Yes, you can leave your LED lights ON all night, even for all day (24 hours), and even you can go your LEDs ON for a week. Usually, they are designed for continuous operation. LED lights are also energy efficient and generate less heat than traditional lights. Therefore, in normal cases, there is no problem with leaving LEDs on all night.
Let’s learn in detail.
Table of Contents
What is LED Light?
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. LED lights are a type of light that uses a semiconductor diode to emit light as electric current passes through it.
What are the Differences between LEDs and Incandescent?
LEDs and incandescent bulbs differ in several aspects. Here we will discuss only the physical build of these two.
As we already knew, LEDs are made with semiconductor materials and this semiconductor emits light when electric current passes through it. On the other hand, incandescent bulbs use a filament that is made of tungsten wire and when it is heated by an electric current, it produces light.
The filament of an incandescent bulb is inside the glass bulb that is filled with a gas such as argon or nitrogen. LES is placed inside a resin or plastic material.
Lifespan
How long does an LED light last?
The typical lifespan of LED lights is 20,000 to 50,000 hours. 20,000 is the minimum, but usually, you can say it is 35,000 hours. Therefore the lifespan is 35,000 to 50,000 hours. How long is it? If we take 40,000 hours as an average, it will take approximately 4.57 years. Was it easy to imagine?
Factors Affecting the LED lights lifespan
There are several factors that have effects on the lifespan of LEDs. Some of those have been discussed below.
- Quality of the LED: As everyone knows, the higher the quality, the more it will last.
- Heat: Proper heat dissipation is important for the LEDs. LEDs that have been designed with efficient heat sinks and proper ventilations, last for long.
- Usage Pattern: If the LED lights are frequently turned on and off, they may last less than the one that is not on and off very often.
- Operating Conditions: The temperature and humidity can also impact the lifespan of LED lights.
- Electricity: Poor electrical conditions reduces the lifespan. For example, voltage spikes or unstable power supply can negatively impact the lifespan of the LED lights.
How Often LED Lights Burn Out Compared To Incandescent?
As we learned so far that the lifespan of LED lights is 35,000 to 50,000 hours in general. On the other hand, traditional incandescent bulbs have a lifespan of maximum 2,000 hours. It means LEDs have 25 times more lifespan than incandescent. Reversely, it can be said that LED lights burn out once for every 25 burn out of traditional incandescent lights in general.
Comparison of the Lifespan of Different Types of Electric Lights
| Type | Average Lifespan (hours) |
| Incandescent | 1,000 – 2,000 |
| Fluroscent | 12,000 – 25,000 |
| Halogen | 2,000 – 4,000 |
| CFL | 30,000 – 50,000 |
| LED | 35,000 – 50,000 |
Can I leave my LED lights ON all night?
Yes, you can. We already discusses the lifespan of LED. It has a lifespan of more than 4.5 years. Continuous use is possible for LED. Besides the energy consumption of LEDs is very less than that of incandescent bulbs. LED lights are safer to use than traditional lights as well. Therefore, scientifically there is no problem in leaving your LED lights on all night if everything is in the right condition, check the quality before doing so.
Read also: Will the LEDs on PC Case Fans Warm the System Up?
How Long Can I Leave RGB LED Strip Light On?
RGB LED strips can also be left for extended periods like the LED lights. It can also leave 24/7. But a few factors should be considered here. The factors are the same as the factors that affect LED lights’ lifespan. The most important of them are the quality, heat dissipation, power supply, and environmental factors.
Power Consumption Fact: Will leaving LED lights on all night increase my utility bills largely?
No. LED lights are highly power efficient. They are designed to convert a higher percentage of energy into light rather than heat. They consume up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
As LED lights consume very little electricity, when left on their low power consumption will impact your utility bills minimally.
Read more on this topic from “Do LED Strip Lights Use a Lot of Electricity?“
Safety Fact: Is leaving LED lights on safe enough?
If the LED is installed correctly, the quality is up to the mark, electricity is okay, then it is safe. But still, for many reasons, it is not recommended to do so because there are some other factors as well. For example, overloading circuits or improper ventilation may cause some problems. So it is theoretically safe but in practice, do not leave LED on without need.
Health Issues: Are LED lights safe?
Compared to other lights, even natural, LEDs are not too bad for health. But inappropriate use or excessive use may cause sleep disruption and eye strain. Read details on this here: “Are LED lights safe for human health?” by European Union.
Why you should not leave your LED lights on all night?
There are three main reasons that will influence you not to leave your LED lights on all night. They are:
- Safety: Though theoretically, it is 100% safe, you shouldn’t do this without need. Who can assure anyone about an accident?
- Utility Bills: Though the bills that will be caused by LED lights are minimal, still you have to pay this. This is just wasting your money. It doesn’t matter how large or small the amount is, waste is waste and shouldn’t be done by us.
- Wasting Power: It is true that the power consumption is low in LED, but still, it consumes some. If 1,000 people just do the same the small amount of power will be 1,000 times greater. In this way, a lot of power will be wasted without any reason.
So leave your LED lights on all night or all day or 24/7 when you need to do so. Never do this because you are tired or lazy.
Recommendations for leaving LED lights on for a long time
Here are some requirements for leaving your LED lights on all night or for long periods.
- Choose High-Quality Lights
- Use Energy-Efficient LEDs
- Use Proper Wiring
- Follow Manufacturer Guidelines
- Provide Proper Ventilation
- Monitor for Overheating
- Should Give Rest for Sometimes
- Conduct Regular Inspections
Are you looking for RGB LED Flood Lights? Here is a guideline for you: “Where can I buy RGB LED flood light?“
Conclusion
In conclusion, we are saying that there is typically no problem in leaving LEDs all night or even for 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Whether it is an RGB LED or White LED, the answer is the same. But as it will waste power and money and still has some risk, it is not recommended to do so pointlessly.
The article published by this account is generally a teamwork of the team of RGB for Gamers. This team consists of Alvi, Abdul Ahad, Rabiul, Sakib, and every other person who is connected with us.
