Few technologies exist that are truly innovative. The introduction of LED lighting technology ten years ago stood the world of mining and construction equipment on its head, yet many businesses across Australia are still using the older lights such as High-Intensity Discharge (HID), Metal Halide (MH), mercury-vapour (MV) and High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights which use mercury and inert gas. Here are our top 4 reasons why you should move away from these outdated lights, and upgrade your business with new LED light fittings today:
1. Industrial LED lights are energy efficient
Due to their high lumen output per watt, LED light fixtures emit very little energy in the form of infrared radiation (heat), therefore typical energy consumption is reduced by 75% when compared to the old technology lights – HID. The power output ratio between HID and LED is 3:1.
Not only that, but LED industrial light fittings don’t require any pre-warm-up time, which means reduced operating hours and higher productivity for your business. Industrial LED light fixtures do not have a warm-up period and they operate at full brightness from the moment you flick the switch. This translates to no downtime, improved safety, and the aptitude to utilise sensor switching which reduces your businesses’ energy consumption levels.
2. Mining LED lights have a longer life span
A single industrial LED lamp lifespan is 3 – 4 times longer than HID light fittings. MH lighting, for example, will last anywhere between 8,000 – 15,000 hours, whereas industrial LED floodlights have a life expectancy of up to 50,000 hours. When traditional lights are applied to mobile applications, their lifespan is reduced significantly.
After all, they aren’t built to survive through these harsh conditions, unlike LED mining lights which are very durable and purposely built to withstand high impacts and vibration and can operate efficiently in areas where temperatures fluctuate because they do not contain filaments or other fragile components.
3. Occupational health and safety benefits
In our opinion, this is the most important reason on this list. LED luminaires don’t contain mercury and have much fewer toxins, including lead-HPS and iodine. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re not exposing your employees to unnecessary health risks. On average there is 15 milligrams of mercury in each MH light and 6 milligrams in induction light bulbs. Plus, when 90-95% of these lights end up in landfill, the mercury inside converts to methyl mercury. A highly toxic chemical that spreads through the wider environment by soil, air, and water. Additionally, LED light fixtures constantly run on low voltage DC power and don’t yield any visible stroboscopic effects. This reduces your employees’ strain on the eyes and significantly improves your business’s safety when LED lights are used in areas where moving machinery is present.
4. Low maintenance
Each component of LED lighting fixtures can be replaced separately, therefore, will reduce your business’s maintenance costs. LED light fittings are backed by a 3-5 year warranty in comparison to just a 1-year warranty for Metal Halide lights. Users of LED lights will experience fewer outages and in turn incur lower costs for both labour and materials. Think about how much time that frees up for your maintenance team.
Ledtec offers a range of different LED lighting solutions whether it be a full spec conversion or a retrofit. Please explore our website www.ledtec.com.au for more energy-saving solutions and be sure to read our case study on our latest retrofit project. Alternatively, you can view all the commercial and industrial LED fixtures on display in our new showroom: 8/94 Forsyth Street O’Connor
