Several key factors in choosing LED outdoor floodlights

Today, the concept of energy saving and environmental protection is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. LED luminaires have won wide acclaim for their outstanding energy-saving, high-quality lighting performance and long-lasting life cycle. LED global market sales are increasing day by day. It is expected that the penetration rate of LED lighting market will reach 50% in 2019.

LED outdoor floodlights are the most common type of outdoor lighting fixtures and can be widely used in security lighting, area lighting, street lighting, billboard lighting, landscape lighting, etc. LED outdoor floodlights not only provide enhanced safety and better visual conditions, but also significantly reduce power consumption. As a user, how to choose the right LED outdoor floodlight could be a big concern. Here are a few key factors to consider:

1. Brightness

The appropriate luminaire brightness will effectively illuminate the target area, providing good working, recreation, and safety conditions for personnel in that area. The followings are some referential lux levels for some common applications:

Applications	Lux level Recommendation
Sports Stadiums ( Football, Basketball, 丁ennis, Badminton, Ice Hocky, ETC.)	150-2000 Lux
Squares/Airports/Seaports	5-20 Lux
Driveways	15-30 Lux
Sidewalks	5-15 Lux
Car Parkings	5-30 Lux
Building fagade	10-100 Lux
Highlight signs	10-100 Lux
Industrial Areas	200-500 Lux
These are estimations only and may not be applicable on every occasion.

2. Color temperature (CCT)
Different CCT can convey different feelings to people. Warm light (3000K) makes people feel comfortable and warm, white light (5000K) makes people feel quiet and comfortable, and cold light (6000K) makes people feel cool and spirited. The most popular CCT for LED outdoor floodlights is 5000K or 4000K, and users can choose other color temperatures according to their personal preferences. The picture below shows the visual experience of different color temperatures.

3. floodLight control
Excellent light distribution can distribute more lights to the desired target, make full use of light, and reduce interference to neighbors and avoid light pollution. LED floodlights generally have a wide range of light distribution options, ranging from 5° to 180 °, and users can choose according to the specific application environment and installation height. The figure below shows that good light control should minimize the impact on the surrounding environment.

4. LED outdoor floodlight quality
After determining the brightness, color temperature and light distribution, users should also choose a good quality product. Excellent LED outdoor floodlights generally have high light efficiency, reasonable design, good heat dissipation capacity and great durability. At present, a LED outdoor floodlight should have an efficacy higher than 120lm/W, service life longer than 100,000 hours, and warranty no less than 5 years. 

5. Safety and efficiency approvals
Safety certifications are vital for users. There are many safety certifications and energy efficiency certification standards for LED lamps, such as CCC in China, UL, DLC in North America, CE, B in Europe, SAA in Australia, PSE in Japan, etc. These are minimum safety requirements for LED lighting fixtures. Choosing a LED floodlight that complies with the relevant certification will effectively protect the user's personal safety. Moreover, energy efficiency certified luminaires can also help users get utility rebates, eg., a DLC listed LED floodlight helps US. and Canada users to get considerable rebates.