How to Calculate LUX Level & Number of Lights Required in a Room

Basis of LUX and Lumens

The measurement for the light level encountered in a room or for an exterior space is LUX. The measurement of the light output from a lamp is lumens. Although 1 lumen will theoretically produce 1 LUX of light over an area of 1 square metre this is only in the perfect world as there are other factors to consider. For instance the decor and colouring in the space will undoubtedly result  in some loss of light unless the room was had perfectly reflecting mirrored walls.

The Calculation of LUX level in a room

The LUX level in a room is calculated from the following formula

E(LUX) = F(lm) x UF x MF / A

Where

- E is the the LUX level achieved

- F is the average lumens value form the light source

- UF is the utilisation factor for the space which takes into account the colouring of the surfaces in the space together with the geometry

- MF is the maintenance factor for the lamp which allows for a level of light depreciation over time.

It is clear to see from this formula that the light level experienced is reduced by the 2 factors which are the maintenance factor of the lamp and the utilisation factor of the space.

Clearly these values are situation dependent but typical values for these would be 0.4 for the utilisation factor and 0.9 for the maintenance  factor. This means that in a real situation you would achieve typically 35% of the light level that could theoretically be achieved in an optically perfect space.

What LUX levels are needed in a Room?

The level of LUX needed in a space is obviously subjective but here are some examples to provide some indication of what is needed.

Areas for relaxation for instance lounge or TV rooms would typically have 120 LUX. For an area which where it is necessary to read in it would be advisable to increase this to 200LUX. A domestic office environment of office for occasional use could be illuminated to a level of 250 LUX. It would be advisable to illuminate a commercial office area to a level of 400-500 LUX but where the majority of work is computer based a lower level is acceptable. For a retail environment where people are purchasing goods then a level of around 500 LUX is typically used. In a work shop area or area where detail work is undertaken then a LUX level of between 500 and 700 is desirable. Within an operating theatre in a hospital a LUX level or around 1000 would typically be used.

Recommended Lux Levels by Application and Age:

Application	Recommended Lux Age 25-65	Recommended Lux Age 65+
Warehouse	100	200
Work area	150	300
General assembly	1,000	2,000
Detailed assembly	2,000	4,000
Fine inspection	5,000	10,000

Recommended lux levels for general work conditions. Source: IES Handbook.

Calculation of how many lights are needed in a room?

Simply by turning the formula around it is possible to work out how many lights are needed for a room. This is particularly useful when working our how many spot lights or ceiling lights are needed in a space.

N = Ex A/(FxUFxMF)

So be example for a large space which is 10x 10m with 700 lumens ceiling lights , taking a maintenance factor of 0.9 and a utilisation factor of 0.7 then 45 lights would be needed to provide a LUX level of 200.

For a Kitchen which is 5 x 3 metre and using downlighters which produce 430 lumens output then for 180LUX you would need 10 downlighters taking the same factors as before. 

If you are not comfortable with mathematical calculations, then please use below calculator to calculate the number of lights required based on your Lux level requirement.

Number of Lights Required

Lighting Calculator by Omni

I do hope that helps, but if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch with us at SLB for some advise.

Source (Copyright © 2018 Saving Light Bulbs) — https://www.saving-light-bulbs.co.uk/blog/how-to-calculate-the-lux-level-in-a-room/

Why Light Output Should Be Measured In Lumens & Not Watts

As light emitting diodes become the standard lighting, it is important to understand the dissimilarities between watts and lumens, as well as how to establish the right amount of lumens for achieving optimum atmosphere in a space

Lumens vs. Watts

Let’s get to understand what lumens are: The lumen is an international scientific measurement standard for the quantity of light generated by a specific light source or its measured brightness. On the other hand, Watts measure the required amount of energy necessary for operating a light source.

The only challenge here is that there isn’t a mathematical formula to convert watts to lumens, like in converting kilograms (Kgs) to miles.

But still below chart will help you in choosing lights based on output Lumens:

Think Lumens, and Not Watts

The advent of LED technology (which is more energy efficient) has changed the lighting landscape. It has rendered the use of conventional bulbs meaningless. Unfortunately, this rapid change in technology has made the old-fashioned “Watt” light measurement less able to accurately indicate the bulb brightness. This does not allow for the different efficiency in conventional types of lights (i.e. filament bulbs, halogen & fluorescent) and LEDs.  This is why light output should be measured in Lumens and not watts.

