LED Replacement for Halogen Complete Guide

LED Replacement for Halogen Complete Guide

Don’t you think that choosing the LED replacement for halogen is quite a painful process?

Well, if you think so, there must some reasons for that.

The main reason is that they are quite used to Halogen bulbs(it’s lighting their life for more than 10 years already) and they don’t think that they can differentiate between lots of LED options available in today’s world.

We want to share more detailed information on this topic and you will not be left confused about this topic anymore after reading this post.

So, let’s go.

Benefits of Finding an LED replacement for Halogen

There are lots of reasons why you must start looking for an LED replacement for Halogen as soon as possible. The LED lights consume less energy and they can offer better light performance.

So, let’s take a look at some remarkable benefits of finding an LED replacement for Halogen.

Lower Electricity Bills

energy bill

The electricity bills are absolutely a pain in the neck especially when you’re running a huge building such as an office or a university campus. Most of the business owners claimed in the past that halogen bulbs are continuously increasing their energy bills. And they were eagerly waiting for a solution that can help them get rid of this problem. That’s why the experts started looking for a solution that can reduce the electricity bills to an extent.

And they finally came up with a valuable solution called LED. The LED bulbs are a cost-effective option as they can bring a significant change in your electricity bills. The LED bulbs appear to be an expensive option in the beginning but the long-term benefits of LED bulbs are absolutely unbeatable. We bet that you’d be surprised to see the results LED bulbs are going to offer.

In the beginning, most of the businesses were hesitant to find an LED replacement for Halogen as they weren’t sure about the benefits of LED lights. And that’s something that is still preventing many companies from using this valuable solution.

Let’s find out if LED bulbs can actually reduce your electricity expenses or not.

Case Study about Reduced Electricity Costs

Well, the owners of a popular university were facing the same issue of increased electricity bills with the Halogen bulbs. Therefore, they decided to find the LED replacement for Halogen. So, they started with a hall in the university where they replaced 79 halogen lamps with the LED bulbs. It took around 2 days to replace the lights and they spent around $1595 on this project.

The interesting part is that their electricity bills were reduced by 86% after the installation of LED lamps. The LED replacement for Halogen helped them save $1390 on electricity bills. Thus, they successfully recovered the expenses of this replacement project within 14 months.

Similarly, they didn’t have to replace the bulbs after a few months because LED bulbs come with a longer lifespan. So, they can enjoy a remarkable cut in their energy bills.

According to the research, the LED lamps have the same lifespan as 25 halogen bulbs. So, you can imagine the expenses you can save by finding an LED replacement for Halogen. Moreover, the university authorities claimed that the carbon dioxide emissions were also reduced by 5 tones per year with this replacement project. So, LED replacements are absolutely a better option if you want to reduce your electricity bills.

Less Expensive For Maintenance

light maintainance

The most important benefit of LED lamps is that they can significantly reduce your maintenance costs. The Halogen bulbs do not last long and you have to replace them after every few months or even weeks.

On the other hand, the LED lamps can offer amazing results for more than 25,000+ hours. It means you won’t have to replace the bulbs again and again. Similarly, you can get rid of lamp disposal and associated waste costs by finding an LED replacement for Halogen.

Finding the Right LED Lighting for Your Property

We understand the fact that finding the right LED lighting for a property isn’t as easy as it appears to be. That’s why we’re going to discuss the factors that one must look for when choosing the LED lighting for their property.

Almost every LED manufacturer claims that their products are the perfect Halogen replacements but you need to make sure that the product you’re choosing is capable of providing an ample amount of lighting for your property.

Let’s take a look at the elements you need to look for when choosing the LED bulbs for your property.

Color Temperature

color temperature

The color of light produced by the LED bulbs is known as color temperature. There is a wide range of colors you can choose from. The warm white and cool white are the most common colors being used in most of the buildings. You need to find the right color that is perfectly suitable for a particular area. For example, if you are finding a bulb for areas like the kitchen and bathroom, the Cool white (5000 – 6300K) can be the right option for you.

The same color can be used in areas where you need an ample amount of lighting for reading. On the other hand, the warm white (2900 – 3500K) LED bulbs can provide the light similar to an incandescent and halogen light. No matter whether you’re looking to find a cool white or warm white color, you can easily find a high-quality product for your property as there are lots of options available nowadays.

Usually, the customers use the warm white and cool white as a standard of choosing the right LED bulb for their property. These are the two different categories that define different color temperatures. It doesn’t mean that any LED bulb with the warm white feature can be perfect for replacing the Halogen. You need to dive into the details of color temperature to see that which color best suits your needs.

