LED lights have been in high demand recently; their benefits make them a very attractive product. Many offers and price varieties will likely immerse us and make us doubt and ask ourselves: “What should I consider before choosing an LED luminaire?” If it ever happened to you or you are in that situation, we offer you some advice to help you decide.
What Should I Consider before Buying LED Lights?
Space
To begin with, it is essential to know the space you want to light, its dimensions, the natural light it has (if any), and the functionality of the space. This achieves variable intensities and combinations of lighting and setting, depending on the activity and the time of day.
Light Source
In the search for the product, we must consider what the lighting source will be: a table lamp, a wall lamp, or a reflector are some options available when selecting the light source. Different sizes, formats, and powers of LEDs can be chosen in the different product lines. Identifying the connection socket, lamp holder or “cables hanging from the ceiling” is usually enough to reduce the search for options, thus allowing you to choose based on quality, price or functionality.
Uniformity
This is achieved by distributing the light sources, thus achieving uniform coverage.
For this type of lighting, we have to consider the distance between the light source and the sector we want to illuminate; in this way, we can choose the indicated light source according to the light power and the projection angle. It must also be borne in mind that the closer the angle, the smaller the surface will receive the lighting.
outdoor spaces
In these cases, it must be considered that the products to be used must have the proper waterproofing protection, determined by a two-digit number indicating the degree of protection (IP protection). IP65 is adequate protection for outdoor installations, while a product with IP68 can be submerged in water like a pool light.
The use of LED lighting outdoors can also be very varied. For example, garden decoration, facade lighting, canopies and signs, or access to a building with a motion sensor.
How to choose the right LED product?
Once the space to be illuminated is determined, we must choose the indicated device for reasons specific to the luminaire and for the aesthetics we want to respect in the environment.
In the case of facades of premises, parks, gardens, and industrial sheds, the preferred ones are reflectors that have a large flow of light.
For example, some luminaires, such as reflectors, have different formats that adapt to each need, such as with slim and ultra-slim bodies to provide a more refined aesthetic or nautical with a refined aesthetic that allows an ideal adaptation for boats or sailboats and those of neo and square format that is perfect for hospitals, offices, shops or pedestrian streets.
Finally, LED strips are very practical when highlighting throats or perimeter lighting. They are very efficient when it comes to complementing the central light.
Colour Temperature
Another frequently asked question when buying LEDs is the choice of light tone or colour temperature.
Similarly, humans respond to exposure to different colour frequencies. A correct choice of light tone in a workspace will greatly influence the occupants. Let’s see it better exemplified in the following graph.
You can also opt for RGB multicolour light (red-red, green-green, blue-blue) that contains all possible combinations of the 3 primary colours. Whether choosing a single tone or a combination of them, using LED lighting for setting manages to obtain an excellent light combination with energy efficiency and makes your spaces more beautiful.
Voltage
It is also important to know if the luminaire is connected to 220V or 12V and if it requires a power transformer. The LED normally works at a current voltage different from the electrical network’s.
This is why 220V LED products have an electricity converter (internal or external) that regulates the voltage (power driver). In the case of 12V LED products, we require placing a transformer.
Transformers come in different amperages depending on the use that you want to give them. For example, we need a transformer for an LED strip since the strip works with 12V.
The case of an LED panel with a built-in driver and not requiring a transformer is different.
Lifespan
Another important aspect to consider when buying LED products. LEDs generally have a useful life of between 25,000 and 50,000 hours.
For example, a 50W reflector of 4000 lumens (lm), if it is not of good quality, can suffer an annual depreciation of 30% (10% in the first 30 days of use).
So the 50W reflector that initially provides a light capacity of 4000lm the first year, the 2nd year will provide 2800lm, the 3rd year 1960lm and the 4th year 1370lm. The consumption is the same, the luminaire is still on, but the luminosity decreases considerably.
That is why it is of the utmost importance that the internal components of the product are of good quality so that the quality of light is uniform throughout the entire useful life of the product.
Light Efficiency
It is the relationship between the consumption of the lamp and the lumens it provides (lm/W). If we compare two luminaires with the same characteristics, with the same amount of Watts, the one with the highest efficiency will be the one with the most lumens.
CRI
Another important aspect is the CRI of the LED (colour rendering index). The CRI tells us when the colours of light are similar to natural light colours. The higher the CRI, the more comfortable it is to look at, it does not cause visual fatigue, and the colours stand out more clearly. A CRI of 75-80 is a colour rendering index close to natural colours.
Installation Tools
Also, when buying LEDs, it is important to know the tools needed to install the product. Installation of LED products is quite simple and does not require large or complex tools. In many cases, only insulating tape and a wire stripper are enough.
Vendor
Lastly, it is important to choose the supplier of LEDs that gives us confidence at the time of purchase, advises us professionally, and provides support for any unforeseen event that may arise. The guarantee is of the utmost importance in LED products. When choosing a supplier, we must know what the duration of the guarantee is and what its validity conditions are.
LED lighting has many benefits, and we assure you that the correct choice of lights will improve your experience. When choosing your led luminaires, remember these tips to make your spaces more pleasant.