LED Lighting: How to Choose the Best LED Lighting

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Contents hide

1 LED Lighting

2 Factors to consider when picking LED lighting

2.1 Lumens

2.2 Colour

2.3 Dimmable or Non-dimmable

3 Fittings

3.1 Quality

3.2 Related posts:

LED Lighting

The adoption of LED lighting is growing rapidly across the globe. This can be attributed to LED’s longevity, energy efficiency, and durability. There are numerous kinds of LED lighting solutions available for both domestic and industrial use thus offering a vast pool of options for consumers. Different LED lights are best suited for different lighting purposes as such, their numerous factors you need to consider when picking lighting to ensure that your choice best serves your needs.

Factors to consider when picking LED lighting

Lumens

When shopping for incandescent bulbs you are likely to look out for watts as an indication of how bright the bulb will. That is not the case with LED bulbs. The correlation between watts and brightness is not as predictable in LEDs as it is for incandescent bulbs. The brightness of an LED bulb is better measured using lumens. For example, a 100-watt incandescent light bulb can be replaced with an LED producing 1600 lumens. A 40-watt incandescent bulb can be replaced with an LED bulb producing 450 lumens. The charts capturing incandescent bulbs and their equivalent LED bulbs are readily available on the internet. You might need to consult that as you pick a bulb for your home or office.

Colour

Incandescent light bulbs produce warm, yellow light. LED bulbs display an impressive color range ranging from red to purple. The two most commonly available colors are soft white and bright white. Soft white produces a yellow, candle-like glow close to that of incandescent light bulbs. Bright white bulbs produce whiter light that is close to daylight. Soft white is favorable for bedrooms and living rooms since it is warm and inviting. Bright white can be used in office spaces, workspaces, and bathrooms. Whichever colour you pick ensure that the LED offers you the desired CRI. CRI is the measure of the light quality to accurately represent the different colours of the articles that it illuminates. The higher the CRI the higher the rendering ability.

Dimmable or Non-dimmable

Some LED lighting solutions are dimmable while others are not. When buying LED bulbs, be sure to check whether they are dimmable or not. It is also important to note that LEDs are often not compatible with traditional dimming switches. As such you are likely going to need to buy dimmers designed to work with LEDs like Lutron and Leviton.

Fittings

There are numerous light bulb fittings across the globe, among them, two have become standard. The Edison screw and the bayonet. The Edison screw is popular in Europe and America whereas the bayonet is used for domestic lighting in the UK. When choosing LED bulbs ensure you pick the ones that match your existing fittings.

Quality

LED are longer lasting, however, that does not mean you go for the next cheap LED bulb you lay your hands. Just as you would when choosing for an incandescent bulb, always go for a reliable manufacturer. A quality LED switches on and off instantly. Others come on after a couple after power has been applied, you need to avoid such.