If you’ve got metal halide lights (MH) in your facility is it time to switch to light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The biggest reasons are to save your facility money and energy. Of course, there are even more reasons, which we will get into later in this article.
If you’re wondering how Metal Halide vs LED technology compare then you’ve come to the right place.
A metal halide lamp produces light by passing an electric arc through a combination of gasses.
A metal halide bulb is made up of an inner arc tube and an outer tube. Mercury and metal halide salts are condensed inside a metal halide’s inner arc tube until it is activated.
LED stands for light emitting diode. An LED light bulb works by passing an electric current through a diode, a semiconductor device, which causes it to emit light. Learn about the 16 key benefits of LED lighting here.
No big surprise here – LED lights are better than metal halide lights. Here are some of the reasons why:
Why LEDs are better: LEDs don’t have a warm-up period. They can be adjusted on-demand.
Why LEDs are better: LEDs have a lamp life of 50,000 – 100,000 hours. LEDs take much longer than metal halides to reach their L70 mark – 50,000 to upwards of 200,000 hours.
Why LEDs are better: LEDs can last for many years with the same lumen output.
Why LEDs are better: Upgrading to LEDs can substantially reduce your maintenance costs. Unlike conventional lamps, LEDs don’t “burn out,” they dim slowly over time. They also have the longest lifespan of any other lighting on the market so they don’t need to be replaced for a long time. LED lighting products don’t require ballasts, helping you cross another maintenance cost off your list.
Why LEDs are better: LEDs are directional and are great for task lighting at your facility. With LEDs, you don’t have to worry about obtaining and figuring out how to use light reflectors or lenses to get the light where you need it. LEDs produce 75-100 lumens per watt.
Why LEDs are better: LEDs don’t generate any heat and are cool to the touch. Our clients are often surprised to see how much they can save on this expense alone.
Why LEDs are better: LEDs are durable and aren’t easily damaged. This is yet another way LEDs can save you on maintenance costs.
Why LEDs are better: LEDs can be dimmed. Many LEDs come with drivers that allow you to dim the light to your wishes. LEDs can also be equipped with special controls so you can adjust the color temperature or intensity of the light.
This is how metal halides and LEDs compare when it comes to the amount of watts you need for the same amount of lumen output:
Ready to make the switch from metal halide to LED?
The differences between metal halide lighting and LED lighting are astounding. The longer you wait to make the switch, the more money you rack up on your electricity bills.
WattLogic has been saving their clients energy and money for decades through LED lighting retrofits and provides turnkey packages for many other energy-efficient technology solutions, including power monitoring, HVLS fans, solar systems, energy storage, and smart motors.
Contact us today at (800) 834-8737 and get your audit started. Let us get you the technology and the cost savings you need. We’ll take care of all the headaches that come along with a LED lighting retrofit so you can spend your time on other pressing issues at your facility.