LED Alphabet - From A to Z
Welcome to the LED alphabet! Here we explain all the key terms from the world of LED lighting in plain language. It's as easy as pie!
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Ampere | Ampere is the unit of measurement for electrical current. Think of water flowing through a garden hose: ampere tells you how much water (electricity) flows through it. With LED lighting, this is usually very low because LEDs are energy-efficient. |
| Beam Angle (Beam Angle / Light Angle) | This is the angle at which the light shines from your lamp. A narrow beam angle (for example, 30°) provides a spotlight, perfect for highlighting a painting. A wide beam angle (for example, 120°) illuminates an entire room. See our LED lighting for the living room for different beam angles. |
| Motion sensor | A smart sensor that detects when someone is nearby and automatically turns on the light. Super handy for the garage , garden , or bathroom . Saves energy, and you'll never have to search for the light switch in the dark again! |
| Construction lamp | A sturdy, bright lamp specifically designed for construction sites or DIY projects. Often waterproof and shockproof. LED construction lights are much more energy-efficient than traditional halogen bulbs and don't get hot. |
| COB (Chip on Board) | Many small LED chips close together on a single surface. Produces a beautiful, even light without spots. Increasingly popular! |
| CRI (Color Rendering Index) | The CRI indicates how well you can see colors in this light. A CRI of 100 is perfect, like daylight. A CRI of 80 or higher is good for home use. The higher the CRI, the more lifelike the colors appear. Important for the kitchen and bathroom ! |
| Dimmable | Can you dim or brighten the light? Then it's dimmable! Not all LED bulbs can do this. Always check this before you buy if you want to use a dimmer. Perfect for mood lighting in the living room or bedroom . |
| Downlight | A lamp that sits in the ceiling and shines downward. It provides a beautiful, even light without the bulb itself being visible. Ideal for a sleek, modern look. |
| Driver | The "heart" of an LED bulb. It ensures the LED receives the correct current. A good driver ensures a long lifespan for your bulb. |
| E27 / E14 | These are the screw sockets for light bulbs. E27 is the large socket (like a regular incandescent bulb). E14 is the small socket (like a candle). The "E" stands for Edison, the inventor. |
| Leading Edge | A dimming technique that cuts off the current at the beginning of each wave. Works well with older incandescent and halogen bulbs. Not all LEDs can handle this well; check this for dimmable LEDs! |
| Trailing Edge (Trailing Edge) | A dimming technique where the current is "cut off" at the end of each wave. This is the best way to dim LEDs! It produces less flickering and humming than leading-edge dimmers. Modern dimmers often use this technique. |
| Flux (Luminous flux) | This tells you how much light a lamp emits in total. We measure this in lumens. More lumens = more light! |
| G9 | A small socket with two pins that you push straight into the socket. Often used in decorative lamps and spotlights. |
| GU10 | A type of fitting with two pins that you turn a quarter turn to click into place. Often used for ceiling spotlights . |
| Heatsink (Heat Sink) | LEDs also generate heat. A heatsink is a piece of metal that dissipates heat, ensuring your LED lasts longer. You often see this as ridges on the bulb. |
| Hybrid LED | A lamp that can run on both mains and batteries. Super handy for the construction site or garage! |
| Built-in | A lamp that is recessed into the ceiling, wall, or floor. It provides a sleek, modern look without protruding bulbs. |
| IP value | This number indicates whether your lamp is water and dust resistant. IP20 is for indoor use. IP44 is splash-proof ( bathroom ). IP65 is jet-proof ( garden and construction site ). IP68 is even submersible! |
| Joule | A unit of energy. We don't often use this with LEDs, but it's good to know that LEDs require far fewer joules (energy) than traditional bulbs. |
| Cabinet lighting | Special lighting for inside or under cabinets. Often thin LED strips or small spotlights. Perfect for the kitchen to illuminate your worktop! |
| Kelvin (Color Temperature) | This indicates the color of the light. 2700K is warm white (cozy, orangey, perfect for the living room ). 4000K is neutral white (bright, like in an office ). 6500K is daylight white (cool, bluish). The higher the Kelvin number, the colder/bluer the light. |
| Turn signal | A flashing light to attract attention. Used for warnings, for example, on vehicles or at roadworks. |
| Couplable | Lights that you can connect together. Handy for LED strips or Christmas lights. You only need one outlet! |
| Leading Edge | See Phase angle control. |
