Lighting questions, answered
What is the difference between lumens and watts?+
Lumens measure how much light a fitting gives out; watts measure how much electricity it uses. Compare LED fittings by lumens, and by lumens per watt (efficacy) for energy use.
Which colour temperature should I choose?+
2700K–3000K gives a warm light for homes, hotels and restaurants. 4000K is a neutral white for offices, schools and retail. 5000K–6500K is a cool white used mainly in industrial and outdoor areas.
What does CRI mean?+
The Colour Rendering Index shows how naturally colours look under a light, on a scale up to 100. Our standard is CRI >90, which suits retail, hospitality and any space where colour matters.
What is UGR and why does it matter?+
Unified Glare Rating measures discomfort glare from indoor lighting. Lower is better: EN 12464-1 recommends UGR 19 or below for offices and classrooms, and our indoor standard is UGR <19.
What does the IP rating mean?+
The first number is protection against dust, the second against water. IP20 is for dry indoor spaces, IP44 for bathrooms and sheltered outdoor areas, IP65 for outdoors in all weather, and IP67–IP68 for inground and underwater use.
Why does the LED chip matter?+
The chip decides efficacy, colour quality and how consistent the light is from one fitting to the next. Good chips hold their colour within a tight tolerance and lose output slowly. The chip used in each product is shown on its data sheet.
Constant current or constant voltage driver — which do I need?+
Constant current drivers (e.g. 350mA, 500mA, 700mA) power LED modules in downlights, spots and floodlights. Constant voltage drivers (12V or 24V) power LED strip. Always match the driver type, output and power rating to the LED load.
Can LED lights be dimmed?+
Yes, with a dimmable driver. DALI suits commercial control systems, 1-10V is common in offices, and phase-cut (trailing edge) dimming works with many existing wall dimmers. The dimming options for each product are listed on its data sheet.
What do L70, L80 and L90 mean?+
They describe LED lifetime. L80 at 50,000 hours means the light still gives at least 80% of its original output after 50,000 hours. A higher L number at the same hours means the output drops more slowly.
Are you a UK manufacturer?+
We design and specify our products from the UK, working to our own technical requirements. We manufacture at our own facility, with partners, to that specification, and every fitting is quality-checked before it reaches you.
Do you supply real photometric files?+
Yes — IES and LDT files are published for our products where available, so what you specify matches what ships.
How do I get a trade account or a quote?+
Get in touch through our contact page with your project details and our team will set you up.
Tell us about the space and what it is used for, and we will come back with the fittings and the photometric files to go with them.