The EDN Community Discusses Hoopla 60W-equivalent LEDs and What Consumers Don't Know

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Nov 19, 2013, 12:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With falling prices, standard appearances, and dimmable versions, consumers are all a-tizzy about the now-commonplace 40- and 60-watt LED versions of standard 40- and 60-watt. But apparently they may have been misled by manufacturers.

According to EDN's Ed Rodriguez in That 60W-equivalent LED: What you don't know, and what no one will tell you… , media and the blogosphere are off target as they recycle speculation about LED pros and cons, the timing of built-in Wi-Fi, color tuning, smartphone gadgetry, ever lower costs, and the virtues of purchasing at Lowes and Home Depot vs Wal-Mart.

What they really should be looking at is whether or not the average consumer expectations are on target or are they completely in the dark, thanks in large part to being misled by manufacturers and a lack of understanding of key LED parameters and LED construction. Join the EDN community debate:

Nov 11, 2013 2:12 AM EST
Kenyon.Stamps
"How do you educate consumers without putting them off LED replacement bulbs/luminaries? I have been working on an home LED lighting system on-and-off for a couple of years now and I can relate fully to Light Squared's comment. Also, the LED luminary design learning curve is massive - especially if your knowledge of thermodynamics is not top notch. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the "standard" bayonet fitting (in my country) is regularly in a configuration which restricts airflow and heat dissipation. I have been forced into developing and selling a system independent from these old fittings and it turns out, I cut the costs of integrating a "fitting". Luckily, at the life expectancy of a well designed luminary I have the luxury of not needing a fitting. The LED is integrated into the entire luminary design, lampshade and all. This way I can also control (to a point) the use of the LED lights...

Still, it is proving difficult to convince consumers that buying the LED lights with standard fittings are "risky" without putting them off LED lights all-together."

Nov 7, 2013 9:06 AM EST
K1200LT Rider
"Maybe there has to be a law for labeling requirements for all light fixtures being sold. The label must indicate if they are appropriate for CFLs or LEDs. I don't see any other way around the problem of consumers not understanding what bulbs will work with what fixtures."

Nov 2, 2013 9:37 PM EDT
John.Bass
"So what's the engineering problem here? just need to create some air flow to transfer the heat from the led chips to the enclosure."

To read the complete story and read fuller in-depth comments on EDN, see: That 60W-equivalent LED: What you don't know, and what no one will tell you…

If you want to contribute to the community conversation on EDN as a blogger contact Suzanne Deffree at [email protected].

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