| Lifespan | How long an LED lasts? Often 25,000 to 50,000 hours! That's 15-30 years with normal use. That's why many of our LEDs have a 5-year warranty . |
| Light output | How much of the energy is converted into light? LEDs are champions in this regard: up to 90% is converted into light, compared to only 5% with incandescent bulbs! |
| Lumen | The amount of light a lamp produces. An old 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens. A 10-watt LED bulb can do the same! Our LED spotlights produce as much as 70,000 lumens! |
| MR16 | A type of spotlight with a diameter of 16/8 inches (5 cm). Often used with a GU5.3 fitting (two pins). |
| Emergency lighting | Lighting that turns on when the power goes out. These days, they often use LEDs because they last a long time and use little power. View our LED emergency lights . |
| Under-cabinet lighting | Under-cabinet lighting. Perfectly illuminates your countertops and gives them a modern look. Often with LED strips or special LED bars. |
| Warm-up time | How long does it take for the bulb to reach full brightness? LEDs are instantly bright! No waiting like with old energy-saving bulbs. |
| Panel | A flat LED lamp, often square or rectangular. It provides very even light without shadows. Perfect for offices and modern interiors. View our LED panels . |
| PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) | A technique for dimming LEDs. The light turns on and off very quickly (you can't see this). The longer it stays on, the brighter it appears. |
| Quantum Dot | Tiny particles that can enhance the light from LEDs, resulting in even better colors. They are increasingly used in modern LEDs. |
| RGB | Red, green, blue. Color-changing LEDs. By mixing these three colors, you can create almost any color! Great for mood lighting. |
| Switching cycles | How many times can you turn the light on and off? LEDs can do this millions of times. No problem! |
| Spotlight | A very powerful light that illuminates a large area. Used for gardens , construction sites , and sports fields. Our LED floodlights are much more energy-efficient than traditional halogen floodlights. |
| Twilight sensor | A sensor that measures the amount of light. When it gets dark, the light turns on automatically. When it gets light, it turns off. Handy for outdoor lighting! |
| Smart LED | LEDs that you can control with your phone or voice. You can adjust the color, brightness, and timing. Very convenient and fun! |
| SMD (Surface Mounted Device) | Tiny LED chips that sit flat on a printed circuit board. You often see them as small yellow squares in LED strips or lamps. |
| Solar LED | Solar-powered LED lighting. Perfect for the garden ! No power cord required. |
| fluorescent tube | A long, thin lamp. Used to be gas-powered, now also LED. LED fluorescent tubes use 50% less electricity and last three times longer! |
| Trailing Edge | See Phase Cut-off. |
| Transformer | A device that changes the voltage. Some LEDs operate on 12V instead of 230V. In that case, you need a transformer (or driver). |
| UV LED | LEDs that emit ultraviolet light. You can't see them, but they're useful for curing gel nail polish or for special effects. |
| Fan with lighting | A ceiling fan with built-in LED lighting. Cools and brightens your room. View our LED ceiling fans . |
| Volt | The voltage of electricity. In the Netherlands, this is 230V from the socket. Some LEDs operate on 12V or 24V (safer, especially for outdoors). |
| Warm dimming | When you dim the lamp, the light also becomes warmer (more orange), just like an old-fashioned incandescent bulb. Very atmospheric for the living room ! |
| Waterproof | Lights that are waterproof. Always check the IP rating! For outdoor use, you need at least IP65. |
| Watt | How much power a bulb uses. LEDs require much less wattage than traditional bulbs to produce the same amount of light. Therefore, always consider lumens (the amount of light) instead of watts! |
| Xenon white | A very bright, cool white (around 6000K). It resembles the light from xenon headlights in cars. Very clear and fresh! |
| Yield | How many lumens you get per watt. The higher the wattage, the more efficient! Good LEDs achieve 100-150 lumens per watt. |
| Flashlight | A portable, battery-powered flashlight. LED flashlights are much brighter and last much longer than older flashlights. View our LED flashlights . |
| Zoning | Smartly distribute lighting into different zones in your home. For example: task lighting in the kitchen , mood lighting in the living room , and reading light by your chair. View our room-by-room lighting for inspiration! |
| Flashing light | A rotating light to attract attention. Used on vehicles such as ambulances, police vehicles, and roadside assistance. |
Do you have any questions about LED lighting? Feel free to contact us. We're happy to help you choose the perfect lighting for every room in your home, office , garage , or construction site !
