LED downlights keep shining its’ way into its’ bright future. Not only is it energy efficient, but it also provides the same quality of light for a fraction of the cost. Given the many benefits of LED lights, it is easy to see why it is currently edging out the other competitors. The issue may be in choosing which LED Down Lights are the best as there are so many brands and types out there.

We have simplified how to find the best LED Down Lights for your home by focusing on the various characteristics of lights:

  1. Watts

    2. Watts defines the energy produced in one second or better yet the measures the rate a source of energy uses during one second. It is used to measure the rate of energy transfer of an appliance and measures the power of the appliance. To better understand the concept of the Watt, consider this. A lightbulb that is one watt will convert one joule of electrical energy in one second into light and some heat and sound energy. It is also important to note that lights which have a higher wattage will usually work faster than that with a lower wattage as the more watts that a lightbulb has, the more energy that is used per second.

    Most people think that power usage will determine how bright a light will be. This is not the case as lumens determine light intensity. The reason for this is that a 10 watt LED bulb may have different light outputs as the output is dependent on the manufacturer of the lightbulb and the brand of the LED chip, the colour of the LED and the quality and type of materials used can greatly affect the brightness and light output.

  2. Lumens

    3. Lumens measure the total amount of visible light emitted from a light source. The greater the number of lumens, the greater the light output or the brighter the light will be. Lux is also used in association with lumens. Lux is the concentration of lumens within a specific area. To get the most out of your amazing LED lights, consider the lumens with respect to the Watts. You should also consider the area in which you are adding the lights.

  3. Beam Angle

    4. The beam angle that you use would determine the amount of light concentrated on an object or an area based on the particular angle. The most common beam angle for LEDs is 120°.It is important to remember that the narrower beam angle, the brighter the light will be. However, the light emitted would only be concentrated within a small area.

    Before determining the beam angle, ensure that you are using the correct wattage based on the number of lumens needed. For particular areas you may also need to consider the measurements to get the most out of the lights.

    • For ceilings, height is most important when determine the beam angle you should use. Use a 60° beam angle if the average height for the ceiling is 2.5 to 3.5 metres high. A 38° to 40° angle should be used if the ceiling is 3.5 to 4.5 metres high and a 24° to 30° beam angle should be used if the ceiling is higher than 5 metres.
    • For other areas which require more light, you will need a beam angle of 60° or 90°. You will also need to raise the watts to produce more light which may be required in such an area.
    • When you require the light to be focused on a particular area, consider the size of the object and its’ distance from the light source. If the object is far away from the light source, a narrow beam angle would need to be used to better highlight the object. If the object is very near to the light source, a wider beam angle of about 60° should be used.