Based on your preference, the requirements of color temperature may differ. For example, sometimes, a 2700k LED bulb can better replace a 50w halogen lamp instead of a 3000k LED bulb. So, you need to make sure that the color temperature you’re choosing is perfectly suitable for your needs.

Color Rendering Index

color rendering index CRICRI is a measure out of 100 that helps determine how well the light source will render the color of surfaces, materials, objects, and skin tones. You can use the CRI measurement to determine how naturally and realistically the object’s color will appear in a room. The product will provide accurate colors if you consider using the higher CRI rating on a scale of 1-100.

Most of the bulbs available nowadays have a CRI of approximately 80. It means the color they are going to produce will be 20% lower than the halogen. Always keep in mind that an LED with a CRI of at least 95 is the perfect option for genuinely replacing a halogen. If a manufacturer claims that their product is a perfect replacement for the halogen bulbs, you must find out that whether their product has the CRI of 95 or not.

If the CRI is lower than that, it means that the product isn’t a perfect replacement for halogen light. If you’ve found an LED bulb that doesn’t have the CRI rating displayed on the box, you must avoid purchasing it as you do not have any idea of how well it’s going to serve you.

Understanding Lumens

lumensUnderstanding the equivalence of wattage to lumens is really important when you’re looking to replace existing bulbs or fixtures. It helps to make sure that you won’t experience any decline in the brightness after replacing the existing bulbs or fixtures. The equivalence from wattage to lumens is usually displayed on the packaging which makes it easier for the consumers to purchase the perfect LED replacement for halogen.

In simple words, the lumens help determine the brightness of an LED bulb. For example, if you’re looking to replace a 100w incandescent bulb, you must consider looking for an LED bulb that comes with the 1521 Lumen rating. Here is a chart you can use to find the right LED replacement for Halogen and incandescent bulbs.

halogen vs LED

Beam Angle

The angle is a really important element of the LED lights that are mostly overlooked because the consumers do not understand the importance of this element. The beam angle is the element that describes how wide the light will spread. The beam angle is measured in degrees. So, if you want the wider beam of light, you must consider choosing an LED bulb with a higher number of beam angle.

Depending on your needs, the specification of beam angle may vary. For example, if you want an LED replacement for halogen in a shop to display the products, you must consider choosing a light that comes with a very narrow and focused beam. In this situation, an LED light with a beam angle of 15-20 will be absolutely perfect.

However, if you need the LED replacement for your kitchen, you must avoid using this beam angle as it won’t bring any fruitful results. If you consider using this beam angle in areas like the kitchen, the most part of that area will remain dark. So, you must consider buying an LED bulb with a much wider beam if you want an LED replacement for Halogen in your kitchen.

The LED lights are usually available with different beam angles ranging from 15 to 110 degrees. The LED bulbs with a higher beam angle are a suitable option for those who need a solution for those that are buying these lights for general lighting purpose. Most of the people prefer using LED bulbs that come with 38 – 60 degrees beam angle.

LED Bulb Lifespan

The maximum lifespan of high quality LED bulb is around 25,000 hours. We anticipate the lifespan of an LED bulb based on the number of Lumens available in the light. As long as, 70% of lumens are available in the bulb, you won’t experience any decline in its brightness. It means that if the LED has lost around 31% lumens, it’s not useful anymore. Surprisingly, there are some manufacturers that still claim that their products come with a lifespan of 50,000+ hours which is absolutely misleading.

There is no doubt that some LED chips can even last for 100,000+ hours. But they won’t be able to emit enough useful lumens that can fulfill your brightness needs in a particular area. Even the driver and power supply of the LED lamp won’t last for 50000+ hours. The results have shown that the average age of an LED bulb is not more than 25000 hours. The reputable manufacturers will never claim any foolish numbers.

So, make sure that you purchase those products where the manufacturers have stated the truth about the LED’s lifespan.

Looking for Quality Lights

The manufacturing process of different LED lights is usually different. You can now find a wide range of products in the market. If you consider choosing the cheapest products, we bet that you won’t be able to experience the excellent quality. You need to look at the warranty when purchasing LEDs and make sure that you purchase the products from a reputable brand. Gone are the days when LED bulbs were sold $30 per piece. There are many affordable and pocket-friendly options available nowadays.

All you need to do is to take help from the experts who’ve spent years of experience in this industry. There is nothing wrong with spending some extra bucks if you want to enjoy excellent lighting in the long run.

Be Creative – And less might be more

In the United States, an average user is using around 34 lightbulbs in his home. There are many houses halogen spotlights are installed in the ceiling because they can easily fulfill your lighting your needs.

