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Lighting Comparison Chart

This comparison table is a careful assessment of various types of lighting that will give the equivalent amount of light to a 60W incandescent bulb Many LED comparisons will misleadingly show a cheaper purchase price and a lower wattage but they are simply not bright enough to be considered a true alternative to a standard 60W bulb. The LED Model we have based this comparison on is the G 605C you can find it with our high power bulbs.  Of course there are many applications where this level of light is not required.  LED's that have a lower light output such as a candle bulb equivalent to a 20 Watt incandescent bulb use only 2 Watts of power and can be purchased for around $7.

 

Lighting Type

Incandescent

 

Halogen

 

 Compact Fluorescent/ Fluorescent  

LED

 

 Description

Electrical current passes through a thin tungsten filament heating it until it produces light.

 

Similar to incandescent but halogen gas enables it to operate at higher temperatures making it slightly more energy efficient.

 

A tube is  coated with phosphor salts and is filled with a gas containing low pressure mercury vapor. A heated tungsten cathode then fires off electrons which react with the phosphors to create light.

 

 Light emitting diodes produce light through a solid state process called electro-
luminescence.  
 Power Used A 60 Watt bulb  uses 60 Watts.  

Approx  50 Watts.

 

15 Watts  About one-quarter the power of an incandescent  bulb.

 

 6 Watts  One-tenth the power of an incandescent bulb.  
Heat Generated The glass coating of a general service light bulb can reach temperatures of over 200 degrees Celsius.  Over 95% of energy used is wasted as heat.  

The bulb surface must be very hot, generally over 250 degrees Celsius.

 

Fluorescent lights emit around 30% of their energy output as heat.

 

LED抯 generate a small amount of heat at their electrical connection (approx 50-60 degrees Celsius) but the light itself emits no heat whatsoever.

 

 Working Life

750-1000hrs

500-3000hrs  

Approx 10,000hrs

50,000hrs

 

 Cost over  working iLifefetime  (5 0, 000 hrs)

$50

50 Bulbs

 

$35

17 Bulbs

 

$35

5 Bulbs

 

$50

1 Bulb

 

Lifetime  Running Cost*

$300

$250

$75

$25

Total Cost Over Lifetime

  $350

 

$285

 

$110

 

$75

 

 Lifetime Carbon  Emissions**

1,830kg

 

1,525kg

 

   457kg

183kg

 

*Lifetime Running Cost is based on a calculation of 10 cents per Kilowatt Hour. As electricity prices continue their steady rise the cost gap between LEDs and other types of lighting will widen.

**Lifetime Carbon Emissions is based on a calculation of 0.61 kg of emissions per Kilowatt hour used.