How do I choose an LED lamp?

 

Power

The first and perhaps most important characteristic for buyers is the power of the LEDs. The cost of lighting depends on how much energy the lamp consumes.

A very important nuance that you should remember – when replacing incandescent lamps LEDs, the power of the modern version needs to be reduced at least 7.5 times. In simple words – if a 75 watt bulb is installed, then an LED with a power of about 10 watts should be selected.

You can see the difference in the comparison table:

As you can see, even with the example of replacing one light source, the savings are huge. But what if you make a replacement throughout the apartment? For a house and apartment, it is better to choose LED lamps with a power of 12 watts or more, which illuminate the room better than 75 watt incandescent lamps.

Immediately I would like to say a few words about another important parameter – stress. There are light bulbs that operate from 12 and 220 volts. The first option is used in rooms with high humidity, for example, during installation bathroom lighting. You should not buy 12 volt products with the expectation that they will consume less electricity, because this is not true.

We also recommend watching a video comparing alternative energy-efficient light sources:

Color temperature

The next parameter to choose wisely is LED color temperature. As you can see in the image, the higher the temperature (in Kelvin), the colder the glow.

For a comfortable time in the room, you do not need to choose LED lamps with bright daylight, which are often used in offices and industrial premises. Preference give preference to the range from 2700 to 3000 K. This temperature gap is the yellowish glow of ordinary sunlight. The packaging may indicate the color in verbal form. Buy models marked “warm white” or “soft white”.

Basic type

We have already talked with you in detail about the types of lampshades where the most popular product designs have been provided. When choosing LED lamps according to the type of cover, it is better to consider the choice as before. For example, if a standard E27 threaded socket is installed in a chandelier, look for an LED with the same thread on the market.

If you decide to install spotlights, you need to choose an LED lamp with a GU 5.3 cover. In candelabra and night lights, E27 and E14 (Mignon) filaments are used. The shape of light sources can be very diverse: pear-shaped, rectangular, round. Here, give preference to your taste and lamp design.

The presence of radiation

The cooler removes temperature from the LED block. If the design does not provide a cooling system in the form of an aluminum ribbed surface, skip this side of the model.

Sometimes manufacturers of inexpensive products install a radiator in the form of a plastic outlet. We do not recommend selecting this option, as plastic has many drawbacks and compared to aluminum, it does not have high cooling efficiency. On this occasion, you can see a lot of negative reviews on the forums from those people who took advantage of this option.

It should be noted here that opaque lamps do not allow you to see whether the radiator is installed or not, therefore, when choosing LED lamps for your home and apartment, think about whether you need opaque lamps.

By the way, it is possible to understand whether there is a radiator in an LED lamp by weight. If the bulb is heavy (it differs in weight from analogues), then a high-quality aluminum radiator will most likely be installed in it. This embodiment can undoubtedly be chosen for an apartment or a house.

case

Also, when choosing an LED lamp, pay attention to such a characteristic as its working life. To date, this figure may exceed the barrier of 50 thousand hours, which is approximately 15 years of work. At the same time, we do not recommend relying too much on the accuracy of the information. The thing is that over time the LED deteriorates and the quality of its glow is noticeably reduced.

It would be better to start not from the working resource, but from the warranty period of operation. This time can be from 3 to 5 years, which means the following – if the lamp fails within this period of time, you will be replaced with a new one free of charge. Actually a useful thing, but the problem is that domestic and not very high-quality companies allow a warranty period of up to 3 years (foreign from 5). As a rule, during these three years, breakdowns are extremely rare.

Dispersion angle

This parameter should also be taken into account when choosing LED bulbs for the home. The nature of the illumination will depend on whether a scattering lens is installed and whether it is internally coated with a phosphor.

Also pay attention to how the LEDs are arranged. If they are all in the same plane, the light will be narrowly focused. At the same time, multi-level placement of diodes will create diffused lighting.

