8 tips for choosing outdoor LED lamps

A large number of advantages, versatility, economy, durability and high luminosity allow you to install ice lamps not only indoors, but also outside. However, before purchasing any models, it is imperative to study the main features and characteristics of LED lamps used for street lighting.

Therefore, let’s consider what their main parameters are, requirements for them and areas of application, how to maintain them, what their pros and cons are, and whether it is possible to assemble such light sources with your own hands.

No. 1. Main advantages and disadvantages

Let's start with a few words about the operating principle of outdoor LED lamps. In fact, these are independent devices, the housing of which is unique and usually designed for a specific LED lighting source. Any such lamp consists of a base, a metal case with vertical ribs for effective heat dissipation, a board with LEDs, a translucent hemisphere and a power converter, which is also called an electronic driver. The body is coated with protective paint. The operation is based on the principle of emission of light waves, which occurs as a result of an electrical impulse. Luminaires designed in this way are highly energy efficient. It is advisable to place street lamps at a height of 4-11 m above ground level.

Advantages:

low energy consumption;
high durability. On average, a lamp of this kind is designed for a minimum of 50,000 hours of operation;
unlimited resource of switching on and off;
structural strength and a high level of protection from external negative environmental conditions, which is due to the structural features of the hull;
wide range of operating temperatures (-40…+450С), which allows the use of LED lamps in any climatic conditions;
comfort of the glow, because the lighting is contrasting, does not flicker, the devices themselves turn on and operate silently, and the quality of color rendering is excellent, which is especially important for lighting routes;
no heating and the ability to adjust the brightness of the light;
no harmful impact on the environment, because such lamps do not contain mercury and other toxic substances, so special conditions for their disposal will not be required;
ease of installation.

Flaws:

the high price, which discourages the purchase of LED lamps. It is worth carrying out minimal calculations in order to understand that in 2-3 years such a purchase will fully pay for itself, and the remaining 15-20 years of operation will allow you to save significant amounts of money on electricity bills;
sensitivity to high temperatures, so they cannot be used in baths, saunas and near heat sources;
Over time, you can observe a decrease in the brightness of the light, but this directly depends on the quality of the heat sink, so it is better to trust only products from trusted manufacturers.

Until recently, some complained about white light, which is not very comfortable for the eyes, but today almost all manufacturers produce LEDs, the light of which is completely adapted to the characteristics of our vision. We can again advise you to pay attention only to the products of trusted companies, but we’ll talk about the largest manufacturers further.

Some disadvantages of LED street products

LED lamps (for example, e27 or any others), despite an impressive list of advantages, have some disadvantages, which include:

high cost of production. Whatever one may say, these are the most expensive light sources today;

Note! The purchase of LED products, despite the high cost, will quickly pay for itself with reduced electricity bills.

characterized by thermal degradation. A special LED substrate acts as a heat sink. But at high air temperatures, such light bulbs begin to work less efficiently;
sensitivity to voltage changes. These are low-voltage light sources that operate through special converters (power supply). You need to know this aspect when deciding to install LED strips on your summer cottage.

LED strips

In order for your outdoor LED lamp to work for a long time and efficiently, you must correctly install it on a pole or hang it on the facade of a building.

No. 2. LED lamps by purpose

Since the lighting requirements for different types of sites differ, manufacturers offer us LED lamps for various purposes:

lighting _ Designed to illuminate open areas, sidewalks, roads, courtyards;
architectural _ Used for decorative lighting of building facades, monuments and other objects that need to be emphasized;
landscape. They are used to illuminate trees and parklands and are widely used in summer cottages.

