How to Pick LED？

What color of light do you want?
Selecting the right light appearance for your space can make all the difference. The Kelvin scale is used to describe light appearance. Lower degrees Kelvin indicate a warmer, yellow-white light and higher degrees indicate a blue-white light. Warm white (2700 Kelvin) most closely approximates a traditional incandescent bulb and is favored in bedrooms and living rooms. It provides a warm and inviting light. Neutral White (3500 Kelvin) can be used in almost every space- it’s neutral. Office/work spaces will often utilize this color temperature. Kitchens, bathrooms and work spaces may benefit from a cooler color temperature (4100-5000 K). Daylight White (6500K) can be used for task lighting, detailing, or many industrial applications.

Know your watts from your lumens.
At one time, we used to refer to wattage a measure of bulb brightness. Actually, wattage indicates the amount of energy a bulb uses and in traditional incandescent bulbs, higher wattage correlates with a brighter bulb. However, new and more efficient Compact Fluorescent (CFL) and LED bulbs use far less energy. Therefore, wattage is no longer an accurate indicator of bulb brightness. Instead, look for the Lumen (lm) rating, which describes the amount of light a bulb gives off or its brightness. This is the most accurate way to tell how bright bulbs are in comparison to their incandescent cousins.

Calculate your financial and environmental savings.
LEDs are one of the more expensive bulb types on the market today, but recent advancements in LED technology have lowered the cost dramatically. To help reduce the upfront cost many electric utility companies offer rebate programs. LED bulbs are an investment and over their long lifetime they will save you money due to their high energy efficiency. They have the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of any bulb type.

Consider bulb longevity.
Unlike other bulbs, LEDs do not burn out; they progressively dim over time. LEDs are considered to be at the end of their life when light output drops below 70% of its initial brightness at purchase. Traditional bulbs have a much shorter life than LEDs. Incandescent bulbs may last around 1,000 hours, where a CFL could last as long as 5,000-8,000 hours. LEDs are rated to maintain their initial brightness for 10,000-25,000 hours. If you have a bulb that is difficult to replace because it’s installed in a hard to reach spot, you may want to consider replacing it sooner rather than later. You won’t have to replace it for years. For example, bulbs rated at 25,000 hours last for more than 20 years when used approximately 3 hours a day.

Watch out for enclosed fixtures.
LED bulbs give off much less heat than incandescent bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs use 10% of their energy to produce light while 90% is wasted as heat. For an LED, 95% of that energy is used to product light and only 5% as heat. Keep in mind, LEDs are more sensitive to heat and most LEDs should not be used in fully enclosed fixtures. For this reason it is generally recommended that LED’s are installed in open fixtures which allow for better heat dissipation. If you are replacing a bulb in an enclosed fixture, make sure the LED you are buying is designed to be used in that space.

LEDs and dimmer switches.
As you replace traditional bulbs with LEDs, you may want to change out dimmer switches that may not be compatible with LEDs. While most LED bulbs are dimmable, not all are compatible with traditional dimmers. Check with the manufacturer to ensure the bulbs you’re considering are compatible with your dimmer switch before making a purchase. For optimal performance, seek out dimmers specifically created for LED applications. Using a dimmable LED with a dimmer that is not compatible can cause buzzing and a reduced range of dimming.

Low voltage bulbs may not be compatible with your existing transformers.
LED bulbs may not be compatible with all transformers because they use so much less power and some transformers require a minimum wattage to work. You may need to replace or alter your existing systems. For example, a new 7-watt LED bulb will not be compatible with a halogen track system which requires a minimum of 10 watts to work. You may need to replace the track system or add additional bulbs to meet the minimum wattage requirement. Again, check with the manufacturer to ensure that the bulbs you are purchasing are compatible with your existing transformers.