Kelvin Colour Temperature Explained

Posted on 19th September 201916th May 2023 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 16th May 2023

Colour temperature is a relatively new consideration in household lighting. Forty years ago, a bulb was just a bulb. The amount of watts was the only real decision to be made when replacing bulbs.

Modern lighting, however, has brought more choice with it. The colour temperature scale is a way of measuring all types of lighting technology, both old and new.

Colour Temperature Theory

During the 19th Century, British physician William Thompson (Lord Kelvin) devised the Kelvin temperature scale. During his research he heated a block of carbon, which began to glow red, then yellow, and finally produced a bright blue-white light.

The path of these changing colours is the essence of the Kelvin scale because each colour occurs at a specific temperature. For example, the filament of an incandescent or halogen bulb produces a yellow light at a temperature of 2700 kelvin (2700 K).
The one thing to remember is that a higher kelvin colour temperature equals to a cooler bluer looking light. Lower colour temperatures mean a warmer light.

Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT)

In an incandescent or halogen light bulb, kelvin temperature describes both the colour of the light and the actual temperature of the filament. Because LED’s and fluorescents do not use heat to create light, their colour temperature is estimated in relation to the colour of the light. This is called ‘correlated colour temperature’ (CCT).

OUTSIDE THE HOME

Many people choose a welcoming warm white light for their home exterior. Our exclusive Edit Pimlico LED Outdoor Wall Light emits a 3000K light and looks fantastic by the front door.

For home protection, the 5000K cool white Lutec Draco 17.5W LED Smart Floodlight delivers a crisp, bright light, giving it extra impact as a security light.

HALLWAYS

A warm and welcoming light is ideal for the hallway. This is also a common place to find pictures and paintings. A warm-light fitting such as the 3000K Slimline Battery Operated LED Picture Light will emphasise the reds in a picture. However, the cooler 4000K Edit Graph 59 LED Picture Light will complement bluer tones.

KITCHENS

Cooler lights are a good choice for the kitchen as they promote alertness.
Under-cabinet lights such as the Eterna Economy 8W Cool White LED T5 Linkable Strip Lights are a fine choice for the work surfaces. This fitting is a connectable strip light and can be extended with multiple fittings, making it ideal for long worktops.

BATHROOMS

Bathroom lights are more commonly cool white to increase alertness and give your room a cleaner feel, however some people still prefer warm lights as they are more suited to bathroom relaxation.

The Integral Evofire Fire Rated Cool White Downlight is available in cool options, and can be dimmed for perfect mood lighting.

BEDROOMS

In the bedroom, a cosy warm white light is usually desirable. Reading lights are popular bedroom fittings, usually with a warm white bulb. The Carrie Reading Light is compatible with warm white bulbs, and we recommend the Envirolight Dimmable LED to offer a long lifespan and years of maintenance-free use.

LIVING ROOMS

In a living room or dining room you’ll usually want a warm, relaxing quality of light – and often dimmable is a requirement for our customers. The Edit Omera Velvet Lamp Shade is a stunning, warm lighting solution, combined with a unique base and greatly complemented by a warm white bulb.

If you are looking for more great information? Try our Lighting Ideas section.

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Andrew is an experienced buying professional who takes an entrepreneurial approach to identify new lighting solutions and ensure Lyco have first-to-market ranges for our customers. Having previously worked for well known brands such as Wickes, Carphone Warehouse and Toys R Us, Andrew has now turned his hand to sourcing commercial lighting and ensure our customers receive top brand quality products at marketing leading prices. He manages a team of commercial and decorative buyers who travel the world finding new products that our customers don’t even know they need yet.

Driveway Lights – Lighting Your Way Home

Posted on 10th September 201919th October 2022 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 19th October 2022

Lighting your driveway adds an extra layer of safety and security to your home.

