describes
a lamp’s ability to show
surface colours accurately.)
A value of Ra80 and above
is appropriate for indoor
applications; Ra65 and above
for outdoor applications.
s Think about lifetimes:
if burning hours are long
and life expectations are
high, specify that the LED
circuits must be easily
replaceable via a plug and
socket for example.
s Think about through-life
costs and energy. Some LED
solutions may use more
energy than other solutions
to produce the same amount
of light. Compare values
for lumens/watt for a whole
scheme including all gear
losses and light output ratio
losses. If operated at high
power levels, LEDs may have
a low life expectancy.
s All LEDs should have
a properly engineered heat
sink to maintain the correct
operating temperature:
if an LED gets too hot, it will
fail prematurely and long life
expectations will not be met.
Thorlux LED luminaires are
carefully designed to conduct
heat away.
 Where traditional solutions may be best
LEDs may not be the ideal
solution for lighting all areas:
they are excellent in some
applications but not all.
At Thorlux, we think that LEDs are
not yet a financially viable
solution for most general lighting
applications, such as those
required in offices or factories.
LEDs are generally poor
at producing high average
lighting levels across a working
area (300-500 lux), high colour
rendition light, and low glare
(less than 1500cd/m2). In addition,
the more power that is demanded
from LEDs, the shorter their life
expectancy and the more complex
and expensive operation and heat
sinking become; See LEDs: facts
and figures (page 10).
8 9
Where long life is required consider,
for example, the Philips ‘Xtreme’
T8 fluorescent lamp, which has
good luminous efficacy of more
than 100 lumens/watt, a colour
rendering index above Ra80, and
a life of around 80,000 hours.
When choosing downlighters,
a good single lamp, high efficiency,
32W compact fluorescent
downlighter, such as one from the
Thorlux G3 range, often remains
the best solution. (Sometimes
LED downlighter performance
figures are compared with that
of twin 26W type downlighters,
which are notoriously inefficient)
Warning
Thorlux do not recommend the
use of LED tube replacements
for fluorescent lamps; very few
examples provide the correct
solution, and in certain cases
they may produce a hazard. Full
details can be obtained in the
Lighting Industry Federation (LIF)
Technical Statement No. 41
(available on the LIF website
www.lif.co.uk or
www.thorlux.com/pdfs/ts41.pdf ).
LED tubes used as conversions
for existing luminaires
will probably:
invalidate any remaining
l
warranty
l invalidate safety,
electromagnetic and
CE/national approvals
l significantly affect luminaire
distribution and probably
adversely affect the uniformity
of the scheme. Glare indices
will change, normally for the
worse, as LED light sources
are much brighter
l make emergency luminaires
inoperative
l produce less light and worse
colour rendition than if a new
triphosphor lamp is fitted and
the luminaire cleaned down.
 LEDs: facts and figures
Efficiency -
LEDs are still not as efficient as
other traditional light sources, as
shown in the table below. All LEDs
produce substantial amounts
of heat and require good thermal
management to conduct this heat
away as wasted energy. Failure
to regulate the heat will result in
poor performance characteristics
and reduce life expectancy.
Typical “lamp”
luminous efficacy
(lumens/watt)
Fluorescent T5 110
Fluorescent T8 100
High pressure sodium 145
Metal halide 100
LED* 80
* Using a good heat sink.
10
LEDs can make up the shortfall
in luminous efficacy with good
optical control, however.
Note: Sales literature often quotes
LEDs at their maximum efficiency.
This is known as cold lumens; the
output is taken at initial switch
on while the LED is at 25oC. Total
system efficiency is adversely
affected by rising temperatures
during operation and by diffusers
(lenses) required to reduce high
source intensity. Once the LED
is within a luminaire, light output
can be significantly reduced.
In addition, efficiency is often
quoted at very cool colour
temperatures (e.g. 6500oK) and
low colour renditions (e.g. Ra 65).
Warmer colours and better quality
light are often required and this
may reduce actual efficiency
achieved by up to 50%.
Lumen output -
A single LED chip operated
at a high power level of 1.2W
produces only up to 100 lumens,
so many would be needed
within one luminaire to produce
sufficient light for general
lighting applications. This would
be both expensive (see Cost)
and possibly impractical
(see Lifespan, page 11).
A Thorlux XL-Five 4 x14W
luminaire produces 4800 lumens.
A twin 400W Thorlux tunnel
luminaire produces 113,000
lumens - over 1000 power LEDs
would be needed to produce the
same amount of light.
Cost -
For LEDs to reduce the total
power consumed (and hence
the running costs) compared
with a good quality fluorescent
scheme, it is likely that it there
is a compromise such as reduced
general lighting levels and/or
colour rendition.
To produce 1000 lumens
with LED chips is currently
20 times more expensive
than with fluorescent
light sources.
