Anyone considering installing garden lighting can be forgiven a moment of unease. Garden lighting uses electricity and as we all know, the generation of electricity generates carbon dioxide, widely believed to be the main cause of climate change. Will you be able to enjoy the lighting your garden with a clear conscience?
This kind of thinking has led to renewed interest in the low-energy lighting technologies and particularly in the specification of 5-watt fluorescent lamps and outdoor LED instead of halogen.
Fluorescent technology has existed for decades, so it is proven. It is the most attractive of enlightenment, but we know works. LEDs, however, are the new kid on the block. So how well they carried out, and they are really a viable alternative to halogen lighting systems garden?
First, the good news. In terms energy efficiency, LEDs definitely up to it. MR16 LEDs used instead of dichroic halogen MR16 bulbs out of use only 5 watts per hour (or less). That should be enough green for all but the most hair-shirt eco-warriors. It also makes it profitable to operate, especially if you have outdoor lights on for long periods of time, or if you have a large number of outside lights.
Another advantage of LEDs is that they generate virtually no heat. Even after being on for several hours, are very hot to the touch. This makes them perfect for gardens where children can play at night, or to public places like bars and restaurants, where health and safety is always a consideration. LEDs are also inherently safe because, as halogen, which require a power of 12 volts of electricity instead of 240 volts.
The third advantage of LEDs is that they last a long time. While MR16 quality dichroic halogen lamps have a life of around 5000 hours, MR16 LED should last about 18,000 hours. Besides being an inherent virtue (most of us have better things to do than change light bulbs), this long-life LED makes a good choice for exterior inaccessible places where changing a lamp is difficult.
LEDs, however, have one or two disadvantages. Although LED technology is improving all the time, MR16 LEDs now produce only half the light of a lamp standard 20 watt halogen MR16 dichroic. This is fine for most uses, but you will be disappointed if you use an LED to light a tree high. Color reproduction is not as good as halogen, or even the choice of warm white "comes in second place.
Another flaw is that, unlike halogen lamps that can be purchased in the choice of beam widths, MR16 LEDs are only available in a wide beam. This limits their flexibility to create more sophisticated effects of outdoor lighting. And while MR16 dichroic halogen lamps offer a choice of powers from 20 and 50 watts, MR16 LEDs are only available in a choice of 5 watts. Finally, MR16 LEDs are considerably more expensive than halogen lamps dichroic - despite his long life should, over time, soften the impact of the initial investment.
Peter Reid is an author for http://engineeringwithlight.com/, Europe's online shop for Hunza outdoor lighting and garden lighting.
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