Buying LED Flood Lights | What You Need To Know

Definitions

Lumens &#; Lumens measures the total amount of light emitted per unit of time. This unit essentially measures the brightness of the light.

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Wattage &#; Wattage refers to the amount of power a light projects. Generally speaking, higher wattage lights will project more lumens (brightness). LED flood lights come in a wide range of wattages. This ranges from 15 watts all the way up to 400 watts.

Color Temperature (Kelvin) &#; Kevin or color temperature basically corresponds to the color of the light projected which also correlates to heat. LED flood lights generally come in two different measurements: K, and K.

DLC Listed &#; DLC stands for Design Light Consortium and certifies that the product can perform under high levels of energy efficiency.

Photocell &#; A photocell uses a sensor to detect the level of lighting available outside and turn on if necessary. In other words, once it becomes dark, the light will turn on. Certain LED flood lights are photocell compatible and can serve as &#;dusk to dawn lights.&#;

Base &#; The base for a flood light involves the type of mount to attach the fixture. For example, some mounting options such as a Trunnion Mount allows the flood light to cast illumination from side-to-side. Other mounting options such as a Slip Fitter Mount involve mounting the light up on a pole.

Lens &#; The type of lens a lighting fixture uses will influence how light is dissipated. Two common types are a clear lens or frosted lens.

Voltage &#; Voltage involves the amount of work required per unit of charge to move a test charge between two points. For LED lighting, this is the amount of power a lighting fixture provides a bulb.

Shorting Caps &#; The Shorting Cap contains a shorting connection between the line and load of the receptacle keeping the lights on at all times when power is being supplied.

Motion Sensors &#; Motion sensors inside outdoor lighting fixtures detect when there&#;s movement close to the light and will automatically turn on. This is an ideal for security lighting purposes.

Dusk to Dawn Lights &#; Dusk to dawn lights are any light which automatically turns on once the sun begins to set. Certain LED flood lights can be installed with a photocell and serve as dusk to dawn lights. It&#;s important to check product descriptions and spec sheets to ensure your flood light is photocell compatible if you wish to use this functionality.

Selecting Wattage for LED Flood Lights

Wattage refers to the amount of power a light projects; thus, the amount of watts light bulb has pretty much dictates its brightness. In other words, the higher the wattage, the brighter the light will be. There are a wide range of wattages available for LED flood lights. This ranges from low wattage lights (15-40 watts) all the way up to industrial grade 350+ watt flood lights for major applications such as airports and sports stadium lighting. We&#;ll break this down further below.

Low Wattage (15-40 Watts) &#; Flood lights that are considered &#;low wattage&#; operate with bulbs in the range of around 15 to 40 watts. These are ideal to illuminate small areas such as a footpath or door way. These bulbs generally provide ample illumination for residential purposes or very small areas around commercial buildings.

Mid Wattage (40-80 Watts) &#; Mid wattage lights operate with bulbs in the range of around 40 to 80 watts. These are ideal to illuminate areas such as a small yard, garden, or driveway with a moderate level of brightness.

High Wattages (100 Watts or more) &#; Once you get into triple digit wattage numbers, the bulbs are considered &#;high wattage.&#; These bulbs are necessary for applications such as parking lot lighting, roadways, and other municipal or commercial lighting needs. According to the International DarkSky Association, roadway lighting may have wattages up to 400 watts. These high wattage bulbs are mounted on poles high above the ground.

Ultra High Wattage (400+ Watts) &#; 400+ watt flood lights are the highest number of approved wattages. These are typically only appropriate for major municipal or industrial lighting verticals such as airport lighting, highways, large parking lots, or outdoor sports arenas.

What Lumens To Use

Lumens measures the total amount of light projected per unit of time. In other words, the higher the lumens the brighter the light. It&#;s important to note, this number also correlates with wattage; thus, as the amount of watts go up, so does lumens.