However, there are some staple locations in the home where you cannot install the bulbs on the ceiling as they won’t fulfill your needs. In this situation, you must consider using the floor lamps as they can provide you with an accurate amount of lighting according to your needs.

So, if there are any inefficient bulbs in the home, you can simply replace them with the LEDs to improve the look of your home. You can also create a great combination of light color and brightness by installing the smart bulbs that are tunable or dimmable. So, it’s time to take a look at the things that you can change in your home. A cost-effective lighting system can bring an ambient look to your home as long as you want.

Understand The Measurements

Understanding the measurements is another important step that helps to find the best LED replacement for Halogen. The lumens help measure the energy-efficiency of LED lights in an effective way. The lumens are actually used to measure the intensity of light produced by LEDs.

There are some specific units you can use to compare between different lighting options. For example, an LED bulb with 1600 lm is considered to be perfect for replacing the 100-watt incandescent bulb.

Equivalent Wattage – Swapping Halogen For LED

The equivalent wattage is a term that helps create a comparison between the incandescent and LED light bulbs. Here is some information about how you can find the perfect LED replacement for Halogen with the help of “Equivalent Wattage”.

The LED lights consume only a fraction of the power for providing the same brightness offered by a halogen bulb. For example, a 5W LED spotlight can easily replace a 35W halogen spotlight in terms of brightness. The information about equivalent wattage is usually listed on product packaging, specification sheets, and with online product details.

Finding the LED bulbs of equivalent wattage is really important when you’re looking to find an LED replacement for Halogen. Make sure that the equivalent wattage of LED light is same as your current halogen bulbs. However, the actual wattage of the LED bulb might be different. For instance, the 5W and 6W LED bulbs can easily replace the 35W halogen bulbs as they have an equivalent wattage of 35W.

The advancements in the LED technology will make things a lot difficult in the future. However, if you consider taking a look at equivalent wattage before making a purchase, you’d always be making an informed decision.

CFL halogen vs LED

Easy Table for Your Measurement

A 14W LED Light  (675 lumens / 50,000 hr life) is an ideal option for replacing a 20W Halogen Light (380 lumens / 1500 hr life).
A 12W LED Light  (825 lumens / 50,000 hr life) is a great replacement for a 35W Halogen Light (600 lumens / 1500 hr life).
A 18W LED Light  (825 lumens / 50,000 hr life) is considered to best for replacing a 50W Halogen Light (940 lumens / 2000 hr life).
A 20W LED Light (825 lumens / 50,000 hr life) is a suitable replacement for a 75W Halogen Light (1400 lumens / 1500 hr life).

 See the main considerations? It’s the Lumens that matters.

These measurements will make things a lot easier for you when you’re choosing an LED replacement for Halogen.

Comments below if you have questions on this.

Tips for Replacing the Halogen with LED Lamps/Lights

After taking a look at the amazing benefits of LED lamps, you must’ve made up your mind that it’s time to replace halogen lamps with the LEDs. You must’ve already purchased the LED lamps for your space by following the tips we’ve shared above.

However, if you’re still unable to find a suitable option for your room or office, you can take help from the experts. They’ll not only help in finding the most suitable LED lamps for your space but they’ll also agree upon installing those lamps on your request.

This may sound crazy but replacing the halogen lamps with the LEDs is not a tough job.

Don’t believe me? Just continue reading the following information and you’d definitely agree with me.

The best thing about Halogen to LED replacement is that they don’t force you to make any compromise on your choices. In fact, the LED bulbs offer you the same beautiful and warm light that you used to enjoy with the halogen lamps or incandescent light bulbs. Moreover, the LEDs can keep any area bright by consuming a minimal amount of electricity. The only reason why LED lights have become prominent is that they allow you to save around 85% on electricity consumption.

You might be tired of hearing the same thing again and again but you can never underestimate the amazing features the LED lights come with. We are continuously discussing these benefits so you can understand why LEDs are a better option than Halogen and incandescent lights. Now, let’s take a look at how you can replace halogen with LED.

Replacing High-Voltage Lamps (230 V)

Well, of course, finding the right LED replacement lamp must be your first priority. You need to find the model that best suits your needs. Choosing the right socket is the next step towards replacing the high-voltage lamps. Another aspect that is mostly overlooked is whether the LED lamp is dimmable or not. Unlike halogen lamps, the LED lamps aren’t dimmable and there are only a few models that come with this feature.

So, if you want to purchase the dimmable lamps, you must consider looking for the ones that are available with this feature. The information about this feature is displayed on the product packaging. Now, the next step is to figure out that how much brightness you want. When it comes to measuring the brightness of LED lamps, you must consider looking for lumens/watt rating because that’s the ultimate standard for measuring the brightness of LED lamps.

