LEDs are becoming more and more popular. If they are already used in cars, advertising lighting and even in the lighting of entrances, it is worth thinking about such a solution for an apartment as well. But I will not rush, despite the tempting price. This time, I’ll be smart about the choice.
It is important not only to save money, but also to get a worthy replacement for energy-saving lamps in terms of lighting quality, service life, and, if possible, installation in my lamps. There are many issues to be sorted out. Therefore, it is more convenient to divide them into categories.
Benefits of switching to LED lighting
Saving energy
This applies not only to the replacement of incandescent bulbs, but also energy-saving ones. For comparison: the same luminous flux of 1200 lumens are given by a 100 W incandescent lamp, 30 W energy-saving lamp, 15 W LED lamp. Simple arithmetic shows: LEDs consume 2 times less energy than energy-saving lamps with similar luminous efficiency.
Affordable cost
In stores, you can find LED lamps worth up to 5 dollars. Whereas when buying energy-saving spirals, I gave at least 30 dollars apiece. There are also expensive LED lamps, for 70 – 80 dollars and more.
The difference in price is due to the brand and the quality of the inner filling. Surely inexpensive products are of inferior quality. But the presence of a low-price segment already gives the buyer a choice: at least for the sake of interest, you can install an LED light bulb in the apartment and not spend a lot of money on it.
Long service life
LED bulbs can light up to 20,000 hours or more. Energy-saving lamps have a service life of up to 10,000 hours, while incandescent lamps have only 1,000 hours. LED manufacturers claim their products last 25 years. Many of them even provide a guarantee. However, LED bulbs cannot be called eternal.
The declared service life is only the operating time of the LED itself. Bulb filling can fail much faster. This happens especially often with low-quality products. But if you want high quality ones with long service visit lepro.com for such products.
What the packaging will tell you about
Before delving into the intricacies of the choice according to the characteristics, I decided to take a look at the packaging. What do manufacturers indicate on it? And how will this information help us, the buyers, when choosing?
The main parameters that are important when choosing are indicated on the box. The power, voltage, type of base, color and shape must be indicated. All of this will help determine if an LED lamp is suitable for lighting in your apartment. Let’s consider each of the parameters separately.
How to choose the power and luminous flux?
These two characteristics need to be considered in tandem. If you take into account only the power, you can miscalculate with the intensity of the glow. The benefits of LEDs are difficult to appreciate when the light bulb is dim. When replacing incandescent or energy-saving lamps, you need to select an LED analogue with an appropriate luminous flux value.
Determining the color temperature
During their existence, LED lamps have managed to acquire all sorts of myths. One of them says: such a light source has a cold blue tint and is irritating to the eyes. It was like that before. Advances in LED technology enable manufacturers to produce light bulbs in a wide range of color temperatures.
It is measured in kelvin. For example, light sources with a value of 2700 K give warm white light. If you need neutral white light bulbs fit with the value in the 4100 K. It is these color parameters of lighting that are comfortable for a person in everyday life and at work.
Lamp base and shape
Will you be able to screw the new LED bulb into the luminaire? We look at the type of base and the shape of the product.
In most chandeliers and lighting fixtures, the shade is threaded. You just need to find out its size – 14- or 27-mm. Pin mounts are usually found on luminaires that are built into niches and suspended ceilings, such as the G4 or G9.
The number indicates the distance between the pins. These are not all types of plinths. If the lamp is non-standard, it is better to unscrew it and use it to select a suitable replacement.
Nuances of LED lighting you need to know about
The type of glass in the bulb affects the brightness of the light. A matte bulb is suitable for creating diffused soft light. It is necessary in the bedroom or in the sitting area. About 5-10% of the light is absorbed by the bulb.
Therefore, it is better not to use this option for a work area or kitchen. When bright sparkling light is needed, a clear bulb is the best solution. It lets in more light and provides adequate lighting. The quality of illumination is influenced by the angle of the light beam.
For a closed shade and directional light, an LED lamp with an angle of 120 ° is suitable. This is a great option for a table lamp. For the main lighting of the room, it is better to choose products with an angle of 360 °. Then the light will be scattered in different directions, and all parts of the room will be well lit.
Final decision
How much will it cost to replace lamps with LEDs throughout the apartment? For just one chandelier for 8 rounds, I will have to spend 250 dollars. But there are also bedside lamps, a table lamp, lighting in the hallway, bathroom and kitchen. Perhaps, I will not immediately replace all the bulbs in the house. You can only limit yourself to the chandelier in the room.
And use energy-saving ones as spare for other lamps. I’ll see how many kilowatts the meter will wind up in a month with this kind of lighting. If the amount decreases, then it makes sense to replace the rest of the bulbs with LED ones over time.
