LED Bulbs

General aspects

LED bulbs are the perfect product for replacing low-energy or incandescent bulbs. Among the main advantages, we can indicate that LED bulbs are much more efficient than their predecessors, providing significant reductions in energy consumption. LED bulbs do not use harmful elements to the environment such as lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. Additionally, due to their long lifespan, they can provide end consumers with energy and cost savings of up to 80%, depending on the type of bulb used.

History of the light bulb

A light bulb is a device that converts electrical energy into light energy through various processes. The first light bulb dates back to the 19th century and was patented by Joseph Wilson Swam from the United Kingdom. However, the first commercially viable development was when Thomas Alva Edison used a carbon filament and made the bulb work for 48 hours on October 21, 1879. Since then, the evolution of lighting has been rapid, leading to LED bulbs through different technologies. These bulbs receive electrical energy from the power grid and convert it into light energy through intermediate electronic components (also called drivers).

Parts of a light bulb

Base: mechanism for fitting or attaching the bulb to its corresponding socket. This element is responsible for making the first contact with the supplied voltage from the power grid and transmitting it inside the bulb to convert it into light energy. There are many types of bases, with the most well-known being the E27.

Heat Sink: houses the driver. This element is usually made of ceramic or aluminum materials that are very good at dissipating heat. This aspect is crucial because if heat dissipation is not performed well, the product's lifespan may be affected.

Diffuser: is the part that will scatter light with greater or lesser angle of aperture depending on its morphology. The most well-known is the one shaped like a globe, although depending on the type of base, the diffuser may vary.

Selecting the ideal LED bulb to achieve effective energy savings

There are many types of LED bulbs, each with different purposes, bases, designs, and specifications. At GreenIce, we practically have all existing types of LED bulbs, from the most common ones, such as LED bulbs E27, to those for very specific uses, such as LED bulbs AR111.

Within the most commonly used types of LED bulbs, we can highlight:

• LED bulbs E27: They are the most used in the market. They are also called "large screw LED bulbs," in contrast to E14 bulbs, which have a small screw.
• LED bulbs GU10: This model replaces commonly known halogen bulbs. They work at 220Vac, so you only need to replace the old bulb with this one.
• LED bulbs E14: They are called "small screw LED bulbs." They are very commonly used in ceiling lamps.

In addition to the ones mentioned above, GreenIce also has all existing models, such as: LED bulbs MR16, LED bulbs G23/G24, LED bulbs R7S, LED bulbs G9, LED bulbs G4, LED bulbs AR111, LED bulbs PAR, LED bulbs G12, LED bulbs GX53, Vintage LED bulbs.

What do we need to know when buying LED bulbs?

Naturally, the first thing we need to consider when choosing an LED bulb is where it will be installed, and therefore, the type of bulb we need. At GreenIce, we recommend that once we have chosen the bulb model, we should focus mainly on these aspects.

LED bulb Power

Determines the consumption of the selected bulb. Contrary to what we might think, a higher power bulb does not always mean higher light output.

LED bulb Equivalence

Since we usually want to replace a traditional bulb with an LED bulb, and even though we should pay attention to their lumens, we need to know the equivalence between both technologies. All specifications of our GreenIce bulbs include this data.

Lumens-to-Watts Ratio

Watts are the luminous flux emitted by the light source. The relationship between lumens and watts tells us the amount of light emitted per unit of energy consumed.

Other important aspects when buying LED bulbs:

Estimated Lifespan

Indicates the number of hours the bulb can function throughout its lifespan.

Number of Switching Cycles

Represents the number of times a luminaire can be switched on and off before starting to fail.

Regarding the appearance of the bulb, and mainly its light, it is essential to consider the following aspects:

Color Temperature

Measured in degrees Kelvin. Despite variations in the gradation, we can say that LED bulbs can have light colors like Cool White, Natural White, or Warm White.

Color Rendering Index (CRI)

This index represents the ability of a light source to accurately reproduce object colors compared to an ideal light source or natural source, such as sunlight.

Beam Angle

Measured in degrees, it is the surface over which the light of the product will be reflected. It is essential to consider this data, as it will directly affect the uniformity of the light and also the number of luminaires to be used.