LED Outdoor Lights For Low Running Costs
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LED lights have several benefits when used for garden and landscape lighting, including:
- they are low voltage and energy efficient. In other words they throw out a lot of light for not much electricity in.
- they are versatile and so can be used for a variety of outdoor lighting solutions.
The good news is that the purchase costs of LED outdoor lights are starting to drop quite fast now. This is excellent news because they are also very energy efficient so the overall cost of ownership is falling.
LED lights can be used for ambient lighting, floodlighting, walkways in fact for most applications. Other LED outdoor lighting lighting applications include:
- BBQs & Tables
- Artworks
- Day Beds
- Water Features
- Paths/Decks/Stairs
- Trees & Plants
- Pool Landscapes
The benefits of LED landscape lighting include:
- You can reduce your energy bills with up to 90% savings and lower the amount of C02 emissions being emitted into the environment
- They are low voltage lights, typically running at 12 volts so there is NO SHOCK HAZARD
- They have a long life with no changing of globes for several years - LED light life is approx. 15 - 22 years
- Because LED light is cool, there is no more burning of foliage, pets, fingers, timber structures etc
- LEDs have low installation costs due to the reduced number of transformers required and ability to use lower cost cable
- LED lighting works well with solar installations.
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) vs LED Lamps
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Compact fluorescent lamps cut greenhouse gas emissions and running costs by up to 75% whilst producing as much light as traditional incandescent globes.
The most popular versions come as plug-in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that are a direct replacement for incandescent globes. Traditional CFLs deliver most of their light to the sides, so an effective reflector may be needed to direct the light.
Some points:
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Low voltage halogen lamps are not low energy lamps: each one generates a kilogram of greenhouse gas every 15 hours—about the same as an ordinary 60 watt globe, although it does produce a little more light. Halogens are not easily replaced by more efficient alternatives, so installing them locks you in to high lighting bills.
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Fit lower wattage globes (or compact fluorescent lamps) in bright lights, especially down lights and spot lights: save up to 75% of the electricity.
- Select light fittings with reflectors that direct light where you want it and do not absorb too much light—coloured glass can halve light output, creating a need for higher wattage lamps.
LED lamps (LED means light emitting diode)
These are beginning to appear for outdoor use and specialised applications like night-lights. These lamps are very long-lasting and efficient. We’ll see a lot more of them in coming years because they have better light output that CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) at 100 lumens per watt, are 40 per cent brighter and have five times more life expectancy.
LEDs are the best bet for energy efficient garden and landscape lighting. An LED can go on for over 10 years without needing to be replaced.
You can reduce the money you spend on outdoor lighting with LEDs as they can be kept on for longer more economically, because of their low energy consumption.
LEDs are also ideal for spotlights, downlights and wall washers—where directional light is required from an extremely focused light source.