Comparison floodlights and Street Lights

The type defines the general principles and design features of the luminaire and its purpose.

— Lamp. In this case, a luminaire is a relatively compact lighting device designed to illuminate a small space — for example, a terrace or an entrance door. In this case, the light is usually non-directional (180°), although models are available that look like small spotlights and have a narrower direction of the light flux (see "Illumination angle"). Usually, fixtures are designed for one, less often two lamps of not particularly high power — the maximum power (see below) rarely exceeds 150 watts. They can be installed in almost any way, but the most popular are wall, ceiling, suspended and built-in models (see "Installation").

— Spotlight. Floodlights are quite powerful light sources that provide mainly directional light (although in some models the illumination angles can reach 180 °) with a relatively high luminous flux. However, the key difference between such devices and lamps is their general purpose: spotlights are not intended for general lighting, but mainly for directional illumination. Moreover, the situation when the observer is standing in the shade can be called the best option for using such devices: even in relatively low-power models, the light can be sharp and very uncomfortable for the eyes.

— Garden bollard. Lighting device in the form of a column of small he...ight (usually up to 1.2 m), installed separately. Such columns can have different designs and designs, however, the light sources in them, usually, are located from above, and the light flux is usually directed mainly downwards — in order to illuminate the ground and not hit the eyes of a nearby person. In accordance with the name, such models are mainly intended for lighting garden and park paths, lawns, etc., and in such a way that a person can first of all see the surface on which he is walking.

— Lamp post. The features of this type of lamps are in many respects obvious from the name: these are high (usually more than 2 m) poles with lamps installed at the top. The lamps themselves (and individual lamps for them) are often provided in the design for several (2 or 3). Lampposts capture a vast space, not only on the ground, but also above; such devices are suitable for general lighting in urban and rural streets, parks, etc. But for use in a private house, they are poorly suited because of the bulkiness and high cost; the purchase of a lamppost can only be justified if the area is large and you want to have original lighting.

The general style of the design of the lamp. This indicator, usually, does not affect the functionality of the device, but it makes it easier to choose a model for the style of the environment and your own wishes for the appearance.

— Classic. In fact — the second name for the style of "retro". The classical style usually involves antique decoration, with characteristic frilly decoration, curlicues, decorative elements, etc. However, most of these lamps look good in a modern setting.

— Hi-tech. Luminaires decorated in the style of "high technology". Usually, this design is quite restrained, it provides smooth metal surfaces, a minimum of decorative excesses and hints that the emphasis in the design is primarily on functionality. However, such minimalism is often the result of the painstaking work of designers, and high-tech models can also look very stylish.

— Modern. Relatively restrained style, essentially a cross between classic and futuristic high-tech (see above). In other words, this category includes fixtures that do not fit into either “retro” or high-tech; while some models have a design close to one of these directions, while others are quite neutral. In general, this style, on the one hand, is not very bright, on the other hand, it is very universal.

— Garden figurine. Lighting fixtures designed in the form of gard...en sculptures. The textbook version of such a sculpture is the “garden gnome with a lantern”, however, there are a great many other options: a tree with luminous flowers, a fabulous bird with shining plumage, etc. This is perhaps the most original and unusual style for outdoor fixtures; on the other hand, garden figurines are much more expensive than similar models in a more traditional design.

Regular installation methods allowed by the design of the lamp.

— Wall mounted. Attach to a wall or other suitable vertical surface. In this case, the lamp itself can be directed both up and down.

— Ceiling. Fastening the luminaire directly to the ceiling (or other similar surface — for example, a cross member in a doorway).

— Suspended. Similar models are also mounted on the ceiling, however, it is not the body of the lamp that is attached to it, but a special base plate; a lamp hangs from this plate, and the role of a suspension can be played by a separate cable, chain, etc., or a power wire. This option is especially good for high ceilings — it allows you to slightly lower the location of the light source for more efficient lighting. However, the height of the suspension may be low, in which case such models differ little from the ceiling ones.

— Portable. Luminaires, originally designed to be quickly carried from place to place. To do this, the design provides appropriate devices — such as a carrying handle and a stand that allows you to put the device on any horizontal surface. However, the need for such an application arises relatively rarely, therefore, portable lamps have not received much distribution, such an installation is found only in single models of spotlights.

—...Track (guided). A specific type of luminaires designed for installation on a special conductive bus (track). The device can be moved along this rail like on rails, which allows you to choose its optimal location. In addition, track models traditionally have a movable design: the lamp can be rotated relative to the base fixed in the tyre, choosing the optimal direction of the light flux. The tyres themselves can have different lengths, if necessary, they can be connected to each other (straight or at an angle). All this gives a very wide range of options for setting up the lighting system. Track lights are popular primarily in retail spaces: they make it easy to highlight the right products or showcases and are easily reconfigured when changing the layout of the room.

