When buying a new chandelier or replacing old lamps with new ones, the correct choice of lamps for lighting is of great importance. In comparison with conventional lamps, LED lamps are very popular and functional. They have a whole range of advantages, in contrast to simple ones - they do not heat up, consume a minimum amount of electricity, and provide bright light for both main and auxiliary lighting. How to choose an LED lamp, what they are and what to look for when choosing, more on this.
Content
Which company of LED lamps to give preference
Despite the many benefits of LED lamps, they are often counterfeit. Low-quality products include lamps from little-known manufacturers who copy ideas from well-known brands. Really high quality LED bulbs will not cost cheap.
It is still possible to save a budget with LED lamps. For these purposes, you will need to choose a reliable manufacturer that produces quality products. Such lamps will not only consume a minimum of electricity, but also become durable. For this reason, the following manufacturers should be preferred:
- Navigator;
- Feron;
- Gauss;
- Camelion.
Before you figure out how to choose LED lamps for your home, you need to familiarize yourself with their types, consider all the advantages and disadvantages.
How does the LED lamp for the home work and work?
In terms of their structure and principle of operation, there are very few differences between LED lamps and their conventional predecessors. The structure has two main components:
- the presence of a base;
- glass flask.
The difference lies in the internal structure. The old-style lamps had tungsten coils built in. They were replaced by built-in light-emitting diodes (LED). For its full glow, there is no longer a need for strong voltage coming from the home network. For this reason, a special electronic circuit called a driver was built into the lamp housing.
The structure of the LED itself is a combination of different materials with different electrical conductivity. Some semiconductors are equipped with negatively charged electrons, others are positive.
When electricity is applied, a transition is created between semiconductors, into which positively charged particles rapidly penetrate. At the moment of their collision, the luminous flux is released in the form of energy. With the help of a glass bulb, this flux is dissipated, which is due to the lighting of the light bulb.
Varieties of LED lamps
To decide which LED lamps to choose, you need to familiarize yourself with all their varieties, consider all their features, advantages and disadvantages.
LED lamps with remote control
These are the most comfortable and best models for home use. A specially provided controller is installed in the lamp, to which a control signal is transmitted using a radio remote control or an infrared remote control.With its help, it becomes possible not only to turn on and off the lamp, but also to control the brightness of the lighting. Additionally, you can arrange a beautiful and original light show with flashing to the beat. All this can be done without getting up from a chair or from another room.
Pros:
- significant savings, especially when operating in dim light mode;
- when using the radio remote control, it becomes possible to use the lamp from the next room;
- durability of service life;
- very powerful luminous flux.
Minuses:
- expensive price range;
- the presence of an extra control panel in the house.
In addition to the option described above with a control panel, there are other models used in the construction of a "smart home". Their distinguishing feature is their Wi-Fi connection. But they consume more electricity, and difficulties can arise during their installation and further settings.
Standard
Models of such bulbs consume very little electricity and are very durable. They can last up to 3 years. Since they are of low power, virtually no heating occurs. For this reason, they are absolutely safe, as they do not heat surfaces and low-melting materials that may be near artificial light.
Pros:
- in comparison with incandescent light bulbs with the same luminous flux, they are very economical in terms of electricity consumption;
- are absolutely safe due to the complete absence of mercury and other harmful substances inside the glass bulb;
- with vibrations or shaking, they do not fail, as was the case with incandescent lamps due to the presence of a built-in incandescent filament in the structure of the second;
- durability and long service life;
- there are many options for the shape of the bulb.
Minuses:
- expensive price range;
- there are a lot of fakes.
Rechargeable
In total, there are several options for such bulbs. The first ones work from the electricity network, and in case of a power outage, they are powered from the backup power. The latter are completely autonomous and powered by a separate power source. A great advantage of rechargeable bulbs is their resistance to more severe climatic conditions and a long service life of 3-5 years.
Pros:
- full autonomy in use, due to which the lamp can work on internal reserves for 8-10 hours;
- good level of lighting quality;
- durability and long service life;
- excellent resistance to temperature extremes is noted;
- due to its autonomy, you can take it with you on vacation, on the road, etc.
Minuses:
- too expensive cost.
RGB lamps
Special LEDs of three primary colors are built into such bulbs, due to which they have the ability to play all the colors of the rainbow. This is their main difference from other LED lamps. In terms of other characteristics, they are quite similar to other lamps of this type. You can use them as lighting in a room, but due to the three main shades (red, green and blue), a multi-colored glow is created, which is absolutely unsuitable for using them as the main light. Another thing is when they are used for the purpose of various special effects and decor.
Pros:
- very economical power consumption;
- low heating temperature, absolute safety of use;
- long service life;
- beautiful decorative effect.
Minuses:
- expensive price range;
- cannot be used as the main lighting;
- the glow is not very bright.
