Difference between a normal spotlight and an LED spotlight
Currently there are several types of spotlights on the market. Two of the most popular are regular light bulbs (also called incandescent) and LED light bulbs. However, while the use of incandescent bulbs seems to be on the decline, LED bulbs are gaining popularity and market as the days go by.
Incandescent bulbs (normal light bulbs) |
Spotlights / LED bulbs |
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| What is it? | It is a mechanism through which, and thanks to the Joule effect, light is produced. A light bulb consists of a thin tungsten filament that is vacuum sealed inside a glass bulb. It is sealed by a metal cap with cords that are threaded with the corresponding ones of a socket connected to an electrical installation. | LED comes from the English Light Emitting Diode , that is, it is a light-emitting diode. In a nutshell, it is a high resistance solid semiconductor that is capable of emitting light with high output and high efficiency from receiving a very low intensity electric current. |
| energy use | Depending on its wattage, an incandescent bulb uses between 25 and 100 watts of power. | LED bulbs, on the other hand, use up to 90% less electrical energy than incandescent bulbs. On average, an LED bulb uses 9 watts. |
| Lifetime | On average, an incandescent bulb has a lifespan of 900 hours. | In contrast, an LED bulb has a lifespan of up to 45,000 hours. |
| Profits | In a very general way, the light bulb is considered one of the most important and influential human inventions in history. In fact, according to Life magazine , the light bulb is the second most important and widely used invention of the 19th century.
Another benefit of regular light bulbs is that they are very affordable and easy to find (except where their use is being regulated in order to eventually be phased out). |
Their obvious superior efficiency and performance aside, LED bulbs are very versatile; They can be used both in the home and in road or car lamps. Other advantages include:
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| Disadvantages | By today’s standards, they are considered very inefficient. Approximately, of the total electrical energy that a bulb receives, only 20% is converted into light. The remaining 80% ends up being heat. Due to this, many countries have been gradually banning their manufacture, with the intention that eventually all incandescent bulbs will be replaced by much more efficient and planet-friendly options.
In addition, normal bulbs are very fragile. The filament breaks or breaks off relatively easily, and the glass of the bulb is so thin that a small bump is all it takes to break it. |
The most obvious disadvantage of LED bulbs is their price. Although this has gone down, the truth is that they usually cost up to 10 times more than an incandescent bulb. However, far from being seen as a disadvantage, it should be considered that the cost of electrical services will decrease considerably with the use of LED bulbs, in addition to the fact that they last much longer than normal bulbs.
Another drawback is that they are not as easy to find, unless you buy them at a supermarket or specialty store. |