The Lumen rating is usually mentioned on the product packaging so you won’t face any problem in figuring out the actual rating. In the end, you need to define the light color you’re looking for. As we’ve mentioned before that LEDs are available in different colors. So, you need to make sure that you’re choosing the color that is best suitable for your needs.

Replacement of Low Voltage Lamps (12 V)

When you’re replacing the halogen with LED in a 12 V system, you need to consider several important elements. First of all, you must focus on choosing the right design. For example, a reflector lamp can be a useful option for you if you’re replacing the bulb in your kitchen. And the GU 5.3 base socket can be the ideal option in this situation. Considering the beam angle and lumens is also important when making a decision about brightness.

Now, you must consider the minimum load of the transformer that is usually stated in VA (volt-ampere). If the minimum load of your existing transformer is between 35-105 VA, you must consider replacing it because the LED lamps only require a minimum load of 24 VA. You can also consider using an electronic transformer that will consume 0-40 watt power of LEDs.

Now, you must take a look at whether you need a new dimmer for the new transformer or not. The interesting part is that most of the LED bulbs can easily be operated with the old dimmers. So, it means you won’t have to replace your existing dimmer. Now, the installation process starts.

Before you start connecting the luminaries to the mains, you must consider taking all the safety precautions that can protect you from an electric shock. You must simply cut off the electricity from the fuse box and then use the tester to make sure that there is no live voltage. Make sure that you carefully take a look at the assembly instructions before you start installing the transformer.

If you’re still confused about installing the transformer, you must take help from an electrician. The halogen lamps become very hot when they are in use and you must only replace them when they are not in use otherwise, your hands will get burnt. You need to take the recessed spotlights out of the ceiling and then pull out the transformer through the mounting hole. Make sure that you disconnect the wires after unscrewing the caps.

Now, you can connect the new transformer to the wires. Your job is almost done. You can now push the transformer back in the ceiling and then replace the halogen lamps with the LED lamps.

 That’s it!!

It’s Your Turn

The LED lights are a remarkable option in today’s world as they can reduce your electricity bills and maintenance costs to an extent. There are tons of other benefits you can enjoy with the LED bulbs. We’ve shared adequate information in this article that will help find the perfect LED replacement for Halogen.

If you’re still thinking about whether you should replace the existing halogen lamps or not, you must take help from our experts. The experts will provide you with a detailed answer of all the questions that may appear in your mind. Till then, enjoy a bright and happy life.

Glossary of Lighting Products

Usually, the consumers get confused when they hear some complicated terms like Equivalent Wattage and Heat Dispersion. That’s why we’re explaining the details about all the important lighting terms so that you do not get confused when replacing the halogen lamps with the LEDs.

Equivalent Wattage

A common term that is used to create a comparison between LED light bulbs and their incandescent alternatives. A direct replacement for a 35W incandescent light bulb would definitely be an LED light bulb that comes with an equivalent wattage of 35W. However, the stated wattage can be different. You can take a look at the table to find the right option.

LED spotlights

The LED bulbs are prepared with the most advanced technology and they are energy efficient as well. They produce the light equivalent of a halogen bulb while using only a fraction of the energy. Similarly, their lifespan is way longer than the old halogen bulbs. Most of the times, you won’t have to replace the existing light fittings while replacing halogen lamps with the LEDs.

Halogen Spotlights

The spotlights emit light in a focused beam as they are directional light bulbs. The halogen spotlights produce light by using a tungsten filament and a combination of halogen gases and inert. The halogen spotlights aren’t recommended an option in today’s world as they consume more energy than LED spotlights.

Low Voltage

There are some light fittings that are designed to be lower voltage while most of the light bulbs operate off mains voltage. The low voltage light fittings are commonly used in areas like Kitchen where the smaller lights bulbs are a necessity and space is at a premium. A huge number of low voltage spotlights are usually between 12-24 volts. The low voltage light fittings cannot convert the mains voltage to the correct, lower voltage unless they are connected to a compatible transformer.

Mains Voltage

In simple words, the mains voltage is the voltage of a building’s electrical circuits. The standard mains voltage in most parts of the world is 230V. However, mains circuits have the ability to run the electrical devices that come with a stated voltage of 240V. Most types of light bulbs can easily be used with the mains circuits.

However, if you’ve purchased the low voltage bulbs for a particular area, you must buy a compatible transformer for operating them. Such kind of information is clearly displayed on the packaging of low voltage bulbs.

