The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates an average of
40 lamp sockets in each of the nation’s 128 million homes, equaling more than
five billion lamps across the country. Incandescent light bulbs have a life of
less than a year; consumers replacing them have ensured GE, Philips, and
Sylvania's constant stability.
Incandescent and fluorescent bulbs had a historical past
similar to the transformation LEDs are going through now. A filament made from
bamboo was mass-produced in lamps after a cotton thread was used in prototypes.
At the turn of the last century, tungsten filaments were introduced to boost
lifespan and light output. Fluorescent tubes were presented in the late 1930s
and became a leading technology for commercial and industrial spaces. They were
also used as a means of efficient lighting for U.S. war production plants.
Additional improvements took place through the following
decades, including halogen, metal halide, and compact fluorescent lamps. The
market remained stale until the introduction of LED lights in 2008. Many
customers used LED to reduce electricity use, which lowered bills and
greenhouse gas emissions significantly. During the Great Recession, hundreds of
millions of dollars were dumped into LED research and market development.
In 2021, LED bulbs are still the standard for
energy-efficient homes. A 10-watt (W) LED bulb produces an equal amount of
light as a 60W incandescent lamp. Due to their extraordinary lifespan, LED
lamps are known to last a decade or more. Since these LEDs don’t need the
constant replacement that incandescent bulbs do, GE, Philips, and Sylvania have
all sold off their lamp-making businesses over the past four years.
The first product series to popularize the advanced
capabilities offered by digitally-controlled lighting was created by Signify’s
Philips Hue. An assortment of lamps are controllable by app or voice assistant,
with customizable white and color-changing capabilities. A number of customers are
familiar with the “Hue” brand, as it has had a successful run thus far.
GE also has a color-customizable bulb and tunable white
light setting, allowing customers to shift a room’s vibe in one tap. Sylvania
is sold through Ledvance, which also offers four-packs of color-shifting bulbs.
A large percentage of the
country’s five-billion residential lamp sockets are still incandescent, so some
consumers could undoubtedly be pushed to upgrade their existing lamps to
receive added technological features. Philips plans on launching a bulb early
this year that is capable of Wi-Fi and software updates through apps.
J&P Electrical is a full-service electrical equipment
company. At J&P, we supply contractors, end-users, and supply houses with
new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We also
purchase a wide range of electrical equipment such as bus plugs, ducts, panel switches,
substations, and transformers. Call us at 877-844-5514 or visit us at https://www.jpelectricalcompany.com.
Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative
Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.
