Around The Home

NanoLight claims to be world's most efficient light bulb

NanoLight claims to be world's most efficient light bulb
The NanoLight LED’s are directly attached to a printed circuit board that is folded to resemble the stereotypical light bulb shape (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight LED’s are directly attached to a printed circuit board that is folded to resemble the stereotypical light bulb shape (Image: NanoLight)
View 14 Images
The NanoLight LED light bulb are available in Black or White versions (Image: NanoLight)
1/14
The NanoLight LED light bulb are available in Black or White versions (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight has been extensively tested at two independent testing facilities in order to ensure brightness distribution, sufficient luminous output, and color temperature (Image: NanoLight)
2/14
The NanoLight has been extensively tested at two independent testing facilities in order to ensure brightness distribution, sufficient luminous output, and color temperature (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight operates at 133 lumens per watt - the above chart shows the company's own comparison to other light bulbs on the market (Image: NanoLight)
3/14
The NanoLight operates at 133 lumens per watt - the above chart shows the company's own comparison to other light bulbs on the market (Image: NanoLight)
The alternative to a 100-watt incandescent bulb has until recently been a compact fluorescent light (Image: NanoLight)
4/14
The alternative to a 100-watt incandescent bulb has until recently been a compact fluorescent light (Image: NanoLight)
Packaging for the new 75 to 100-watt equivalent NanoLight LED bulbs (Image: NanoLight)
5/14
Packaging for the new 75 to 100-watt equivalent NanoLight LED bulbs (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight LED’s are directly attached to a printed circuit board that is folded to resemble the stereotypical light bulb shape (Image: NanoLight)
6/14
The NanoLight LED’s are directly attached to a printed circuit board that is folded to resemble the stereotypical light bulb shape (Image: NanoLight)
NanoLight’s estimates show that over 30,000 hours of usage an LED bulb can save a consumer around seven times the expense of an equivalent periods usage of incandescent bulbs (Image: NanoLight)
7/14
NanoLight’s estimates show that over 30,000 hours of usage an LED bulb can save a consumer around seven times the expense of an equivalent periods usage of incandescent bulbs (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight team went through various prototype designs (Image: NanoLight)
8/14
The NanoLight team went through various prototype designs (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight has mercury-free construction for environmental friendliness (Image: NanoLight)
9/14
The NanoLight has mercury-free construction for environmental friendliness (Image: NanoLight)
The power consumption has been verified using two independent professional grade power meters during the testing process (Image: NanoLight)
10/14
The power consumption has been verified using two independent professional grade power meters during the testing process (Image: NanoLight)
Electronic components are mounted onto the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) using mostly SMT (Surface Mount Technology) (Image: NanoLight)
11/14
Electronic components are mounted onto the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) using mostly SMT (Surface Mount Technology) (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight comes in either 220V AC (Europe / Asia Pacific) or 120V AC (North America / Japan) to support all countries (Image: NanoLight)
12/14
The NanoLight comes in either 220V AC (Europe / Asia Pacific) or 120V AC (North America / Japan) to support all countries (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight has a standard E26/E27 base (Image: NanoLight)
13/14
The NanoLight has a standard E26/E27 base (Image: NanoLight)
The light output meets or exceeds 1600 lumens for the 12W version and 1200 lumens for the 10W version (Image: NanoLight)
14/14
The light output meets or exceeds 1600 lumens for the 12W version and 1200 lumens for the 10W version (Image: NanoLight)
View gallery - 14 images

Until recently LED light bulb manufacturers have struggled to find a solution in the 75 to 100-watt range which successfully replaces the soon-to-be redundant, energy crunching 100 W incandescent bulb in terms of size and brightness. Three friends from the University of Toronto are the latest to offer a feasible product to match the classic 100 W bulb without compromising on electricity consumption with their proposed NanoLight LED light bulbs.

Gimmy Chu, Tom Rodinger and Christian Yan of NanoLight met during a university solar car project back in 2005. With a shared enthusiasm for sustainable products they joined forces again three years ago and aim to launch three models of the Nanolight in the near future through the funding platform Kickstarter. The trio hopes their products will prove that true 100 W equivalent LED lighting can be achieved and that NanoLight can make good its claim as “the worlds most energy efficient light bulb.”

NanoLight’s signature product is a 12 W LED bulb that provides the equivalent of a 100 W classic bulb and gives off 1600 lumens. Whilst the 60 W LED range has proved successful, manufacture of higher wattage equivalents that fit into current light fixtures has been difficult. LED lights produce less heat then traditional bulbs, but this heat becomes an issue that shortens the lifespan and efficiency of the LEDs when the volume is increased for a higher wattage effect.

The NanoLight products claim to have addressed the LED heat issues and are also billed as omnidirectional, which is not a feature of the average LED bulb. The NanoLight LED’s are directly attached to a printed circuit board that is folded to resemble the stereotypical light bulb shape. The product testing that can be seen in the videos below shows that the LEDs withstand the heat issues within this format.