Thus, the energy industry is now opting to use a more stable as well as widely-accurate unit to measure light intensity commonly known as Lumens.

Understanding Lumens

Lumens (abbreviated as lm) is a measure of light emitted by a lamp/ bulb (but it must be visible with the naked eye). The greater the Lumens number, the brighter the light.

Understanding Watts

On the other hand, watts don’t measure the brightness, rather the amount of electricity used.

Bulb Luminous Efficacy

The effectiveness of bulbs is expressed in terms of the lumen-to-watt ratio. This is the number of lumens produced for each and every watt consumed.

The rate of conversion of watts to lumens by bulbs varies and is dependent on the technology used. Lighting bulbs producing more L/P (i.e. lumens-per-watt) are cheaper to run since they generate more light and use less power.

LEDs possess the highest L/W ratio—what this means is that they are capable of generating a higher amount of light (from the bulb in question) for relatively little energy.

Longer-Lasting and Energy-Saving LEDs

The introduction of LEDs tremendously reduced power parameter requirement for buyers. This is because you’ll be getting a bulb fixture that’ll cost you 90% less as far as your electricity bills are concerned. What’s more, these bulbs are likely to last longer. Producing less heat as compared to incandescent bulbs helps LEDs to realize a 50,000 hr. lifespan.

So, when shopping around for a replacement lighting bulb, think of lighting fixture that’s brighter, longer-lasting, as well as more energy-efficient—the LEDs.

Lumens vs. Candelas

The two measurements can be confusing and are similar. However, they have subtle differences. Lumens are used to measure the amount of light emitted (i.e. the total visible amount of lights from a given source). This is also known as its luminous flux. On the other hand, candelas are used to measure the luminous intensity. It is also important to note that candelas are more predominant in America, while the EU prefer lumens.

Now since you have fair idea about Lumens, therefore please check out our LED Lights with high Lumens output

Article Source (Copyright © 2018 Saving Light Bulbs) — https://www.saving-light-bulbs.co.uk/blog/why-light-output-should-be-measured-in-lumens-not-watts/

Buying Exclusive LED Flat Panels: The Secrets

With tens of thousands of LED panels manufacturers as well as suppliers in today’s marketplace, it might prove hard to choose the best ones. As such, you must be careful, especially if it is your first time with the LED revolution. A quick glance should offer you the LED insights so as you can pick exclusive LED products capable of saving a substantial amount of power and even last longer. So, the following factors should be of help to you in deciding the best LED panels that can serve you for many years to come.

Light Guide Plate Plus its Driver

The LED panel’s quality is dependent on the light guide plate along with its driver. The light guide plate determines the light transmittance as well as power conversion efficiency. The power factor and the lifespan of the whole light system are determined by the driver. As such, it’s vital to ensure that you don’t compromise on the quality of these two important factors when purchasing panels. For instance, the 600×600 led ceiling panel has been manufactured with precision to serve you for years to come.

The Right Panel System

Now that you understand how crucial the two are, let’s deep dive into how you can select the right LED panel system:

Selecting LED Light Guide Plate: Go for panels that feature light guide plates and those with PMMA light guide plates after only half year of usage, such as the 600×600 led panel. Well, PS materials are popular in most countries across the globe, thanks to their affordability. However, it can easily turn yellow and get dark spots something that can decrease the panel’s power conversion efficiency. Moreover, PMMA material has an ant-aging and possesses superior light transmittance capacity as compared to PS materials.

Selecting LED Light Panel Driver – Large driver cripples are the major cause of LED light flickers. Typically, a superior PF value must come with a flicker, which cannot be detected by a naked human eye but. Since a low PF value driver utilizes lots of energy as well as power, a predetermined PF value is needed on LED drivers (typically 10+w panel lights). Due to the high cost, existing drivers with high PF value mostly have flicker.

Other Performance Factors

The following factors should also be considered before purchasing LED panels for your specific needed.