If you’re returning home late at night, driveway lights can guide you and your car safely into position without scraping paintwork or damaging fences, garden furniture, or walls.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing lights for your driveway. The style of lighting you want and the type of installation required is fundamental.

Installing your driveway lights

Low voltage lighting

One of the chief advantages of low voltage outdoor lighting is that it can be safely installed without electrical expertise. This is a good option for anyone willing or able to partake in a little DIY.

Regular electrical current

You can run electricity from your house out to the driveway, but you’ll need a qualified electrician to carry out the installation. Outdoor mains cables have to be buried in a deep trench (deeper in unpaved areas) to avoid potentially fatal accidents.

Choosing the perfect driveway lighting

Ground lights

When it comes to lighting a driveway, most people tend to opt for ground lights. They’re a popular choice because they give the driveway a modern look, are unobtrusive and relatively easy to install. Ground lights are generally sold individually and come in a range of colours and shapes, so you can get creative and add character to your driveway.

Many ground lights can withstand the weight of cars driving over them. This will always be specified by Lighting Direct, so you can be sure of buying the right product. The drive-over Adelpha Ground Light has a recessed design that allows a perfectly flush, discreet installation. With a tough polycarbonate diffuser this light is built to withstand up to 2,000 kg weight.

If you don’t intend to be driving over the lights, ground lights can still be used to highlight the boundary of your driveway, install them along the perimeter of your drive and make it easier for you to park well within them. Lighting Direct offer the great value Edit Monday ground light and the Edit Mark LED ground light. These dust-tight, submersible fittings use LEDs for extremely low energy consumption and long life.

If you live within 10 miles of the coast, it’s important to find ground lights that are coastal resistant that won’t damage easily due to the high salt levels. The Faro Barcelona ground light is a domed matt nickel finish ground light that is suitable as a drive over light and is IP67 rated.

Driveway post lights

Post lights are useful for marking out your driveway perimeter, making it easy to manoeuvre your car in and out of position when light is low. They never become covered in snow or leaf debris like ground-installed lighting.

You can space post lights out along your driveway as you see fit (you might want to do this asymmetrically with a long drive—avoiding the runway effect), and even blend them into your rockery or garden features.

Whether you’re seeking traditional or contemporary lighting for your driveway, Lighting Direct has a vast range of post lights with different designs, heights and finishes. The Lucide Fedor Outdoor Bollard Light provides a contemporary lighting solution, with a satin chrome finish and stylish decorative filament bulb to guide you and your vehicle to a safe standstill.

The Edit Birch LED Outdoor Garden Post Light Kit is everything you need to light up your driveway. It comes with everything you need to get started, plus it is part of our low voltage connectable light range which means (with a little of DIY) you won’t need to pay for an electrician to get you set up.

Need more inspiration? Check out our Lighting Ideas section.

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Where Next?

IP Ratings Explained

Posted on 8th September 201915th April 2021 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 15th April 2021

When shopping for outdoor or bathroom lighting, you will most probably have been confronted by a mysterious IP code that is followed by two numbers. This code was designed to provide us non-experts with an easy to understand description of how well-protected a light fitting is.

For those of you who don’t have an encyclopaedic knowledge of International, European, and British Standard codes here is a helpful guide to what they mean and examples of how a product and a situation match up with an IP code.

IP Broken Down

What does the code actually mean? Well, each part of the code is designed to give you information and help you decide if the fitting you are looking at is suitable for where you want to put it.

Firstly – IP

The IP in the code is short for Ingress Protection – as in how well protected a fitting is.

Digit 1 – Solids

The first digit tells you how well protected a fitting is against solids – such as dust, and other objects. The higher the number the more protected it is. On occasion you may find the digit represented by an X. This means the value has not been determined, usually because the product hasn’t been tested for protection against solid objects. For full details check out Table 1 below.

Digit 2 – Liquid

The second digit is used to tell you about the level of liquid protection: 0 being not protected and, the highest value of 8 being safe to submerge in more than 1 meter of water. For a full rundown check out Table 2 below.

