Welcome to our blog! Here you'll get to learn about our products, our values, tips and tricks with LED lighting, and a little bit about my husband and I! Our first post is going to cover a common question we are asked- what's the difference between fluorescent and LED lighting, and how do I know which one to install in my home, business, shop, garage, etc?
First, we'll start with the breakdown of the physical differences between fluorescent bulbs and LED bulbs. Some of you may know this already, but it's always a good refresher to know what's in your lights!
Fluorescent Light Breakdown
Fluorescent bulbs consist of a glass tube that is filled with mercury that is ionized. This causes electrons in the gas to emit photons at UV frequencies. The UV light is converted into standard visible light using a phosphor coating on the inside of the tube. Fluorescent lights also require a ballast that regulates the current to the light, and these ballasts need to be replaced every 2-5 years depending on conditions and operation.
LED Light Breakdown
LED bulbs consist of an aluminum housing with a polycarbonate lens and houses a driver, and a strip of Light Emitting Diodes (LED). The driver can be seen in the same sense as a ballast, as the driver regulates the power supply to the diodes. When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons.
Pros and Cons of Fluorescents and LEDs
So let's talk about the pros and cons of each type. Fluorescents have been the primary choice of lighting for the past 30+ years, and LED lighting may be a new concept for some consumers. Some of the downfalls of fluorescent lighting are the need to replace ballasts and bulbs over the life of the fixture, poor cold temperature operation, poor light distribution, and the safety hazards of a glass bulb with harmful chemicals. This also entails the cost to recycle the bulbs properly when getting rid of them. The downfall to LED's is that the startup cost may be a little bit higher than what it would be when purchasing fluorescent bulbs.
How Petersen Parts can help save your startup cost
The biggest cost recovery is going to be with your power company. LED bulbs use less power than a fluorescent bulb, therefore power companies recognize that by giving you a rebate for purchasing a more efficient bulb. We have had some customers receive over 50% of their start-up cost back in the form of an energy rebate. Another option is to subscribe to our email list. This will give you access to our promotional discounts and sales. We also offer quantity discounts on any order over 100 pieces!
If you have any questions, comments, etc feel free to contact us- we're always here to help!