Aluminum Frame

Go for LED flat panel lights (like the 600×600 led panel) that utilize aluminum housing (environmentally friendly) featuring rapid heat dissipation, anodized, as well as anti-corrosion properties since they are long lasting and have superior performance. Some of the shortcomings of inferior aluminum panels are low heat dissipation capacity, general weakness, reduced chip life and rapid fading light.

LED Light Panel Driver Temperature

You should ensure that your manufacturer has conducted aging and electronic load tests on the LED panels. This is to ascertain whether the panels can bear extreme temperatures (101℃-138℃). Panels that pass this test tend to perform better, are safer, and stable, which makes them long-lasting. You can count on panels like 600×600 led ceiling panel when it comes to bearing extreme temperatures. 

Insurance and Warranty

Insurance is meant to protect LED panels against manufacturing defects and assure you of the product warranty. The manufacturer in question must offer you full support when it comes to warranty claims and subsequent repairs/ replacements.

LED Light Luminous Efficiency

Ensure that the luminous efficiency of your LED flat panel light is 120l+m/w. Also, check that it has no flicker and has a top power efficiency of 0.9+. Also ensure that:

• It has high CRI (Ra>80)
• The THD is less than 15%
• The DLC is under 4.0 standards.

Checkout Our High Quality LED Panles

Article Source (Copyright © 2018 Saving Light Bulbs) — https://www.saving-light-bulbs.co.uk/blog/buying-exclusive-led-flat-panels-the-secrets/

Dimmable LED’s

LED’s are changing and transforming lights as well as saving money, which is all well and good but what if you want the LED’s to be dimmable?

You’ll be pleased to know that LED’s can be dimmable! However this isn’t necessarily easy… All bulbs are on circuits and dimmable bulbs have to be on circuits that are compatible with their design in order for their brightness to vary. There are mainly two types of LED’s available on the market; dimmable and non-dimmable.

If you are switching from incandescent to LED’s therewill be a few things that you need to look out for. In order to be dimmable, all bulbs will be attached to a driver which will help them to dim steadily and effectively. However, these drivers cannot be used in conjunction with LED’s because their circuitry is not co0-10v LED Driver Controllermpatible. Traditional dimmers reduce the voltage used by the fixture to then reduce the amount of light that it emitted, but this wouldn’t work with LED’s because they would still give off the same amount of light even if the voltage is reduced.

It can be possible to use a dimmable LED in a non-dimmable circuit although this would defeat the purpose, but should the wrong bulbs have been bought etc, the bulb wouldn’t need to have a compatible driver to dim so would be shining like normal.  A non-dimmable bulb definitely can’t be put in a dimmable circuit though because it could cause damage to the bulb and/or the circuit.

What can happen to the bulb/circuit if they are incompatible?

 

There can be a variety of effects that can happen if the incorrect bulb is put into the incorrect circuit. The worst being that the bulb doesn’t turn on because the circuit can’t function and therefore prevents the bulb from emitting any light. Other effects can be that the bulb doesn’t dim but only works at 100% brightness, which isn’t ideal if you are wanting to great a mood or atmosphere with the lighting. Another situation is the bulb works (yay!) but hums which isn’t what lighting was created to do! Bulbs making noise is never a good sign, and points to the bulb becoming damaged. Finally, a very common problem is that the bulb flickers, either all the time or at certain dimmer levels. This is also very damaging to the bulb and likely to the circuit as well. Electricians are needed to change dimmer switches, but once this change has happened you’ll be good to go!

Lighting can be a practical and beautiful way to light your home but also create great atmospheres throughout. Dimmable lights are especially good at this because visual appearances can be altered and moods can be changed. Dimmable LED’s are even better because they save energy as well as still being able to change everything else! So don’t be put off by the confusion of dimmable LED’s and non-dimmable LED’s, upgrade and convert both your bulbs and dimmers and start saving money! Hopefully this article has illuminated what you need to look out for with dimmable LED’s and what could need to be changed in order for everything to work as it should. If you have any further questions or want to talk drivers, please get in touch and we will help you as best we can.

Checkout our wide range of dimmable and non-dimmable LED bulbs

Article Source (Copyright © 2018 Saving Light Bulbs) — https://www.saving-light-bulbs.co.uk/blog/dimmable-leds/

Color Characteristics of LEDS

There’s an array of different LEDs that are available in the lighting market today. The diverse LED characteristics comprise of light color or radiation wavelength and light intensity among other features. 