— Console (on a pole). Models of LED lamps for providing street lighting. Such devices are installed along roads, in parking lots, gas stations, parks and other areas that need lighting. The main criterion for such lamps is a rectangular elongated body with several LEDs and installation on a lamppost.

— Embedded in the floor. Luminaires mounted in a niche in the floor; can also be installed in the vertical part of the step, highlighting the lower step. Also included are soil models designed for digging into the ground. Anyway, the methods of using such devices can be different, depending on the design and power: for example, some are suitable for illuminating high walls at night, others are designed to illuminate stairs, and others are more likely to designate a certain area on the ground ( garden path borders, parking spaces, etc.). In addition to the application possibilities that are not available for more traditional models, another advantage of recessed luminaires is that they practically do not protrude above the surface in which they are mounted (except for a few millimetres). Glasses in such models are usually made strong enough so that you can safely walk on them, and for many devices more solid strength characteristics are also claimed.

— Built into the wall. Luminaires designed for installation in a wall niche. Unlike models built into the floor (see above), they often have a more traditional application: in fact, they are an analogue of wall lamps, only they are installed not on the wall, but in it, practically without protruding. However, there are solutions for specific tasks — for example, side lighting of stairs. Anyway, compactness is the main advantage of recessed solutions, they are especially useful in cramped conditions, when a luminaire protruding from the wall can create inconvenience. On the other hand, the installation itself is noticeably more complicated due to the need to prepare a niche in the wall.

— Standing separately. Luminaires that can be installed on any suitable surface and are not dependent on walls, ceilings, etc. Note that the specific installation method may vary: some models are able to stand normally on any flat surface, others have a leg immersed in soft ground. This installation method can be found in any type of fixture (see above), however, in garden bollards and lampposts, it is used by definition.

The light source that is normally used in the lamp, in other words, the type of lamp for which it is designed. Many models are standardly equipped with appropriate light sources (in the case of LED, this is generally required, as well as for models with smart lamps).

— Incandescent lamp. The traditional incandescent lamp is a sealed flask with an inert gas, which contains a thin spiral of refractory alloy, which glows during operation. Such lamps are inexpensive and unpretentious, but are considered obsolete and are gradually being replaced by more advanced light sources — halogen, fluorescent (they are also “daylight” and “energy-saving”) and light-emitting diode (LED). Therefore, in this case, we do not mean those lamps that are designed only for incandescent lamps, but universal models that can use any light source that is suitable in size, type of base and operating voltage. Features of halogen and LED lamps are described below; as for luminescent ones, they really have very low power consumption with good brightness. However the efficiency of such lamps is lower than that of LEDs, they are incompatible with dimmers and some other specific functions, and they are also environmentally unsafe, because mercury vapor is often used. However, "energy-saving" models are cheaper than LED ones.

— Halogen lamp. An improv...ed and modified modification of the incandescent lamps described above: the gas in the bulb contains bromine or iodine vapor, which prevent molecules from evaporating from the surface of the incandescent filament (more precisely, they “return back” the escaped molecules). Due to this, halogen lamps, having the same pleasant glow spectrum, work much longer, and in general are somewhat more efficient. Another advantage of this technology is the ability to create small and at the same time bright light sources. From the point of view of the principle of operation, such lamps and conventional incandescent lamps are quite interchangeable. However, "halogen lamps" can be equipped with specific types of socles that are used only for this type of lamp; and some manufacturers initially complete their lamps with halogen light sources and directly declare this as one of the features. This category includes models that belong to one of these two categories.

— LED. Light sources based on light-emitting diodes (LED). This option is considered the most advanced today, primarily because, with miniature sizes, LEDs have an extremely high efficiency — 8-12 times higher than incandescent lamps. For example, the LED analogue of a 40-watt lamp will consume about 5 watts, a 100-watt lamp will consume about 9 watts. This allows you to create bright and at the same time economical light sources. However, LED lights are very expensive. Also note that LED blocks are often made non-removable and change only when the lamp is disassembled. And even in those models that use replaceable LED lamps with standard sockets, such lamps can only be changed to other LED (at best, also fluorescent) light sources. This is due to the fact that incandescent lamps (including halogen ones) have a higher power consumption and get very hot during operation; The LED lamp is not designed for either.

— Smart bulb. The light source is a smart bulb. Smart illuminators allow you to fine-tune the operating parameters at a fairly fine level. So, depending on the type, a smart bulb allows you to adjust: colour shade, brightness, on and off time. Among smart bulbs, there are many models with a built-in battery. The very operation of a smart light bulb can be controlled using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC, for which the user will have to install special software. Interaction with the illuminator is most often implemented through the built-in Wi-Fi module.

The number of light sources can be characterized both by seats for lamps and directly by LED modules.

In modern fixtures, both one and several lamps can be used. The latter is often found in models that require greater brightness and range of illumination, in particular, street lamps. However, even in low-power lamps it is often more convenient to use not one lamp for all the necessary power, but many weaker light sources: they are more compact, they are easier to find on the market, and if one lamp fails, the lamp, usually, remains operational (even if only partially). However, there are other reasons for using several lamps — for example, 2 lamps, 3 lamps or more are used for lighting in different directions.

