Five things that could replace the light switch

LEDs may have the near future sewn up as far as light sources go, but what about the light switch? Lux takes a look at the technologies poised to take its place.
LEDs may have the near future sewn up as far as light sources go, but what about the light switch? Lux takes a look at the technologies poised to take its place.
For spotlighting heat-sensitive products – and for general spotlighting, display cabinets and exhibition areas – Osram’s bestselling GU10 retrofit lamp is the Parathom Par 16 50 36° ADV. The lamp comes in three flavours of white: 2700, 3000 and 4000K. It is also dimmable, has an expected life of 25,000 hours and a five-year guarantee. Energy consumption is 5.3W and Osram says the lamp is less likely to be incompatible than traditional low-voltage MR16s.
Sylvania has expanded its LED product range with the RefLED+ ES50 V2 360 lm retrofit GU10 lamp. The device is shallow, with a full diameter, faceted lens. This maintains the traditional lamp aesthetic, but the full front face lens with no visible heatsink from the front also makes it suitable for use with any colour downlight. The lamp has been designed with Sylvania’s PureForm ethos at its heart. It has a shape consistent with the traditional lamp to ensure it can be physically retrofitted to any fitting. Non-dimmable and dimmable versions are available, consuming 5 and 5.5W respectively.
Verbatim has launched a range of professional PAR16 LED retrofit lamps with a GU10 base with an output of up to 660lm – almost twice as bright as a standard 50W halogen spot lamp. The products have an advanced heatsink design for effective heat dissipation. This, along with improved airflow and the latest chip-on-board technology, means the lamps can be driven harder without overheating and last for up to 40,000 hours. Single focus diamond cut optics that allow light to be dispersed in a defined manner, avoiding glare, stray light and hotspots associated with many competing products.
Philips’ Master LEDspot MV is a spotlight for public areas where lights are on all the time, such as lobbies, corridors and stairwells. Lamps in the Master LEDspot MV range cut energy and maintenance costs but are still bright. They should pay for themselves within a year. These LEDspots are designed as a retrofit replacement for halogen or incandescent spots. The dimmable versions are more efficient still, and help create the desired atmosphere. The DimTone function creates a warmer tone when the light is dimmed to lower intensities.
Soraa’s putting its third generation GaN-on-GaN LED technology to use in the upgraded lamps in its award-winning MR16 GU10 base 230V LED range. The efficacy of the 7.5W lamps has been improved by 40 per cent, and they can achieve an output of 500 lm. The lamp’s ‘point source’ optics create high-intensity, uniform beams. The 10-degree narrow-spot version has a peak intensity of 7,300cd, and 25, 36 and 60-degree flood versions are available. The lamps also incorporate Soraa’s violet-emission three-phosphor LED technology for improved rendering of colour.
To satisfy the demands of designers and customers who remain misty-eyed about halogen lighting, Integral LED has designed a retrofit GU10 LED lamp that it says matches the aesthetic qualities of halogen. The 2700 and 4000K Classic Glow lamps replace standard 50W halogen lamps but use only 6.8W. The output is 380 lumens, more than the lamp it is designed to replace. It’s the cunning reflector and lens design that recreates the sparkle of the energy-guzzling halogen. A ‘fly’s eye’ filter in front of the COB light source projects light forward at high intensity but protects onlookers from glare.
Shuji Nakamura continues to expand Soraa, the company he co-founded to push LED lamps to new heights of colour and efficiency.
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