A common term that is used to create a comparison between LED light bulbs and their incandescent alternatives. A direct replacement for a 35W incandescent light bulb would definitely be an LED light bulb that comes with an equivalent wattage of 35W. However, the stated wattage can be different. You can take a look at the table to find the right option.

VA Rating

The VA rating helps determine the maximum load that a transformer can safely carry. For instance, a transformer with a 10-60 VA rating can easily handle the electrical equipment that has the power of 10 and 60 watts. The transformers may stop working if they’re overloaded. Therefore, you must keep an eye on the equivalent wattage when finding an LED replacement for Halogen.

Transformer

A compatible transformer is considered to be important for the bulbs that require a lower voltage than 230-240V. The transformers prevent all the damages to the bulbs and light fittings by enabling them to operate at their standard voltage rating.

Wattage

A unit that is used to define the power consumption of the electrical equipment. So, you can use this unit to determine how much energy the equipment would require over a specific period of time.

Color Temperature

The color of light that is produced by the LEDs is commonly known as color temperature. Cool white and warm white are the most common colors while there is a wide range of colors you can choose from. The cool white color is considered to be ideal for areas where you need a good bright light. Similarly, the warm white is suitable for smaller areas like the kitchen and bathroom.

Heat Dispersion

LED emits heavy heat and you will need to get rid of that. The best solution to this problem is to use the aluminum circuit boards. Avoid purchasing the cheap plastic circuit boards if you want to reduce the risk.

Light Output

In the past, we used to measure the light output with the watts which wasn’t a good practice at all. The best measurement unit for light output is lumens. You can check the lumens rating to measure the brightness of a bulb.

Power Supply Circuit

The power supply circuit is used to run the electric devices at a specific range. The advanced power supply circuits have the ability to control the voltage so that the devices may stay safe from damages.

Reasons to Choose LED Stadium Lights

Reasons to Choose LED Stadium Lights

People know that LED Stadium Light, unlike Metal Halide lighting, have almost zero warm-up time. They reach maximum brightness almost instantly. This is one of the main advantages LED Stadium Lights has over Metal Halide lights and other traditional lights.

But, What about other advantages?

Let’s check them out.

Lamp Efficiency Comparison

While specifications of new 400 watt bulbs (Metal Halide) may vary a little, the specifications of a typical Metal Halide bulb of 400 watts are not very different from these:

  • Initial Lumens – Anywhere between 32,000 and 36,000
  • Color Temp – 4000K
  • Life Hours – 20,000

As you can see, initial lumens are on the higher side. However, does a Metal Halide bulb (400 watts) really give this kind of lumen output after, let’s say, six months?

No, not really.

The thing with new Metal Halide bulbs is they start off extremely bright but tend to lose their lumen output fairly quickly. That’s why often the lumen output drops by 20%, if not more, within the first six months alone.

So, even though initial lumens of 36,000 appear impressive, the lumen output drops to less than 30,000 within just six months.  Needless to say, as the time passes, lumen depreciation is even greater.

It has been repeatedly noted that when the bulb reaches its half-life (about 8,000 to 10,000 hours), the lumen output is no more than half of the original output.

Similarly, it is necessary to give the Metal Halide bulb’s operating nature a thorough look. These bulbs are omnidirectional. In other words, they distribute light in 360 degrees.

This is a big system inefficiency because this light becomes useful only when you first gather and collect it and then redirect it to the correct place. This is done by adding a reflector in the fixture design.

However, no reflector is 100% efficient. In fact, with most reflectors, you lose about 30% of light or more due to reflector bounce (The light that bounces back into your fixture after bouncing off the installed reflector.).

This further dents the efficiency of Metal Halide bulbs.

Let’s do some math to understand the kind of output a typical Metal Halide bulb would give. Continuing with the above example…

Initial lumens – 36,000

Lumens output after six months – 28,000 lumens (because of 20% lumen depreciation)

Lumens loss on the count of reflector bounce – 8,600

Net lumens output after six months – 20,160

 On the other hand, LEDs emit light directionally. So you don’t need reflectors. As a result, there’s no lumen loss because of reflector bounce.

Lumen depreciation does occur in LED stadium lights. However, the rate of lumen depreciation is much slower compared to the Metal Halide bulb. This means that LED maintains much of its original lumen output for a considerably longer time than a Metal Halide bulb.

5 Times more of Operating Life

The average Metal Halide bulb has an operating life of about 20,000 hours. This number is less, somewhere about 15,000 hours, for larger bulbs, such as a 100 watt one.

The life of LED stadium lights is described differently by different suppliers.

Most suppliers would use L70 to describe the operating life of LED stadium lights. L70 refers to the time LEDs take to drop their lumen output to 70% of their original output.

