a buyers guide for led light bulbs
Post on 14-Jul-2015
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LED Light Bulb GuideA Buyers Guide for LED Light Bulbs
Bulb Shapes• All light bulbs have a designation made up of letters
and numbers.
• The letters describe the bulb type while the number is an indication of the maximum diameter.
Shape Diameter
Bulb Shapes Continued• LED bulbs can be broken down into four primary
categories of shapes: A-Shape, Reflector, Decorative and Specialty.
A-Shape Reflector Decorative Specialty
Bulb Shapes: A-Shape• A-Shape LED light bulbs
are the most common shape available and are commonly referred to as standard shape LED bulbs.
• This is because they have an arbitrary shape with a maximum diameter listed in 8ths of an inch.
For Example: An A19 Bulb is an A-Shape bulb with a diameter of 2 and 3/8th inches (19/8 = 2 3/8th)
Bulb Shapes: A-Shape Cont.• The A19 shape is commonly used to replace 40 or
60-watt incandescent bulbs.
• LED replacements for 75 watts or higher typically have a slightly larger A21 shape.
• You may also find some LED bulbs which use the smaller A15 or A17 shapes for lower wattages.
Bulb Shapes: Reflector• Reflector LED light
bulbs are most commonly referred to as flood or spot lights due to the reflective coating used to create a wide or narrow beam angle of light.
Bulb Shape: Common Reflectors• Reflector LED bulbs have the letter R in their bulb
shape designation.
• PAR shaped bulbs can be used both indoors and out, while R and BR are rated for indoor use only.
Bulb Shapes: Decorative• Decorative LED light bulbs are smaller than A-Shape
LED bulbs and come in three different shapes, Straight Tip, Globe, and Flame Tip.
Bulb Shapes: Specialty• Specialty LEDs contain several uncommon shapes
since they are only for specific applications. Straight Sided and Tubular are the most common types.
S = Straight Sided. Used in signs, marquees and patio string lights.
T = Tubular. Used to replace small halogen and xenon lights in automotive, instrument or landscape lighting
This doesn’t cover every single LED bulb shape out there but it covers a large majority of what’s available.
Types of Bulb Bases• LED light bulb bases fall into three main
categories. As with shapes, bases are also denoted by Letters and Numbers.
E 26Shape Size
(millimeters)
1) Edison
2) Bi-Pin
3) Bayonet
Types of Bulb Bases: Edison• In addition to designation, Edison base bulbs have
several common names.
E12 = Candelabra baseE14 = Small Edison Screw baseE17 = Intermediate base
E26 = Medium baseE39 = Mogul base
Types of Bulb Bases: Bi-Pin• Bi-pin bases are denoted by the letter G.
G4 BaseGU10 Base
(Twist and Lock)GU5.3 Base
Types of Bulb Bases: Bayonet• Bayonet base LED Bulbs
have notches on the side of the base which are used to lock the bulb into place.
• There are generally two different kinds of bayonet base bulbs, single contact (SC) or double contact (DC).
Two Contacts = DC Bayonet
Brightness• Lumens are a measurement of brightness while
Watts are a measurement of energy consumed.
Wattage Consumed by Bulb
Lumens Producedby Bulb
Color Temperature: Explained• Matching the right color temperature to the right
room will make them easier to enjoy.
Color Temperature• The visible temperature of a room (whether it looks
warm or cool), is actually based on how yellow the light from your light bulb is.
• Lower values, like the incandescent standard of 2700K, produce a more yellow (warm) light, while higher values like 5000K create a bluer (cooler) light. Most LED bulbs are available between 2700K and 5000K.
Color Temperature: Soft White• Soft White / Warm
White (2700K – 3000K)
Recommended for use in:
• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Rooms decorated in earthy tones (reds, oranges, and yellows)
Color Temperature: Cool White• Cool White (3500K –
4500K)
Recommended for use in:
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Rooms decorated in airy, fresh hues (blues, greens, whites)
Color Temperature: Daylight• Daylight / Full
Spectrum (5000K –6500K)
Recommended for use in:
• Garages
• Offices
• Rooms where productivity is key
Features• Some aspects of light bulbs aren’t as obvious or
urgent. These are features:
• Dimming
• CRI
• Life Hours
• Warranty
Features: Dimming• Unlike incandescent bulbs, not all LEDs are
compatible with dimmer switches. If your room uses a dimmer you should check for a compatible LED before installation.
If your LEDs are humming or flickering, it might be caused by
dimmer incompatibility.
Features: CRI• The Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures color
accuracy reproduced by a light bulb. The higher the number, the closer the bulb is to natural light.
A lower CRI will lower your saturation, leaving you with washed out colors.
High CRI Low CRI
Features: Life Hours• The Life Hours rating is an average time for lumen
depreciation. In simpler terms, it’s the average number of operating hours before a bulb produces only 70% of it’s initial lumen value.
800 Lumens
25,000 Hours
560 Lumens
Features: Warranty• LEDs are substantially less fragile and definitely
longer lasting than any other light bulb. But, they can still stop working. A long-term warranty is the best way to protect your investment in case of driver or electronic failure.
• Every manufacturer has a different method for calling in a warranty, but most do have them and you should always check before just writing the bulb off as a loss.
Arranged by 1000Bulbs.com
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Image SourcesAttributable Images not owned by 1000Bulbs.com are as follows:
• Title Image - Ryan Hyde• Socket Guide - Gooddigitalshop.com• Watts vs Lumens - Department of Energy• Color Temperature Spectrum - Dteenergy.com• Color Temperature Rooms - ThinkStock• Dimmable Light Symbol - Philips Lighting• Color Saturation - Wikipedia.org
Arranged by 1000Bulbs.com
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