LED vs Incandescent Industrial Lighting: Which Is Best?


LED lighting by Monroe Engineering

Are you looking to buy industrial lighting? If so, you might be wondering whether to choose light-emitting diode (LED) or incandescent. Like consumer lighting, industrial lighting is available in different technologies. Two of the most popular technologies in which it’s available is LED and incandescent. Both LED and incandescent industrial lighting can illuminate a workspace. There are differences between them, however, that can affect their overall performance.

Energy Efficiency

LED industrial lighting is more energy efficient than incandescent industrial lighting. When running LED and incandescent industrial lighting for a given period, the former will consume less energy than the latter. Most LED industrial lighting consumes about one-quarter of the total energy as incandescent industrial lighting.

Heat Production

Not only does it consume less energy, but LED industrial lighting produces less heat as well. This is due to the fact that incandescent industrial lighting uses a filament to produce light. LED industrial lighting, on the other hand, does not. If you inspect an incandescent bulb up close, you’ll notice a thin wire inside of it. This wire or filament is responsible for producing light. Electricity will flow through the filament, and as it heats up, the filament will produce light. LED industrial lighting doesn’t have a filament, resulting in significantly less heat being produced as a byproduct.

Lifespan

You’ll typically get more use out of LED industrial lighting. Both types of lighting will eventually burn out. Whether you choose LED or incandescent, you’ll have to replace the bulbs once they burn out. The good news is that LED industrial lighting lasts longer than incandescent industrial lighting. Depending on the specific type of LED industrial lighting, it may last for up to 100,000 hours. Incandescent industrial lighting typically lasts for just a fraction of this length of time before burning out.

Cost

Incandescent industrial lighting, on the other hand, usually costs less than LED industrial lighting. Incandescent is a lighting technology that’s been around for over a century. You can buy incandescent bulbs from most home improvement and general goods stores. LED is a newer lighting technology that’s available at fewer places. In terms of pricing, incandescent usually costs less.

But don’t let the low cost of incandescent industrial lighting fool you into thinking it’s a better choice than LED industrial lighting. As revealed above, LED industrial lighting is more energy efficient, produces less heat and lasts longer. These properties make it a smart investment for workspaces.