History of LED track spotlights

Guide spotlights are one of the most important lighting equipment in commercial lighting space. It has the characteristics of sensitive device, convenient adjustment, light effect concentration and so on, so it can play an important role in depicting the main points. This paper may not be able to trace back to who invented the guide spotlights earlier, but mainly from the classification of light source types, it can introduce the change history of track lights in the past 10 years and related application problems.

The first halogen track lamp

Spotlights came into being when the concept of point lighting began to manifest itself. When we look at Mr. Leung‘s early works, we will find that small track spotlights are commonly used. If you have entered the field in recent years, you may rarely see halogen track lights in China. In terms of matching light sources, there are several common halogen track lamps: MR16, Aluminum cup (also known as QRIII or AR111), PAR bubble, and QT32.

Advantages of halogen track lamp:

1, small lamp body, simple structure (lamp body + electrical + replaceable light source), cheap price.

2, good color rendering, and the light sense has excellent brightness, so that the object is shining.

Disadvantages:

1, the heat is large, about light sensitive illuminated objects, lights need special protection treatment.

2. High energy consumption and short life span. In terms of commercial space operation and maintenance, the cost of electricity and the cost of replacement light source are often high, which is also an important reason why halogen track lights were quickly replaced by LED products during 2010-2013 and eliminated.

PS: Now in domestic commercial forms, the use of halogen track lamp is very rare, almost extinct. However, in Europe and Japan, I have noticed the local stores, and halogen track lights still account for a certain proportion.

The second type of fluorescent track lamp

The products of track lamp using fluorescent light source are relatively rare, because the fluorescent light source is a large area of light, so it is difficult to complete the key lighting function. But about some special places, such as wall washing requirements, in the optical plan without LED developed in the past, fluorescent lamp is the only choice, commonly used H tube to combine planning into wall washing products, of course, because of the limited light source, the past role of wall washing must not be the same as today.

The third type of gold halide track lamp

It can be said that gold halide track lamp used to be the top product of indoor merchants in that era. It was the best choice and used in clothing chain stores, shopping malls, furniture exhibition halls and stores. With the expansion tide of various brand stores, gold halide lamp can be seen everywhere. The light source of gold halide lamp also has different types, not G12, G8.5, PAR30, PAR20, etc.

The gold halide lamp has several distinct features:

1, high light efficiency, high power, is to create "is to be brighter than the next door competitive brand store" artifact!

2. Long life, compared with the halogen light source that should be replaced evenly for half a year, the life of gold halogen lamp is now enough for the use of a decoration cycle of shops and shops;

But it also has a few hard wounds:

1. The gold halide lamp takes a long time to start and needs cooling when restarting. It cannot be turned off and turned on again immediately.

2, poor quality gold halide light source simple color drift (with us now say color difference is still a little different)

3, the light effect is very high, the power selection is less (the convention is 35W and 70W and 150W 3 kinds of power), does not support dimming, so it is difficult to complete the diversification of the role.

4. The electrical apparatus of gold halide lamp is divided into two kinds: electron and inductor. The inductor ballast is large, not beautiful, and the inductor is easy to make noise.

The fourth type LED track light

After experiencing the above three kinds of lighting products, at the beginning of the 21st century, LED has begun to show its edge. From about 2006 to 2008, there have been enterprises beginning to test. After 2008, it has set off a dense LED implementation, application and replacement tide. LED track lights, also after several years of change.

Early LED track lights: Replacement for halogen lights

At the beginning, LED skills are not outstanding, color rendering, light effect is not as good as today‘s products, but under the concept of energy saving and environmental protection trend, we simply accept this new product, but due to the price of the transaction, people are afraid.

In the early batch of LED track lights, manufacturers mostly introduced light source for the lamp holder. It can be seen from the picture that there is no concept of integrated planning of LED products.

In the early stage, the LED modular light source is equipped with the lamp body of the original gold halide lamp structure, and the electrical equipment is corrected to become the LED track lamp.

Second generation LED track lamp: SMD type (single light source type)

Gradually, LED chip upstream skills progress, the implementation of lighting manufacturers, coupled with the introduction of foreign integrated LED products, a new generation of LED track lights shine on the stage. At this stage, the LED track lamp can be said to be an era of crazy growth. R&d engineers and quality detection are also facing great challenges. On the one hand, the heat dissipation and optical planning of LED are less work for them in the past, requiring a lot of exploration and testing; On the other hand, the skills of leds change so quickly that new light sources are often available before a product has been mass-produced.

Some relatively early LED track spotlights, optical plans often have two kinds of integrated lens, or single lens combination.

Back to the application function, the practice of LED track lights in energy saving at this stage is not so obvious, and the color is not safe. But because of the implementation of shopping malls, customers are willing to test such new products, and take it as a trend. Some chain brands with large planning are relatively cautious in using it.

The third generation LED track lamp: COB type

When the COB light source appears, the manufacturer finds that the new LED with small volume and high power is more simple for the product planning. In the case of the same volume, the lamp can achieve higher power and satisfy the demand of higher lumen value. It is the LED track lamp in the main stream of modern commercial lighting space.

Of course, the optical planning of COB trajectory spotlights has undergone several changes, and several different types exist in the market.

SLR light cup type (this class is also very early), reflective cup + light guide column type, lens type. Each has its own features and advantages. For example, the reflective cup type has high utilization efficiency, the lenticular COB track spotlights have a relatively good sense of uniform spot transition, and the lens can be thinner and then drop the length of the lamp body. (For space reasons, these three categories cannot be detailed.)

Main features of COB track spotlights:

1, the power scale is large, there are 3W, 5W such small power products to satisfy the restaurant, home space demand; There are 25, 35W such high-power products to meet the needs of store lighting;

2, Wide range of color temperature, from 2400K, 2700K to 5000K, 6000K, color temperature is diverse and customizable, break the color temperature limitation of gold halide lamp 3000K, 4000K, can meet the needs of more segmented areas;

Color rendering also improved.

Disadvantages:

1. COB light source products are difficult to complete ultra-narrow view point. It is difficult to concentrate light because of its large surface. By convention, COB track spotlights manufacturers can make a small point of view of about 10° (except for individual museum grade products).

2. COB light source products are prone to secondary light spots, and the cutoff line of light spots is healthy. (Of course, it can also be eliminated by special optical processing, such as adding an optimizer)