TheraBulb offers two different types of bulbs: incandescent and LED. We sell both types of bulbs because each one offers some features that the other does not. This not only makes them alternatives for each other, but also complementary. In this blog post we're going to discuss how using incandescent and LED bulbs together can offer you the best of both worlds.
TheraBulb Incandescent Bulbs
TheraBulb offers six zero-EMF incandescent infrared bulbs. Three of these are designed for use in countries with 110V-120V electrical systems, most of which are located in North and Central America. These include the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. Japan also has 110V electrical systems. Our 120V bulbs are available in 150W, 250W, and 300W sizes. We also offer two incandescent bulbs designed for use in countries with 220V-240V electrical systems, a 150W, 250W, and 300W bulb. 220V - 240V electrical systems are used in most of world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and South America. If you are located outside of the United States, you can make a purchase for overseas delivery from TheraBulb's eBay store. TheraBulb participates in eBay's Global Shipping program, enabling us to ship to 100+ countries worldwide.
If you are not sure what voltage is used in your country, here is a guide to assist you.
TheraBulb Universal Voltage LED Bulbs
TheraBulb offers two zero-flicker LED bulbs that are universal voltage, meaning they can be used worldwide without a voltage adapter. The bulbs are offered in two wattages:
Differences Between Incandescent and LED Bulbs
Incandescent and LED bulbs differ in several ways.
Incandescent vs LED Technology
The fundamental difference between incandescent bulbs is the way that they operate. Incandescent bulbs use the same technology that was patented by Thomas Edison in 1888. Inside each bulb is a wire filament, through which, electricity flows. This causes the filament to become so hot that it glows. It is this process that produces the visible light, infrared energy, and heat that TheraBulbs emit. The image below shows the inside of an incandescent TheraBulb.
LEDs produce visible light and near infrared energy as a result of electrical current passing through a microchip, which causes the light emitting diodes (LEDs) to be energized. Unlike incandescent bulbs, in which a glowing filament produces visible light and near infrared energy in a range of wavelengths, LED bulbs can be programmed to emit wavelengths in precise ranges. Wavelength ranges for our LED bulbs are detailed in the image below.
Incandescent vs LED Performance
Because the manner in which visible light and near infrared energy are produced by an LED bulb is reliant upon electronics, LED bulbs are able to deliver the same irradiance levels as incandescent bulbs, but with far less energy consumption. For example, TheraBulb's 25W LED offers irradiance of 47.1 mW/cm2 at .33M. At the same distance, our 250W incandescent bulb offers irradiance of .11 mW/cm2. Therefore, the 25W LED consumes 90% less electricity yet delivers more than 400 times the irradiance.
Additionally, LED bulbs do not produce significant amounts of heat and, instead, get just slightly warm. In contrast, incandescent bulbs get very hot (512°F - 589°F).
Using Incandescent and LED Bulbs Together
These differences in performance allow users to create a "best of both worlds" sauna array. You can increase the red light and near infrared energy output without significantly increasing the amount of heat produced or power consumed. Adding an LED bulb to a sauna array adds the same amount of red light and near infrared energy as a 250W incandescent bulb while increasing the power consumption a mere 2%.
The ability to increase red light and infrared output without significantly increasing power consumption is important because you're limited by the capacity of your home's electrical system, which is 15 amps per circuit in most homes. 15 amps allows you to draw 1800 watts of power from one circuit at one time. A home typically has multiple circuits, each of which is comprised of as many as 25 outlets. Circuits generally cover multiple rooms in your home. This means that, while the circuit offers 1800 watts of power, it is unlikely that all 1800 watts will be available to operate your TheraBulbs. To learn more about determining the number of bulbs needed, check out our blog post titled How Many Bulbs Do I Need?.
Precaution
Incandescent and LED bulbs can be used together in a sauna array, but, because incandescent bulbs get very hot and LED bulbs have a plastic housing, you will want to keep them at least .33M (~12 inches) apart. This will prevent heat damage to the LED bulbs.
LED bulbs are not recommended for use in saunas that reach temperatures above 150°F.
Learn More and Save
If you have questions that we didn't answer here, feel free to contact us at support@therabulb.com. And, when you're ready to purchase your bulbs, take advantage of our sauna owner discount, which gives you 15% off when you purchase four or more bulbs. Mixing and matching sizes is welcome. Simply enter the word SAUNA at checkout.
3 comments
You can learn more about comparing products in our How to Choose a Near Infrared Bulb post. Here’s a link: https://www.therabulb.com/blogs/test/how-to-choose-a-near-infrared-bulb
Hi Gary. If you’d like to compare our products to those of a competitor, you should verify that they both emit wavelengths from 700nm-1300nm. Since these are LEDs, they likely will emit a narrower wavelength range within the 700-1300nm spectrum. You will also want to identify the irradiance of the device. TheraBulb’s LED bulbs offer the following irradiance: .33M – 0.11 mW/cm2; .5M – .07 mW/cm2; and 1M – .01 mW/cm2. Panels typically have hundreds of diodes whereas our bulbs offer 5 diodes per bulb. As a result, the panels will offer higher irradiance than our bulbs do. I can’t offer advice on a distance for treatment because, while our products have been lab tested to verify wavelength, irradiance, and operating temperature, they have not been evaluated for the treatment of any medical condition or their ability to confer health or medical benefits. If you intend to use our bulbs for any sort of therapuetic purpose, we recommend that you consult with a medical professional and use the product as he or she instructs you to.
So I see your led bulbs and am attracted due to cost effectiveness. How do these compare to the panels which are filled with LEDs in the red light therapy and NIR therapy frequencies? If I put 4 to 6 of your LED bulbs aimed at my body for say, half an hour, will this do the same as a panel full of the small bulbs in an 12 × 30 inch panel? Do they need to be close to my body like the panels or can they be at a greater distance for a longer treatment and do the same thing?