Lifespan -
The life of an LED is often greater
than 50,000 hours. LEDs are also
resistant to shock and vibration.
There are many different types
of LED chip. LEDs are typically
operated at currents from as low
as 15mA (e.g. Thorlux LEX edge-lit
emergency exit sign) to 1000mA
(e.g. Thorlux Scanlight LED
downlighter) and above. Some
systems now operate at >2000mA.
Unlike a lamp, an LED seldom fails
to operate completely; instead
its light output reduces until
it no longer produces sufficient
light. Life for an LED is normally
the point at which its light output
reduces below 70% of its initial
lumens. This is quite frequently
as low as 30,000 hours which can
be a fraction of the quoted life.
Some manufacturers are designing
their luminaires with LED circuit
boards that cannot be replaced,
and so at the end of life the whole
luminaire has to be replaced.
A life of 30,000 hours represents
only four years at 24 hours per
day operation.
To produce enough light, multiple
LEDs are often used. In some
cases, these are connected
in series and the failure of one
LED, one solder joint or connection
(e.g. plug and socket) causes
all LEDs to stop functioning. More
complex systems using multiple
LEDs (e.g. outdoor long life street
lighting) should have inbuilt
protection to allow the other LEDs
to continue to function should
individual LEDs fail.
System life is also dependent
upon the electronic driver. There
are many different types
of drive technology.
Colour quality -
White LEDs are less efficient the
warmer their colour temperature.
Most LEDs produce blue light and
convert it to white light by using
a phosphor coating or separate
phosphor coated panel. Many
LEDs only produce light at a low
colour rendering index: Ra 65.
European standard BS EN 12464 -
Lighting Requirements for Indoor
Work Places - specifies that Ra 80
or above is required for general
lighting applications and although
LEDs are available with higher
colour rendering characteristics,
they are more expensive and
less efficient.
Spares replacement -
LED luminaires for professional
applications seldom come with
a conventional lampholder fixing
for ease of “lamp” replacement.
After only four years, some good
quality LED systems will have
reached the end of their life. Easy
replacement of LED circuit boards
(“lamp”) may be required
in certain applications.
Glare -
LEDs are a point source, often
with only a 1mm2 surface area.
The small emission window
means that the light is very
intense, which can be good
in display lighting applications,
but for general lighting
applications, the source needs
to be diffused and this reduces
efficiency significantly.
11
 LEDs: facts and figures
Cooling -
The power dissipated within
a small chip is very intense, and
even with the latest high
efficiency LEDs, significant heat
is generated.
Special heat sinks are needed
in power LED applications.
In some cases, water cooling, heat
pipes and even active cooling
using a vibrating air mechanism
are used. These add cost and can
create reliability concerns.
Consistency -
LED manufacturers use a “bin”
system to separate LEDs
of different colour performance.
Binning is complex and even
with the best quality controls
in place, two LEDs side by side
can have colour variance and
light output differences.
12
Variations in LED performance -
There are numerous types
of LEDs and they all perform
differently.
Compared with coloured LEDs,
white LEDs degrade more quickly
and light output reduces as the
phosphor coatings deteriorate.
High power LEDs produce more
light than low power LEDs, but
their life is shorter. Some low
power LEDs are ideal for long life
applications, but, of course, they
produce lower light outputs.
Low quality LEDs -
Individual LEDs and LED
luminaires of low quality have
inevitably appeared in the
market and these may well have
been manufactured in inferior
environments with lower quality
control procedures than those
used by major suppliers.
LED fluorescent tubes marketed
as high efficiency, low energy,
lamp replacement products are
unlikely to provide the end user
with a good cost effective solution.
Lamp efficacy, colour quality and
life expectancy claims are very
difficult to validate without
specialist equipment, as would
be their effect, especially in regard
to uniformity, should they be used
as a direct replacement for
fluorescent tubes on an existing
light installation.
13
 The future
LED technology is a fast evolving,
complex new technology.
So watch this space; LED
performance is forecast to
continue to rise for several years
to come. When LEDs are more
widely used and sales volumes
increase, lighting control regimes
will become more commonplace,
adding to the usability of LEDs
in combination with other
luminaires and systems.
14
Thorlux will continue to support
LED technology and its ongoing
development. At Thorlux, our
comprehensive, in-depth
understanding of all types
of professional lighting enables
us to advise on appropriate light
sources for different application
requirements. It seems unlikely
that one day all lighting will
be LED only - but you never know!
Further information
The team at Thorlux would
be pleased to hear from you:
we can provide further
information and advice on the
full Thorlux product range.
Please either phone
+44 (0)1527 583 200
or visit the Information Centre
online at www.thorlux.com/
informationcentre
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performance and/or characteristics. We reserve the right to
alter specifications and designs without prior notice.

P.N. 2271A Jan. ‘10