You may have spotted LED spotlights starting to appear on the shelves (you may also have noticed traditional incandescent lamps disappearing from sale too). These two things are not unconnected – there is a worldwide campaign underway to eradicate incandescent lighting.
Sounds dramatic, but the amount of energy that incandescent lights waste is simply colossal. As a consequence it has become imperative that governments across the planet force a switch over to energy efficient lighting.
Now LED spot lamps certainly cost much more to purchase compared to regular halogen spot lamps, but they more than make up for this in other ways. Listed below are the top 5 major advantages of LED spotlights over halogen spots.
1. LEDs don’t emit ultra violet (UV) radiation, unlike quartz-filled halogen lights. The quartz filament inside a halogen lamp emits a high amount of UV radiation, which is one of the reasons they need a protective glass cover.
2. A typical halogen spot lamp reaches temperatures of 450 degrees Fahrenheit and above – more than sufficient to damage nearby objects, cause serious burns and even start fires. LED spotlights on the other hand average about 150 degrees Fahrenheit which is quite safe to the touch.
3. LED spotlights (like all types of LED light bulbs) last considerably longer than any form of incandescent lamp. The standard halogen spot will last anywhere between 1000 to 2000 hours; compare this to a typical LED lifespan of 25,000 to 50,000 hours. You’re looking at paying to replace that halogen bulb 25 times over to keep up with the LED.
4. LED spot lights are an order of magnitude (a cute way of saying 10 times) more energy efficient compared to halogen equivalents. A 6W LED spot can deliver the same amount of light as a 50W halogen lamp.
5. Which brings us to the advantage that counts most for most folk. LED lights save up to 90% of the electricity currently used for lighting, which translates into 90% cost savings. The vast bulk of lighting costs isn’t the cost of the light bulbs, it’s the electricity used to power them, which is why it doesn’t actually matter if LED lights cost 10 (or even 100) times as much to buy.