These color characteristics are as a result of an assortment of factors during the manufacturing process. Factors such as semiconductor make-up, fabrication technology used, and encapsulation are also important in determining the LED color appearances.

Understanding LED colors

Color is a fundamental feature of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Initially, there were a limited number of colors available for these fixtures. You could only find red LEDs.
However, as technology advanced, there have been significant improvements in LED materials and colors.

Color Characteristics of LEDs: Color Temperature

One important aspect of color appearance is color temperature, which exemplifies how cool/bluish or how warm/yellowish technically white light appears. CCT Correlated Color Temperature (abbreviated as CCT), is actually a metric correlating the source of light appearance to a pre-heated theoretic dark/black body appearance. As a black-hued body gets hotter, it becomes red, orange, white, and ultimately blue. The CCT value of a light source, provided in Kelvin (K), represents the temperature at which a hot black body closely matches the light source color under investigation. It symbolizes the color of emitted light and not that of illuminated objects.

What is Color Rendering Index (CRI)?

Metrics Color representation has numerous distinct forms, including reference based systems, gamut based systems, and systems which are built upon sophisticated color appearance models.
CRI refers to a measure of fidelity (that’s how ‘true’ a certain light source is when related to a reference source), but it doesn’t address the issue of color appeal and discrimination.

Chromaticity and LED Colors

Chromaticity refers to an objective interpretation of the quality of color irrespective of its luminance. It consists of two distinct parameters, often described as colorfulness (s) and hue (h). For a specified CCT, a light source with a positive Duv value has a chromaticity which falls above the locus of the blackbody (appearing slightly greenish), while a source featuring a negative Duv value has a chromaticity which falls below the locus the blackbody (appearing slightly pinkish).

The Influence of LED voltage drops

The LED voltage drop often lies between 2 and 4 volts. The actual voltage that occurs across the two terminals is highly dependent on the type of LED/materials used and influences the color of LED in question.

As expected, the voltage curve of an LED broadly resembles that of a forward diode characteristic. But once the diode is switched on, the voltage becomes relatively flat for various forward current levels.

LED Characteristics: The Summary

The following table gives a summarized insight concerning LED color characteristics.

Wavelength Range In NM	Color Of the LED	Voltage(V) at 20MA	The Type of Material
Blow 400	UV(Ultraviolent)	3.1 to 4.4	AIN, AlGaN, AlGalnP
400 to 450	Violet	2.8 to 4.0	GaP,AlGalnP
450 to 500	Blue	2.5 to 3.7	lnGaN
500 to 570	Green	1.9 to 4.0	GaP, AlGalnP
570 to 590	Yellow	2.1 to 2.2	GaAsP, AlGalnP
590 to 610	Orange or Amber	2.0 to 2.1	GaAsP, AlGalnP
610 to 760	Red	1.6 to 2.0	AlGaAs, GaAsP, AlGalnP

Below 760

Infrared

Below 1.9

GaAs, AlGaAs

Besides LED color, the following are other major LED specifications:

• Light intensity value( denoted as Iv)

• Current vs. voltage specification

• Reverse voltage

• Angle of view

LED Specifications for Operational Life

LED’s light intensity doesn’t diminish with time. What this implies is that LEDs have a specific operational life. This specification helps determine the application of different kinds of LEDs. LED specifications are determined by the following formulas.

L70% = The time taken for a 70 percent illumination (this is also known as lumen maintenance)

L50% = The time taken for a 50 percent illumination (also known as lumen maintenance)

Note: According to LED standards, your LEDs shouldn’t exhibit any major shift in chromaticity.
These figures’ rationale is that 70 percent lumen maintenance is equated to a 30 percent light output reduction. This’s an approximate threshold figure required to detect to gradual light output reductions.

Rising popularity of Energy Efficient LED Light bulbs and lamps

LED Light bulbs and lamps are all over the place and illuminating residential and commercial places like never before. People embrace LED light bulbs because they are energy efficient, technologically advanced and available in a wide array of sizes. They can easily help to save on electricity bills, and are environmentally friendly as well.

