The trucking industry often has had to adapt to change over the past few years, and one such area in which change has occurred is lighting.
Gradually, the industry has moved toward using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in place of the traditional incandescent lights that were commonly used.
According to the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), LEDs have proven to be superior to incandescent bulbs because they offer durability and brightness, improved safety and ensure sufficient voltage is available for proper antilock braking system operation.
A single LED is a solid-state electronic component, and when current flows through the semiconductor compounds, light is emitted.
Because there is no evaporation of components, and because it is a solid state component, LED service life is significantly longer than that of incandescent bulbs, according to TMC.
An individual LED remains an effective light source for approximately 100,000 hours, or about six times that of an average incandescent light bulb.
According to Peterson Manufacturing Co., unlike traditional incandescent lights that use bulbs, LED lamps do not use delicate wire filaments that stretch, weaken and eventually fail. Therefore, LED lamps may last longer because they withstand road vibration and shock much more effectively than bulbs.
Besides offering longevity, LED lamps consume significantly less power than incandescent lights. The amp draw of an LED can be as low as one-tenth that of an incandescent light, which means more power for other critical electrical needs, according to Peterson.
