How to choose an outdoor floodlight for your dacha: types, types, characteristics

Traditionally, floodlights are used when it is necessary to illuminate a large area - warehouses, car parks, the area in front of the house. Previously, floodlights based on incandescent lamps were very powerful and bulky, which significantly limited their scope of application.

With the advent of compact halogen and LED light sources, the scope of applications has expanded significantly. Which type should you choose?

Types of spotlights by light source

• Halogen;
• Metal halide;
• Sodium;
• LED

Halogen

A halogen lamp is used as a light source; this is the same incandescent lamp, the bulb of which is filled with an inert gas, which increases its brightness and service life.

Metal halide

Built on the basis of a gas discharge lamp. They have very high brightness, but their operation requires a special lamp ignition unit and special operating conditions.

Sodium

Uses a gas-discharge lamp, but the flask is filled with sodium vapor which emits light.

LED

The light source is a matrix of bright LEDs. These devices have the most compact dimensions and a long service life.

Types of LED floodlights by installation method

Since our portal is dedicated only to LED lighting, I will still describe LED spotlights. Although all characteristics, types, types are fully consistent with other types of light source.

So, let’s get down to what types of LED spotlights are divided into according to installation method:

• stationary - installed and securely fixed on any surface inside or outside the room. Electricity is used for power.

• Battery-powered is a very popular type of LED floodlights among those who lead an active lifestyle. They often like to go on hikes and hikes... Independence from the supplied electricity is a big plus of this type of spotlights.

• manual, mobile (on portable stands) - quickly and easily installed anywhere. An outlet is required for connection. Connection to the network using a plug, unlike stationary ones, to which it is necessary to connect a separate power cable

• Well, the last type of LED spotlights (by the way, I made these types for myself, maybe someone has a different division by type))) - built-in. This is a type that hides in a wall, niche, ceiling, etc.

  
  Recessed LED spotlights

Features of operation of different types of spotlights

The most affordable ones are halogen, they have relatively low energy efficiency - 10-15 lumens/W. The service life of such a lamp is less than 1000 hours. It is most advisable to use them for periodic illumination of small areas, for example, a floodlight with a motion sensor in front of a gate.

Sodium and metal halide lamps have high energy efficiency - 80-120 lumens/W. At the same time, they are quite “capricious” to the ambient temperature, supply voltage, and require time to ignite and turn off. A short-term power outage and an attempt to re-ignite a lamp that has not cooled down can damage it.

LED spotlights are the most convenient and practical for both industrial and domestic use. Energy efficiency at the level of gas-discharge lamps, instant ignition and very long service life make them the most attractive. Ideal for lighting an area.

Choice of LED models

I won’t drag it out and languish, here are some ready-made specific tips.

Degree of dust and moisture protection

Operation outdoors, all year round and in all weather conditions, will be ensured by a model with IP65 (not afraid of wind, rain and dust). You won't miss it - this level of protection allows installation anywhere in the yard.

Specific humidity conditions are another matter. For example, for a car wash, where regular watering from a hose is not excluded, it is better to play it safe with IP68.

Please note: for models assembled with a motion sensor (we will talk about these in more detail below), the degree of protection is most often IP44. Because this is the characteristic of the sensor. Install them only under the visor.

COB or SMD?

Previously, the design of all LED spotlights used one large, powerful diode - the so-called COB.
Recently, metamorphoses have taken place: suppliers and stores mostly stock SMD units (with rare exceptions, there are “cobs” from old stocks). Their design uses many small diodes.

Why is that? Most likely, it is technologically simpler (and therefore cheaper) to solder several small diodes. Manufacturers have switched to this type of assembly en masse.

But there is nothing to worry about: the changes affected only the appearance, and the quality of lighting was not affected.

Classification of LED spotlights

The choice of LED spotlight is made based on the tasks assigned to the lighting. The following classifications exist:

Power : from 10 to 500 W.

Brightness : from 700 to 34000 lumens.

IP protection class (Internal Protection):

IP20 - for indoor lighting. No protection from moisture and dust.

IP21 / IP22 - can be used in unheated rooms. Has protection against condensation formation.