Today, you can find a wide range of LEDs from candles, golf balls to lamps. LEDs also run at very low wattages and have long life as compared to other bulbs. Here are a few popular LED Light bulbs and lamps:

LED Golfballs

LED Golfballs are highly popular among people. They looks beautiful and can efficiently illuminate any environment. They are designed for domestic as well as commercial use. They can easily replace incandescent or halogen golfball and produce quality light. You can expect good a lumen output and make your environment bright and pleasing. You can also minimise your energy consumption by up to 90%.

Candle LEDs

Whether you need a dim tone or a bright light, you can always go for candle LEDs. Candle LEDs are ideal because they produce warmer light. People often choose such bulbs to create a stunning sunset like effect in their rooms. As the light can be dimmed, it reduces the colour temperature. It is also perfect for study rooms and bed rooms and can create a warm and intimate ambience. Additionally, they are also good to decorate homes and offices. People can also use them in chandeliers, wall sconces or modern luminaires.

Reflector LEDs

This high quality Reflector LEDs are designed to offer the latest in LED technology. They are perfect for general as well as spot lighting in the homes. In fact, they are widely used in the hospitality industry, along with lobbies, corridors, stairwells, etc. They are not only compatible, but also available in a warm white colours. Unquestionably, they are highly efficient lamps and can save of up to 80% in energy usage. One of the most apparent advantages is that their maintenance cost is quite low and are environmentally friendly.

Pear LEDs

Pear shaped LEDs are in great demand because they are the direct retrofit replacement for any traditional lamp. People choose these lights because they are stylish, attractive, produce consistent light and can decorative any place. Not to mention, they are good for both residential and commercial environments. The warm white colour and gold coating creates a comfortable and relaxing environment.

So, if you are not using advanced LED light, it’s time to use it! You can choose high-efficiency, long-lasting and compact LED light bulbs and lamps for your rooms.

Use Commercial lighting for Better Efficiency

According to a report, LEDs are gaining popularity across the world in both residential and commercial sector. LEDs are not only innovative, but also incredible in many senses. They are easy to install and maintain and can brighten up any environment. They are long lasting and efficient too, as compared to other traditional lighting systems. In fact, they produce high quality light that can make an environment (both residential and commercial) pleasing, safe and inviting. People use them in their kitchens, bathrooms as well as living rooms and commercial outlets to infuse high class sophistication and appeal.

Residential lighting

People not only use them in ceiling lights, but also in exterior lamps in order light up the entire area. As LED lights bulbs exhibit the personality and taste of people, they tend to choose highly innovative and designer lights that create an exceptional design statement. Today, market is full of a wide range of LED lights, you can choose according to your specifications. In fact, people choose high quality LED bulbs to bring extraordinary style and charm to their rooms.

Commercial lighting

Due to the quality, stability and efficiency of LED light bulbs, more and more people have started using them in their offices, industrial units and even work stations. These areas are highly sophisticated and require proper lighting in order to assist people and improve the overall working conditions. According to a report, most people face slip and fall problems in industrial units due to lack of proper lighting. That is why, it is more than important to keep the environment well illuminated so that workers can safely commute and perform their work.

Today, It is easy to choose commercial LED lighting according to the area such as LED area lighting, flood lights, panels, wall packs, canopy fixtures, etc. All these LED lights are designed to illuminate the environment in a better way. These lights are designed to strike the right balance between technology and performance.

Some of the benefits of using these commercial lighting are low maintenance and high quality lights. They can run for thousands of hours without any trouble. In fact, all the above mentioned lights are ideal for large campuses, shopping malls, parks, hospital grounds, parking lots, etc.

On top of that, these lights maintain their color temperature, lumens output, efficiency and uniformity for years and provide bright light without breaking the bank. If you want to upgrade to LED lights, you do not have incur extra cost, which is a big benefit. These light bulbs are soft, flexible, cool, compatible and can be installed anywhere.

So are you ready to embrace commercial LED lighting?

LED CEILING LIGHTS: THEY WILL REDEFINE YOUR LIVING ROOM

LED lighting is one of today’s most efficient and rapidly-developing technologies. They last longer, offer better light quality and are more durable. Like any other diodes, they consist of a semiconductor material doped with certain impurities to create a p-n junction. Current flows smoothly from the anode (p-side) to the cathode (n-side) not in the opposite direction. When an electron collides with a hole, it automatically falls into the lower energy level and generates photon energy.

