Frequently Asked Questions About LEDs
What does njo stand for?
What does LED stand for?
How do they generate light?
What is the difference between an incandescent bulb and LED?
How do they change colour?
What is Anodising?
What is Powder-Coating?
Some of your pages are displayed in an odd way, Am i doing something wrong?
What is RGBA?
Are LEDs affected by extreme conditions?
Can LEDs be dimmed?
Do LEDs attract insects?
Do LEDs produce heat?
Can LEDs be damaged if hooked up backwards?
Why do LEDs use such little power?
What is an "IP" Rating?
What is Colour Mix?
Q.What does njo stand for?
A.
Not Just Opto
Q.What does LED stand for?
A.
Light Emitting Diode
Q.How do they generate light?
A.
Here is a great article on how they work http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/led.htm/printable
Q.How do they change colour?
A.
Most LEDs are monochromatic ie they emit light at 1 frequency, the different semiconductors used to create LEDs emit light at a variety of wavelengths from 400 nanometers (Blue) through to 800 nanometers (Red) a combination of Red Green & Blue (RGB) can then be used to create multitude of colours.
Q. What is Anodising?
A.
Click here to find out more about Anodising
Q. What is Powder-Coating?
A.
Click here to find out more about Powder-Coating
Q. Some of your pages are displayed in an odd way, Am i doing something wrong?
A.
The web site was designed and built on an Apple iMac, and as a result there are some compatibility issues with Windows explorer 6.0 and 7.0 make sure you upgrade your browser often to ensure the most up to date security and interpretation of Xhtml and Html.
Or alternatively try Firefox 3.6.9, Google Chrome, Opera, or Safari all of which are free to download.
Q. RGBA?
A.
Stands for Red Green Blue & Amber.
Q. Are LEDs affected by extreme conditions?
A.
LEDs are geared for harsh environments. LEDs function from -40F /-40C to 180F / 82.2C. There is no delay or required "warm up time" for LEDs to function.
Q. Can LEDs be dimmed?
A.
It's useful to think of an LED as a current-driven device. The light output is proportional to the drive current over a decent range. Things go a bit odd at the bottom end of the current range, where the LED may flicker or change colour. So dimming by reductions in forward current isn't the most useful technique. Instead, pulse width modulation presents a technique to safely dim an LED from 0 - 100% of its' nominal brightness. By pulsing the LED with current, and varying the duty cycle of the current waveform, the LED rapidly transitions between on and off, and the relative times spent give the impression of being dimmed.
Q. Do LEDs attract insects?
A.
No they do not. Insects see entirely different spectrums of light and are attracted to ultraviolet light. A side note - flowers create "nectar guides", invisible to the human eye and ultraviolet light attracts insects to flowers for reproductive purposes. This is not to say that all bugs aren't attracted to LED lights, but most can't see the light that LEDs produce.
Q. Can LEDs be damaged if hooked up backwards?
A.
Yes, they can. LEDs are diodes and only allow power to pass in one direction. To ensure that you will get the most life out of our LED devices, we add additional circuits to prevent this from occurring in both AC and DC applications.
Q. Do LEDs produce heat?
A.
LEDs produce very little amounts of heat. The heat noticed in some instances is due to on board components and other factors of the circuit. Inc comparison to incandescent, LEDs produce a fraction of the heat. If LEDs are hot to the touch, they are being overpowered due to improper circuitry.
Q. Why do LEDs use such little power?
A.
LEDs do not use a filament where a conductor is heated and light is created. Filament based lighting consumes more power than the light produced. LEDs produce very little amounts of heat and do not use filaments making them far more efficient in consumption and output.
Q. What is the difference between an incandescent bulb and LED?
A.
Incandescent creates light by the use of a filament. When power is applied, the filament glows and generates heat - which in turn produces light. LEDs are just the opposite. LEDs create light through a 'cold process'. When power is applied to semiconductors (usually gallium, arsenic and phosphorous), they're stimulated by the movement of electrons, this creating photons. Photons are the light that is visibly seen by humans.
Q. What is an "IP" Rating?
A.
EN 60529 outlines an international classification system for the sealing effectiveness of enclosures of electrical equipment against the intrusion into the equipment of foreign bodies (i.e. tools, dust, fingers) and moisture. This classification system utilizes the letters "IP" ("Ingress Protection") followed by two or three digits. (A third digit is sometimes used. An "x" is used for one of the digits if there is only one class of protection; i.e. IPX4 which addresses moisture resistance only.)
Degrees of Protection - First Digit
The first digit of the IP code indicates the degree that persons are protected against contact with moving parts (other than smooth rotating shafts, etc.) and the degree that equipment is protected against solid foreign bodies intruding into an enclosure.
Degrees of Protection - Second Digit
The second digit indicates the degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against the harmful entry of various forms of moisture (e.g. dripping, spraying, submersion, etc.)