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Why does the light bulb turn on?

While there’s quite a lot that goes on behind-the-scenes, to the unknowing eye, it seems as if light bulbs are magic, giving off beaming illumination almost instantly. Since most people are connected to some sort of electricity source, all they need to know is which way to turn a light bulb to fasten it in place, however, those who are interested in examining how an electronic circuit reacts to product light will want to keep reading to find out how charged current is passed around. 

How does an incandescent light bulb work?

When electrical current passes through the tungsten filament a twisty, grey piece of metal within your incandescent light bulb, it quickly generates heat and when the temperature reaches an extremely high melting point, the filament inside the bulb will glow from the channeled electricity and light will be generated. 

Many traditional light sources use tungsten because of its high melting point, low vapor pressure, and great strength to preserve and protect the bulb while preventing the metal from evaporating under extreme conditions. However, one of the main reasons this technology is outdated is because of the incredible amount of heat that’s needed to produce light in the first place. Approximately 95% of the electricity that’s applied to the filament in the bulb is lost as heat and doesn’t get turned into light, so although cheap, manufacturers and consumers have shifted to landscape LED light bulbs because of their energy efficiency. 

How does an LED light bulb work? 

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming increasingly popular because they’re savvy semiconductors — the essential component of most electronic circuits, possessing resistance to high temperatures. This means that when an electrical current passes through the bulb, the light will turn on, but the bulb will remain cool. While LEDs do require heat, the system itself must remain cool, which is why most bulbs have a heat sink plate in them to remove the heat away without raising the temperature of the light-emitting diode. This will ensure that less energy radiates as heat and more energy is used to brighten up your lighting. 

How to know if an LED bulb is nearing the end of its life

Landscape LED light bulbs don’t just burn out like incandescent bulbs when they get old. Instead, they grow dimmer. While the industry standard for an LED is at least 25,000 hours and 70% brightness, once they reach this stage, a decrease in luminosity is noticeable. Lucky for you, Best Pro Lighting possesses a 5-year warranty on defects in material and workmanship under normal use. So, you’ll be sure to get your money’s worth when you purchase some landscape LED light bulbs! 

What type of outdoor LED lights does your property need most? Drop a comment below if you would like some assistance selecting from our assorted products.