In this post, we’re continuing our “Light Fight” series where we compare two different lighting options used in similar applications. In today’s matchup we have the ever-popular fluorescent bulbs versus the still evolving, yet promising LED lights. Have LEDs already surpassed fluorescents in terms of quality, cost, and energy efficiency? Let’s explore the two technologies…
Applications
Both LEDs and fluorescent lights are highly versatile and energy efficient, which means they are useful in a wide range of applications. They are often the standard choice for everything from general room lighting, to outdoor fixtures, to large warehouses, and even sports venues. Additionally, either option is an improvement over standard incandescent and HID bulbs which have shorter lifespans and require more energy.
Overview
To better understand the pros and cons of LEDs and fluorescents, let’s first review how each lamp works.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
While incandescent bulbs use a filament and CFLs use gas, LEDs produce light by exciting electrons. Put simply, within every LED bulb there is a semiconductor material filled with positively and negatively charged particles. When electricity strikes the semiconductor (the light is turned on), the electrons become charged and flow from the negative to the positive layer within the semiconductor. As they move, the excited electrons pass through “holes” in the material, which causes them to emit photons of light and illuminate the LED.
Fluorescent Lights
Fluorescent bulbs were designed as an improvement over incandescent bulbs, since they waste a lot of energy as heat and have a fragile filament. Instead of using a filament, fluorescent bulbs send electricity through a gas (commonly argon). This electricity flows from electrodes positioned on both ends sides of the bulb. Within the bulb there is a small amount of mercury that, when hit by moving electrons, absorbs energy and releases it as photon. This photon of light would be invisible to the human eye, but the surface of the bulb is covered with a coating of phosphorous that re-releases the photon as white, visible light.
Now, let’s get to the pros and cons…
Flourescents & LEDs Compared
|
Fluorescents |
LED |
|
| Energy Efficiency | 50 to 100 Lumens/Watt | 100+ Lumens/Watt |
| Durability | High quality fluorescents are heavy duty – have no filament, shock & vibration resistant | Heavy-duty – has no electrode or filament, shock & vibration resistant |
| Lifetime | 30,000 hours and up (newest models) | Up to 100,000 hours |
| Lumen Depreciation | Minimal | Moderatly Low |
| Cold Tolerant | -10 F | -30 F (instant on) |
| Performance | May require warm up time | Turns on instantly, no flickering |
| Color Temperatures | Multiple options (3000 to 6500) | Multiple options (2700 to 6500 Kelvin) |
| Color Rendering | Average 75 to 80 | Average 80 to 85 CRI |
| Dimmable? | Some | Most |
| Warranty | 1 to 3 years | Usually 5 years |
| Cost | Low upfront cost | High upfront cost |
Solution
From the chart above, we can see that LEDs outperform fluorescents in several categories – but, not by much. Additionally, fluorescents have the major advantage of being significantly less expensive. Even though LEDs have longer lifespans, their higher price means yet you still may not see a ROI before the lamp needs replacing.
Still, LEDs have a few other benefits which may make them worth the money, depending on your application. For one, they are mercury free, so they are environmentally friendly and have no recycling fees. Secondly, they offer directional light, which is ideal when you need to illuminate a targeted area. Finally, they offer better dimmability and can be turned on and off repeatedly without affecting the lifespan (works well with occupancy sensors).
So, based on today’s techonology, the question to ask yourself is, “are the slight advantages of LEDs worth their higher price?” Unless you’re very much opposed to using mercury or have a strong preference for LED lighting then fluorescents are probably your best bet, as they offer high quality light and affordability. That being said, continue to keep an eye on LEDs, since the technology is improving constantly and prices are slowly dropping.