Integrated LEDs vs. Bulbs

As we have discussed in other sections, heat transfer away from the LED is vital for its life expectancy. This makes the design and construction of the landscape light fixture critical.

Integrated LEDs that use an aluminum circuit board to transfer the heat to the light housing (fixture) and out to the world are the optimal design to transfer heat away from the LED. Solid metal contact from the LED out to the fixture and ultimately into the atmosphere is the best design for LED life. The downside of this design is that, in typical integrated LED lights, the LED circuitry is not replaceable, leading to the replacement of the entire fixture if the light fails for any reason.

Bulbs do a poor job of conducting heat away from the LED. Many LED bulbs are designed with fins to help conduct heat away from the LED. However, in landscape lighting fixtures, the fins are sealed in a metal housing, creating an oven effect. This leaves the air inside the fixture (oven) to be the main conduit to conduct the heat from the bulb to the fixture. Air is a terrible heat-conducting medium. In fact, aluminum is 9000 times better at conducting heat than air! This bulb technology does make it easy to change out the LEDs when they fail.

Haven Lighting offers a unique design of integrated LEDs that are changeable. This design is proprietary to Haven, which provides the long-life, heat-conducting technology of an integrated design with an easily removable aluminum LED board.