For Metal Halide bulbs, the operating life is in the range of 15,000-20,000 hours. It is also known that by the time they reach their half life, their luminous output shrinks by 50%. So while functional, these bulbs are highly ineffective by that time.

More disturbingly, the electricity consumption of these bulbs at half life, when they produce just 50% of their initial lumen output, is just the same as at initial years—400+ watts.

Compared to this, many LED stadium lights have L70 of about 10,000 hours. So by the time LEDs drop to 70% of their original efficiency, you would have used 5 Metal Halide bulbs, perhaps even more.

Touch LED Efficiency

It goes without saying that you stand to save more with a bulb with greater efficiency. Keeping this basic rule in mind, let’s see how Metal Halide bulb fairs vis-à-vis LED stadium lights.

The efficiency of these two can be compared by comparing their lumen efficiency. A usual 400W Metal Halide bulb consumes about 455 watts.

Therefore, lumen efficiency in case of Metal Halide comes to = 79.12 lumens/watt (36,000 lumens ÷ 455 watts)

A 150-watt LED stadium lights can give 23.250 lumens. So, its lumen efficiency comes to = 155 lumens/watt (23,250 ÷ 150)

This is nearly two times more than the efficiency of Metal Halide!

And, as you may know already, greater efficiency equals to greater saving.

Calculate the Energy Savings

In the above point, we said that energy consumption of a 400W Metal Halide is 455 watts while its lumen output is 20,500 lumens. In contrast, 150W LED stadium lights consumes just 150 watts and gives 23,250 lumens.

In other words, 150W LED consumes 66% less energy to generate more light.

You can do the math, don’t you?

Consider Maintenance Savings

This is another big reason why many businesses have started to choose LED stadium lights over Metal Halide.

If you could recall, we said that the life of LED stadium lights is at least 5 times more than Metal Halide. This means over the lifespan of one LED product, you would need to replace Metal Halide 5 times, if not more. So in the case of Metal Halide, you’ll also have to take into account higher cost of replacement.

Human costs are even higher than the lights(no matter what it is) itself, as you will need to hire technicians for the installation and maintenance.

However, People usually don’t know that Metal Halide bulbs, in general, require much more maintenance than LED stadium lights. This is an important factor to consider for stadiums, where the bulbs are installed at a quite a height.

One important reminder here we need to inform you:

The higher the installation height(the light pole), the greater the maintenance cost.

Better Light Quality

There are different ways to ascertain quality of a certain light. One such way is CRI, which stands for Color Rendering Index. It measures light quality in a scale of 0-100, with 100 being the best quality. Reports show that compared to Metal Halide, LED has a greater CRI value.

Light quality can also be measured using a light meter. However, Metal Halide bulbs produce light that falls inside the visible spectrum but also light that’s beyond it, like UV and IR. So in case of Metal Halide, the light meter’s reading would include both visible and invisible light. In contrast, LED stadium lights doesn’t produce light that doesn’t fall inside the visible spectrum.  Its light meter reading consists of just visible light.

That’s why LED stadium lights usually looks much brighter than Metal Halide even when the light meter says that the latter is producing more lumens.

No Dimming Problem

LED stadium lights are extremely easy to dim. Plus there are many options available, from 100% to as low as 0.5%. There are two ways LED dimming functions work. You can dim LEDs by either modulating the pulse duration or reducing the forward current.

However, note that conventional incandescent dimmers, which reduce the amount of voltage that is sent to the light, don’t work with LED stadium lights. You will need to invest in LED dimmer switches to be able to dim LEDs.

Different magnetic or electric ballast are used for dimming Metal Halide bulbs. However, they work by changing the voltage input of the light. This in turn changes the characteristics of the light.

Typically the efficiency of Metal Halide bulbs drops when they run at less than 100% power. Also dimming can lead premature expiry of these bulbs.

Last but not Least: Accessories

Another benefit of using LEDs in place of Metal Halide bulbs is that they don’t require as many accessory parts as the latter. As a matter of fact, LEDs need significantly fewer accessory parts compared to Metal Halide.

Also, LEDs are much smaller than Metal Halide and that’s why they can be used with almost every type of lighting application.

Now Over to you.

All in all, LED stadium lights offer significant advantages over Metal Halide lights. They are more efficient and last longer. Most importantly, they offer significant energy savings, year after year. Additionally, your maintenance costs will be much lower when using LED stadium lights.

Now you understand the benefits of LED Stadium lights, did you?

Lumens vs Watts

Lumens vs Watts

If you’re used to calculating LED Light or other light sources in watt, you’re not alone.