Low Lumens (1,600-4,000) &#; LED Flood Lights operating between 1,600 and 4,000 lumens are ideal for small outdoor area lighting such as a staircase, walk way, etc. These are very common for residential or small commercial needs.

Medium Lumens (4,000-10,000) &#; 4,000 to 10,000 lumens is a mid range of brightness. This level is ideal for yards, fields, and slightly larger exterior areas around buildings.

High Lumens (10,000 and up) &#; High lumens outdoor lights are generally used for municipal areas or larger commercial applications such as parking lots, cities, etc.

Ultra High Lumens (50,000 and up) &#; 50,000 or more lumens is typically only ideal for large industrial needs like highways, airports, and large parking lots.

Wattage Lumens 15W 1,663 30W 3,720 50W 6,180 80W 10,340 100W 13,500 150W 20,250 230W 31,050 300W 40,500 400W 50,200

Color Temperature (Kelvin)

5,000K &#; K LED flood lights are by far the most common. This color temperature projects a cool white illumination that emulates day time environments. This is very ideal for the illumination and security of outdoor spaces.

4,000K &#; 4,000 Kelvin LED bulbs project a natural colored light you commonly find within workspaces.

3,000K &#; 3,000 Kelvin is a warm color of LED light used primarily inside restaurants or houses. It&#;s rare to find outdoor flood lights in K as it&#;s not recommended.

Applications And Types

Apart from lumens, wattage, and color temperature, there are a variety of other distinguishing factors for LED flood lights. One other factor is the type of application it&#;s used for which is largely determined by the mounting option.

Spotlights &#; These lights can be attached to a flexible mount such as a Knuckle Mount and used to aim illumination at specific points; thus, serving as a spotlight.

Dusk To Dawn Lights &#; When equipped with a photocell, flood lights can automatically turn on once the sun sets which makes them an effective security lighting option.

Parking Lot Lights &#; LED Flood Lights are an effective way to provide illumination around parking lots as these lights can be attached to poles through mounts such as a Slip Fitter or Extruded Arm.

Building Perimeter Lights &#; Flood lights are a great way to provide security around building perimeters. They can be attached to walls with Yoke Mounts and illuminate the area.

Field or Yard Lights &#; These lights can also be used to illuminate areas around a landscape, field, or yard. It&#;s ideal to use an adjustable flood light on a base such as a Trunnion Mount for this purpose.

Flood Light Bulbs

Light bulbs for floodlights are sorted by letter and number codes. Common types of LED flood R, BR, PAR, and MR.

BR Bulbs &#; These bulbs are best for indoor locations that require broad lighting without excessive brightness such as a kitchen countertop.

PAR Bulbs &#; PAR bulbs are designed to project an intense beam of light in one direction like a spot light. This makes PAR bulbs ideal for outdoor lighting applications.

R Bulbs &#; These have very niche applications and are typically only used if you&#;re replacing an old R bulb.

MR Bulbs &#; MR bulbs essentially have the same applications as R bulbs and are rarely used other than as replacements for MR or R bulbs.

Accessories and Mounting Options

There are a variety of flood light mounting options as well as accessories for various purposes. We&#;ll list a few of the most useful types below.

Extruded Arm &#; The extruded arm mount is a L-shaped base which allows you to mount the light up on a fixture and provide illumination to a fixed area. This is the standard form of mounting for flood lights.

Slip Fitter Mount &#; The Slip Fitter provides a pole mounting option. In this case, the light is attached to a pole and provides lighting around a broad area. This type of mounting is common for parking lot lighting.

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Knuckle Mount &#; The knuckle mount is adjustable and allows you to point illumination up or down. This works similarly to a spotlight and is commonly used for billboard lighting.

Yoke Mount &#; The Yoke Mount allows you to attach the light to a wall and serve as a wall lighting fixture.

Trunnion Mount &#; A Trunnion Mount uses a pivoting point to allow the flood light to cast illumination from side-to-side.

Shorting Cap &#; The Shorting Cap contains a shorting connection between the line and load of the receptacle keeping the lights on at all times when power is being supplied.

