LED street floodlights

LED street floodlights are not yet the most widespread type of lighting equipment, but their demand is constantly growing. It is necessary to carefully study the diode narrow-beam models for street lighting and other structures. Only then it will become clear how to choose a powerful LED floodlight for a particular case.

Street lighting is very important. And the outdoor LED floodlight is a good choice, even when compared to the time-tested incandescent systems. The main argument in their favor is their excellent technical parameters and a long service life. High-quality products of the modern level are mechanically strong and reliable enough even when used in harsh weather conditions.

The technology for the production of LEDs has already been worked out to the smallest detail. They performed equally well in indoor and outdoor areas, in the illumination of vast areas and building facades. Such lamps are much safer than conventional bulbs in terms of the risk of fire. In terms of environmental parameters, they are also not bad. Other advantages include:

• ease of installation;
• lightness of the device;
• no need for special care and maintenance;
• suitability for installation at any convenient point - even where other lighting devices cannot be used;
• relatively high luminous power (despite the economical current consumption);
• a wide variety of versions that are easy to select according to technical and design parameters.

The LED floodlight can be used for summer cottages. There, intensive illumination of individual parts of the territory is sometimes needed no less than in construction or modern industry. The use of such devices for illuminating trees allows not only to dispel the darkness in the gardens, but also to improve the appearance of plantings at night, to give a romantic effect. Also, floodlights of various powers can be used to illuminate the territory:

• construction sites;
• restored and renovated buildings;
• open parking lots;
• stadiums and sports complexes;
• parks and squares;
• city ​​courtyards;
• garage cooperatives;
• household yards;
• transport hubs;
• stops.

Diode lighting devices can be made from:

• aluminum;
• copper;
• polymeric materials (most often polyamide is used);
• of stainless steel.

Quite often, a narrowly directed color LED-spotlight, including a wall-mounted one (as it is also called, "parabocylindrical"), is used. This device allows you to clearly control the contours of the relief. The beams are directed at sharp angles over very long distances.

Rounded (parabolic) floodlight systems, complemented by reflectors, also play an important role. They cast a thin or narrow stream of light, suitable for autonomous saturated backlighting.

Simple paraboloid and cylindrical systems for street lighting are also in demand. The cylindrical reflector guarantees a fine optical flow in both the transverse and longitudinal planes.An improved version of the previous type of luminaires is a flood device, in which the required optical effect is achieved by perforating the reflector.

To determine how powerful a lighting device is needed, there is no particular need for:

• calculation of optical flows;
• determining the angles at which the light falls;
• analysis of the interior.

Such trigonometric exercises are very exhausting and, moreover, ineffective - it is impossible to take into account all possible circumstances. Energy saving devices with 12 volt warm light give out 80 lumens per 1 watt. In the case of cold light, this figure is 100 lumens. Therefore, 500 watts of cold flood power corresponds to 630 watts of warm lighting.

So, for example, for architectural lighting, 150, 200, 250, 300 or 400 W are quite enough - depending on the specific situation. To illuminate stadiums and other large open areas, 1000 W floodlights must be used. In some situations, it is advisable to use a 5, 10 or 15 W floodlight. Also, in some cases, in the local area and in other places, lamps can be used on:

• 20;
• 24;
• 40;
• 60;
• 70 watts

LED street floodlights are produced by a large number of companies from different countries. The rating of the best Russian-made products consistently includes the products of the Galad association. This brand is known in all CIS countries. It stands out for its decent positions both in production and in sales. The production lines are certified to the latest international standards.

Innovative premium-class lamps are also made in Russia. They are produced, for example, by Inti LED. Also noteworthy:

• ASTZ;
• "Lighting Technologies";
• "Amira";
• "New World".

A significant number of manufactured products testifies in favor of Novy Svet. Products from ASTZ have been familiar to domestic consumers for over 50 years. Now they are produced using the most modern production technologies. "Lighting Technologies" stands out for its affordable prices and decent product characteristics.

Of course, you can purchase LED street lights and foreign production. Vivo Luce has a very good reputation for a long time - a brand with production facilities in Italy, Russia and China. The corporate policy is aimed at introducing the newest and most relevant technologies. The engineering level of the Vivo Luce is quite decent. The assortment is another strong point of this concern.

You should definitely take a closer look at the proposals of the Rosa company. The Polish company is one of the leaders in Europe. Consumers consistently note that products meet the latest standards. There are no problems with reliability either. In addition to the lighting fixtures themselves, Rosa sells brackets and supports.

