It seems that everywhere you look, there is another brand of LED light bulbs available to buy, whether at a big box retailer or online. There are a number of quality brands out there, but there are also businesses trying to make a quick buck by pushing a low-quality LED out there for a cheap price. The result is that the bulb will burn out too quickly or it may not even conserve that much energy.
Be sure to follow the checklist of 10 key facts to make life easier and give you peace of mind about your LED choices:
1. Independent LM-79 testing – request information on this quality test before purchasing
2. Independent LM-80 testing – request information on this quality test before purchasing
3. UL Listing – request information on this quality test before purchasing
4. Representation - Know who (ie - the manufacturer) you are buying the units from and if they can support you long term. Can a brand new company support a product for 15 years or more? What is their expertise? Are LEDs a long term business for them or a new venture?
5. Wattage – what is the total watts consumed as measured on a watt meter (can also be taken from LM-79 testing results)?
6. Light Quality / Reach – put up 4 units and test before and after (look at light distribution). Take measurements and compare data.
7. Life Expectancy – know how hot the unit is running vs. how hot the LEDs can run. Compare results from LM-79 and LM-80 data. This will help you predict the life of the unit in your application.
8. Current – most long term LED testing has been conducted at 350mA drive current. How hard are they driving their LEDs? If over 350mA, there is risk of premature failure.
9. Payback – based on your cost structure, will the unit provide an acceptable payback?
10. Warranty – are you protected? Who makes the components? Who warrantees the product? What are the terms and protection? Are they able to service/back up the warranty?
You can be assured that eLightBulbs only carries the best in quality LED light bulbs. We stand behind our name brands, like Sylvania, GE, Philips and Westinghouse.
Specials
We offer the lowest shipping rate of our online competitors.
LEDs are great lighting options, so make sure you are getting a quality product!