For LED devices, the presence of a second module does not imply a second LED (since there may even be several dozen of them), but an additional glow source, which can be visually framed separately, and in operation it is clearly visible that there are two light sources.

The highest power of the light source (lamp) with which the luminaire can operate normally. For models that do not use replaceable lamps (usually LED, see "Light source"), this item indicates the nominal power of the light source; for devices with several lamps or LEDs — the total maximum power (for example, for three 60 W bulbs this figure will be 180 W).

This limitation is due to the fact that more powerful lamps emit more heat (with the exception of LED, where heat generation is minimal) and consume more electricity; this puts forward the corresponding requirements for the heat resistance of the luminaire body and the reliability of the wiring. Therefore, recommendations for power cannot be exceeded — this can lead to failure and even fire of the lamp.

In general, the higher the maximum power, the brighter the lamp will be and the higher its power consumption. However, only models with the same type, in extreme cases, similar light sources, can be compared according to this indicator (see above). In addition, it is worth considering other design features — in particular, the angle of illumination (narrowly directional models usually use reflectors that increase the apparent brightness of light compared to non-directional ones).

The luminous flux, nominally given out by the lamp (in models with replaceable bulbs — when using lamps of maximum power).

The higher the value of the light flux, the brighter the glow will be, the farther the lamp will turn out and the easier it will be for it to cover a vast space (at the same lighting angles). However, the number of lumens is a rather specific parameter and is rarely required in fact, mainly for special purposes. It is easier for many to evaluate the capabilities of a lamp using special tables in which the luminous flux is related to the overall brightness of light, lighting range, etc. Here is one of the simplest tables — luminous flux values for the most popular incandescent lamps:

— a 40 W lamp produces approximately 370 lm;
— 60 W — 550 lm;
— 75 W — 800 lm;
— 100 W — 1200 lm;
— 150 W — 1900 lm;
— 200 W — 2700 lm.

That is, for example, if an LED lamp produces 1800 lumens, its capabilities approximately correspond to a 150-watt light bulb. In everyday life, it is often easier to evaluate the brightness of fixtures in this way.

Note that the principle “the more the better” in the case of brightness is not always applicable. And the point here is not only in energy consumption: too bright light can be uncomfortable, and even harmful to the eyes.

The power supply voltage used to power the spotlight or lamp.

Most of the lighting equipment is powered by a standard 230 V household power supply. There are also spotlights designed for lower voltage: 3.7 V, 12 V, 24 V. Low-voltage built-in spotlights are placed in furniture, walls, on the ceiling, in the floor or in the ground (decorative products ). To power electric lamps in high risk areas and in especially dangerous areas, a voltage of not more than 50 V is allowed, and if there is a possibility of electric shock, not more than 12 V. Wiring for low supply voltage circuits is less demanding in relation to deploying 230 V circuits .

The main material used in the construction of the lamp.

— Plastic. A relatively inexpensive material that is easy to process and can take on any colour and shape — including translucent and transparent shades, as well as complex objects (for example, garden sculptures — see "Style"). In addition, the advantages of plastic are low weight and insensitivity to moisture. On the other hand, this material is less durable than metal, scratches easily, is not very resistant to ultraviolet radiation, temperature extremes and weather disasters in general, and as a result, is not very durable. Thus, plastic is relatively rare — mainly in inexpensive fixtures, many of which are more likely to be used indoors and in other simple conditions. Note that models made of this material can be an imitation of more expensive metal lamps, often of quite high quality.

— Metal. The name "metal" is quite general, it can mean different metals and their alloys, differing in appearance, weight, strength, etc. However, all metal products have a fairly high reliability and durability; theoretically, this material can be sensitive to corrosion, but in fact this moment is compensated either by water-resistant alloys or by the use of special coatings. Metal housings are used everywhere, but they are most popular, perhaps, in classic style lamps (see above).

— Aluminium. Cases made of aluminium (more precisely, from aluminium alloys) are distinguished from all other metal pr...oducts due to a number of specific features. In particular, this material combines lightness with high strength and absolute resistance to corrosion. In addition, due to its characteristic appearance, it is well suited for high-tech cases (see above), although this, of course, is not limited to this. Among the disadvantages of aluminium, one can note a rather high cost compared to most other metals used in lamps.

— Glass. The glass body gives the lamp a very original appearance; in addition, by appropriately selecting the transparency, colour and shape of the glass, you can achieve various lighting effects. Actually, most of these models are specifically designed and are used not only as lamps, but also as a characteristic detail of a rich interior. Accordingly, such solutions are not cheap. Note that glass is considered to be a rather fragile material, but in this case it is often different: many glass lamps are designed to be built into the floor (see "Installation") and are made of special high-strength glass that can withstand very solid loads.