LED lighting for the home

Do you feel confused every time you have to buy lighting for your home, garden or office? Yes, it is something we use every day, but how many of us are actually know exactly how to choose the right lighting for a given room?

This article from V-TAC Ruse aims to clarify some basic terms and parameters that will help you make informed and confident lighting purchase decisions.

What exactly is an LED?

An LED (Light Emitting Diode) is actually a light-emitting semiconductor that converts the energy of the electric current into light. Depending on the chemical composition of the diodes, they can emit light in different colors.

Types of LED:

DIP (Dual-In-Line)
These are the classic LEDs that have been used for decades.

SMD LED (Surface Mounted Device LED)
This type of LEDs is the most common. They are quite compact and consist of diodes mounted on a printed circuit board.

COB LED (Chips On Board LED)
COB LEDs consist of multiple LED chips bonded directly to a substrate. Thanks to this design, the emitted light is more homogeneous and energy is saved, since the COB LED generates very little heat.

Color temperature

Color temperature is measured in Kelvins on a scale from 1000K to 10,000K. The lower this indicator, the warmer the light. For example, the color temperature of the flame of a candle is 1000K, while incandescent bulbs emit a warm 2700K light.

We can distinguish between three main categories of white LED light:

- Warm 2000K – 3000K – soft, yellowish light; It does not strain the eyes and is a suitable choice for bedrooms, nurseries, living rooms and bedside lamps.
- Neutral 3100K – 4500K – closest to daylight; Often used in kitchens, bathrooms, schools and offices because it improves focus, attention and productivity.
- Cold 4600K – 6500K – blue-white light; It is often used in large spaces such as factories and warehouses and has a stimulating effect on people working there.

Color rendering index:

The color rendering index CRI takes values ​​between 0 and 100 and indicates the ability of light to reproduce the real colors of objects. A vivid example of this is one problem thatmost ladies have encountered: make up that matches the skin color perfectly in the store looks completely different in sunlight.

Sunlight has a CRI100. CRI<70 is considered insufficient and the use of such lighting is not recommended. For most rooms in the home and office, a CRI>80 is suitable, and in some factories, medical facilities, galleries, etc. high precision is needed and lighting with CRI>90 is the right choice. V-TAC offers a wide range of lightning solutions with excellent color rendering index.

Luminous flux:

The power of the luminous flux is measured in lumens (lm), candles are assumed to emit about one lumen.

An important indicator in lighting is lm/W (lumens per watt). A standard incandescent bulb uses up to 8 times more energy than an LED bulb with the same light output.

How is the IP rating determined?

The IP (ingress protection) rating indicates an electronic device‘s degree of protection against moisture and foreign bodies. The first number indicates the degree of protection against hard objects, and the second – against moisture and water.