How do I choose the right smart light bulb?
Nowadays many people are trying to make their homes smart. No wonder you pay special attention to smart light bulbs when designing your home smart. You can remotely control the light in your smart home using your voice. You can operate smart light bulb in the rooms of the house as you wish, whether you are away or at home. That is, you can activate, deactivate, or control the light.
Let’s not associate this with laziness. The best use of smart bulbs is security. Smart light bulbs allow people to think that you are staying at home even when you are not at home.
You can set up smart light bulbs in your home that work according to a schedule. Also, many smart light bulbs have a wide spectrum. So you can change the color of these smart light bulbs as you want.
We will now find out what are the best smart light bulbs to set up in your home.
Check your smart bulb base size and bulb shape
Concerning the shapes of smart light bulbs, many people think of them as a traditional light bulb with an inverted pear shape. This type of bulb has been around for a long time and is a well-known and widely used bulb shape today. But like everything else, the smart light bulb has been modernized.
Today you can install these smart bulbs in your home to suit your needs depending on the shape, size, and type of base. For example, a light bulb for a light bulb mounted near your bed and a light bulb for your living room will get your full number.
The “Light Bulb Code” is used to distinguish smart light bulbs. The code starts with a letter or a few letters. These letters are used to indicate special features such as shape and type of reflector.
Below are some of the most commonly used smart light bulbs to illuminate your home.
(The numbers in each code represent the diameter of the bulb in eighths of an inch.)
- The A Group: The form of a typical domestic incandescent light bulb.
This bulb is a type of smart light bulb that is widely used indoors for many other applications such as ceiling lights, lamps, vanity lights, kitchen lights, cupboards, and living room fixtures.
2. The B & C Group: Bullet tip & Candle
Category C bulbs are conical and CA bulbs are conical angular bulbs with a conical bent tip. B or Blunt-tip bulbs are similar to C but have a torpedo or bullet shape. These bulbs can be used for decorative home lighting applications.
3. The BR Group: Short reflector
The abbreviation BR stands for a bulged reflector. An incandescent BR bulb’s internal surface is traditionally covered in reflector material, which is intended to gather and cast a wide beam of light away from the bulb. The reflector material is not required for LED BR bulbs. The dome-shaped lens of these bulbs can be frosted, transparent, or patterned, and it diffuses light and provides a progressive fade into non-illuminated areas. When compared to PAR lights, BR bulbs cast fewer shadows. They’re a little longer than PAR bulbs and tend to protrude from light housings, but they’re employed in the same applications like track lights, recessed lights, display lights, and can lights.
4. The G Group: Globe bulb
The G30 bulb is most commonly used in the living room, kitchen, and decorative fixtures.
5. The PAR Group: Parabolic Aluminized Reflector
The term PAR refers to a parabolic aluminized reflector. And, A U-shaped reflector is used in traditional incandescent PAR bulbs to maximize brightness and direct light through the front of the bulb in a narrow spot beam or wide flood beam pattern. LED PAR bulbs often do not have a reflector, but they still provide the hard-edged lighting (less gradual fade than BR bulbs) that incandescent PAR bulbs are known for. These bulbs have a shorter body than BR lights and are typically installed flush with the ceiling or fixture, reducing glare. They’re often employed in outdoor emergency lights, spotlights, and floodlight fixtures, but they can also be utilized indoors in track lights, recessed lights, display lights, and can lights.
6. The MR Group: Quartz Reflector Lamp
Multifaceted reflector (MR) bulbs have a reflecting, faceted interior and are modest in size. The facets produce a focused beam of light that can be used in a narrow spot or a broad flood beam pattern. MR LED bulbs do not require facets because of the directional light they provide, but they are frequently present. These bulbs come in several colors and can be used for track lighting, recessed lighting, desk lights, and showcase lighting, among other things. Many MR bulbs work with low-voltage wiring systems, making them ideal for outdoor and landscape applications like path lights, gazebo lights, and weatherproof driveway lights.
7. The T Group: Tubular
Tubular (T) bulbs vary in length and width and can be used for a variety of applications such as lanterns, wall sconces, and pendant lights.
