Frequently asked questions about LED for 240v home use
In 90% of most cases you will find an answer to your LED question
in this section of our web site..
All the questions we've encountered over six years of business are
on this web page and we try to update
the page constantly.
Our range of 240v lights incorporate the following: B22 Bayonet base - these are the standard (22mm diameter) twin contact base with the locating pins on the side. E27 Screw base - these are the standard (27millimetre) screw in unit with the single pole on the base of the bulb - common to USA customers but also used in Australia. Some of our E27 range can operate on the American 110 volt systems. GU10 base - these are the type with the 2 long thick pins on the back with circular locating tops to the pins. Very common to all supermarkets.
Nowadays we have most of our range of 240v LED bulbs operating in a multiple voltage format between 90 to 260 volts.
Whilst allowing us to market these into 2 different voltage formats it also gives us insurance that they will not fail when operating in low voltage conditions.
Several technological improvements have been incorporated into these units, to avoid the problems that voltage and current fluctuations have caused in the past.
Early days we experienced some problems with bulbs failing when operating in low voltage environments. This was evident one night in 2004 when we had 3 customers from Melbourne call us with failed bulbs overnight.
One of our customers had actually measured the voltage in the mains socket at just over 210v.
Several technological improvements have been incorporated into these units, to avoid the problems voltage and current fluctuations have caused in the past.
What different types do you have available?
B22 bayonet base:
These are available in the 24LED beehive version, a slightly larger downlight type 36 LED version, a single 3w version and a higher output 3x1w version.
The 24LED beehive bulb basically replaces a low output 240v incandescent bulb that is permanently left on as a night light or hallway light. They use virtually no power at all and you can definately get around in the light that they provide. Available also as a colorchanging unit.
The 36 LED unit can be used either as a downlight in hallways etc (being that it doesn't have a very large viewing angle) or is excellent as an LED reading light.
Once we move on in to the 3w range and the 3x1w range these are almost exclusively downlights being that they have such a wide distribution angle of light.
In luminous intensity we would equal the 3w unit to 20w halogen and the 3x1w unit would be in the 30w halogen range.
They operate in the multiple voltage range and are also protected with thermal cutouts to avoid damage to the LED's if they get too hot. E27 Edison screw base:
These are available in the 24LED beehive version, a slightly larger downlight type 36 LED version and a higher output 3x1w version.
The 24LED beehive bulb basically replaces a low output 240v incandescent bulb that is permanently left on as a night light or hallway light. They use virtually no power at all and you can definately get around in the light that they provide. Available also as a colorchanging unit.
The 36 LED unit can be used either as a downlight in hallways etc (being that it doesn't have a very large viewing angle) or is excellent as an LED reading light.
The 3x1w units are almost exclusively downlights being that they have such a wide distribution angle of light.
In luminous intensity we would equate the 3x1w unit to a 30w halogen bulb.
They operate in the multiple voltage range and are also protected with thermal cutouts to avoid damage to the LED's if they get too hot. GU10 base:
2 long thick pins on the back with circular locating tops to the pins.
These are available in the downlight type 36 LED version (plus a colour changing unit) and a higher output 3x1w version.
Why don't you have any globes?
We've had several attempts over the years at producing globes, all with results that we just didn't get them bright enough for the money that we were forced to charge for them.
They are difficult to set up in that they are in a honeycomb fashion having to face 360° and also sealed behind glass to diffuse them properly.
LEDs don't like to be sealed behind anything, combine that with the fact that they had to be quite bright to be of 240v domestic suitability and you have problems.
How
long will my 240v LED light last?
As we incorporate every measure possible to ensure full
service lifetime of the bulb, you should get a full
20,000 hours from these units before they start to fade. Our newer models are voltage
adaptable 90~260v AC. Commercially and domestically,
LED light bulbs cannot realistically replace incandescent
dollar for lumen unless they achieve their full service
lifetime. Two critical factors affect the life of an LED,
constant current without fluctuation and proper maintenance
of the junction temperature. The junction is the point
at where the light is generated. This junction needs to
be kept stable at all times and constant current drivers
are essential to maintain proper electrical and thermal
stability of the junction.
How safe are LED
lights?
Our LEDs comply with Restriction of Hazardous
Substances legislation, and will not explode like incandescent
bulbs, or shatter and spread powder throughout your kitchen
like flourorescent tubes. There is no start up flickering. If necessary, please ask for
relevant CE certification by email.
How
much power will I save using LED bulbs?
Our experimental LED house shows a saving
of 80% on the cost of running lights, compared
with a house lit with conventional halogen bulbs.
Can I use dimmers or controllers
with LED bulbs?
Pulse
mode modulators are the most effective way of dimming
LED bulbs due to the fact that the voltage isn't changed.
The current is chopped and the frequency and length of
the chopping causes the dimming effect.
In that fashion LED's can just about be strobed indefinitely,
unlike the incandescent type bulbs.
Because of the particular way we manufacture our
bulbs we find it difficult, almost impossible, to dim
them.
We advise the use of alternating warm white and cool white
and indeed using warm white wherever possible in the more
ambient areas of the house.
The 36 LED unit can be used either as a downlight in hallways etc (being that it doesn't have a very large viewing angle) or is excellent as an LED reading light.
The 3x1w units are almost exclusively downlights being that they have such a wide distribution angle of light at 120°.
In luminous intensity we would equal the 3x1w unit would be in the 30w halogen range at 270 lm.
They operate in the multiple voltage range and are also protected with thermal cutouts to avoid damage to the LED's if they get too hot.
Will they fit into normal GU10 fittings?
Height including pin height is 56mm
How
sensitive are these lights are to power spikes from the
grid?
Amongst other improvements we have made to this light,
we have increased the voltage range (80~260v).
These bulbs change color every 2 seconds
and go through a transition of red, green & blue plus
all the hues between them primary colors.
It is not programmable
If you are running multiple bulbs on the same power they
will synchronise the pattern.
BC22 24 LED White & Colour
Changing, 36 LED downlight/reading, 3w and 3x1w downlight.
These are available in the 24LED beehive version, a slightly larger downlight type 36 LED version, a single 3w version and a higher output 3x1w version.
The 24LED beehive bulb basically replaces a low output 240v incandescent bulb that is permanently left on as a night light or hallway light. They use virtually no power at all and you can definately get around in the light that they provide. Available also as a colorchanging unit.
The 36 LED unit can be used either as a downlight in hallways etc (being that it doesn't have a very large viewing angle) or is excellent as an LED reading light.
Once we move on in to the 3w range and the 3x1w range these are almost exclusively downlights being that they have such a wide distribution angle of light.
In luminous intensity we would equal the 3w unit to 20w halogen and the 3x1w unit would be in the 30w halogen range.
They operate in the multiple voltage range and are also protected with thermal cutouts to avoid damage to the LED's if they get too hot.
E27 24 LED White & Colour Changing, 36 LED downlight/reading and 3x1w downlight.
These are available in the 24LED beehive version, a slightly larger downlight type 36 LED version and a higher output 3x1w version.
The 24LED beehive bulb basically replaces a low output 240v incandescent bulb that is permanently left on as a night light or hallway light. They use virtually no power at all and you can definately get around in the light that they provide. Available also as a colorchanging unit.
The 36 LED unit can be used either as a downlight in hallways etc (being that it doesn't have a very large viewing angle) or is excellent as an LED reading light.
The 3x1w units are almost exclusively downlights being that they have such a wide distribution angle of light.
In luminous intensity we would equate the 3x1w unit to a 30w halogen bulb.
They operate in the multiple voltage range and are also protected with thermal cutouts to avoid damage to the LED's if they get too hot.
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