It’s hard to remember a time before we used LED lights. Energy-efficient LED lighting helps lower electricity bills and carbon dioxide emissions, all without reducing the quality of light in our homes. At Vision Lighting, we supply a wide range of LED lighting solutions for both your home and business - from LED strip lighting to wall lights, as well as all the tools and accessories you need to set them up. Having spent over a decade creating and supplying LED light technology for both residential and commercial buildings, it’s fair to say we know a thing or two about LED lighting solutions.
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LED lights have been on the market for years but for a long time weren’t readily available due to high costs. However, like anything that’s been around for a while, their price has significantly decreased and we are now seeing a huge rise in the number of residential and commercial properties opting to use them. What’s fantastic about LED lights is they use very little energy, last a long time and, unlike regular energy-saving bulbs, they are instantly bright when switched on.
One of the main advantages of using LED strip lights is how easy they are to install. Our range of LED strips can be installed in a number of different ways, so it’s important to check the instruction manual before attempting the installation or speak to a member of our team and we can help you out. If you’ve opted for a ceiling panel or LED downlight, check out our advice on the steps you need to take to successfully install the lights.
To connect LED strip lights, again there are a number of different methods. Some designs differ from others slightly and will therefore have a different set-up. Here at Vision Lighting, we stock a wide range of LED strip lights, as well as everything you need to get them correctly installed.
One of the main accessories you will need is a cable connector. Choosing the right connector for the job is important to ensure that the connection is secure, which is crucial not just for preventing disturbed or loose connections but also for preventing damage to the copper conductors. Once you have cut your light strip to size, you then connect the wires with your strip connector.
One such connector, favoured by professional electricians, is the Wago connector range, which you can purchase here. These connectors are small in size and come with multiple levers, depending on your requirement. The Wago cable connectors allow you to quickly and safely feed the cables through, with the lever simply snapping back into position to enable a secure connection. For more on the topic, check out our ‘Guide to LED Strip Lights’ here
One of the main reasons that LED lights are considered eco-friendly is the fact that they last much longer than regular bulbs. Most LED bulbs boast a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, which means that, once you buy your first set, you may not have to splash out on LED replacement bulbs for up to 10 years, depending on your usage.
When it comes to resetting your LED lights, unfortunately, there is no one size fits all solution. As you'd expect, different brands operate differently - for example, some LED lights are fixed, whilst others are remote controlled or can run off your WiFi. If your LED lights need resetting, the instruction manual that comes with the product will detail how to go about this, otherwise do get in touch with our team and we will happily help. .
Over the last few years, LED lighting has developed considerably. The advances in technology have brought more and more LED options onto the market. At Vision Lighting, we have a wide range of lighting options available. From coloured light outputs to different styles of wall lights, downlights and, of course, LED strip lights, we will ensure you get the right lighting solution to beautifully illuminate your home or office space.
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for or are in need of some inspiration, we’ve also posted some brilliant guides to help you get the best out of our products.
LED strip lights are a great option for lighting any area, big or small. This is due to the fact that they are completely adjustable in length. You can cut them shorter or extend them by connecting additional strips. All you will need to connect additional strip lights is a cable connector.
You simply connect the wires from one strip light to the connector and then attach your second strip light to the other side of the connector - job done! Of course, there are other ways that this can be done. For example, you can solder the wires together without using a connector, but it is vital that you are comfortable and skilled in doing so. If you are unsure at all, speak to an expert beforehand.
LED lights have a life expectancy of around 50,000 hours, so if your LED light isn’t turning on, it’s likely due to external factors. Power fluctuations, faulty electrical installation, incompatible dimmer or unsuitable transformers can all be reasons why your LED light won’t turn on - for more insight into this, we’ve detailed some of the common signs of a faulty LED light and how to fix it here. It’s important to remember that, before you begin to investigate why your lights aren’t working properly, you ensure that you have turned off the light’s power source first.
LED lights are not only great for the environment due to their long life expectancy and lower energy usage, but they also have many other benefits.
Dimming your LED lights will not only enable you to set a certain atmosphere in the room they’re installed in, but it will also help you to save money by reducing the amount of electricity they are using. Not all LED lights are dimmable, so it’s important to check that the ones you are buying have this feature first.
To dim your LED lights, you may need to purchase a dimmer switch. Some of the older style dimmer switches aren’t compatible with newer LED lighting, so if you have an existing dimmer and are looking to add some new lights, check their spec to ensure compatibility first as you may need to adapt your purchase or upgrade your old switch.
You should consider the location of the light to help you select the power (W) and whether you need special features.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Lampshining.
For example, a high ceiling will require a higher power lamp which produces more light. Also, a downlight in a bathroom should be rated a minimum of IP44. IP stands for ‘ingress protection’ and the 2 digit number indicates the degree of protection against water ingress. IP67 would indicate total immersion protection. Clearly in a bathroom with lots of airborne moisture this is an important consideration.
Another interior downlighting rule is ‘leave a gap of 3 feet between the edge of the ceiling and your downlights’. Position them too close to the wall and you’ll get shadows which can actually make a room look smaller than it is. Of course, rules were made to be broken and you may intentionally want to create a more dramatic effect by breaking this one!
If you are unsure about your specific requirements, contact us on 123 and our experts will be happy to assist.
Cut-out size is the size of the hole needed in the ceiling; this is regularly different to the advertised diameter.
Our website explicitly states the cut-out size. We find this is helpful for our customers who come to us wanting to fit a downlight to a hole they already have cut into the ceiling.
This is especially relevant to commercial use, but home users can be reassured by purchasing products which comply with additional safety regulations.
We state whether the downlights we sell are fire rated, that is, it doesn’t create a weak point in the ceiling for fire to break through, and whether they are IP rated. These will help you pick a product which adheres to your company safety policies.
For an explanation of these terms, see our LED Jargon Buster.
If you are interested in the savings made possible by converting to LED, you should check the wattage of your current lighting and compare this to the LED you are interested in.
In particular, when compared to halogen downlights, LED downlights will ramp up significant savings.
Of course, many directional halogen bulb types have now been banned by the EU for energy-efficiency reasons so it pays to buy a good quality product that will last and give best light.
If you are looking at a larger project, Save Money Cut Carbon offer a bespoke modelling service which will outline your potential savings and include data on return on investment and payback time.
When you consider the costs involved you should include a quote for an electrician to professionally install the light.
LED downlights require wiring and this should be done by a trained professional. Get a few quotes from trusted tradespeople and consider these costs in your total expenditure before buying.
A great advantage of LED is the very long lifetime of the lamp. Downlights are a pain to replace as swapping them can damage the ceiling and replacements should be fitted by a trained electrician which adds cost.
With a running life of 30,000+ hours, LED downlights are far superior to both halogen ( hours) and CFL ( hours) downlights. That means significantly reduced maintenance costs.
Want more information on LED Light Solutions? Feel free to contact us.