{"id":3179,"date":"2016-06-13T05:22:10","date_gmt":"2016-06-13T10:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emfsurveydallas.com\/?p=952"},"modified":"2024-04-08T11:47:05","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T16:47:05","slug":"led-lighting-considered-commentary-regarding-emf-emi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emfsurvey.com\/led-lighting-considered-commentary-regarding-emf-emi\/","title":{"rendered":"LED Lighting vs. CFL and Incandescent Bulbs – Regarding EMF & EMI Levels"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"EMF

\u00a0 EMF Testing for Incandescent, CFL, & LED Bulbs<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

EMF TESTING – ARE LED LAMPS BETTER?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In theory for many applications, yes, but in practice there are several problems with them. (here is a personal revised repost from a technical forum I belong to)<\/p>\n

While the LED itself has a long MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) rating, the weak point in LED bulbs is the AC\/DC converter circuitry. In the 7 LEDs I have bought so far in the past 4 years, I have had 3 failures. One of them actually failed in less than a month which is atrociously worse than virtually any incandescent I have ever owned. Another one had a flicker problem which developed in just over a year (I just replaced that one this month) and another burned up a voltage regulator IC after a few years use. The inrush current and transients when you turn on an LED light can destroy cheap components over time just like any other bulb or piece of electronics.<\/p>\n

I have found the ones with ribbed cooling fins to work better, but it is hit and miss as to which manufacturer and model you should get as there is enough variation between manufacturing runs due to corners getting cut without warning.<\/p>\n

LED lighting – just like SSD (Solid State Drives) it promises to be a huge leap in reliability but a manufacturer always seems to figure out a way to pinch pennies and wreck that longevity gap. (some SSDs used to have just as high or an higher a failure rate than conventional hard drives until the manufacturers got their failure modes worked out.<\/p>\n

Don’t get me wrong – I like LED lighting and have been converting over for years, but be careful in your research and purchasing decisions. Personally, I prefer Cree and Leit and have found them to be generally pretty reliable, but lately they are not being stocked in some of the big box hardware stores. Also, the majority of the form factors for lights bulbs such as the ones shown above are classified as A19. There is some confusion about light bulbs between A19s and E26s, but E26 refers to the screw in base part ONLY. All A19s have an E26 base, but not all E26 connected bulbs are the same shape as an A19.<\/p>\n

And on that point there are a few good things left about incandescents in that they are better suited for accurate depictions of work in art galleries and museums. This metric is known as excellent CRI or Color Rendition Index, and they are typically rated around 98 % + while LEDs are typically in the low 80s. (but in recent times have now approached that of traditional incandescent lights) Also, they generally make better point source lighting which increases contrast when examining objects in fine detail. Finally, you have a warmer cast to the light which may be suitable for setting certain moods. (I have studied a little about lighting design)<\/p>\n

I agreed that LEDs lighting is generally good and the direction we should go for MOST applications. But not all LED bulbs are created alike and you should consider the actual reliability based on manufacturer, model and manufacturing run. I have some that have lasted for years, another one didn’t even make it a month. (from a manufacturer \/ model that used to be good) Currently, I prefer to buy from a local store than online as it is easier to return if you get a dud. Incandescents and CFLs still have a very limited niche and I would only use them if you have a specific reason to do so. (and I do) CFLs also contain mercury and here is an article regarding that:<\/p>\n

Mercury in CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights) – How Much of a Toxic Health Hazard?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n