Do LED flood lights use a lot of electricity?

We are a nation of passionate sports enthusiasts. Whether enjoying spectating in the crowds or participating on an amateur level or professionally, we simply love it! Many stadiums and sports clubs require flood lights to ensure all the fun and games can continue all year round 12 months of the year regardless of the long dark winters in the UK.

Like everyone else at the moment, sports clubs are growing increasingly aware of the need to take advantage of energy-saving solutions that not only help protect the planet but also save money on ever-rising energy bills. 

The energy efficiency and cost of running LED flood lights are connected to how much electricity it takes to power them. In this blog, we explore whether LED flood lights use a lot of electricity. 

LED flood lights use FAR less electricity than traditional flood lights

The energy conversion efficiency tells you how much of the power lights use gets converted into visible light. The energy conversion efficiency of traditional incandescent lights, for example, is between 10% and 20% at max, whereas energy-efficient LED flood lights consistently achieve around 50% energy conversion efficiency. 

Many of the old flood lights you used to see at amateur and professional sports stadiums in the UK were halogen. Well, modern LED sports stadium flood lights like the ones we supply here at INUI are up to 80%+ more energy efficient than halogen flood lights. There’s no comparison efficiency-wise! Alongside making considerable savings on energy bills, you’ll also reduce your carbon footprint by picking LEDs over halogen flood lights. 

If you’re after energy-efficient flood lights, you’re simply looking to use less energy to perform the same function (such as providing sufficient lighting for a football pitch or tennis court so matches can take place at night), and this is where LED flood lights come out on top and do the job! 

Why do LED flood lights use less electricity?

LED flood lights use less electricity because most of their energy is used to create light alone, as opposed to creating light and heat, as more inefficient forms of lighting do.

A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor that acts as a junction through which electrical energy can be filtered and then releases light as a by-product. With LEDs, light is emitted directly from the input source, without first needing to power a separate filament. 

LED vs HID flood lights

HIDs are often used for headlights, streetlights, warehouses, large retail facilities, and as flood lights for stadiums and sports clubs.

So, both LEDs and HIDs (High-Intensity Discharge) are extremely bright lights that can be used for flood lighting applications, but which one uses less electricity and makes for better flood lighting all things considered?

LED flood lights are made of compound semiconductors (light-emitting diodes), but HIDs consist of two electrodes containing xenon gas. The concern about xenon gas being in HID lights is that overexposure to it can be harmful to humans and cause dizziness and nausea.

The average electricity consumption in watts per hour of HID flood lights is over three times more than that of LED flood lights. Therefore, LED flood lights use a great deal less electricity to produce light compared to HIDs.

HID flood lights are also more prone to overheating because they produce infrared energy, whereas LEDs produce none at all. The lifespan of HID flood lights tends to be around 3,000 hours. On the other hand, INUI’s LED Modular 1500 Flood Light has an impressive lifespan of 100,000 hours!  

All in all, LED flood lights are much more energy efficient and effective than HIDs. LED flood lights outperform HIDs.

Sports flood lights have a long history in the UK, they were first used at an evening sporting event way back in 1878 at Bramall Lane for a Sheffield United football match. But times have changed, technology has moved on, and we at INUI are leading the way as Carbon Trust-accredited suppliers and installers of LED flood lights!

We recently carried out work for Widnes tennis club to upgrade the LED flood lights for their outdoor tennis courts, and it was a job well done that we are proud of for another satisfied customer.

Are you interested in getting your hands on energy-efficient LED flood lights? Get in touch today by phoning us on 01509 266355 or emailing sales@inui.co.uk. We can fit your LED lighting for you and offer a design and installation service with a five-year warranty on selected products.