Although manufactured electronic circuit boards are well established, the folded design of the NanoLight will provide challenges for the team. Using surface mounting technology, the individual components will be placed into predefined positions and will require a low temperature soldering process to secure the components. Once this has been achieved a process will take place to assemble the circuit board into its bulb shape and secure on the screw base light fitting which is the current available option.

The NanoLight operates at 133 lumens per watt - the above chart shows the company's own comparison to other light bulbs on the market (Image: NanoLight)
The NanoLight operates at 133 lumens per watt - the above chart shows the company's own comparison to other light bulbs on the market (Image: NanoLight)

The alternative to a 100 W incandescent bulb has until recently been a compact fluorescent light, if you have the time for them to warm up to maximum light output. The LED is a much more pleasing alternative not only for using less harmful materials during manufacture, but also by providing an instant warm neutral white full light on request and lasting a lot longer with an estimated lifespan of 30,000 hours.

In addition to the 12 W NanoLight, a 10 W NanoLight (75 W equivalent) and a 12 W NanoLight (1800+ Lumens) are also in the pipe. These three models are available in 120V AC and 220-240V AC versions to cater to different geographic regions. The NanoLight team has also received high demand for a dimmable version and are already working on a prototype model that can achieve this.

The current price of LED bulbs is high and the 100 W NanoLight will run at around US$50 per unit. Despite this, NanoLight estimates that over a period of 30,000 hours of usage an LED bulb can save a consumer around seven times the expense of an equivalent periods usage of incandescent bulbs.

Other recent (and heavyweight) entrants into the 100-watt equivalent LED market include the Phillips 22 W LED and the 20 W bulb from Osram Sylvania, a division of Germany's Siemens AG.

The video below provides more information on the production and testing of the NanoLights.

Source: NanoLight, Kickstarter

Nanoleaf One - World's most energy efficient lightbulb

NanoLight Test Evidence

View gallery - 14 images
24 comments
24 comments
Mark A
I am all for increased efficiency but I sure have a hard time paying $15.00 or more for a 60W light bulb (HD online) that I can only hope my heirs will use since 30,000 hours is going to out last me. Now increase my electric water heater's efficiency and we can talk about some savings.
usugo
I appreciate the ingenuity of the folding board and the claimed specs. However, I do not find the final design of the product very pleasing and the rear facing LEDs look like a wasteful arrangement to me (excluding some applications). One fundamental issue is also the initial cost. To pay an initial several folds higher price on the promise/expectation that it will allow you to save in the long run, will take time to be accepted. I.e. only when empirical experience will prove it is the case, as it is slowly happening with fluorescent bulbs.
Michiel Mitchell
I just drink 2 cups of coffee less each day, and I'll be saving more on the electricity to boil that water, than what all my cheap light-bulbs are wasting in a week..
only way these energy savers can be profitable in the real world for the consumer, is if they where priced, at exactly the same as a normal globe, which of coarse they are not...
mmcconoughey
Seen here is the too-common technique of fudging the numbers. The LED output of 1600 lumens is not equivalent to a common 100 watt lightbulb. It is about 7 percent less (1600 versus 1710-1750 lumens). Is 7 percent important? Yes, because light is what one is paying for in lighting equipment. Whether it is a 7 percent luminance increase, rent increase, tax increase, or food price increase, 7 percent is significant.
BigGoofyGuy
There are those who pay more for a hybrid car since it saves money in the long run by having better MPG. I think there are those would be willing to pay more intially to save money in the long run.
Perhaps with time, the cost will come down. With technology, it seems that it usuaslly does when some one finds a cheaper way to make them.
Christopher Erickson
I suspect that this bulb will be obsolete by better designs and replaced long before it reaches it's break-even point.
Just as the typical hybrid car's total cost of ownership completely wipes out the gas savings from driving it and results in a much, much-more expensive car than the basic car it is supposed to replace. Hybrid cars don't save you money and neither will this light bulb. However it is an important step in the light bulb's continuing evolution.
John Hagen-Brenner
My experience with CFLs is that they have failed to live up to the life expectancy claims. This is usually because the manufacturer skimped on the quality of some component. I would be very unhappy if that were the case with a $50 100 watt LED bulb. I've seen plenty of LED taillights on trucks and busses with failing LEDs on them.
techy922
This sounds like a fantastic and very innovative design, and actually not very highly priced considering it looks like they provide free shipping from their kickstarter website. About $40 for a real 100W bulb is a pretty awesome deal compared to the pricey Philip ones I recently bought. The fact that someone is thinking outside of the box and being able to remove that ugly heatsink while keeping the bulb cool is definitely impressive. The appearance is rather futuristic, which I am a fan of. Just ordered one from kickstarter, I am interested to see how it performs in real life.
to mmcconoughey, it looks like on their kickstarter website they have one that achieves 1800 lumens too, just a fyi.
Robert Moynihan
Thanks but no thanks, $50.00 . I spent $21 on 3 bulbs from china that have a full 360 range and only burn 12 watts total. combined output is about an 80 watt bulb. Ebay rules
Marvin Keith
Ten dollars is the highest anyone should pay for a 100W LED 1700 lumen standard size 110- 220 v light bulb. Paying more plays the fool.
Load More