There should be no visible flicker from an LED light bulb in a fitting with a regular switch. Flickering could be caused by a number of things, including voltage fluctuations in the wiring in your home, or an incompatible dimmer switch. LED light bulbs are not designed to work with most traditional dimmer switches, and should instead have an LED-specific dimmer switch fitted. Using a non-dimmable bulb with a dimmer switch will also cause issues like this.
Lumens (lm) are a measure of the amount of visible light that a lamp emits. It is used to determine the brightness of a bulb (unlike a bulb’s wattage, which has no direct relation to its brightness). A typical bulb for use around the home might have a lumens output between 300-500lm, while high-powered floodlights can have a lumens output in excess of 20,000lm.
There is a direct LED equivalent for almost any incandescent bulb, and they are compatible with existing light fittings. They are available in a variety of cap types, including the most common B22d bayonet cap (BC) and E27 Edison screw (ES). Some specialist light bulbs, such as oven and microwave bulbs, do not have an LED equivalent yet.
The European Commission recently published a report that found no evidence to suggest that LED lights are harmful in normal use.
Smart lighting systems connect to your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to control your lights through your smartphone or tablet. You can change the colour or colour temperature of your lights in an instant, or set schedules so the lights activate according to the timings you set. Some smart lighting systems are compatible with smart home systems like Amazon Echo, giving you the ability to control your lights with your voice.
Traditional incandescent light bulbs generate light by heating a small filament until it glows brightly. Unfortunately, this means that up to 90% of the bulb’s energy is lost through heat. LED bulbs are instead illuminated by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material, a process that generates very little heat. Much less energy is wasted this way, so the bulb can achieve the same brightness as an incandescent bulb while consuming much less power.
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) were the first generation of energy saving bulbs. They are a good alternative for wasteful incandescent bulbs, however they do take some time to warm up, and they can often seem quite dim until they get to their full light output. LED light bulbs, on the other hand, reach their full light output instantly. LEDs are also even more energy efficient than CFL bulbs, they can be recycled, and they have a much longer lifespan.
The lifespan of LED bulbs is many times that of incandescent bulbs. Typically, LED light bulbs have an average rated light of anywhere from 15,000-20,000 hours, compared to just 1,000 for traditional bulbs. More durable lights could have a lifespan of 30,000 hours or more. to learn more about the lifespan of LED light bulbs.
A bulb’s Ingress Protection (IP) rating will tell you if it’s suitable for wet environments. The IP rating is a two-digit number: the first digit indicates how protected the light is against the ingress of solid objects, while the second tells you how waterproof it is. The higher the numbers, the more protected it is. An IP rating of 65 is recommended for any bulb that will be used in wet areas. to learn more about IP ratings
Some LED light bulbs are dimmable. They may need specific LED dimmers to operate correctly, however. A dimmable LED may not work correctly, or at all, if used with a non-specific dimmer switch. Always check product listings for compatibility before purchase.
English
French