IP Rating First Digit

Digit 1
Number	Size of object	Protects against
0	—	No protection against contact or entrance by any object
1	>50 mm	Protection against any large surface area of the body but not deliberate tampering or force
2	>12.5 mm	Fingers or similar sized tools and objects
3	>2.5 mm	Thick wires, tools and similar-sized foreign bodies
4	>1 mm	Most wires, screws, etc.
5	Dust protected	Protected against dust – it has to enter in large amounts to interfere with operation. Complete protection against contact
6	Dust tight	Impossible for dust to enter; complete protection against any foreign body
X	Undetermined	Indicates that protection against solid objects is not defined

IP Rating Second Digit

Digit 2
Number	Protects against	Tested for
0	Not protected	—
1	Dripping water	Dripping water – no damaging effect when tested against vertical falling water drops
2	Dripping water when tilted up to 15°	Vertically dripping water has no damaging effect when the light enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its usual position.
3	Spraying water	Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° has no damaging effect
4	Splashing water	Water splashing against light enclosure from any direction has no damaging effect
5	Water jets	Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against light enclosure from any direction shall have no damaging effect
6	Powerful water jets	Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the light enclosure from any direction has no damaging effect
7	Immersion up to 1 m	Water won’t infiltrate even when light enclosure is immersed in water up to 1m in depth
8	Immersion beyond 1 m	The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed but in some cases, certain types of light enclosures can let some water in, but in a way that won’t be detrimental to the function of the light.

Security, Whatever The Weather…

Anybody looking for a security light wants them to be durable and protected against the extremities, whether they are to be situated indoors or outdoors. Mostly designed for outdoor use, some have a higher IP rating than others, which can range from an IP of 44 to 68. The Dan Outdoor Wall Lig ht with PI R Sensor, for instance, is suitable for use in outdoor buildings such as your garage, shed or porch, with an IP Rating of 44. This means it’s safeguarded against foreign bodies 1mm+ thick and against splashing water. If you want your security light placed in a completely unsheltered area, then the 10W Daylight LED Floodlight with PIR Sensor, which is IP65, is just one of the models you could choose. The 6 rating means it is completely dust tight, while the 5 means it’s protected against pressurized water jets from any direction.

Decking Den…

If you are re-designing your garden and building a sheltered decking or patio area for you and your family to relax in, then you need lights that are protected but not at the highest end of the scale. The Techmar Ludeco Walover Lights has an IP Rating of 44, so is protected against small foreign bodies such as stray screws and wires from entering, as well as spraying water. It is hardy and durable and will light up your decking den like a dream.

Follow The Yellow Lit Path…

Our range of outdoor lighting at Lighting Direct varies in IP Rating, so it all depends on what you want it for as to what model you should pick. If you simply want something that makes a statement in terms of style and is rainproof, the Searchlight Stoma Outdoor Lantern Wall Light will definitely do that.

Ultimate Pressure

If you want lights that can withstand ultimate pressure then it’s best to go for models such as the Arigo LED Garden Spotlight or the Robus Garland Walkover Lights. Both have an IP Rating of 68, the highest on the scale, meaning they are completely dust tight and can withstand continuous immersion in water in excess of 1 metre. This makes them ideal for lighting up your garden path or pond or water feature. It is always best however, to check manufacturer’s instructions to ensure your chosen lights are suitable, i.e. placing in a swimming pool.

If you’re still unsure of what IP Rating to go for, you can always get in contact with our experienced sales team who will be able to assist with any queries you have.

Call us: 0345 646 1137
Email us: [email protected]

Otherwise…

Take a look at our full range of bathroom lighting
Take a look at our extensive range of outdoor lights

Looking for inspiration or more guidance? Check out our Lighting Ideas section.

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Month: September 2019

Kelvin Colour Temperature Explained

Colour Temperature Theory