| Anyone in the modern world is looking for several | | | | glows white hot and radiates light, an LED (light |
| things from a light bulb. They are looking for a | | | | emitting diode) radiates light when electrons pass |
| good quality light, low energy consumption, | | | | through its semiconductor. Sure, that is a bit |
| efficiency and low cost. Now, not all of these | | | | complicated, but the thing to remember is that an |
| things can be found in a single lighting source, but | | | | LED makes little to no heat, can sustain a blow |
| if concerns about the environment as well as | | | | without damage, operates for roughly one |
| budgetary issues predominant, then LED is the | | | | hundred thousand hours to the incandescent's two |
| way to go. | | | | thousand and is insusceptible to damage from |
| Interestingly, even many light bulb manufacturers | | | | cold, weather, and frequent use. |
| consider incandescent bulbs to be "dinosaurs" | | | | While this sort of reliability and efficiency makes |
| because of their short life spans, fragility and need | | | | them highly desirable to consumers who put them |
| for constant replacement. Where they tend to | | | | to use in their homes and businesses, it must not |
| exceed the capability of the LED lights are in their | | | | be forgotten that they are also among the |
| diffusion. An LED is a very direct source of light, | | | | "greenest" lighting options available as well. As |
| which means applying it to household lamps or | | | | landfills continue to receive tens of thousands of |
| indoor fixtures is not such a good idea...yet. | | | | burnt out glass bulbs each and every day, they |
| If the history of the LED has demonstrated | | | | will not receive LED bulbs for decades, if then at |
| anything, it is that the superiority of the bulbs has | | | | all. |
| inspired many different industries to seek how to | | | | Incandescent bulbs are generally considered to be |
| use the lights in as many ways as possible. Today | | | | in their "final days" and will probably be phased out |
| it isn't just electronic signs and vehicle signals that | | | | altogether within the next decade. Today an LED |
| rely upon LED, but also solar lighting fixtures of all | | | | bulb can already be found in children's toys, |
| kinds, holiday lighting and even many flashlights | | | | flashlights, computers, flagpole lighting, vehicles, |
| use LED bulbs. | | | | Christmas lights, Exit signs and hundreds of other |
| So, what makes these two lights so dramatically | | | | locations. They will continue to be used in more |
| different? They are not at all similar in their design | | | | products and places as technology finds a way to |
| or manufacture. Where an incandescent uses a | | | | incorporate them. |
| current to pass through a filament which then | | | | |