No. 3. LED lamps by functionality

The principle of operation of an LED lamp described above is typical for typical spotlights and lanterns, but LEDs can also be used in the form of decorative lighting in duralight, duraflex and mesh. Therefore, it is customary to divide LED lamps into the following groups depending on functionality:

spotlights are used to illuminate more or less large areas. Large floodlights illuminate roads, sports complexes, building facades; smaller lamps of this type are used in country and suburban areas to illuminate the territory and garden paths;
lanterns provide diffused light and are used to illuminate sidewalks, garden plots, squares and other areas;
Read also: How to connect a lamp with a switch on a string
duralight – a transparent tube with many LEDs inside, the distance between which is 1.5-27.5 mm. It is used for decorative contour lighting of buildings, as well as in landscape design to decorate trees. Some lamps of this type can give a constant glow, others - dynamic;
Duraflex is characterized by increased resistance to moisture and high flexibility, so it can even be used to decorate areas around the pool and other bodies of water;
ruler It looks like a flexible plastic strip onto which LEDs are attached in a vertical position. Used to decorate buildings, sometimes in advertising signs;
The mesh is a network in which LEDs are attached to the nodes. It is stretched between supports, thus decorating the facades of buildings.

What lamps are suitable for the street

Today, LEDs (model E27, etc.), which can be used for street lighting, come in four types:

spotlights. Such lamps are suitable for urban illumination of wide avenues, roads, highways, as well as any industrial or sports facilities. They are usually placed on pillars or walls. The color of their glow can be either warm or cold;

Note! Small floodlights are also often installed around the perimeter of private houses and on the facades of buildings.

LED Spotlight

lanterns Most often on city streets you can find LED lights on poles located along roads, park paths and squares. You can screw different light bulbs into such lanterns (for example, E27). Moreover, one of the most common options are E27 lamps. The color of their glow can also be warm or cold;

Note! Lanterns in park areas have a power of up to 150 Watts, but to illuminate roads, lamps with a power of 150 to 400 Watts are used.

LED flashlight

duralight lamps. Externally, such a lamp looks like a plastic transparent tube or strip with a large number of internal LEDs. This light source is used for contour architectural lighting, as well as in landscape design. Duralight can often be found used to illuminate city museums and architectural structures, as well as the landscape of the backyard of a private house or when creating bright evening advertising. Duralight can have a constant (fixing), dynamic (chasing or multichasing) or color combination when the color of the light flux changes using a controller (chameleon);

Note! This type of lighting can be placed not only on the facade of the building, but also on trees, which will give the street a festive atmosphere.

Duralight

duraflex. A characteristic feature of these LED products is that such lamps are waterproof, increased flexibility and lightness. Thanks to this, installing such devices yourself will be extremely simple and fast. Duraflex can be fixed in any environment and on any surface. Therefore, it is often used as external decorative lighting for different areas of a garden plot or the facade of a building (especially a private house). The color of the glow here can be very diverse.

Duraflex

As you can see, the variety of LED street lighting today is more than great.

No. 4. LED lamps by emission color

LED street lights can emit light of different colors, but the most popular color is white, which is the most difficult to obtain. Today, there are several of the most common technologies for achieving white light:

RGB technology involves the use of blue, green and red LEDs in the substrate. For each, such a value of the transmitted current is selected so that the total radiation has the required color. The radiation is mixed using an optical system. The plus of the technology is the power of the light ceiling, the minus is the property of light to “float” over time. Using this technology, it is easy to obtain light of almost any shade and even dynamic lighting;
technology of mixing the radiation of three phosphors (red, blue and green), which are excited when exposed to ultraviolet radiation from an LED. Such lamps are cheaper than others, but break down relatively quickly;
technology of applying yellow phosphor to a blue LED.

What is LED

An LED is a semiconductor device that emits visible light by converting electrical current. The LED design includes a semiconductor crystal on a substrate, a housing with leads, and an optical system. Light is emitted due to the fact that recombination of holes and electrons occurs in the region of the pn junction, that is, an exchange occurs. This transition occurs in the presence of two semiconductors with different conductivities. Therefore, the near-contact layers of a semiconductor crystal are coated with various impurities, which, on the one hand, have donor characteristics, and on the other, acceptor characteristics. Recombination occurs under the influence of electric current. The brightness of an LED depends on the current strength; the higher the current, the greater the brightness, however, this dependence has its own limit, at which the LED will simply fail.

