Lightplanet

The latest addition to our extensive range of LED lighting is a surface mount linear fixture, designed to replace fluorescent tube lighting. Unlike other products, which utilize an existing T8 fixture and an LED tube, this fixture has a built-in LED array.

There are many benefits in designing an LED fixture from scratch. In a replaceable lamp configuration, the LED chips must be incorporated within the lamp structure. Typically, this structure will be compact and designed around a different light source technology and is not therefore optimized around LED characteristics. The compromises involved in these structures limit the performance of the LED array.

LEDs, when correctly mounted within an appropriate structure, can last for 50,000 hours or more, so there is no real need to have a replaceable lamp. The LED light source will last for the entire service life of the fixture. By building a permanent LED array into our new fixtures, we have been able to improve light distribution, efficiency and durability.

The new fixtures can be supplied with a built-in PIR based economy mode. This mode uses built-in proximity sensors to detect movement and causes the fixture to operate at full power. When no movement is detected within a given period, the fixture reduces power automatically by 66%. This maintains a safe lighting level whilst reducing energy consumption.

The new LED linear surface mount fixtures are available in 2′ and 4′ versions.

The Daily Mail seem to be on a crusade against “Eco Bulbs”, having recently published two articles on the subject. The first of these articles, on the 23rd of December warns about the presence of mercury in CFL bulbs. Although the article is alarmist, focusing on an unproven potential danger from mercury vapour released when a bulb is broken*, the mercury in CFL’s is something we have been concerned about for some time. CFL bulbs do contain small amounts of mercury, and CFL bulbs are notoriously difficult to recycle, so often find their way into landfill, where mercury can go on to poison water supplies. We were disappointed to see that there is no mention of the safe alternative – LED light bulbs.

In the second article, published yesterday reporting on a potential rise in prices for CFL bulbs when Incandescent bulbs are phased out, they also fail to mention LED lights.

We don’t sell CFL bulbs mainly because they are an inferior product, and will be quickly made obsolete when LED lights become mainstream. As for potential price rises, we are not subsidised, and economies of scale should mean lower prices as sales volumes increase**.

* They even go on to quote a spokesman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who states “Guidance from the Health Protection Agency makes it clear that the mercury contained in low energy bulbs does not pose a health risk to anyone immediately exposed, should one be broken”

** i’m only the IT guy though – so don’t quote me on that – contact our sales team if you’d like to chat about price!)