What are the criteria for choosing an LED lamp for home
Having considered all the options for lamps, having familiarized yourself with all their characteristics, you can safely start making your choice. Which one to choose for the house, and which one is not at all suitable for these purposes, it is worth understanding this in more detail.
Power and luminous flux parameters
In incandescent lamps, when electricity is consumed, partial heating occurs. The same situation occurs with LEDs. Not all of the energy is lost and converted into lighting. One part is consumed in order to maintain the operation of the driver, the other is formed in heating. But all these parameters are not so important for the consumer, he is interested in the quality and power of lighting.
You can draw a parallel by comparing an LED lamp with an incandescent lamp. If to obtain good lighting in the second case, 100 W was required, then in the first version, 11-13 W would be enough for the same effect. Both options will produce exactly the same luminous flux.
Particular attention should be paid to the glass of the flask. For excellent brightness, clear glass should be preferred. Another thing is when frosted glass is used. The light becomes softer but also dimmer.
When moving into a new apartment, it is often impossible to immediately determine how much lighting is needed in each room. This problem can be solved using the generally accepted recommended standards for illumination. Which ones:
- every square meter in the kitchen requires at least 150 lumens;
- bedroom and bathroom require 54 lumens;
- the illumination of the living room should be brighter, which is 431 lm;
- a home office requires 250 lumens, and in the working area at least 434 lumens;
- the corridor is the dimmest area, requiring only 50 lumens.
To determine the illumination rate, you only need to determine the exact area of the room, then multiply it by the indicated indicator in the table. Only after such a calculation can you start the selection of bulbs.
Lighting temperature
As is the case with halogen and economy bulbs, halogen bulbs can also produce different luminous flux temperatures. It can be cold, warm, and neutral. Each consumer can select a shade independently, relying on his own taste. A temperature indicator can be useful to determine the glow:
- warm light (1800-3400 K) - is a calm luminous flux with a yellow undertone. By its illumination and shade it resembles an incandescent lamp. Recommended for use in the dining room, kitchen, bedroom.
- neutral (3400-5000 K) - the most ubiquitous and universal shade. It does not allow for any distortion. Recommended for use in a children's room, in a floor lamp, above the working area.
- cold light (5000-6600 K) - very pale with hints of blue. It is a very invigorating light and is highly recommended for use in the bathroom and work area.
Plinth
In addition to the shape and size, LED bulbs may differ in the type of base. In total, 2 types are distinguished:
- threaded (E) - it is screwed into standard type cartridges. Among them are the most common lamps with an E14 and E27 base.
- Pin (G) - designed for screwing into spotlights. Such lamps are stuck in, not screwed in. Among them are GU 5.3 and GU 10.
Radiator
The radiator is an aluminum adapter located between the glass bulb and the base. It effectively extends lamp life by dissipating excess heat generated. You can distinguish a fake if the radiator has been replaced with a plastic decorative part or in its complete absence. This is not only short-lived, but also unsafe.
Important tips for choosing an LED lamp for your home
Based on the above signs and characteristics, you should determine the main criteria for choosing a lamp for your home. Which ones:
- In order to illuminate a small room (corridor, bathroom, others), it is enough to choose a product with a low luminous flux power, corresponding to up to 8 W. When choosing only one lamp, attention should be paid to models with a wide illumination angle (WFL). When using several bulbs at once, the NFL type will suffice.
- In a medium-sized bedroom or in a large hall, you can install products with a warm luminous flux, the power of which is 14 watts. With a single light source, a lamp with a wide illumination angle is preferred. When using multiple lamps, NFL type products can be dispensed with.
- For lighting a large studio apartment, living room or dining room, more powerful bulbs will be required, where the power reaches 22 watts. Be sure to choose products with a large angle of illumination.
- For decoration and use of lighting as a highlight in the main interior, it is recommended to use RGB products. They are equipped with a specially provided control panel. This is not only decoration in the room. Such light can be used to complement decorative niches in walls, furniture, and build into multi-level ceilings.
- In small towns, villages and villages, you can encounter frequent phenomena like power outages. In this case, we recommend that you always keep a few rechargeable lamps in stock. They work autonomously and in the event of a power outage, they can safely replace standard LED lamps without a power source.
When choosing lighting for home use, you should be very careful about the selection of LED bulbs. Correctly selected lighting will create a state of comfort and coziness in the room. There are many varieties of such products. All of them differ in technical characteristics, have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Among the varieties, there are models of the standard type, on the control panel, even rechargeable ones. Their purpose can be not only as the main lighting, but also as a decor. They consume very little electricity and practically do not heat up.
Be sure to give preference only to trusted manufacturers and well-known companies. Such products are expensive, but their high quality and durability will allow them to be used for a long period of time. There are many fakes among such products, so they definitely pay attention to the brand, carefully examine the light bulb visually, the price of high-quality lamps cannot be cheap.