The design of the LED can be seen in the picture:

No. 5. LED lamp protection class

The body of an LED lamp, as a rule, is quite strong and resistant to negative environmental influences, but still the level of protection can be different, and it must be selected based on the expected operating conditions. Each luminaire is characterized by a certain class, which is based on the standard for protecting electrical equipment from external factors IEC-952 . The marking looks something like this: IP68, where the first number (from 0 to 6) means resistance to solid particles, and the second (from 0 to - to moisture drops. All data is in the table below.

Studying the table, we conclude that for installation on the territory of a personal plot it is better to choose a lamp with protection class IP 64 , and for lighting the area near the pool it is better to choose IP66.

Which LED floodlight is best for a garage?

If you need to install lanterns in a garage, you should choose products in a square or rectangular design; they can create even lighting throughout the entire room. It is recommended to prefer a cold color temperature; bright white or neutral light invigorates and improves performance.

It is recommended to install square floodlights in the garage; they illuminate a large area

The protection class for a garage light is not so important. To prevent the lamp from breaking due to changes in humidity, you can opt for models with an IP54 rating.

No. 6. Power and luminous flux

Different areas require different levels of illumination. When planning a lighting system for particularly critical areas (highways, stadiums, etc.), serious work is carried out to calculate the required luminous flux, the number of lamps and their luminous efficiency. Surface illumination is measured in lux (lx) using a special device - a lux meter. For example, the full moon in clear weather provides an illumination of 0.2 lux, but for painstaking jewelry work, illumination of 300 lux is sufficient. To understand what level of illumination is needed in each specific case, you can be guided by SNiP 05/23/2010 “Natural and artificial lighting”, which sets out the requirements for different objects. For example, for pedestrian streets it is 6 lux, for children’s playgrounds – 10 lux, and for utility areas – 2 lux. Accordingly, street LED lighting should provide the specified level, but it is better to immediately take lamps with a reserve, since over time the luminous flux still decreases.

Closely related to the concept of illumination is the amount of luminous flux , expressed in lumens (lm). This is the amount of luminous power that a light source emits. The higher the luminous flux, the higher the level of illumination of the territory - these values are proportionally dependent. The illumination on an object with an area of 1 m2 when a luminous flux of 1 lm falls on it will be equal to 1 lux. When moving away from the light source, the illumination level decreases in inverse proportion to the square of the distance: if at a distance of 1 m from the lamp the illumination is 900 lux, then at a distance of 2 m the illumination will decrease by 4 times, and at a distance of 3 meters – by 9 times.

To calculate the required amount of luminous flux , not the simplest calculations are used, which use data on the required level of illumination of the surface, the illuminated area, the distance from the lamp to the surface and take into account the angle of emission of the luminous flux. It is much easier to use special calculators for such calculations.

The characteristics of each lamp indicate not only the luminous flux in lm, but also luminous efficiency , which is the ratio of emitted light to 1 W of power. LED lamps consume electricity much more economically than all their analogues. To achieve a luminous flux of 7400 lm, for example, an LED lamp must have a power of 85 W, and the most economical sodium lamp must have a power of 185 W.

As for the luminous efficiency, expressed in lm/W, the higher the indicator, the more economical the lamp will be. The indicator usually ranges from 80 to 100 lm/W.

No. 7. What else to consider when choosing?

When choosing a street LED lamp, also pay attention to the following parameters:

life time . Manufacturers usually indicate a period of 50 to 100 thousand hours, but the exact value greatly depends on the temperature inside the case. The higher it is, the shorter the lamp will last, so you should pay attention to the efficiency of heat removal. Even if the lamp lasts a minimum of 50,000 hours and turns on only at night (on average 10 hours a day), it will last for almost 14 years of operation;
Colorful temperature, as a rule, ranges from 3000 to 6000K and is selected depending on your own requirements and preferences;
The color rendering index for street lamps is not important, but if you need to illuminate especially critical objects, where it is extremely important to accurately preserve all colors, then choose a lamp with a color rendering index greater than 90. All modern LED lamps have a value of this parameter at a level above 80;
dimming possibility. If you plan to adjust the brightness of street lighting, then make sure that the lamp driver can understand and execute dimmer commands;
Operating temperature range . In this case, the minimum temperature parameter is especially interesting, which cannot be lower than -400C, but some manufacturers indicate -55 or even -600C, misleading the buyer. By the way, this is a good marker of the company’s integrity and honesty;
built-in light, motion and noise sensors allow you to significantly save energy and turn on lighting only in cases where it is really necessary.