The benefits

LED ceiling lights exist in different sizes and shapes, with excellent fittings available for any room. Whether your home is stately or terraced, you can utilize these lamps to positive effect. The type of illumination you’ll get not only looks attractive, but it’s economical. They last much longer than traditional bulbs and consumes up to 90 percent less energy. The possibilities of LED ceiling lights are endless. It doesn’t matter how small or big your house is you’ll always find something that perfectly matches your needs.

Why You Should Consider Them

LED ceiling lights are ideally suitable for applications which are subject to recurrent on-off cycling, unlike traditional lamps that quickly burn out when cycled frequently.
• They can easily be turned down or dimmed
• Installation is quick and very simple. A common indicator will attain full brightness in microseconds.
• They don’t contain mercury, unlike fluorescent lamps
• They are relatively small in size and are easily fixed onto printed circuit boards.
• Being solid state devices, they are difficult to get damaged with external shock, unlike incandescent and fluorescent bulbs which are fragile.

Light emitting diodes are the latest and most sensational technological developments in the lighting industry. They are small, compact light bulbs which are exceptionally energy efficient and durable.

Amazingly Efficient and Energy-Saving

Additionally, LED lighting offers several other advantages, including longer life (60,000 hours), reduced maintenance cost, lower energy consumption, and increased safety. Currently, they are being used for numerous applications- automotive, residential lighting, broadcasting, industrial automation, aerospace, entertainment, and electronic instrumentation.

Also, they are extremely energy efficient and use only a small fraction of the energy consumed by fluorescent lamps; there’s dramatic reduction in power costs. Since they don’t incorporate delicate components like glass and filaments, they’re able to withstand vibrations, shock, and extreme temperature.

Safety and Color

LED ceiling lights produce virtually no heat hence they can be left on for several hours without harmful effect if touched. They generate 3.4 BTU’s/Hour and reduce the potential risks of burns and fires.Moreover, they are fabricated with non-toxic materials, unlike conventional lighting options that use mercury which may cause danger to the environment. Also, they are recyclable and earth friendly.

LED ceiling lights are available in a wide range of colors- red, blue, amber, and green. Since incandescent bulbs use filters to generate colors, they’re extremely inefficient. Note that they can be combined to create millions of colors that can bring more elegance to your kitchen, bedroom, or even bathroom.

Emergence of reliable and Efficient LED light Bulbs

Most of the people still believe that incandescent and CFLs are better options than LED lights because they are cheap and attractive. However, with the passage of time, both incandescent and CFLs have phased out because they were unable to produce the desired quality of light. In fact, they failed to show their caliber on broader level, which has allowed LED light bulbs to come at the forefront. LEDs are not only energy efficient, but they also last longer.

One of the major factors behind the setback...

One of the major factors behind the setback of incandescent and CFLs is that they contain hazardous elements that are hard to dispose. CFL bulbs have mercury in them, which is quite dangerous for both residential and commercial use. In fact, these can’t deliver directional lighting that is required for reading or cooking. (https://www.earthled.com/blogs/light-2-0-the-earthled-blog-led-lighting-news-tips-reviews/35906628-led-light-bulbs-vs-cfl-light-bulbs-which-is-best-for-me). 

There is no better option than…

Today, there is no better option than LED lights because they have their own advantages over incandescent and CFLs. They are ideal for residential and commercial applications as well as other work spaces. In fact, you need not buy any additional socket or fixture for them, which makes them perfect choice for kitchens and living rooms. No wonder, today, people are using them in their offices and homes.

People choose LED lights because…

They choose LED lights not only because they are mercury free, but also because they produce high quality and directional light, which makes them environment pleasing and attractive. In fact, they are much more efficient and works easily with control systems.

When it comes to the quality, brightness, performance…

When it comes to the quality, brightness, performance and efficacy, LED lights are undisputed. They produce high color rendering index (CRI), which makes the ambiance warm and inviting. Moreover, most of the LED lights are shatterproof, which makes them versatile and ideal for industrial applications. In fact, their life expectancy is also much higher, which makes them worth investing. (https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/lumens_placard-black.pdf).

So, choose the most suitable lights according to your requirements.