Downlights are one of the most common lighting fixtures that you would find in any modern home these days. Their extreme popularity can be attributed to their warm general lighting, which is unobtrusive when compared to traditional lights. That being said, there are still a lot of things that one needs to consider when shopping for downlights. Things like wattage, spacing, type of lighting, etc. are common questions that you are bound to ask when picking the right downlight.
Wattage: LEDs versus halogen
When it comes to wattage, you want your downlights to save you energy, and produce a high beam at the same time. This is precisely why LED downlights are the preferred choice here. An average 10 watt LED downlight is able to produce a beam that is twice as bright as halogen, which actually uses 55 watts of electricity. And when it comes to energy savings, options range start as low as 5.4 watts in LED.
Lumens
Gone are the days when you could look at the watts on the packaging of a light bulb and determine the brightness of the light. Though this still might be the case for fluorescent or halogen lights, LED lights by default would have a low wattage because of their energy-saving technology. This is why lumens are used as a measure to understand the brightness of lights. Basically, lumens measure the total amount of visible light from an LED bulb. Thus, the higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
Therefore, when choosing LED downlights; you need to strike a balance between the efficiency, which is measured by watts, and brightness, which is measured by lumens. For instance, if you generally prefer a 60-watt incandescent bulb and want to switch to LEDs, look for a downlight that uses around 8 to 12 watts, and has an 800-lumen rating. This will give you the same amount of illumination as your traditional lighting.
Downright beam angle
The beam angle is nothing but the amount of light that spreads from the light source and is measured in degrees. Mostly, lights have a beam angle of 45° because they are recessed. On the contrary, a regular light bulb has a beam angle of 360°.
Since they are recessed, downlights with a wider beam angle of 60° are recommended for softer lighting, such as in the living room. For places like the kitchen however, a narrower beam angle of 25° is preferred, since it would give you concentrated lights. This is desirable when you are looking at illuminating surfaces and focusing on smaller details within the room.
If you are confused about what beam angle to go for, choose anything between 60 and 120° since these work best in most of the cases. Also, irrespective of the size of your room, it is better to have pools of light as compared to having glaring lights right in your eye. This helps to create a better ambiance and lights up the room beautifully.
Downlight spacing for beam angles
Whenever you are installing downlights in your room, make sure that you calculate the total downlights that you need, and then space them exactly the same apart throughout the room. The beam angle also plays a crucial role in determining how far away to place the lights. If you are using a wider beam, you can space the lights about 1.5 meters apart. On the other hand, for concentrated beam lights, try spacing them only a meter apart from one another.
Color temperature
As a general thumb rule, cool white light is ideal for places that tend to be usually hot, for instance, the kitchen. On the contrary, when you want warmth and intimacy, go for warmer downlights to give you that cozy feeling. This will often be the case in your living room or bedroom.
A natural 4000K natural white light is a good option. Not only is it cool and clean, but at the same time, its light is not too overpowering. It is almost as if you have natural skylight coming in through the ceiling.
Colour Rendering Index or CRI
CRI refers to the ability of the light source to reveal the color of the objects truly when compared to natural sunlight. This index is measured from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating that the colors under light appear exactly as they would under natural sunlight. Usually, a rate of 80 to 90 is considered to be within the range of accurate color rendering, and is appropriate.
If you are looking at beautiful and vibrant lighting tones across the full-color spectrum, a high CRI (greater than 90) is recommended for you, in combination with a color temperature in the middle range (around 4000K).
Insulation Contact (IC) Rating
The IC rating helps to determine whether or not your recessed downlight is suitable enough to come in contact with your building insulation. Lights that have an IC rating are safe to come in direct contact with building insulation and ceiling timbers, without causing potential fire hazards.
Whenever you are choosing an IC-rated light, make sure that the warranty is for a minimum of 3 years. Also, make it a point to never buy any halogen downlight which does not have an IC rating, or place them near insulation or timber.
The average lifespan of downlights
The lifespan of your downlights depends on the type that you invest in. Halogen downlights last for an average of 2,000 hours and are typically replaced within a period of 12 to 18 months.
LED downlights have a lifespan of 50,000 hours, which is around 27 years when lit up for 5 hours every day.
Changing downlights
If your downlight needs to be changed, you can simply do so by pulling the center ring out by twisting it. The globe can then be taken out from the back and replaced with a new one. Most LEDs these days are built-in with a fixed light and a separate driver with a plug. In this case, you can only replace the entire fixture including the downlight driver. Since the driver has been engineered to run only with that particular light, you cannot buy another driver to run that particular light. You will eventually have to replace the entire downlight kit.
Things to keep in mind when choosing a downlight
Installing downlights can be a big decision. Therefore, it is important to keep a few factors in mind before making the switch.
1. Walls that are lighter in color will appear to be brighter and better lit as compared to darker and light-absorbing surfaces. Bear that in mind when you choose lights for your home or office.
2. Using light-level dimmers with your downlights can help to further save on electricity. However, note that not all dimmers and dimmable LEDs are compatible. You will have to search for reputed LED suppliers to provide you with compatible dimmer brands and types.
3. If you do decide to install a dimmer, use a push-button dimmer. Get them installed on the wall itself. They look really slick and double up as on/off switches as well.
4. Make sure that you purchase downlights only from a trusted brand that offers genuine quality and warranty. Beware of the cheaper products that are available online. These do not comply with international standards, and you will eventually have to pay a heavy price if things go wrong later on.
5. Prefer a 90 mm size when purchasing downlights. Since this is the most commonly sold size, you will get them cheaper than others. Also, changing fixtures for the same will be a lot easier.
6. If you are making the switch from halogen to LEDs, look for warm whites to match the same color temperature.7. Get a good electrician to do the fittings for you. This one-time investment will be worth it in the long run.
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