How do LED lights produce heat?
Can LED lights be left on 24/7?
Scientifically speaking, a LED bulb produces light when an electrical current goes through the diode, and then that same diode emits photons. This entire process happens because of electroluminescence.
Does that seem a little overcomplicated? It may sound like it - but you will perfectly understand what's going on once we break down the different scientific words. Let's put that in more simple terms.
The electrical current is the energy you can turn on and off when you flip a switch. When you flip the on switch, that energy travels to the diode. That diode is a semiconducting material - which manufacturers make for you to (safely) use that energy we just talked about. Finally, electroluminescence is a process in which a material emits light in response to a stimulus.
Simply put, LED lights work this way: you flip the on switch, energy runs through cables, then passes to your LED bulb, and that electric charge generates a response in the bulb. Because of that, the bulb then emits light.
When you flip the off switch, the energy stops flowing freely to your LED light, and the entire process stops as well. There's more to it - way more to it! Electrical engineering is a very advanced topic, though. You can learn a lot about it, but that's college-level stuff.
LED lights will get hot - but there's nothing for you to worry about. Although your average LED light will raise its temperature when you turn it on, it's difficult for it to rise to dangerous levels.
It's impossible for a light bulb to not get hot. No technology in the world prevents an electrical current from raising the temperature of its recipient. Anything, no matter what it is, will get hot when it consumes energy. Some things will seem as if they are cool even though they are running - but that only means their temperature rises a little bit (because it uses little energy).
LED bulbs are no different! You can experience it yourself. Turn a LED light off, watch it cool down, then turn it on again. Put your hand near it and see how the temperature rises in real-time.
Why does your LED light get hot? Because energy is running through it. The good news is your LED bulb will not get as hot as other traditional light bulbs. And, as technology progresses, we'll see LED lights that don't get as hot as the ones we have right now. Then again, they don't get that hot anyway - but it's always fun to see how new stuff works!
LED lights produce heat the same way any other light bulb does. When a light bulb consumes energy, it releases heat and increases its temperature. Fortunately, their temperature rises considerably less than any other alternative would. At the same time, LED lights waste less energy than a normal light bulb - and it's a more efficient alternative because of that.
This type of light bulb will not produce that much heat by itself. When LED lights were a new thing, marketers would say this type of bulb would not heat up. Although that's far from the truth, it does produce as little heat as possible.
Unfortunately, being able to produce less heat comes with certain issues. Your average LED light cannot stand as much heat as other alternatives. Because of that, too much heat can reduce your LED bulb's shelf life considerably.
The best way to prevent that is to have your LED lights in rooms with average temperatures. Having good ventilation is a great way to achieve that. There's nothing to worry about under normal circumstances, though. Then again, manufacturers make certain light bulbs for that kind of scenario. Look for LED lights that can withstand high temperatures if that's what you need - but avoid regular ones because they will stop working sooner rather than later.
You can safely leave your LED lights on for as long as you want to - that includes all day long for as much time as you feel like it. Then again, that may increase your electric bill far more than you'd want to. At the same time, leaving your LED lights on when you're not at home has no purpose other than to force your bulbs to burn out faster than usual.
This question is two-fold: First, can you leave your LED lights on all day? Second, should you do that? You may feel the answer is the same for both questions - but that'd be wrong! As you now know, you can leave your LED light on for as long as you want. That doesn't mean you should do that, though. In fact, unless you have a real purpose for that to happen, it'd be better to save energy and turn off your LED light when you leave the room.
There are a few reasons why you should turn off your lights (LED or otherwise) when you're not using them.
First, there's no need to spend that much money. Sure, LED lights are efficient - but wasting so much energy tends to add up. Second, you have to factor in ecological reasons; wasting that much energy hurts the planet. Then again, if you have to use them for any particular reason, go ahead! You can leave your LED lights on 24/7.
It's almost impossible for a LED light to produce enough heat to catch on fire. Then again, you may buy a LED bulb with a flaw that could lead to some trouble. Fortunately, that hardly ever happens.
When you hear about a LED light causing a fire, it usually happens because of misuse. Poorly installed LED lights can cause trouble. As long as you follow instructions and play it by the book, you will have no issues.
The best way to prevent a fire is to install your LED lights properly in a room with regular temperatures. Make sure there are no obstructions around the light bulbs. That way, you'll get to enjoy your LED lights for a long time.