Service

A properly installed LED street lamp or floodlight does not require special care. This is especially true for models with a sealed case. The only thing that may be required is to remove soot, dust and dirt directly from the surface of its glass or lenses. If, instead of a full-fledged lamp, an ice lamp is used, it may need to be replaced. In this case, when choosing a new copy, you should pay attention to its lighting parameters and quality. They must comply with the operating conditions.

No. 8. Manufacturers of LED lamps

The number of manufacturers of LEDs and finished LED lamps is increasing in direct proportion to the growing popularity of the technology. To be guaranteed to receive a quality product, it is better to give preference to products from large companies. If the seller or manufacturer is reluctant to disclose the detailed characteristics of the LED, then there is no guarantee that after a couple of months of operation the luminous flux will not decrease by 50% and the color temperature will not shift. Today you can trust some well-known foreign brands, as well as several domestic companies:

Osram Opto Semiconductors is a German company with more than 40 years of experience, producing LEDs, semiconductor lasers, detectors and other products, the development of which is carried out in-house. This is a true leader in innovation, and its products have become the standard of quality;
CREE is an American company that is rightfully considered the world market leader in the field of innovative solutions and production of LEDs;
Nichia is a Japanese company that owns large-scale discoveries that are used today in the production of LEDs everywhere. All of the company’s LEDs have increased resistance to electrostatic breakdown (up to 1000 V); in-house produced crystals are used for the manufacture of LEDs;
Seoul Semiconductors is a South Korean company with production facilities located in different countries around the world. Carries out a full production cycle: from growing crystals to manufacturing LED lamps. The quality is high, the price is lower than that of European and American analogues;
Philips-Lumileds
– one of the world leaders in the production of LEDs. It produces products under the LUXEON brand; LEDs are distinguished by their small size, long service life, efficiency and many other advantages;
Samsung LED is a Korean company offering LEDs and ready-made LED lamps for street lighting. The products have a good price-quality ratio;
Vsesvetodiody LLC is one of the largest domestic manufacturers of LED products. The quality is not inferior to foreign analogues, and the price is much more affordable. The company is engaged in the development, production and sale of LED lamps, has 4 factories in different regions of Russia, and carries out sales throughout the country. The range includes a lot of ready-made LED street lamps, most of which are equipped with Osram LEDs;
Ledel LLC is another large domestic company operating since 2007. Today its assortment includes a large selection of LED lamps for all areas of use, incl. For street lighting, Osram LEDs are used.

Installation priority for console versions

The effective operation of a console lighting device for outdoor use can only be guaranteed if a number of recommendations and requirements are strictly observed. We list the main ones:

a high level of safety, which is possible with high-quality protection of electrical wiring, increased strength and tightness of the housing, preventing the ingress of dust, moisture and precipitation (which could cause a short circuit);
functionality - full compliance with the necessary technical and operational parameters, including power, color temperature, luminous flux;
maximum ease of maintenance - if necessary, operating personnel must have timely access to the light source;
the built-in diffuser must have high strength and be resistant to temperature changes and mechanical stress;
Cost-effectiveness is one of the main features due to which city services choose LED products.

The cantilever design of LED luminaires provides several clear advantages to the device:

chrome reflector increases efficiency up to 95%;
the body is highly durable;
complete tightness and high-quality protection from dust and moisture;
resistance to vibrations that constantly affect devices placed on bridges or overpasses;
resistance to corrosion formation.

Cantilever type LED luminaires satisfy all the requirements described above. Look out the window of an apartment or house, walk around the city and notice that such lighting devices are used to illuminate streets, pedestrian paths, main and adjacent highways, pedestrian crossings and other important elements. A more specific application is the local area of the private sector.

To conclude the topic about the advantages of the product, it should be noted that it is multi-tasking: the cantilever mount implies installation both on a special supporting structure and on the walls of the building and other vertical planes. In some cases, hanging installation is possible.