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5 Factors to consider when choosing a light bulb

Choosing a light bulb is not as easy as it might look... Our expertise, competence and knowledge of the world of light provide us with the necessary know-how to help reduce the overwhelming feeling of the different variety of options that are available. Think twice before you buy the first bulb that appears to fit, make sure you take your time to figure out which bulb is the right match for your fixture. Keep in mind the following 5 factors that you should consider when choosing a light bulb:

  1. Light Bulb Shape and Base

    Bulbs come in different forms and shapes that are usually described by their designated shape name, such as globe, candle, reflector or spiral. Their base can come in two main types either pin base or screw base. However, you must keep an eye as to which base is most suited to connect to the socket or ballast of your lighting source. It is vital to choose the correct bulb base to ensure compatibility with your chosen fixture. Also, do consider the shape of your light bulb so as to make sure it will fit and function well in the fixture.

  2. Watts and Lumens

    Those who are not really ‘Physics’ savvy, Watts in simple terms measures the amount of energy required to light the light bulb, whereas Lumens measures the amount of light that is produced by the light bulb. The more lumens that a bulb produces, the brighter the light. Should you be looking for energy-efficient light bulb, make sure to look out for the lumens rather than the watts.

     

  3. Colour Rendering Index (CRI)

    In layman terms the CRI describes how a light source makes the colour of an object appear to the human eye. The CRI is a scale of 0 to 100 percent that indicates how accurate ‘a given light source is at rendering colour when compared to a “reference” light source; a typical comparison is to daylight. It is considered that light sources with a CRI of 85 to 90 have good colour rendering. On the other hand, light sources with a CRI of 90 or higher have excellent colour rendering and hence, should be used for tasks that require the most accurate colour discrimination.

     

  4. Colour Temperature

    Colour Temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (K); that is differently to temperature scale in degrees °C. The colour temperature of a bulb shows how the light appears when an illuminated bulb is looked at directly by the human eye. If you are looking for light bulbs that produce ‘a warm and cosy feeling’ for your room, then you have look at lights that produce a yellowish white light. Such bulbs have a colour temperature around 2700K. Keep in mind that as the colour temperature increases, the yellowish colour of the bulb decreases, and the white or cooler colour increases. As the light colour reaches 5000K or higher, the light colour appears bluish white.

     

  5. Voltage

    To obtain the maximum efficiency, you should consider that the voltage on the light bulb should match the supplied voltage on your fixture. Low voltage draws more current and high voltage can reduce the life of your bulb, hence, it is important to be as precise as possible with voltage. Lower voltage can be used with incandescent light bulbs, but it will emit lower light levels as a result.

Light bulbs are functionally simply, so when you are about to select one for your fixture do not get confused. Follow the above steps and you can’t go wrong!

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