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FAQ

1. What is an LED?

Light-emitting diode, a semiconductor diode that glows when a voltage is applied.

2. How long does an LED bulb last?

The operational life of an LED bulb is 50,000 hours. This is 5 years of continuous operation, or 10 years of 50% operation. The long operational life of an LED lamp is a stark contrast to the average life of an incandescent bulb, which is approximately 5000 hours. If the lighting device needs to be embedded into a very inaccessible place, using LEDs would virtually eliminate the need for routine bulb replacement.

3. Will replacing my Halogen with Led bulbs save me money?

Yes! Yes! Yes! LED light bulbs are highly energy efficient; resulting in significant electricity savings over the life of the bulb. Electricity costs are on the increase. The average household lighting bill in the UK is around £285 per year. Replace your existing halogen bulbs with LED bulbs and you can cut your lighting costs by up to 85%. That’s an average saving of over £255 per year!

4. What is the difference between 12V and 240V

Some homes which have spotlights with the MR16 connection run on a 12V circuit and therefore require a transformer to drop the voltage level from 240V to 12V. Most new types of spotlights uses a GU10 connection. This downlight connection runs on a 240V circuit and therefore does not require transformers. It is worth identifying whether your light fitting has a transformer or not before ordering any LED lights. [If you have any questions - you can always contact us to help]

5. Can you replace your exisiting halogen downlights with Leds?

240V LED downlights are retrofit and can directly replace your existing halogen GU10 and MR16 240V lamps. If you are converting your down light from 12V to 240V, electrical work must be performed by a qualified electrician.

6. What is CE and RoHS Compliant?

All Led Hive products are CE and RoHS compliance. If a product is CE certified, it means that it satisfies all the norms of European health, safety and environmental directives laid by the relevant legislation. RoHS means all products have to conform to strict standards, extensive compliance documentation and ensure that electrical and electronic products sold in the EU don’t contain lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) above the legal threshold.

7. What is the difference between Resistive Dimmers (Leading Edge) and Resistive Dimmers (Trailing Edge)

Resistive Dimmers (Leading Edge) Leading edge dimmers are compatible with resistive or inductive loads and are able to reduce the load by shortening the A/C cycle at the leading edge of the input waveform, hence the term ‘Leading Edge’. Leading edge dimmers are the most commonly used to dim incandescent and mains voltage halogen light bulbs and capsules. They are also used to dim most electronic low voltage transformers and can also be used to dim constant current dimmable LED drivers under certain circumstances that will be explained later. All dimmers are rated by wattage and leading edge dimmers are no exception. They are commonly available in 250w, 400w, 600w and 1000w modules. It is important to note that they also have a minimum load requirement of 25w, 40w, 100w and 150w respectively. These wattages must always be adhered to and in the case of halogen lamps and capsules must be over-rated by at least 25%. GU10, G9 and GZ10 halogen lamps and capsules tend to arc in the latter part of their life. This is not dangerous in any way and is a characteristic of halogen lamps. This arcing creates an additional load on the dimmer and can overload the module resulting in excess heat and premature failure. The first indication of this happening is an increase in noise, often heard as a buzz from the dimmer switch. It is important to note that all quality branded halogen capsules incorporate a fused link to protect the circuit in case of a short within the lamp. Non-branded cheap generic halogen lamps do not have this function and should be avoided. Never use a dimmer module that is not rated higher than the total load applied to it.

Resistive Dimmers (Trailing Edge) Trailing edge dimmers are compatible with resistive or capacitive loads and are able reduce the load by shortening the A/C cycle at the trailing edge of the input waveform, hence the term ‘Trailing Edge’. Trailing edge dimmers are far more complicated than their leading edge counterpart and are more expensive to produce and purchase. They incorporate many features such as soft start; smooth control, silent running and multi-way dimming that greatly enhance the life of the lamps and fittings. They are commonly used to dim certain types of low voltage transformers on the primary circuit. These are typically the older type of laminated, wire-wound or toroidal transformers. Trailing edge dimmers can also be used to dim incandescent, halogen and LED lamps effectively. Although a trailing edge dimmer is considerably more expensive to buy, it has many desirable attributes over its leading edge counterpart and in certain situations may be more appropriate.