The right type of lighting can significantly impact the appearance and ambience of a space. With so many available options, selecting the perfect lighting for home and office spaces can pose some complications. LED lights are the go-to option if you want high-quality, energy-saving, and excellent lighting. But buying an LED light is not as simple as one might think. You’ll find yourself navigating through a few technical terms which this article aims to explain.
What is an LED light?
The acronym stands for light emitting diode, and the technology was first introduced back in the 1960s. But although the technology was already available then, it was only decades later when LED lights became recognised as an excellent lighting solution. The significant difference between traditional incandescent and halogen bulbs and LED lights is that LED lights are far superior regarding lifespan, durability, and energy-efficiency.
What are the different types of LED light fittings?
One of the main challenges homeowners have with converting traditional light bulbs to LEDs is that it entails changing all the light fittings which can be quite expensive. Nowadays, however, LED lights are already available in different fittings which means you can easily retrofit an old bulb with an LED light without having to hire an electrician. Here are several examples of universal LED fittings:
- Edison screw or E27. The E27 LED bulb fitting is the most common fitting for light bulbs used around the world. If you have an existing incandescent or halogen with an E27 fitting, you can easily replace it with an LED lamp and enjoy better lighting and power savings.
- E14 or small Edison screw. The appearance of this fitting is almost identical to an E27 except that it is smaller. Typical applications for this type of fitting are appliances and chandeliers.
- B22 or Bayonet. This type of light fitting is also popular in western countries and often found in lampshades.
There are other types of fittings widely used in home and commercial lighting. What’s great about LED lamps today is that you can find LED bulbs that will fit almost every type of fitting.
Different types of LED lights
Here are the three fundamental LED lighting technologies used today.
- DIP LED lights. DIP lights are, typically, what people associate with when they encounter the term. It is the miniature LED lighting fixtures used in appliances. DIP lights only emit a small amount of light and are widely used today in consumer electronics.
- Surface Mounted LED lights. Surface mounted LED lights are brighter and more versatile. LED chips are directly soldered into a circuit board which makes it suitable for various electronic applications and lighting installations.
- Chip on Board LED lights. The latest technology in LED lighting is Chip on Board LED lights. This technology has improved brightness and energy-efficiency.
It is easy to see why LED lights are becoming increasingly popular as a lighting solution for various applications. Not only are LED lights more economical to use, but they are also unrivalled when it comes to durability and resistance making them an excellent choice in many aspects.
