Three Compatibility Problems Block the Popularization of LED Lighting

LED lighting has great market potential and can replace current incandescent and fluorescent (CFL) lamps, this is undeniable. However, if the following three compatibility problems do not get resolved, LED lighting would always stray far from popularity, for it affects the basic work.

“Compatibility is the number one compelling problem facing the entire LED industry today. No end-user, designer, specialist will–or should—care what promises and potential LED technology holds in the future, if it doesn’t meet their needs in the present,” according to Jan Kemeling, Ledzworld Chief Sales & Marketing Officer (CMO).

These three compatibility problems include dimmer compatibility, mechanical compatibility and thermal compatibility.

1. Dimmer compatibility. Currently, LED bulbs are mainly analog driver-based, which enables not to be compatible with residential, retails and companies dimmer. “Frequently this cause LED to flicker and dim erratically, one lamp powering off before another, or the LED not even powering on at all,” says Jan Kemeling. Also the problem leads to high return rates of LED products.

“In the coming years, solution to dimmer compatibility and maintaining of cost-effectiveness is the key to accelerate the widespread adoption of LED bulbs by users,” says David Biven, EXL marketing director at Cirrus Logic, Inc.

2. Mechanical compatibility. Comparing with incandescent and fluorescent (CFL) lamps, LED lighting is new product with different design. “Problems arise when LEDs do not match the size and dimensions of traditional lamps,” says Jan, “it’s simply a matter of fitting a square into a round hole—the LED does not fix the legacy fixture’s width or height.” It also seems impossible for users to re-install line, switch and so on.

3. Thermal compatibility. “Traditional light sources and LEDs operate at dramatically different temperatures. While some halogen lamps operate at 200 degrees Celsius, LED lamps must operate at a specific thermal temperature to ensure long life and safety standards. In much of the legacy fixture infrastructure, there’s no means to dissipate heat in the bulb design.”