LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. An LED light is not a light bulb. It’s a chip, which emits light, that’s encased in a clear solid resin. When LEDs are stimulated with a source of power, a chemical compound in them will emit light that uses much less power than other forms of artificial lighting. The light is a full-spectrum light, meaning that it contains all of the colors of sunlight. LED lights have a long life expectancy, use very little electricity (when electricity is the form of power), and the light they emit is warm light. LED light bulbs available today can last from 11 to 34 years! They come on immediately without any gradual warm up like compact fluorescent bulbs. They emit a nice bright light as well as using up to 85% less energy than incandescent bulbs and up to 50% less energy than compact fluorescent bulbs.
LED technology has been around for a long time. In fact, you’ve seen it in the indicator lights on your phone, or stereo. Recently, technology has made these lights bright enough to be used as a source of illumination. For the purposes of comparison, if you wired your entire house to use LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs, you could run all the lights inside your house, day and night, with a 12 volt auto battery.
Low voltage LED lights can also be combined with a rechargeable solar-powered NiCad battery system and the technology of solar panels to provide small lights that are not only cool and safe but burn for a long time and burn with a bright light! Solar panels have been used to charge all sorts of batteries for years but powering standard bulbs depleted solar power very quickly. LED batteries use so little power that this is not the case with this new lighting technology.
And think of the advantages of outdoor LED lights, and particularly solar LED outdoor lighting! Outdoor lights are exposed, all day long, to available solar energy. These lights can automatically come on at dusk and go off at dawn without the use of a timer. They make beautiful outdoor garden lighting – either to highlight features of your home or landscaping, or as illumination for outdoor living. Besides the advantages of no power bills, solar LED outdoor lights do not go out if your neighborhood experiences a blackout (or you misplace your electric bill), you may never need to change the LED (unlike an incandescent bulb), and this lighting technology is bright, earth-friendly, and will save you lots of money on your electric bill!
There are many LED outdoor lighting ideas available that will enhance your daily life, make for a wonderful patio or outdoor party, and keep your home safe for visitors. Not only does lighting create a mood, but it can also be used to illuminate areas of your yard that may be hazardous. Guests tripping down steps, or into your goldfish pond, should not be the “centerpiece” of your perfect party! This does not mean that you should illuminate your backyard with flood lights. Strings of twinkling lights offer a pleasant, romantic, look. Lanterns scattered around your yard can be used to draw guests’ attention to areas where you have placed seating, snacks, or beverages. And there’s something about fairy lights on trees that makes for a dreamy atmosphere.
Imagine the possibilities of outdoor LED lights! They save money, they’re green, they’re beautiful, and they’re “cutting edge” technology. LED lights may even serve as a conversation starter at your next outdoor party!
