LED downlights operate at far lower temperatures than the halogen lamps that are still prolific in Australian homes and businesses. However, even the smaller amount of heat LED lights generate must be carefully considered according to the installation environment.
Misinformation abounds on this topic. The reality is that conventional light sources emit Ultra Violet (UV) rays which are well know to attract insects.
A lesser known but critical LED light specification is the Ta rating. Ta, or “ambient temperature,” is the reference temperature of the ambient air when the product is tested to deliver the rated performance.
There are generally good savings to be had when buying online or directly from manufacturers. However, in the case of LED lights it pays to be particularly cautious since a great deal more due diligence is required to deliver a successful buying outcome in the LED lighting industry, compared to, say, buying “non-technical” products.
LED prices vary considerably in the market. Here are a few of those reasons summarised, noting these are technical reasons only and cost variations due to other market factors are not considered here...
Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is a method to describe colour accuracy, ie the colour appearance of objects under different light sources, when compared to a reference light source.
Colour temperature is a description of the warmth or coolness of a light source. The Kelvin (K) is a unit of measurement for colour temperature. A practical way to demonstrate colour temperature is by example. A candle produces a warm glow with a yellow/orange appearance and produces this light at around 1850 Kelvin. In contrast, incandescent lamps are 2700K, halogen 3000K, moonlight 4150K and daylight around 5500 Kelvin.
LED downlights are available in a multitude of beam angles. What is a “beam angle”? In simple terms, it is the width of the light emitted from the luminaire, measured in degrees. A common misconception is that the area outside the stated beam angle would be “dark,” however, this is not the case with common residential lighting.
Chip binning is not terminology for what to do with faulty chips... It refers to the batching process that segregates mass produced LED chips into different containers, or “bins”.
The proliferation of Switch Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) in LED drivers has evolved due to the need for LED's to be drip-fed precise levels of current to ensure long life.
