LED LIGHTING BUYERS GUIDE

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Originally Posted On: https://www.ledlightexpert.com/led-lighting_ep1

Over the decades, lighting solutions have changed. There were initially the incandescent bulbs, then the fluorescent and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), and the changes haven’t stopped there. LED lighting products have taken the lighting world by storm and revolutionized illumination at a whole new level.  Now it has to be LED Lighting!

LED means Light Emitting Diode. However, that is just a minimal fraction in understanding this fantastic technology and the role it plays in lighting for both our homes and offices. Compared to other lights like the halogen lamps and incandescent bulbs, LED lights have a host of benefits:

A:Efficiency: LED lighting compared to other types lasts much longer, and its efficiency is five times more. Typically, LEDs use about 1-5 watts of electric power EACH. LEDs use approximately 60% of electricity to produce light , much better than their incandescent, fluorescent counterparts. Additionally, LEDs have a lifespan of 20000-50000 hours. So assuming you use this light for 6 hours a day for the 365 days of the year that translates to about 20years. b) Cost: While it is true that in terms of initial outlay and the fixtures LEDs are higher in price, the later cost of maintenance is incomparable to traditional lighting. There is a particular reason why LEDs are costly. The fee includes circuit boards, an earth compound, the phosphors, and the drivers. Again, the quality of the fixtures influences the cost. The good news though, is that with the advancement in technology and the increasing demand, the prices are steadily dropping. As much as the initial cost is higher, LEDs are very cheap to maintain as their lifespan is longer, and the energy consumption is low. Therefore, the price is minimized two-way despite the upfront higher cost.c) Brightness: LED Lights are not measured in watts but rather in lumens. It means that they burn brighter and for longer as they don’t burn heat to produce light.  LEDs consume way fewer watts to produce very bright light. For instance, a 60w incandescent bulb has 800lumens, but an LED that consumes between 13 to 15watts will produce 800lumens. If you used to buy an incandescent bulb of 100 watts, you could switch to an LED bulb that uses only 23-30watt range but produces 1600lumens output.d) Design: LEDs have a compact design. It makes them highly flexible and allows designers and manufacturers to manipulate shapes and other aspects technologically, which were impossible to do with traditional lighting.e) LEDs are cool, not hot. It is because they use electromagnetic energy to produce light as opposed to burning a filament or gels where heat s burned to produce light. Primarily, they do not result in heat build-up.f) Slow failure: These lights don’t just burn out suddenly. Instead, LEDs will dim slowly over time.

The sure answer as to the best applications of LEDs is ‘anywhere.’ Whether you consider them for residential lighting or commercial lighting, it’s a sure fact that LED lights provide beautiful illumination in almost any kind of space. LEDs have qualities that make them ideal for providing the following:- Reading lamps- Area lighting- Cabinet lighting- Lighting for stairways and walkways- Recessed lighting- difficult-to-reach places- their longevity and low maintenance enables this.- Lighting arts- since they don’t produce UV radiation, there is no worry of heat damage to artwork.- Bath and Leisure Lighting- Landscape and outdoor lighting- Ornamental ceiling lighting

Having a lighting plan for whatever purpose or project is very important. There are various things you ought to consider while choosing a lighting layout. When it comes to LED lighting, other factors like the space you want to light up also apply. Is it for residential purposes or commercial purposes? Is it indoor or outdoor lighting? Below is a guide that one can use to determine the right lighting solution:
a) Outdoor Residential lighting: While choosing a design for outdoor lighting, consider the exact purpose for the lighting and, at the same time, efficiency. Home outdoor lighting, for instance, serves about two significant goals. One could be aesthetics. Here you may want to illuminate your front or backyard for decorative purposes. Two, there is a security purpose where you want to light up your driveway and grounds near your house.So, what do you consider here? Well, the answer is simple and connected to the purposes you laid out for outdoor lighting. To achieve energy-efficient outdoor lighting for residential, these are the primary methods you can use; – Security lighting does have to be that bright for it to serve the purpose. Use LED floodlights with motion sensors and photosensors.- Consider automatic controls in your fixtures to turn decorative lights on or off.- Install fixtures that have deflectors or covers and reflectors to minimize light pollution.b) Residential Lighting Layouts Indoor Residential Lighting: Here, consider basic LED lighting design principles. Remember, more light isn’t necessarily better, but you may want to consider the light’s quality instead. Match the quality of the light to the function. You can maximize the lights where it’s necessary e.g., the study rooms, and then you minimize ambient light in other spaces. Consider optimizing the use of daylight in your design. You can achieve maximum energy-efficient lighting by:- Installing LED light fixtures that will be on for more than 2 hours daily on ceilings, wall-mounts in the kitchen, bathroom, hallways, living room, and other high-demand spaces.- Consider putting LED fixtures or LED replacements instead of CFLs or fluorescent lamps.- Install occupancy sensors so that lights can be automatically turned off when not in use.- You can consider using LED fixtures approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) only when using recessed lights in ceilings that lack conditioned space above them. These are airtight, IC rated, and they also meet the requirements of ASTM E283.
c) Commercial and Industrial LightingA company that decides to use LED lights for commercial or industrial lighting purposes must put some few factors into considerations. It is because the type of light depends on the function, activity, and objective that the business aims to achieve at the end of every single day. Below are some guidelines on how to pick the right LED lighting for your business;(i) Color Rendering and Light Temperature – Color rendition is defined by the CRI (international Commission on Illuminations). It’s a color test method that evaluates color quality by assessing how a source of light gives the naked eye the distinctive colors of objects.Light temperature is measured in degrees kelvin with the symbol K. You want to aim to improve the productivity of your employees in the workplace. The right LED light is relative to the function and goal that a company wants to achieve, though. For example, for a restaurant, soft light is ideal in creating the illusion of a welcoming aura. If the light temperature ranges between 2,200 K-3,000 K, then it is considered low temperature, which is best suited for restaurant lighting. It’s appropriate as it warm-white and cozy light. A warehouse needs safe lighting but also wit enough illumination. For instance, there is the UFO fixture- a high bay light fixture that has been adopted in warehouses. Usually a low hanging kind of tube light. These LED fixtures come in 100Wor 150W that produce brighter light but, at the same time, consume less power. A mid-range light temperature LED light producing 3,500 K -4,100 K is very appropriate for task lighting because it provides a cool but bright light.A high-temperature range of 5,000-6,000 K kinds of light is ideal for security lighting or display lighting because it offers a bluer variety of white light compared to daylight.(ii) Color Brilliance and Dimness-This is measured in lumens, that is, how much light the bulb produces. Very bright light can be harmful to the eyes and can cause headaches, while too dim is inefficient and can affect the employees’ productivity. 1,000-4000lumens is a generally accepted range for task lighting, thus having task light bulbs of between 16 – 24W.
(iii) Directional Lighting- Indirect or direct lighting all depends on business goals. Directional lighting directs the light to the surface intended by the fixture. Such is ideal for task lighting in offices and also in restaurants.
Indirect lighting focuses the light upwards and is intended to reflect off walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. A café would do with this kind as it may be intentional to focus light in most areas of the space.(iv) The IoT option for Smart lighting- Apart from the floodlights and the motion sensors that have been around for a while, there is a new venture in the world of LED lighting. Smart lighting enables you to improve accuracy in the monitoring of your security lighting system.

LEDs, in general, are an excellent and efficient way to provide lighting that costs you less relatively. They offer the best illumination solution and, at the same time, save you from incurring huge maintenance costs.

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