Do you know the history of LED track spotlights?

 Guideway spotlight is one of the important lighting tools that cannot be used or missing in commercial lighting space. It has the characteristics of sensitive device, convenient adjustment and concentrated light effect, so it can produce important point characterization. This paper may not be able to trace back to who invented the track lamp early, but it can mainly introduce the history of track lamp changes in the past 10 years and related application problems from the classification of light source types.

Original halogen track lamp

When the concept of point lighting began to manifest, spotlights came into being. When you look at liang Zhitian's early works, you will find that small track spotlights are often used. If you are in the industry in recent years, you may rarely see halogen track lights in China. According to the matching light source, there are several common halogen track lamps: lamp cup (MR16) type, aluminum cup type (also known as QRIII or AR111), PAR bubble type, and QT32 type.

Advantages of halogen track lamp:

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

2. Good color rendering, and excellent brightness in the light sense, so that the object is illuminated with luster.

Disadvantages:

1, heat, light sensitive objects, lights need to add special protection treatment.

2. High energy consumption and short life. In terms of the operation and maintenance of commercial space, the cost of electricity and the cost of replacing light source is very high, which is also the important reason why halogen track lamp was quickly replaced and eliminated by LED products during 2010-2013.

PS: Now in the domestic commercial format, it is very rare to use halogen track lamp, almost extinct. But in Europe, Japan, pay attention to the local stores, halogen track lamp or a certain proportion.

The second type of fluorescent track lamp

It is rare for track lamp to use fluorescent light source, because the fluorescent light source is large area of light, so it is difficult to complete point lighting. But for some special places, such as wall washing requirements, in the past, when the optical plan was not developed with LED, fluorescent lamps were the only choice. H tubes were commonly used to combine and plan into wall washing products. Of course, because of the limitation of light source, the role of wall washing in the past must not be the same as today.

The third kind of metal halide track lamp

Halide track lamp can be said to have been the top sales product of indoor business photo in that era, clothing chain stores, shopping malls, furniture exhibition halls and stores, it is the best choice, and the use of a great deal, with the expansion of various brand stores, halide lamp is really everywhere. The light source of metal halide lamp also has different types, not G12, G8.5, PAR30, PAR20, etc.

The metal halide lamp has several distinct features:

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

2. Long life, compared with the halogen light source that will be changed evenly for half a year, the life of the metal halogen lamp is now enough for shops to use for a decoration cycle;

But it also has a few hard wounds:

1. The metal halide lamp takes a long time to start and needs cooling when it is restarted. It can not be turned off immediately.

2. Poor quality metal halide light source simply shows color drift (slightly different from the color difference we say now)

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

4, metal halide lamp electrical equipment is divided into electronic and inductive two kinds, inductive ballast is large, not beautiful, and the inductance is easy to noise.

The fourth type of LED track light

In the experience of the above three lighting products, at the beginning of the 21st century, LED has begun to show its edge, in about 2006-2008, there are now enterprises beginning to test, after 2008, but also set off a storm of LED implementation, application, replacement tide. LED track lights have also changed over the years.

Early LED track lights: Replacement for halogen lights

At the beginning, LED skills are not outstanding, color rendering, light efficiency are not as good as today's products, but under the trend of energy conservation and environmental protection, we simply accept this new product, but due to the price of the transaction, it is prohibitive.

In the early batch of LED track lights, manufacturers mostly introduced light sources for the lamp frame. As can be seen from the pictures, there is no concept of integrated planning of LED products.

In the early stage, LED modular light source was combined with the lamp body of the original metal halide lamp structure to modify the electrical equipment and become LED track lamp.

The second generation of LED track light: SMD (single light source)

Gradually, LED chip upstream skills progress, promote to 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, LED track lights can be said to be an era of crazy growth, and R&D engineers and quality testing are also facing great challenges. On the one hand, LED heat dissipation and optical planning are work they have little contact with in the past, which requires a lot of exploration and test. On the other hand, LED skills are updated so quickly that new light sources are often available before a product has been mass-produced.

Some of the earlier LED track lights, optical plans often have two types, one lens, or a single lens combination.

In terms of application, the LED track light at this stage is not so obvious in energy-saving practice, and the color display is not safe. However, due to the intensive implementation of shopping malls, customers are willing to test such new products and take it as the trend. Some chain brands with larger planning are relatively cautious in using them.

Third generation LED track light: COB type

When the COB light source appears, manufacturers find that the new LED products with small volume and high power encapsulated in such a centralized package are simpler for product planning. In addition, under the condition of the same volume, the lamps can achieve more power and meet the demand of higher lumen value, which is the LED track lamp of the mainstream of modern commercial lighting space.

Of course, the optical planning of COB track lamps has also undergone several changes, and several different types exist in the market.

SLR cup type (this kind is also very early), reflective cup + light guide column type, lens type. Each of them has its own features and advantages, such as high utilization efficiency of reflector cup type products, and better sense of uniform light spot transition of lenticular COB track lamp, and thinner lens, and then reduce the length of the lamp body. (For reasons of space, these three categories cannot be discussed in detail.)

COB type track spotlights main features:

1, large power scale, 3W, 5W such small power products to meet the restaurant, home space needs; There are 25, 35W such high power products to meet the lighting needs of stores;

2. The color temperature range is wide, from 2400K and 2700K to 5000K and 6000K. The color temperature is diverse and customizable.

Throughout the development history of Led track lights, we can clearly see our development and progress.