IP23 - can be used in unheated rooms and outdoors. Has protection against condensation formation.

IP50 - dust-proof housing. Used in industrial facilities. No waterproofing.

IP54 - waterproof housing. Use in conditions with high humidity.

IP67 / IP68 - Full waterproofing up to the possibility of immersion in water.

By spectrum:

3700-4300 – warm white;

4500-5500 – neutral white;

6000 – cool white;

Selection of spotlight power

The distance at which the LED spotlight shines depends on the power of the matrix. The level of illumination decreases exponentially. Therefore, the illumination area of ​​LED spotlights does not increase in proportion to the increase in power.

For movement in the dark, lighting at a level of 10-15 lux/meter is sufficient, for technical lighting - 75 lux/meter, for precision work - 100 lux/meter.

Selection of lighting characteristics

The choice of device is determined by the purpose for which it is planned to be used. For night time, lighting intensity is sufficient, which does not exceed 15 lux/meter. For technical work you will need 75, and for precision work - at least 100 lux/meter.

There are models of varying power Source stroyday.ru

You need to pay attention to the spectrum of the light created. A value of 2000-2500 corresponds to bright yellow. With a color temperature of 3700-4300 it has a warm white tint. If we are talking about 4500-5000 it becomes neutral, and for 6000 or more the lighting will be cold. When creating original types of lighting, simultaneous use of several options with different color temperatures can help.

The use of solar panels makes the device autonomous Source stroyday.ru

To determine the shade of light, you need to familiarize yourself with the color rendering coefficient. He talks about the naturalness of the lighting. In this case, you can focus on the following values:

• 1B suggests that such lighting can be used in educational institutions;
• 2A is suitable for residential purposes;
• A1 can be used for both large sales areas and regular stores;
• a coefficient of 3 is suitable for industrial buildings;
• If a spotlight has this characteristic of 4, then it can only be used for street lighting and cannot be used inside a house.

A lamp with a motion sensor saves energy Source beri.ua
When choosing an LED spotlight, it is important to pay attention to the effective service life. Over time, the light characteristics of the spotlight gradually decrease. When it completely exhausts its resource, it will need to be replaced. The permissible limits for the drop in lighting intensity as a percentage are indicated using the designation “LM”. For example, if it says “LM70”, this means that at the end of its life the spotlight will only have 70% of its original brightness.

The spotlight must be reliably protected from exposure to bad weather Source oxsy.ru

The spotlight may include a different number of LEDs. Sometimes a whole matrix is ​​used, in other cases one, but very powerful one. It must be taken into account that in the first case the heating will be stronger than in the second. If high brightness is required, it is preferable to use devices with a single crystal. When using an LED matrix, failure of even one element will lead to inoperability of the device.

Bright street lighting with LED lights Source nevnov.ru

Low power spotlights are used for illumination. More powerful ones are used for street lighting. LEDs come in a variety of types. Depending on this, they provide different lighting angles:

• For SMD diodes this angle reaches 100 degrees.
• For discrete diodes it is less - only 60.
• The COB LED has the largest illumination angle among them - 120 degrees.

Lighting must comply with regulatory requirements.

LED lights provide uniform illumination Source decoromir.ru

Test review of spotlights

Matrix

When manufacturing a spotlight matrix, cluster super-bright diodes or a large matrix with conventional high-brightness SOD diodes can be used. Which LED floodlight is best seen from their technical features.

This is
a spotlight with an SOD matrix , several hundred LEDs are installed on it. Such matrices are cheaper than a cluster of ultra-bright LEDs, but with a large number of light-emitting elements, a scatter in their parameters is inevitable. If one of the LEDs fails, it increases the load on the others. With comparable brightness of matrix and cluster devices, the price of the former is 30-40% less, but the service life is 3-4 times lower.

In cluster spotlights, the matrix is ​​made of ultra-bright LEDs of the 5050, 5630 series with the most identical parameters. The small emitted surface area provides a powerful, uniform flow of light. The effective life reaches 30,000 hours.

