Basic information Color Temperature LED light bulbs, like regular bulbs range from Warm White to Soft White to Cool white. Beam angle/spread The strength of LED bulbs is directional light - where you need light in one direction. A 60 degree beam is the point where a spotlight starts to become a floodlight. These will be much more focused than the PAR flood lights most people are used to replacing. Between 60-120 is less of a spotlight, while a true flood light is 120 degrees and more. Wattage A good rule of thumb, is LED's use about 1/5 of the energy of their equivalent incandescent flood replacement and 1/2 of their equivalent co***ct fluorescent (CFL) replacement. Lifetime The lifetime of an LED bulb does not actually mean it will burn out/die like a regular bulb (if it's properly made). LED light bulbs are unlike incandescent bulbs in that they lose their brightness over time and by the end of their rated "lifetime", they are at 70% of the brightness they started at as opposed to completely burning out. Lumens/watt This is a simple way to measure the efficiency of a bulb. Lumens is a measurement of the total amount of light given out. A high lumens/watt means you are getting more light for less energy. Consider the cost savings and other benefits 1. Cost - LEDs cost more initially, and there is no doubt that they save you a lot of money in the long run because they last longer and use less energy. Money savings is from using 80% less energy and not having to buy about 25 traditional flood light bulbs. Depending on your state, savings and time for the bulb to pay for itself can vary. 2. Convenience - If you have bulbs in hard to reach places, by replacing them with LED, you dont have to worry about replacing them for a long time. No more driving to the store, buying them, coming back, taking out the ladder, and disposing of old bulbs. In places where you have a lot of bulbs, the time saved can really add up. 3. Heat If you have a lot of flood lights in a small area, it can really heat up a room
|