1. What are LED Retrofit lamps?
The “new” generation of “retrofit” LED lamps have been available for approximately 12 months and have proven to be both reliable and viable replacements for either MR16 G5.3 12V or PAR16 GU10 240V halogen reflector lamps due to their long life and low heat emissions compared to halogen reflector lamps.
They are rated with a 30′000 hour life which is not as long as luminaires incorporating dedicated LED’s but the beauty of the “retrofit” lamps is that they have a superb light output and are repaceable at the end of their life.
Display Lighting will only supply the highest quality products and is delighted to be able to supply the best retrofit lamps available on the LED market.
These lamps are available in two types being MR16 G5.3 and PAR16 GU10. Each type can be supplied in 3W or 5W versions with either warm white (3500k) or cool white (7000k) LED’s with a 7W lamp already in production and available later in the year.
The PAR16 GU10 LED lamps operate straight from a 240V mains supply but the MR16 G5.3 LED lamps require a 12V power supply also known as an LED driver. Multiple lamps can be operated from one driver up to a total of 60W (12 lamps).
12V LED lamps will also operate on standard 12V AC electronic halogen transformers but this seriously reduces their life by up to half!
2. Why use LED Retrofit Lamps?
LED lamps are the perfect lighting solution for jewellery, china watches and diamond displays particularly within showcases and display cabinets. All LED lamps generate heat (there is no light source that does not produce heat) but when compared to using 12V dichroic reflector lamps the reduction in heat emitted is dramatic making them the perfect solution for lighting systems installed into display cases and counters to keep the ambient temperature to an absolute minimum. The manufacturers state that the 5W high power lamps are equivalent in output to between 20W halogen lamps.