Really, the lack of information makes it difficult for us to find the right amount LED lumens for a specific area. Therefore, we have compiled this article to show you how lumens are measured, an easy way to translate watts to lumens and how to select your led light.

So, without any further ado let’s take a look at the interesting things you must know about LED lumens.

Lumen= Light Output.

The Lumens are considered to be a new way of determining the brightness of any light sources.

If you want more light, you’ll need more lumens.

In simple terms, the total amount of visible light reflected by a lamp or LED light is measured with Lumens. If you want to buy a brighter lamp/led light for your home or office, you must consider choosing the higher lumen rating.

In the past, the brightness was often associated with the Watts. But Recent research has shown that Watts has nothing to do with the light output and they are actually supposed to determine the amount of energy  that a bulb or lamp consumes.

More light, less energy with LED

The LED lamps are good at producing more light outputs, compared with its counterpart of conventional bulbs, and the most interesting part is that they consume a very low amount of electricity.

lumens equals light output

For instance, the 6.5W LED lamp can produce the electricity equivalent to a 50W Halogen bulb. Thus, you can save 87% electricity without compromising on light output.

The LED bulbs do not waste any energy on heat production and the entire energy is used on the production of light. The experts are trying their best to make more changes so that the bulbs can produce more lumens with much less power consumption. So, the time has come when you should stop using halogen bulbs and start using led lights as they are more energy efficient.

Lumens – LED lamps vs Conventional bulbs

An LED bulb with approximately 800 – 850 lumens is the ideal option if you are willing to enjoy the light output equivalent to a 60 Watt conventional bulb. The lumen rating is usually marked on the lamp base and packaging of all integral LED lamps.

The Wattage conversion is also a big problem when purchasing an LED lamp. However, you can take help from the wattage conversion guide that is available on the pack e.g. 11.5W LED = 60W conventional bulb.

You can also determine the lumen rating for your LED replacement lamp with the help of more illustrations we have provided below.

Lumens VS Watts

so you should have a general idea of differences between lumens and watts, but we want to go into more details:

Lumens Per Watt (lm/W)

You can now measure the efficacy of lighting products with this figure.

All you need to do is to divide the total amount of lumens by the power usage in Watts.

Very Simple, don’t you?

This is actually quite similar to the miles-per-gallon in a car. So, you must consider choosing an LED lamp that has higher lm/W rating. Thus, you’d be able to reduce energy costs while enjoying higher efficiency.

lumens per watts

For instance, the light output of 3500 Lumens is offered by the extremely efficient Performance + Back-lit LED Panel for 23 Watts of power.

3500lm/23W = 152lm/W

On the other hand, the light output of 3600 Lumens can be achieved with the less efficient LED panel for 45 Watts of power.

3600lm/45W = 80lm/W

Converting Lumens to Watts

Watt is supposed to measure the energy output of that bulb. The watts have helped us a lot in choosing the perfect incandescent bulbs but they aren’t useful anymore.

On the other hand, the lumens measure the brightness of a bulb. In this situation, it usually gets difficult to convert the Lumens to Watts. However, we have prepared a chart that will help you a lot when you are trying to compare the lumens with watts.

lumen into watt

Thus, you’d be able to use the most energy efficient bulbs without having to worry about the technical stuff.

How many Lumens do you need?

since we are introducing new words for you: lumen, which is quite different from your past experience of evaluating the lights by watts, you might therefore have a question in mind: how many lumens do i need?

let’s go on?

How bright is a lumen

lumen is really a sense of perceptions, therefore I’d like to explain what lumens you would expect for various situations.

here we go:

*1-2 lumens: Finding a keyhole, close-range work (within arm’s reach), close reading, maybe a supplement to dark-adapted vision finding your way around a room. Some mini incandescent keychain lights admit to this level.

* 5-10 lumens: Indoor use, close inspections, map reading, testing eyes; the 2 AAA penlight with a #222 prefocus bulb is in this range.

* 15-30 lumens: General household indoor use, moderate range outdoor use ( a few yards); this is the light range that the 2 D cell plastic light with a prefocus bulb generates.

* around 50 lumens: Walking a good trail at night, finding your way in unfamiliar surroundings.

* 60-200 lumens: So-called “tactical” lights; identify a man-size target at firearms range. Power LEDs can give 100+lumens from an AA cell. In my experience, 100 lumens can light up a small suburban backyard (say, 60 feet x 30 feet) and verify the yard is free of the neighbor’s cat.

* 200 lumens and up – Outdoor, moderately long range, search and rescue – you can go up to several thousand lumens in a hand-carried light but I think anything much over 500 is a rather special purpose tool.

* 500+ lumens– – I understand night-time orienteers use high-power lamps in this range for running unfamiliar trails in the dark.

