LED desk lamp selection for parents (I)

As the continuous growth of the LED technology due to the promotion of the green energy, there is less and less non-LED desk lamp that is available on the market. How can parents choose the best LED desk lamp to their precious child?

The first question that the parents should ask is, what is the purpose for the desk lamp? For the efficiency of the studying or the protection of the eyes? or, just want to save the electric cost (which is not likely...) This report assume that the purpose is protection of the eyes and efficiency of the studying

Here are few suggestions from the LED experts: (3 Don't + 4 Do)

1. Don't trust the brand, because they are almost the same :

Due to the cost reduction, the manufacturer can not afford too high material and labor cost. Hence, there is no possible to have very high efficacy LED (because the energy saving is not our purpose), and these products are mostly assemble in location with low labor cost and cheap transportation (that's ok because very little technology is involved). The brand of LED chip and packaging even the electronics will bring you nothing.

2. Don't expect the LED desk lamp will never fail and decay, they do as the same as the conventional CFL-i desk lamp.

Since LED technology claims long lifetime, such as 5 year guarantee. But, please be careful, what they said is only the light source in the laboratory condition, not include the electronics. The immature of the electronics and controls, as well as the thermal dissipation will reduce the lifetime much server than the CFL-i.

3. Don't buy the LED desk lamp if it is very light

The weight of the LED products comes from two ways: electronics (passive) and thermal dissipation. To light product mostly meant the less grade of passive components (e.g., capacitor) and less thermal dissipation capacity. Less thermal dissipation would cause the decay of the light. But the less grade of passive components might cause safety issue.

4. Do test these fancy electronic controls when you buy it

One of the weakest link of LED products is the electronics and controls! Leave this task to your child, let them to play the product on/off, or switch the colours of the light as rapid as they can. After 1 week, kids are tied with playing and the test is done. (Keep the hand try when your kids play with the LED products.)

Since LED can not provide me good efficiency and lifetime, and it is so expensive, what does LED desk lamp provides? LED desk lamp provide you more in the eyes protection and psychology effects.

5. Do choose the light pattern

The disadvantage of LED technology is the output light is very narrow in angles. There requires massive design in the optics (reflectors) to make the light output uniform. Too narrow beam shape would cause the pressure of the vision and then the damage of the eyes. For younger kids, this is more important. This is very easy to test before you buy it: Just to see how wide light pattern that this product can create, and compare with the others.

6. Do choose the colour rendering index

Higher colour rending index (CRI) provide more colour, and make the environment more colorful to your children. We suggest the CRI should be larger than 80, preferred 85. Be careful you read CRI instead of Ra. CRI above 90 is not necessary.

7. Do choose the colour temperature close to the daylight and warm-white

The CCT will dominate the psychological effect! We suggest to select one LED desk lamp with daylight (4000K) and warm white (3000K) for kids. Daylight provide high concentration, high studying efficiency but quick fatigue of the eyes. Preferably, 4000K-5000K is fine, and more than 5000K is not suggested. Warm white will create harmonic atmosphere, like home and relaxing, it is good for reading magazines, comic books, listening to music. The warm white should be in the range of 2700-3500K, and less than 2500K is not recommended.

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