Color transmission coefficient

Few pay attention to this characterization of the LED lamp when choosing them, but, nevertheless, it is also important. For bright lighting, the color transmission coefficient should be at least 80. A value of 95 is considered a high indicator, but this model will be much more expensive. The color version is indicated on the packaging, but it can not always be found on the front side.

Here I would like to tell you a little trick. You can check how good the manufacturer of your chosen light bulb is with this ratio. If the lamp is cheap, and the value on the package is high, then it is a fake.

Compatible with dimmer

When we looked at the instructions for connecting a dimmer then we drew attention to the fact that not all models of dimmers can be used with ice lamps. LEDs for connection to the lampshade must be specially designed, this must be indicated on the packaging.

If you choose an LED lamp that does not work with a dimmer, both the dimmer and the bulbs will quickly fail.Learn more about dimmable LED lights you can in our corresponding article!

Package appearance

The packaging itself says a lot about the quality of the light bulb. As a rule, in popular LED lamp manufacturers the following items are displayed on the packaging:

• Information about the manufacturer;
• Power
• Warranty period for work;
• Basic type
• Luminous flux (indicated in lumens);
• Color rendering coefficient
• Color temperature (both in verbal form and in Kelvin);
• Barcode.

If several of these parameters are not specified, the products are unlikely to be of high quality. Also, when choosing LED lamps for home and apartment, we advise you to pay attention to the build quality itself. Good manufacturers have all fasteners made without gaps, bumps and roughness.

A visual lesson on reviewing packaging is discussed in detail in this video:

Manufacturers

As you know, much of the above depends on the manufacturer. As for the countries, domestic and foreign companies produce fairly reliable products. Consider how to choose the right LED lamp by the manufacturer.

Giants such as Osram, Philips, Nichia, CREE and GAUSS are leaders in the ranking. A lot of positive reviews about the Chinese company MAXUS, whose products have the highest warranty period at a relatively low price. Among domestic manufacturers, such Russian campaigns as Feron, Svetlana-Optoelectronics, Optogan (Optogan) are popular.

If we talk about Chinese LED lamps, then companies such as Camelion, Jazzway and Electrum have proven themselves well.

Additional options

They gained more and more popularity. Smart LED bulbs which have such functions:

1. Protection against thieves. During the week the light bulb remembers the time when the owners turn it on and off, and in their absence, it turns on and off independently, simulating the effect of presence.
2. Having a timer on and off. Settings are adjusted manually.
3. Remote Control In addition to turning the light on and off, you can choose the brightness or color of the glow.
4. Smoke and motion sensors.
5. Having a battery. When the light is turned off, the lamp still works for several hours, ensuring emergency lighting in the home.
6. Boost your Wi-Fi signal. Smart LED bulbs can expand Wi-Fi coverage through built-in antennas. This will boost the wireless signal in those places where it is very weak.
7. Presence of speakers. Yes, the light bulbs can play your favorite music from your smartphone. To do this, simply sync the lamp and phone via Bluetooth.

The most popular LED smart bulb models are Philips Hue, Xiaomi Yeelight LED, and Luminous BT Smart Bulb. Do you want to choose a smart LED light bulb for your apartment or house? Pay attention to the listed models.

In addition, when choosing LED lamps, pay attention to the operating temperature range. For the street, you need to choose a light bulb that can operate at a minimum temperature of about -40 degrees Celsius. For baths and saunas, on the contrary, the operating temperature of the lamps should be around 90 degrees Celsius.

Well, the last thing I want to talk about is the ripple coefficient. If the lamp is pulsating, this indicates a low-quality voltage rating. The stronger the ripple, the faster a person gets tired and the more excited his nervous system is. Unfortunately, it is impossible to estimate the pulse coefficient with the naked eye. This will require a special device or at least a mobile phone camera. Ask to turn on the light bulb, point the camera at it, if the image starts to flash, then the LED pulsates, we do not recommend choosing it.

That’s all I wanted to tell you about how to choose LED lamps for the home and which models are better for home use. We hope this information is new and useful to you!