LED Bulb Types

If you're like most business owners or residences, you don't spend your free time studying light bulb types and we would be concerned if you did.  No problem.  We are here to help  guide you with the various bulb types so you can successfully request your LED light quote to see what type of savings you can expect.  Let's go through some of bulb types and names so that we make sure to get the most accurate quote.

First, let's talk about different form factors that light bulbs come into.  LED lights, coming later than incandescent and fluorescents aims to copy the formats already existing so that they can seamlessly fit existing fixtures (for spots and standard lighting).  Replacing fluorescents require a change in fixtures since fluorescents need ballasts while LED's do not.  This requires some labor but the ballasts also require energy aside from the light itself.   We'll save significantly with that elimination for years. 

There are three basic form factors.  There are spots (or spot lights) which direct light in one direction.  There is general lighting which is omni-direction (think of your general light bulb), and there are strips (think of fluorescents).  These are three basic forms that light will take.  Let's go one at a time.  First, Spots.

  Existing spots can come in incandescent, CFL's, or halogens.  Here is a quick chart to help you understand the light form factor.  Below is a chart with standard formats. 

First take a look at the bulb shape.  You can then look at the end to see if its a screw in type or prong interface.  These are the standard spot and general lighting bulb types that you will use when requesting your quote.  Let's try to decipher some of the nomenclature.  PAR is very common and it refers to the diameter of the bulb.  For example, PAR 30 would have a 3  3/4 diameter bulb.  To figure out the diameter, divide the number next to the PAR by eight. 

Now let's look at fluorescent strips.   CFL's or Compact Fluorescent Lights will generally fall in the above form factors as they're are replacements for incandescents as well...just not nearly as cost effective as LED's and with a considerable downside in the form of toxic by-products.