Don’t take these numbers as anything other than the centers of pretty broad ranges.

Brightness is actually all about perception. A 2000 lumen light can look less bright than a 500 lumen light, if the 500 lumen light is highly focused and the 2000 lumen light is a wide flood. This is assuming you’re aiming them both at a wall at the same distance.

So the truth is:

You need to consider two values simultaneously when looking at brightness; the lumen output (a measure of the total amount of light being emitted, think of it as the number of liters of water coming from a hose) and candela (often spoken of as lux @ a given distance), which you can think of as the amount of water from your hose hitting a given spot on the wall at a given distance.

 Running cost per year

The highly efficient LED panel consumes less power as compared to the less efficient panel. In simple words, the 80lm/W panel is 51% more expensive as compared to the 152lm/W.

So, when it comes to choosing LED panels, the lm/W rating must be the utmost priority.

Lumens and Useful Lumens

The non-directional bulbs like golfball, globe, and candle shape fall in the category where lumen output is calculated for all directions.

On the other hand, the directional bulb like GU10 spotlight spreads light in different directions. It’s true that some of the light is wasted without any reason but it’s included in the total lumen rating.

Therefore, a new term of “useful lumens” rating is introduced by the EU so that people may easily make comparisons.

This figure is used to measure the light that is emitted in a standardized 90-degree cone. The total lumen output is normally higher than the “useful lumens” rating. The spotlight bulb emits light in a forward focused direction. Therefore, the useful lumen rating is more relevant to a spotlight bulb.

How Many Lumens Do You Need?

The answer to that question isn’t as difficult as it appears to be.

Let me explain something more here:

The size of the area and several other aspects help determine the right amount of lumens.

Usually, 20 lumens per square foot are considered to be the best if you are choosing the LED bulb for the average living room. When it comes to talking about tables and raised surfaces, you’d need 30 lumens per square foot. Similarly, 50 lumens per square foot are considered to be ideal when we are talking about desks and task lighting.

how much light do i need

What we can learn from this table is this:
Replacing a 40W Incandescent bulb: please choose LED that at least 450 lumens
Replacing a 60W Incandescent bulb: please choose LED that at least 800 lumens
Replacing a 75W Incandescent bulb: please choose LED that at least 1100 lumens
Replacing a 100W Incandescent bulb: please choose LED that at least 1600 lumens
Replacing a 15W Incandescent bulb: please choose LED that at least 2600 lumens

However, if you are still confused about choosing the right amount of lumens for a specific area, you may take a visit to the Google Play Store to download the “Lumens Measurement” app as it can help determine the accurate amount of lumens needed.

Similarly, the tools like luminous flux can also solve your problem by providing accurate information about the lumens required.

Choose for your light

now it’s up to you to choose for your light, whether traditional light or led light, for this part, we still want to show you some of our discoveries.

Why LED bulbs are a better option?

The technology is growing really fast and the experts are trying to introduce some better ways to facilitate consumers. In this struggle, they have introduced the CFL and LED bulbs that are more energy-efficient as compared to the incandescent bulbs. The reason why LED bulbs have become popular is that they provide excellent output by consuming less energy.

For example, the brightness produced by a 6.5W LED lamp is equivalent to the brightness produced by a 50W Halogen bulb. Thus, the LED bulbs have reduced the energy consumption to an extent and you can now save up to 87% of the energy without making a compromise on brightness.

We can also say that LED bulbs are a cost-effective option as they can produce better lighting with little energy consumption. Similarly, the lifespan of LED bulbs also makes them prominent among all others. The average LED bulb lasts for 25,000  hours while the average lifespan of incandescent bulbs is not more than 1,200.

And CFL bulbs also last for 8,000 hours only. So, all the aspects indicate that LED bulbs are a better option available in the industry.

 Look for ENERGY STAR certified bulbs

The ENERGY STAR certified bulbs are considered to be the best in this regard. They do not only help save money on electricity bills but they also provide you with an extreme level of comfort for a long time.

energy star save 20%

In general, Research shows that ENERGY STAR certified bulbs 90% less energy as compared to the other bulbs. Similarly, they can provide you with a better lighting experience for more than 20 years.

The ENERGY STAR certification is provided by the third party companies so, you shouldn’t be worried about any fraud. The manufacturers send their products to these companies so they may figure out if they meet the requirements of ENERGY STAR certification or not.

These third-party companies conduct around 20 tests to measure the quality of the bulb. Thus, they try to make sure that customers are actually getting what they are paying for. So, the ENERGY STAR certified bulbs should be the utmost priority when you are shopping for LED bulbs.