Do LED Lights Get Hot? All You Need to Know.

Do you remember having to leave a bulb off for a while before touching it because it was too hot to handle? With LED lights, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. LEDs are known for their low-heat output and long life span, but it’s still a relevant question to ask.

Let’s look at the features of LED lighting and how they handle heat differently than other lights.

Do LED Lights Get Hot?

LED lights should not get hot, just warm. LED does generate heat but with correct thermal management through a heat sink, LED should only become warm.

LEDs are small light-emitting diodes that convert electricity into light. They do generate some heat as a byproduct, though not as much as traditional incandescent bulbs.

Why Do LED Lights Generate Less Heat?

LEDs are notably cool to the touch because they do not create heat in the form of infrared (IR) radiation. Infrared radiation from incandescent bulbs and other sources warms their enclosures, as well as the surrounding environment, making them hot to the touch.

LEDs consume less energy than other types of lighting, making them very energy-efficient. Less efficient light sources waste energy by turning it into heat rather than converting it into light.

Incandescent light bulbs would waste up to 90% of energy consumption by converting energy into heat and infrared radiation rather than light.

Interestingly, despite its overall energy efficiencies as a complete bulb or light fixture, the actual LED semiconductors are inefficient too, with up to even 95% of their power consumption lost to creating heat. However, they are dealing with less power for a greater amount of light, so the capacity to create heat is proportionally reduced.

For example, a 40W incandescent bulb creates 470 lumens of light compared to an LED bulb that uses 5.5 Watts.

Why Do LED Lights Get Hot?

Some LED bulbs get hot on the base because they is supposed to. The base acts as the heat sink, drawing the heat away from the LED chip and allowing it to dissipate in the environment. This is normal and doesn’t indicate a problem with the LED light.

Even the finest LED products will begin to warm up, but if those components are not properly ventilated, it can result in elevated levels of outgoing heat.

“LED chips are extremely heat-sensitive. Poor thermal management will result in the chip running too hot and will begin to alter the color of the light away from its initial specifications. Poorly managed chips can also be subjected to premature failure due to excess heat build up”, explains Dan Mahdavi, Chief Technology Officer of Orluna LED Light Technologies.

Is It Safe To Touch LED Bulbs?

LED bulbs are made of durable and safe materials, so it’s not dangerous to touch them when they’re slightly warm. That being said, LED lights have to be handled with caution as budget products may produce more heat than is usually acceptable, and could be warm enough to know it’s been on but still not likely to burn your skin.

How Can You Keep The Temperature of Your LEDs Low?

If the temperature of your LED lights is too high, they may not last as long as expected. To make sure that your LED bulbs have a long life, you should make sure that the temperature of your LED light is kept low.

How?

• Ventilation: You can do this by making sure that the fixtures in which your LED bulbs are mounted have proper ventilation. This gives the heat a place to escape and keeps your LED lights cool and long-lasting. Additionally, you should also avoid installing LED bulbs in enclosed fixtures that don’t have adequate ventilation.
• Heat Sinks: You can also invest in LED lights with heat sinks, which are made to dissipate the heat and keep your LED lights cool. With LED bulbs the manufacturer decides on whether a heat sink is necessary in it’s production, but with LED strips you can mount them on something metallic to assist heat transfer away from the LED chips.
• Low Drive Current: LEDs are run through a power supply called a driver. The level of current that is driven through the LED chip will determine the amount of heat produced. Running LEDs at lower currents can reduce their temperature and make them more efficient. A high quality LED will run with high watts to lumen output efficiencies, or less power is used to create more light.
• Low Thermal Resistance: The lower the thermal resistance of an LED, the less heat is generated. LEDs with lower thermal resistances will allow heat to be conducted away from the diode more quickly, resulting in a cooler LED temperature and a longer lasting product for you.
• Do Not Cover Power Supplies: Some LED products have external drivers, or power supplies. These too need to breathe and have good ventilation. Do not cover them with insulation or store them in wall boxes without adequate air movement.

Do LED Lights Get Hot Enough to Start a Fire?

Low voltage dichroic lamps and incandescent lighting ran at such hot temperatures that they could be a fire risk, but LED lights run much cooler and don’t present the same risk.

However, if LEDs are not fitted correctly or used with a poor quality power supply, then the heat produced can increase and become dangerous. It is always best to buy LED lights from reputable manufacturers who have designed their products diligently for safety.

LED lighting is an electrical product that handles electricity, therefore it is important to handle and use LED lights with caution like any other electrical device. By taking the necessary precautions and following these tips, you can keep your LED lighting running cool and safe for years to come.

In Conclusion

LED lights are very efficient and generate far less heat than other types of lighting, typically lasting between 30,000 to 70,000 hours and running at 15-20% of the consumption of incandescent lighting.

LEDs generate more light per watt than traditional bulbs and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

With the right thermal management through proper ventilation, heat sinks, and low drive current, you can ensure that your LED bulbs stay cool, be safe to use and will be a great investment.

Andrew Orange, the owner of Orange Lighting qualified and worked as an interior designer in 1993 before specialising in lighting working on high profile projects based in London. Since starting Orange Lighting Ltd in 2003 he has been sharing his knowledge and unique teaching style mostly to his designer clients, offering practical real life advice born from running a busy consultancy and lighting supply business. Launching in 2020, his blog has evolved into Quick & Easy Lighting, curating some 25 years design experience into making the lighting choice and design process achievable and easy to understand for all.