Nine Things You Need To Know When It Comes To Lighting

Knowing the basics about lighting can be quite helpful for anyone who wants to invest in it. Knowing the correct terms and definitions of the different types of mod lighting is essential to make a smart purchase decision. For example, ambient lighting is used to provide general lighting in a space and task lighting is usually used for specific tasks such as reading and writing. Accent lighting is also important because it is used to highlight certain features in a room. Furthermore, dimmers are also important when it comes to lighting because they can lower the intensity of the light, creating more of an atmosphere. Lastly, layering your lighting can create different moods and looks in the same area by using a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting. All these elements should be taken into consideration when it comes to lighting as they will help you create the perfect atmosphere in any space.

1) Lumen (lm)

Lumen is the international unit of luminous flux, a measure of overall light emitted by a light source. Lumens are important to understand when it comes to lighting for any kind of application. This is because it determines the brightness of a light source and how much illumination is produced. Lighting impacts everything from aesthetics to energy efficiency, and safety. It is essential to consider the lumen output when selecting a light source as this will help determine if it will meet the needs of the application at hand. For instance, if you are looking for a light source that produces a soft glow for ambiance, you would want to look for a low-lumen output, whereas if you need a brighter light for task lighting or safety lighting, then you would want to look for higher-lumen output. Understanding the lumen output of a light source can ensure that it meets your specific needs and provides the desired outcome.

2) Candela (cd)

Candela is the global standard for gauging the strength of a light source’s illumination in a given direction. The amount of light that a specific light source emits in any direction may vary.
[candela = lumen/solid angle]

3) Beam Angle [Unit: degree]

The beam angle of a lamp is the angle between two directions within which the brightness is half of its maximum value if measured along the main beam centerline. This angle can give an indication of how much the light is dispersing away from the center.

4) LUX (lx)

The SI (International System of Units) measurement of illuminance, which denotes the amount of light hitting an area, is known as “Lux”. One lumen per square foot is equivalent to one footcandle, and one lumen per square meter is equal to one lux.
[lux = lumen/m²]

5) Color Temperature / Correlated Color Temperature (CCT)

When a black-Body radiator is heated to various temperatures (in kelvin), it will emit a different color for each temperature. The temperature at which the color of the heated black-body radiator is the same as the color of the light source is designated as the color temperature of the light source.

6) Color Rendering Index (CR)

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a scale from 0-100 that evaluates the capacity of a light source to replicate the shades of items being lit up when compared to a reference light source, which is a black body radiator (CRI=100).

7) Efficacy (lm/W)

The effectiveness of a light source to transform electric energy into luminosity is represented by lumen yield per unit energy input (watt).
[Efficacy = lumen/wattage]

8) Design Life Time

The design life of a lighting product is the estimated amount of time it will last when operated at the standard voltage, current, and environment. The actual longevity of the lamp, however, can vary due to circumstances that differ from the rated conditions.

9) Dimmability

It is not possible to dim every type of lighting product. Utilizing a non-dimmable LED light with dimming capabilities can lead to unexpected results and reduce the life of the product. The image below outlines the differences in the current input when adjusting the DC voltage between dimmable and non-dimmable products.