This article is an introduction to the world of LED lighting and controls. I will continue with more specific articles on various lighting and control issues you may have in your environment. The technology discussed is really leading to a sustainable lighting environment away from the consumer model.
In 2007, anyone who could put a white LED on a printed circuit board tried to sell a replacement bulb. Having been involved with the design of laser diodes and specific blue lasers in their early stages, I was extremely curious if those devices could replace the fluorescent light bulb or tube.
Like others, we tried to do a bulb replacement only to find that the cost of the technology is still very high and to justify that cost the device would have to be more efficient than a fluorescent tube and maintain its light output for a while. Long time to get a return on investment.
With a deep understanding of the quantum physics involved, he knew that the junction where light is created, which is deep within the solid-state structure, had to be kept quite cold so as not to be damaged over time by heat and to function with high efficiency.
When we saw that all gamers didn’t care about efficiency or keeping their devices cool, but instead were trying to develop a bulb with a slightly longer life but not too long, the opportunity arose to make a long-lasting lamp. We are talking about more than 10 years without light degradation or color change.
Fortunately, we also come from the field of networks, so we developed a communication protocol between lighting devices that allows uniform dimming across an infinite number of devices using a low-cost dimming device.
Imagine that in the future a supermarket does not have to change its lamps every 3 years, but can leave them in place for 15 years or more, there are no more bulbs or tubes to replace and you have no loss of light.
Oh by the way, LEDs are mercury free like fluorescent tubes and “energy saving” lamps. The power of the lamp is the actual power consumed unlike your “Energy Saver” bulb which consumes between 30% and 50% more energy than advertised.
To further consolidate the commitment to the environment, manufacturers must recycle all their product as long as the user finds a way to take it to a recycling center and guarantees that they will return a recycling value to the customer upon return.
However, it is difficult for the unskilled person to understand that not all LED devices are the same and to recognize what is hype and what is real. The DOE or Energy Star are not helping as they are behind on technology and generally support consumer model brands rather than really efficient and durable technology to the point of being hostile to new and better technologies.