Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the questions we regularly get asked. If your question hasn't been covered on this page, please give us a call at 01652 638 840 or send us a message via our contact page.
What is an LED Light?
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a device consisting of a semiconductor that emits light energy when an electrical current is passed through it.
How long do LED bulbs last?
LED light bulbs have a much longer life span compared to standard halogen bulbs. In fact LED bulbs last up to 50000 hours – that’s over 5 years of continuous operation or 15 years of hours per day use! When you install new LED lights you may never have to replace the bulbs again. By comparison standard halogen bulbs last only 1500-2000 hours
Do LED light bulbs provide high quality lighting?
The short answer is YES! LED light bulbs are easily of an equivalent brightness to standard lighting. Yesterday’s LED lamps were inefficient and produced a dim, unattractive light. Today’s LEDs are extremely efficient and our customers can choose between a warm white, natural white (daylight) and a cool white light.
Will I save much money by fitting LED lamps?
LED light bulbs are extremely energy efficient, resulting in significant electricity savings over the life of the bulb. The average household electricity bill in the UK is around £300 per year. Replace your existing halogen bulbs with LED bulbs and you can cut your lighting costs by up to 90%. In addition to the electricity savings by fitting LED bulbs may mean that you never have to replace a bulb again! This is definitely not the case with halogens which hardly seem to last any time at all….
Replacing MR16 Halogens for LEDs / Do I need an LED-compatible transformer?
When changing MR16 Halogen Lamps for LEDs there are three options:
1) Simply swap them over
NOTE: Standard electronic transformers may cause certain types of LED bulbs to flicker, resulting in permanent long-term damage to the LED bulb itself. This problem can occur when a standard transformer does not provide a smooth flow of current, causing flickering problems.
2) If the current installation is one bulb per transformer, connecting more than one bulb to one transformer will often solve the problem. (It's usually the inability of the existing transformer to supply the low power required by LEDs that causes the issue)
3) Replace the existing transformer with an LED driver – THIS SHOULD BE PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICAN.
4) Remove the existing transformer and MR16 socket and replace with a GU10 Socket and then fit GU10 LED lamps - THIS SHOULD BE PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICAN.
We recommend option four as this has the following advantages:
i) No costs in purchasing LED driver
ii) No risk of future transformer/ driver failure
Can LED light bulbs be used with dimmers?
Yes. Certain types of LED bulbs are available as dimmable (Please choose dimmable lamps from our range). For standard household dimmers a trailing edge dimmer is required.
Will LED bulbs fit into my old light fixtures?
Yes. All of our bulbs are designed to be the perfect fit to replace your old incandescent/halogens unless it is otherwise stated in the product description.
Which colour is best for indoor use?
The colour choice is down to personal preference. However, the most popular colour for indoor LED lights is Warm White as it is the closest to the colour given off by traditional halogen/incandescent lights. Our Warm White LED bulbs generate a high quality light similar to the colour of normal household bulbs.
Which colour is best for outdoor use?
The colour choice is down to personal preference. The most popular colour for outdoor LED lights is Natural White as it gives a crisp bright light that is perfect for lighting up outdoor spaces.
What does SMD mean?
SMDs or Surface Mounted Diodes are the new generation of LED lighting. The majority of our bulbs contain SMDs that are three times brighter than the older LEDs and available in Warm white, Natural white (daylight) and Cool white. LED bulbs with SMDs generate a high quality light similar to the colour of normal household bulbs.
What makes LEDs more efficient than other lighting?
LEDs are more efficient than other lighting for two reasons:
Luminous Efficacy
The amount of light produced per W of electricity. (Usually expressed in lumens/W) For an incandescent bulb the value is 10-18lm/W and for a typical led it is around 95 lm/WApplication Efficiency
LEDs produce light that is directional and so they often have higher application efficiency than other light sources in certain applications. Fluorescent and standard GLS incandescent lamps emit light in all directions. A great deal of the light produced by the lamp is lost within the fixture, reabsorbed by the lamp, or escapes from the fixture in a direction that is not useful for the required application.
What is 1-10V dimming?
1-10V dimming is Continuous dimming via analog control signal.
If you'd like to ask us a question directly, please get in touch via the contact page.