As an alternative to all of the listed options, it is worth considering:

• Halla Lightning;
• Fagerhult;
• SLV;
• Traddel;
• Osram.

But judging street lights by brand alone is ill-advised. It is necessary to pay attention to other important circumstances. Of course, in any case, you need to choose a waterproof lighting device for the street. The power is chosen taking into account the emerging need - and they do not forget at all that it should not be confused with the brightness of the glow. Coming back, it is worth emphasizing that moisture protection is an extensible concept, and a specific level must be taken into account.

For use in open areas, it makes no sense to buy devices with protection worse than IP23. Otherwise, not only precipitation, but also ordinary dust will cause a lot of inconvenience and problems.The IP50 level is usually protected from dust, but not from precipitation. IP54 and higher degrees of protection allow lighting equipment to be used even in extreme humidity conditions. IP67 / 68, however, are already clearly excessive - this level is really justified only with regular immersion in water.

The light spectrum plays an important role. Warm white light is more pleasant than neutral and even more "cold", but not always appropriate. It is necessary to take into account both your tastes and the characteristics of the served area, its optical characteristics. The power of the matrix determines the distance that the surrounding area can be illuminated.

The fall in illumination occurs exponentially. Therefore, the area of ​​illumination does not change in proportion to changes in power. To perform precise work (for example, making or reviewing notes, connecting small parts), an illumination level of 100 lux per 1 m is required.Technical lighting (for irrigating beds, driving in or out of a car, loading and unloading) is 75 lux per 1 m. If you just need to walk calmly in the dark, without stumbling or crashing, you can limit yourself to the level of 10-15 lux.

LED devices can be equipped with different matrices. Classic high-brightness diodes are comparatively cheap. But the more such elements, the higher the scatter of parameters. When individual parts break, the workload of other parts increases. Cluster models contain super-bright LEDs with roughly similar parameters, give a powerful and uniform luminous flux.

Searchlights of several hundred companies are sold in Russia. But it is advisable to trust primarily the products of the most famous suppliers. Chinese products are relatively good, but their characteristics are somewhat overestimated in the descriptions. The combination of a stainless steel body and an aluminum reflector is not suitable for outdoor use.

It is very important to look at the radiator of the spotlight. The larger it is, the better the heat dissipation will be and the longer a particular device will last. Protection against water and dust should be as good as possible. The backlighting of the front porch is provided by 30W floodlights. The yard near the house or shed is illuminated using systems with a power of 50 W or more.

It should be understood that economical lights will still consume quite a lot of current. It is advisable to use devices equipped with motion sensors in summer cottages. Firing only when needed, they will conserve energy when they are not needed. Where power supply is absent or unstable, battery models should be used. But then you need to choose the most capacious and reliable devices.

The shape of the luminaire plays an important role. Round models allow you to illuminate certain areas in a targeted manner. But the square versions, due to diffused light, will illuminate a large space. If the backlight is designed to maintain optimal performance, bright, cool white light is preferred.

Qualified experts advise not to connect LED floodlights yourself. This threatens the appearance of serious problems and even equipment failure. If you nevertheless decide to do everything yourself, you should only work with dry hands. This requirement is equally relevant when connected to 220 and 12 V networks. Whenever possible, during installation, a maximum of work should be performed in a disconnected state.

Be sure to measure the voltage. Deviations from the permissible values ​​cannot exceed 5% in the norm. The searchlight should not be close to low-power electrical equipment.The selection of the installation point is made taking into account which area needs to be covered with light. It is extremely useful to prepare diagrams or sketches.

If there are no power sources nearby, you will have to pull additional wiring. The brackets should be fixed as securely as possible; smooth surfaces are chosen for them. The mounting height is determined by both convenience and the required area. Small floodlights are placed at a height of no more than 16 m. The tilt angle is immediately determined as carefully as possible.

Sometimes the instructions ignore the topic of spotlight polarity. In this case, it can be ignored. For connection it is necessary to use flexible conductors designed to operate at temperatures up to 160 degrees. The instruction also says if grounding is required. However, it is still better not to be lazy and ground the floodlight.

If the device is designed for direct current 24 V, then it must be connected through a household or industrial rectifier. Do not install a floodlight if its body is mechanically deformed. If the lamp has already been installed before, then all the wires from it must be thrown away - they cannot be used. The wires are connected according to the wiring diagram. The box is tightened using bolts or special latches.

When installing a spotlight supplemented with a motion sensor, it is necessary to work in a slightly different way. In this case, a triple terminal block is provided by default. The body is equipped with a special type of holes through which the wires are driven. Sealed openings are often fitted with rubber seals with nuts.