Photocell &#; A photocell uses a sensor to detect the level of lighting available outside and turn on if necessary. In other words, once it becomes dark.

LED Flood Light Brands

In this section we&#;re going to break down a variety of manufacturers and distributors based on our research and knowledge of the market, each of these companies offer good quality products.

Hyperikon &#; Hyperikon is a U.S. based distributor of several lighting products including outdoor lighting solutions. The company has their own research and development team to produce cutting-edge products for their customers.

Straits Lighting &#; The Straits Lighting Company is a U.S based lighting manufacturer that specializes in producing top quality LED lighting solutions for commercial and industrial applications. Straits manufacturers a brand of LED flood lights called the Broadcast Series. This brand has three variations (FLK, FLL, FLF) each of these variations have different wattage ranges and applications.

LEDsMASTER &#; LEDsMaster has a selection of high powered outdoor LED products. The company has their own in-house R&D team and produces lights that have exceptionally long life-spans.

LightPolePLUS &#; As the name of the company may suggest, LightPolePLUS produces LED pole lighting fixtures for applications such as parking lots and sports stadiums.

Musco &#; Musco produces lights for sports stadiums that are used by several professional leagues as well as little league stadiums. They offer a full line of temporary high mast lights.

ANGAR LIGHTS &#; HANGAR LIGHTS is a supplier who specializes in airport lighting solutions. The company has dedicated their brand to this specific niche and even supplies lighting for the U.S military.

Bulbs &#; Bulbs is known for producing light bulbs for residential and commercial use. They have an extremely large selection of LED tubes, bulbs, and lights for outdoor fixtures.

SuperBrightLEDs &#; SuperBrightLEDs has a huge inventory of products and offers high quality flood lights for trucks and boats.

Larson Electronics &#; Larson Electronics is a distributor and manufacturer of lighting products who produces industrial lighting applications. They sell top notch specialized products such as explosion proof flood lighting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are flood lights dimmable?
Yes, certain flood lights are dimmable; however, this often depends on the brand and wattage. It&#;s important to check product specifications for this feature.

Q. What are the advantages to using LEDs?
One of the main advantages to using LEDs as your source of outdoor illumination is the fact they can save significant costs when compared to traditional lights. A study by Consumer Reports estimated that LEDs can save you on average, at least $100 and as much as $400 per bulb. These savings continue to increase as technology improves. LEDs also aren&#;t susceptible to wear out overtime due to harsh outdoor conditions or continued use and thus require little to no maintenance costs. There are many other advantages as well such as eco-friendliness, reliability, etc..

Q. Where are flood lights used?
Flood lights are a highly flexible type of lighting fixture that can be used for virtually any outdoor lighting application. Common uses for flood lights include: exterior building security, parking lots and lighting for outdoor sports fields such as football or soccer.

April showers may bring flowers, but rain is rarely something that electricians and contractors look forward to. Especially when working with LEDs.

Like any electrical system, LEDs and water don&#;t mix. And while low-voltage lighting may remove the danger of electrical shock, exposure to moisture can still cause shorts or rusting which can reduce the lifespan of your LEDs.

So does that mean that all damp or outdoor locations are off-limits? Not at all!

Fortunately Inspired LED has several ways to help water-proof and weather-proof your new lighting system for install just about anywhere.

The kitchen remains one of the most popular locations to install LEDs. Most under cabinet lighting, toe kick lighting, or above cabinet lighting will only receive the occasional splash or splatter. Most messes can easily be wiped away, even from bare LEDs, with a soft dry cloth or paper towel. So the decision to save money with a flexible LED strip, versus paying extra for a lensed fixture, ultimately comes down to customer preference.

Pro Tip: Strangely enough, if you notice a small section of LEDs that is suddenly producing a much yellower light than the others, this may be caused by something coating the surface of the diodes (we&#;ve seen everything from spaghetti sauce to paint)! Double check to be sure the area is clean, and always remember to cover your LED strips with painter&#;s tape before painting cabinets, or mudding backsplash.
See our Care & Maintenance Guide for more information. 

