LED lighting
LEDs or light-emitting diodes are semiconductor devices that produce visible light when an electrical current passes through them. LEDs are one of today’s most energy efficient and rapidly developing lighting technologies. LED lighting differs from incandescent and compact fluorescent lighting in several ways. LED light bulbs can last longer and are more durable and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting. LEDs are small and provide unique lighting opportunities.
Keep these tips in mind if you’re considering retrofitting or replacing traditional lighting with LEDs.
Retrofitting existing recessed light fixtures with energy efficient LED retrofit kits should be done only where it can be confirmed in the manufacturer’s instructions that the LED retrofit kit is compatible with the existing recessed fixture assembly.
Replacing existing incandescent lamps with LED type lamps in lighting fixtures is a great way to save energy. However if the existing lighting fixture is controlled by a dimmer be sure to purchase “dimmable” LED lamps.
When purchasing new LED lamps or retrofit kits look for the mark of a qualified electrical testing laboratory and read the instructions prior to installation.
A Light Bulb Guide and Bulb FAQ Cheat Sheet
Light Bulb Types
What are the different types of light bulbs?
The most common types of light bulbs are incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, CFL bulbs, and LED bulbs. For each of these types, the bulb light is produced by a different process. Light bulbs can also be distinguished by shape and base design. These differences do matter, as certain types of bulbs are recommended for certain types of fixtures.
What are the different light bulbs based on how they work?
Incandescent – passes an electric current through a metal filament to produce heat
Halogen – recycles halogen gas and tungsten within a quartz envelope
CFL (compact fluorescent light) – passes an electric current through a gaseous tube
LED (light emitting diode) – passes an electric current through a semi-conducting material, currently the most energy efficient type of bulb
What are the different light bulb shapes?
The most common light bulb shapes are:
Standard Household – denoted with an A
Candle – denoted with a C
Reflector – denoted with an R
Mini Reflector – denoted with MR
Parabolic Aluminized Reflector – denoted with PAR
Globe – denoted with G
Tubular – denoted with a T
The light bulb shape code will be listed on the packaging. The shape code consists of a letter that indicated the physical shape, followed by a number that indicates the size (measured in eighths of a diameter). For example, an “A19 bulb” means that that the bulb comes in a standard household shape and is 19/8 inches in size. A19 bulbs are the most common light bulb shape, so this is what you’ll see the most
What are the different light bulb bases?
The most common light bulb base types are:
Standard-medium – a regular sized screw-in base, usually denoted with an E26 or E27
Candelabra – a smaller screw-in base, denoted most often with an E12
Bi-pin – a pin-in base with two points of contact, often denoted by a G4 or GU24
GU10 – a twist-and-lock base
The letter indicates the shape of the base, while the number indicates the size. Always check your lighting fixture before purchasing bulbs. After all, you couldn’t screw in an E26 bulb into a candelabra socket size – it just isn’t possible! These are the basics on light bulb bases. Sizes and shapes do matter – so be mindful before purchasing a new bulb. If you need more about light bulb bases explained, be sure to ask a store associate before purchasing a bulb.
A Guide to Lighting
Installation of new lighting can be daunting because there are so many words flying about, so it’s hard to know what’s what. There are also many options to consider when installing lighting, so I’m going to explain to you the different types of lighting and help you come to a decision that is best for you.
General Household Lightbulbs
There are two types of lightbulbs that are widely available; LED and incandescent. By looking at the price tags of LED and incandescent bulbs, it may look like incandescent bulbs are cheaper, however, when considering the lifetime of the bulbs, incandescent bulbs actually turn out 6 times more expensive than LED bulbs.
Signs like these can really elevate your living room, but which to choose? LED’s are more energy-efficient, but neon signs are considered better looking because of the soft glow it gives off. All in all, it comes down to personal preference. These signs can be bought and plugged into the wall, but it can look messy, and it is a good idea to have an electrician help you install one of these signs.
Feature Lighting
Feature lighting is when you use light to make parts of your home look nicer. It is done by strategically installing lights and light strips into particular areas to highlight parts of your home, or create an atmosphere. It can be done on your own, but it would be best to have a professional with experience to install it.
Swimming Pool Lighting
If you’re looking to replace in your swimming pool, the two options are incandescent bulbs and LED bulbs. As discussed above, you should choose LED bulbs. Unless you are 100% sure on how to change the lights, you should call your local electrician because it can be dangerous.
Security Lighting
The purpose of this type of lighting is to deter unwanted guests from your house. These lights turn on when there is motion in a set area, such as the driveway, or the front door.
The rule of thumb with installing security lighting is that the area illuminated should be visible by other people, so if someone was to do something suspicious, neighbours would be able to see. This can be an excellent deterrent for unwanted people.
Guide to LED Strip Lights
love LED strip lights, as they’re so versatile with unlimited designs and applications. You are able to let your imagination go free and create your dream space. In this blog, we will go through how to choose the best LED strip lights for your application, as they’re are many options to chose from.
One of the best things about shopping for strip lighting online with The Lighting Outlet, is that we can do all the hard work for you. Simply supply us with some information on the application, if available, a line drawing of the measurements, and we will select all the components you require to do the job correctly. For strip lighting, there is no job that is too small or too large.
Voltage
Most are 12v or 24v. Choosing 12v is usually a better option as you have more options to choose for the strip itself and components. 24v should be used when you are running longer lengths of 10 meters +.
Different Wattage of LED Strip and Their Uses
Choosing the correct wattage is crucial to get the right brightness for the application. Most strip lighting applications are used to create an ambient, subtle touch. To achieve this you will need to use a low wattage. We would recommend nothing over 5 watts.
If the application needs to be more of a practical light such applications like, under a kitchen cabinet, behind a vanity mirror or bed head, then you should look to use a strip light around 10 watts.
The Complete Guide To Lighting
Lighting ballasts are a key feature of many fluorescent, HID and some LED lamps that allow current to be regulated to suit the lamp type. Without ballasts to control current flow at varying voltages, we’d never see these familiar fluorescents or HID luminaires jump into life – or stay lit for long before burning themselves out.
If you’ve ever walked by a standing light fixture or ceiling batten and heard a low humming or buzzing sound, it’s likely that what you were listening to was the ballast doing its job! But what exactly is a light ballast, and what is it doing while you use the light?
type of electrical resistor or reactance, fixed in-line with the circuits that supply mains power to a light bulb. The core role of a lighting ballast is to help control and regulate the supplied current during different operating phases (and voltages) for certain bulb types.
Both during their switch-on (peak power draw) phase and in prolonged use (lower, more tightly regulated current), some types of luminaire require an additional component to control the flow of power properly – in short, this additional component is the lighting
How do light work?
For a simplified overview of how a light ballast works as part of a series of in-fixture lighting connectors, think of it as being a two-job component. It gives a boost when we want to arc the light and power it on, then pulls back this initial high current flow to a more sedate level once lit. In a sense, it performs similarly to how a car’s engine works during ignition and subsequent idling.