What makes a good downlight from a bad one? Which one do you need and how do you know what to look for? There are so many choices to consider we have simplified the process of specification to 10 steps for quick results.
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So if you are in hurry to choose a downlighter, follow these 10 key steps of advice for a great LED downlight choice tailored to your needs.
Recommended: The Best LED Downlights: Buying Guide & Reviews
Residential home lighting will generally need to be warm and inviting, so opt for the LED color temperature of 2700K which is described as warm white.
However, 3000K is also classed as a warm white that creates with a whiter tone of light. 3000K is a good choice for bathrooms, utility rooms and for some kitchens.
The quality of LED light is measured in a variety of ways but still classified by the CRI or Color Rendering Index in most cases. The higher the score of CRI the truer the representation of color your room will have.
Use LED light sources that have a score of at least 80 CRI and if the budget can afford it head for 95 CRI in an LED lamp or dedicated LED downlight.
LED as a source of light is manufactured to differing qualities according to target price and market. Be aware that the budget end of LED will work (drive) a lower quality LED chip harder to increase the stated output but it will be at the expense of it’s expected lifetime.
Look for LED lamps for downlighters that have a minimum guarantee of 3 years of ‘normal’ use or at least 30,000 hours.
High quality LED downlights will have a guarantee of minimum 5 years or 50,000 hours.
The downlight trim is about the only part seen within the room once installed, it’s the part that fits flush to the ceiling. So choose a downlight with a minimally sized trim (or sometimes called a bezel) thickness, diameter and color.
For a seamless integration of downlighter’s into a ceiling, choose a trimless downlight where there is no trim by plastering the downlighter into the ceiling revealing only the hole for the light to emit from.
Glare is unavoidable if an eye looks directly into a light source, so the deeper the LED source is within a downlighter, the greater the comfort for the users of the room they are in.
Budget choices of LED lamp and downlighter move the LED source to the front to maximise the distribution of a weaker LED at the expense of more glare.
Choose a baffled downlighter that positions the LED source deeper within the fitting to reduce glare.
The amount of light created from an LED source cannot be measured by the wattage as light bulbs used to be. Instead look for the measurement of LUMEN (lm) as this quantifies what the expected light output of the downlight should be.
Choose an LED lamp for a downlight or dedicated LED downlighter with at least 500lm output for normal use.
The spread of light leaving downlights is measured by the lighting beam angles.
A budget LED lamp or downlight will be made with a single choice of medium width beam angle, usually around 30° to 40°. However, be aware that there are many choices of beam angle available from lamps and downlights so you can choose a more sophisticated approach to your lighting design.
Dimming is the process of reducing the output from a light source to reduce the level of light in a room at your control.
To dim a room the LED downlighters or lamps will need to be dimmable, so be aware that not all of them are. Some are made to be switched on and off only.
A dimmable LED Downlight will need to be chosen to be compatible with the switch dimming it.
A fire rating is required for a downlighter where the cut out through the ceiling it fits in compromises the integrity of a fire compartment. Choose a fire rated downlighter if there is any possibility that this may occur.
Water and electricity should never mix. A downlighter installed in a room that has a higher humidity or degree of exposure to water will need to suit the locations regulations.
Choose the appropriate level of wet rated downlighter to protect against the ingress of water into the product and meet building codes.
Where a downlighter just will not work, check out our alternatives to downlighters
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