But there are certain areas of the kitchen which may receive more moisture than others. For homeowners looking to incorporate LED lighting under a vent hood or over the sink, we offer an optional conformal coating which acts as a seal over our flexible LED strips. A lensed product like our Radiant Edge panels or Angle Adjust Tubes provide an additional layer of protection against splashes and steam.

Bathrooms have become an increasingly popular location for accent lighting in home décor, especially under toe kicks, and behind floating mirrors. Once again, even a naked LED strip is tough enough to withstand the occasional steam of a hot shower, but if you&#;re looking to install low voltage lighting in a bathroom that doubles as a sauna, you may want to consider some water-proofing.

Oftentimes conformal coating will do the trick. If you have room to install a lensed fixture this is also an option. However due to the small space and limited features in most bathrooms, it may not always be feasible. For installations in showers or behind glass sinks, we recommend using our &#;weather-resistant&#; LED flex. This can be made to your exact specifications and sleeved in clear silicone to prevent contact with water. While Normal Bright LED flex is available as our standard website option, we can also sleeve any brightness or color for custom orders placed over the , or through our Design Services team.

Pro Tip: For an extra level of convenience, try incorporation a low-voltage motion sensor into LED systems around the mirror, or under cabinet toe-kicks. This will guarantee the lights are there when homeowners need them most &#; even in the middle of the night!

This time of year especially, as the weather begins to warm, homeowners begin to look for new ways to enjoy their outdoor spaces. Decorative lighting is a great way to not only accentuate the unique features of your yard, but to maximize the time spent enjoying this space.

Highlighting benches, planters, address plates, even mailboxes can make a home more recognizable, adding dimension and setting the mood for a landscape. For these types of applications, we recommend using our weather-resistant outdoor LEDs. A silicone tube prevents moisture from rainfall or sprinklers from coming into contact with LED components, while an additional seal on each end protects connection points.

Pro Tip: While this product is rated as &#;weather-resistant&#;, applying additional silicone during installation can help to reinforce and further weatherproof these connections for particularly damp locations.

If, however, you are looking to incorporate LEDs around an active fountain, pool, or waterfall, extra precautions will need to be taken. We recommend combining our sleeved outdoor LED flex and Radiant Edge panels to create a double-insulated fixture. This will help protect your lights from the elements, ensuring they&#;ll be around to enjoy for years to come.

Though most accent lights tend to be positioned out of the way, some jobs require LEDs to be installed in high traffic outdoor areas. Walkways, patios, decks, and gazebos not only have to withstand the weather, they also have to contend with being walked on, kicked, and otherwise roughed up.

So long as water-resistant LED strips are strategically placed and reinforced during installation, these are durable enough to be placed on hand rails, or overhead beams. But when it comes to placing outdoor lighting along paths, stairs, or along the base of the porch, chances are you&#;ll want to go with something even more durable.

Inspired LED is currently in the process of developing a NEW, long-lasting weatherproof LED strip as a part of our Infinity Outdoor product line. Where our weather-resistant flex is sleeved and sealed with a silicone tubing post-production, the new Infinity 2.0 flex will be completely coated with a thick layer of PVC during manufacturing. This completely insulates the LED components, ensuring they continue to function even after years of wear and tear.

Infinity 2.0 strips will be available in a variety of lengths, with simple two-prong connectors and accessories designed for in-field customization. Pro Tip: If you&#;re an electrician or contractor looking for a durable outdoor lighting solution, we are ready to help! Prototypes of Infinity 2.0 are now being sold to experienced individuals through our Design Services team. Contact us to learn more!

While at first glance, it may seem that installing LEDs in damp or outdoor locations presents a unique challenge, a little technique and some basic preparation can go a long way to get the job done.  For more outdoor lighting inspiration, be sure to check out our other outdoor blogs, or visit our project gallery.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of ex machinery. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.