Matrix color temperature

The higher the color temperature of the LED, the higher the light output. At a temperature of 6500K and a power of 40 W, the luminous flux will be about 4000 lumens, at a temperature of 5000K - about 3600 lumens, at 3500K - 3000 lumens. Therefore, cold light is more effective for illuminating areas, although it has a blue tint. But for illuminating the work surface and reading, they are worse than the 5000K option, which produces pure white light.

Halogen or LED spotlight?

Which spotlight is better, LED or halogen, is a very pressing question today. Halogen lights are often considered as an alternative to LEDs. 25-30% lower cost, cheap lamps are the main motivating factors. But in the end, halogen spotlights are significantly inferior to LED ones. Their energy consumption is five times higher, and the service life of the light-emitting element is ten to twenty times less.

Within a year of regular operation, the cost of a halogen lamp will be several times higher than the operating costs of an LED lamp, making its purchase unprofitable.

How to choose a budget LED floodlight

There are products from several hundred manufacturers on the market. The price of their products may differ significantly from products from brands Philips, Osram, Hyunday. Of course, such giants make the best LED spotlights, but the brands Feron, Luna, and Jazzway have proven themselves well.

You can find domestically produced products a little more expensive than Chinese ones. When compared, the “Chinese” almost always have slightly overestimated data on luminous flux.

These are three budget options under $50. When testing all models, the actual luminous flux turned out to be 5-10% lower. The IP65 degree of protection implies complete protection against the penetration of condensation and dust. In this case, the connection of the body parts is overhead, fixed with screws, and sealed with a thin silicone sealant. This design is unable to meet the requirements of the specified degree of protection.

Most likely, over time, condensation will form inside the case. Manufacturers indicate the operating temperature range is -40 - +60 degrees, but the relatively small radiator area of ​​FERON in summer is not able to adequately remove heat, which reduces the real life of the LED matrix.

Based on operating experience, Foton brand products have proven themselves to be the best among budget models.

What points should you pay attention to when choosing a spotlight?

Housing material

In some models, the housing is made of stainless steel and the reflector housing is made of aluminum. For use inside domestic premises it is not critical, but when installed in an open space at the junction of metals there will be increased corrosion, which will not have the best effect on reliability.

Radiator thickness

Saving on a radiator worsens heat dissipation from the matrix and reduces its actual service life. When choosing between two identical models, choose one with a large cooling radiator.

Protection class

You should not save money by purchasing a spotlight without protection from dust and moisture if the device is planned to be used outdoors. It is better to find a case with protection class IP54/64.

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Criterias of choice

How to choose a high-quality LED floodlight model? In this case, we advise you to adhere to several criteria, which are as follows:

1. Economical. Experts recommend choosing models with LED lamps. They help save money to pay for electricity. The products are designed to illuminate those places where lighting is needed for a long time.
2. Performance characteristics. When choosing the right spotlight, you should familiarize yourself with its service life. The further use of the lighting device depends on it. It should be noted that LED models last much longer.
3. Nutrition. These criteria apply to stationary models. They need uninterrupted electrical power. Its lamps will be received from electronic boxes or sockets. Mobile versions of floodlights are powered by batteries, solar energy or rechargeable batteries.
4. Model power. This criterion is considered one of the important ones when choosing a spotlight. Diode products require minimal power.
5. Beam scattering angle. For clear lighting you will need narrowly focused beams of light. Models with a dispersion angle of 100 to 120 degrees are considered the best options.
6. Color rendering intensity. Modern models have the following markings: A1, 2A, 1B, 3, 4. The first two categories guarantee good color rendition. They are used for lighting shops, offices and educational institutions. Markings 3, 4 are recommended for lighting garden areas. They are mainly used for industrial enterprises.
7. Diagram of the direction of light rays. Such a criterion will be understandable to professional engineers. In hardware stores you can get acquainted with the detailed characteristics and see how the spotlight will work in different conditions. Special programs will help you have a clear idea of ​​the performance qualities of a lighting device.
8. Degree of protection. For street lamps, protection from dust and moisture is considered an essential requirement. High-quality products have the maximum configuration. You should not save on purchasing lighting equipment.

Insufficient protection from moisture can cause the lamp or LEDs to burn out.