LED vs Incandescent vs CFL
| Energy/Environmental Facts | LED (Light Emitting Diodes) | Incandescent Bulb |
CFL (Compact Fluorescents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Span (average) | 50,000 Hours | 1,200 Hours | 8,000 Hours |
|
Watts of electricity used. (Light equivalent to a 60 watt incandescent) LED's use less power (watts) per unit of light (lumens). |
6-8 Watts | 60 Watts | 13-15 Watts |
|
Kilo-watts of Electricity used. (30 Incandescent Bulbs per year equivalent) |
329 kWh/yr | 3,285 kWh/yr | 767 kWh/yr |
|
Annual Operating Cost (30 Incandescent Bulbs per year equivalent) |
$32.85/year | $328.59/year | $76.65/year |
| Contains Mercury (TOXIC) | No | No | Yes |
| RoHS Compliant | Yes | Yes | No - Contains 1mg-5mg of Mercury |
|
Carbon Dioxide Emissions (30 Bulbs Per Year) |
451 pounds/year | 4,500 pounds/year | 1,051 pounds/year |
| Sensitivity to low temperatures | None | Some | Yes - May not work below -10F or above 120F |
| Sensitive to humidity | No | Some | Yes |
|
Impact of On/Off Cycling Switching a CFL on and off quickly (In a closet for example) may decrease the lifespan of the bulb |
No Effect | Some | Yes - Can reduce lifespan drastically |
| Turns on Instantly | Yes | Yes | No - Takes time to warm up |
| Durability | Very durable -LED's can handle jarring and bumping | Not very durable - Glass and filament can break easily | Not very durable - Glass can easily break |
| Heat Emitted | 3.4 Btu's/hour | 85 Btu's/hour | 30 Btu's/hour |
| Failures | Not Typical | Some | Yes -May catch on fire, smoke or emit odor |
