Changing lights frequently can be a little annoying. Also, people hit their heads on hanging lights more often than you think. In addition, traditional lighting does not suffice for most interiors and can often make rooms look dull.
However, downlights allow users to counter these problems. For instance, these lights do not take up much space, so you will not bump into them. That is not the only benefit of these lights. Let’s take a closer look at what these downlights are.
A downlight (often called a canister light) is a light fixture fitted in the ceiling of a room. These lights fit in a way that causes light to spread. People use these downlights for various reasons, mostly because they provide flexible lighting options. They are ideal for people who want to adopt a modern lighting approach to their home’s interiors.
ceiling downlightsDownlights do not take up too much space in the room and can easily fit inside ceilings during construction. Therefore, you can install these downlights in any room, including the bedroom and living area. In addition, these light fixtures can also equalize the lighting in a room and make it look bigger since they do not take up any space.
Most modern architectures also integrate downlights, making the rooms look more sophisticated and providing efficient energy consumption options. It is because these lights use LED lights and do not need frequent maintenance compared to traditional ones. This makes these downlights high in demand despite their high prices.
The best thing about these downlights is the variety they offer customers. You can buy the downlights in different designs depending on your needs. So, let us look at some of the most common kinds of downlights that users can choose from.
led commercial downlightsFollowing are the most common downlights that you can find around you.
The fixed downlights are arguably the most common option that you will come across. These lights fit directly into the ceiling, and their intensity depends on the angle of the light inside the globe. Professionals usually install these lights at a 40o angle because it helps illuminate the room effectively.
Adjustable downlights can move in various directions, which makes them visually appealing and functional. This can help owners focus the light on a specific spot/area. People think installing an adjustable light is more of a luxury, but it serves an important purpose. For instance, if you are doing paperwork, the adjustable downlights can help you focus on a particular area.
adjustable led downlightsOne of the few drawbacks of downlights is that most require drilling holes into the walls and roof. Not everyone is okay with that approach, but surface-mounted downlights provide an easy alternative. In addition, owners with concrete walls cannot use traditional downlights.
You can also use the surface-mounted downlights as a feature light as they fit slightly lower than the roof. Moreover, surface-mounted downlights can also help cut down on heat costs. They do not require any holes for fitting, ensuring you don’t have to worry about drilling your ceiling.
surface mounted downlightsLED dimmable downlights are more and more popular now. They can be tailored to meet the lighting needs of a specific space. As a result, you can accomplish work tasks in a comfortable ambiance. It will facilitate greater productivity and worker satisfaction as eye strain is reduced and lighting conditions are improved.
Dimmable LED lights can reduce power consumption by as much as 70%. In comparison with incandescent bulbs, they are much more efficient. The resulting light consumes less energy.
Now that you know the basics of these downlights and the types available in the market, you may be looking to buy one. The big question is how to choose the right downlight. There is no need to worry because we have you covered.
We will explain the most important factors to consider when buying a downlight. To make things easier, we will also compare fixed and gimble lights, as they are the most popular downlight options. Let us begin.
The height of your ceiling has the most impact on the downlight and its functionality. The basic rule is that the higher the ceiling, the farther the light source. Therefore, buyers should only invest in downlights with the right angle. You wouldn’t want to install a light that doesn’t serve its purpose. We understand these downlights have various angles inside their globes, and we can still help you make the right decision.
A globe light with approximately 40o is the best option in most cases. The light hits the floor at a greater intensity at this angle, illuminating your room better. It is why people use gimble lights and move them to a 40o angle instead of the standard fixed lights. These fixed lights have an angle of 120o, so most of the light spreads into the air, making the room look dark.
Dimmable LED DownlightsVisualizing your room is the easiest way to pick the right number of lights. You can do this by finding the area of the room by multiplying its dimensions. You can multiply this answer by 1.5x to find the average wattage required to illuminate the room.
You can use this total wattage number as a guide and determine the total number of lights required by dividing the wattage by your bulb’s total wattage. For example, if you use a bulb with 120 watts in a total area of 1200 square feet, you should divide the two. This will help you get the right number of lights.
Downlights need to have gaps between them. This gap usually ranges between 1.5 to 2 feet. The goal is not to let the lights form a shadow. Therefore, the lights need to be at an equal distance. Shadowy downlights would be counterproductive, so avoiding them at all costs would be best. The easiest way to pick the right lighting gap is to divide your ceiling gap in half and make this space follows every downlight.
The ideal choice for downlight wattage is to choose lights that have low energy consumption but provide high-intensity lighting. It is probably why LED downlights have been exceptionally popular lately. These LED lights consume half the energy of standard light and offer more output.
An average 10 W LED light produces nearly double that of halogen lighting. In addition, the halogen lights usually take 55 W, which you save when you use LED downlights. The lower energy consumption option is ideal for people looking to save energy costs.
You can find downlights in various color temperatures, depending on your room. For example, a kitchen, laundry room, or any room that gets hot quickly should have a cool downlighting installed, better with 3000K OR 4000K. However, the cooler areas of your house, including your bedroom, lounge, etc., need a warmer downlight, usually choosing 2200K to 3000K.
You can choose LED downlights in various color temperatures, but we suggest that natural white light is a great all-rounder.
Some people also believe the natural white option looks somewhat like a skylight, beaming through a window or opening.
color temperature scaleColor rendering index refers to the range of light and can reveal the object’s true colors in the room compared to natural light. The index range lasts between 1 and 100, where 100 means the objects appear exactly as they would under sunlight.
On the other hand, the 0 rating indicates that objects will look nothing like they would under sunlight. On average, a range between 80 and 90 gives ideal results for color rendering. Going for 90+ rendering index lights would be best if you want more vibrant colors in your rooms.
Downlight replacement can be a bit of a problem as they fit into the ceilings directly (apart from the DMS ones). The halogen downlights last for an average of 2000 to 2500 hours. Therefore, people may need to change these halogen lights in 12-20 months.
On the other hand, LED downlights offer over 5,000 hours of usage, averaging 27 years (when used 5 hours a day). Therefore, LED downlights would probably last longer and require low maintenance.
If you are looking for downlights that will be used outdoors or in a humid room such as a bathroom, you’d better buy a waterproof lighting fixture with a waterproof rating of at least IP65, which will keep out moisture and rain. So that it will be safe and long-lasting.
Buyers need to consider the following factors before choosing a downlight:
We have you covered if you need help choosing a downlight for your home or any room. RC Lighting offers the best LED lights in various designs and sizes. You can check our collection of light fixtures, including downlights, spotlights, and tracking lights. Or contact us if you have more queries about downlights and how to choose one.
For more information PHILIPS DN200B G3, PHILIPS DN350B, PHILIPS DN39X, PHILIPS DN500B G3, please get in touch with us!