Determine much light you need
How much light is enough?
The question itself can be challenging, and it can be even more complicated how much-LED light must be calculated to create a well-lit space. The following steps will help you to illuminate a place.
- Determine the size of your room by measuring the length and width.
The amount of light your room requires is determined by its size. The square footage is calculated by multiplying the room’s length by its breadth. For instance, if the length of your room is 5 meters and the breadth is 6 meters, your room has a total area of 30 meters. - Be aware of the room’s purpose.
Different rooms are used for various reasons. As a result, the amount of light required varies depending on the type of room. A library, for example, requires more light than a sitting area for watching television. For various room lighting applications, the following are approximate light quality ranges using foot candles: In the Living Room (10-20)
the kitchen (30-40)
Room to eat (30-40)
a room (10-20)
a corridor (5-10)
In the bathroom (70-80) - Calculate the number of lumens you’ll need to light your room.
The amount of light output per second by a light source is measured in lumens. It is calculated by multiplying the square footage of your room by the number of foot-candles required. You’ll need between 30 x 70 and 80 x 70 lumens for a dining area that’s 70 square feet and has a foot-candle range of 30-40. - Obtain a fixture and bulb that produce the desired number of lumens.
Now you must choose the type of light source to achieve the calculated lumens. It is recommended that you carefully select the bulb you will use and take note of its lumen count. The number of lumens a bulb produces is determined by the type of bulb and the manufacturer. As a result, double-check that the lumen count corresponds to the overall goal. Furthermore, the fixtures must be taken into consideration. Ascertain that the fixture is capable of achieving the desired outcome.
Select the right color for your smart light bulb
Color of light has a great influence on the overall look and feel of the living room, kitchen, or living room. Some colors have the effect of completely changing the dynamics of the room. The following video will help you avoid the hassle of choosing the right smart LED bulb.
Find out if you need to dim your smart light
However, not all Smart LED Bulbs can be dimmed. This means that you need to identify your needs before choosing the lights you want. The following tips will help you choose an LED bulb that will make the bulb dimmable or not and which LED bulb to choose.
First, you need to decide if you want dimmable LED bulbs.
You will use the rooms in your house for various purposes. For example, your kitchen is used for cooking, eating, and office work. You need less light to cook or eat in the evening, but you need bright light to work on office files.
There are a few things you need to confirm to make sure the Smart LED bulb you buy is dimmable or not. That is,
- When you buy a smart LED bulb, read the product introduction carefully and confirm whether the bulb is a dimmable bulb or not. If it is not dimmable, you can damage the bulb by going to dimmable it, which will shorten the life of the bulb. The following symbol is commonly used for dimmable LED bulbs, but there is still no specific universal symbol.
- Is your smart dimmer LED compatible? You’ll almost certainly have a leading-edge dimmer if you’re replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs. If it’s an older dimmer, it was probably made for higher-wattage lights and won’t operate with low-wattage LEDs. In these circumstances, you’ll need to choose a different dimmer.
Find out if your smart light bulb will be used in an enclosed fixture or recessed can
Enclosed light fixtures are very stylish and are in many smart homes around the world. You can see incandescent light bulbs and other types of bulbs inside of an enclosed light fixture, but can an LED light bulb be placed inside of one of these light fixtures? An enclosed light fixture can be defined as one that does not have an opening for air between the light bulb and the outside air. And, The bulb is completely covered and unable to be seen inside the fixture. The truth is simple, but many factors are contributing to the answer to this question. While most LED lights are not suitable for use in confined places, some are. These sophisticated LED lights feature parts that have been meticulously created to keep you safe from flames and other dangers. That is,
- LED Heat Production
- LED Light Production
And,
Recessed lights, also known as downlights or can lights, are ceiling light fixtures that are fitted for a modern look. These fixtures would look wonderful in an office, corridor, restroom, restaurant, school, or hotel, to name a few places.
Because of the way they’re set up, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the proper light bulb for the right color temperature, beam angle, and brightness.
Recessed ceiling lights are not only adaptable, but they may also provide a variety of lighting options, including general, task, and accent lighting. There are a few factors to consider when choosing the correct light bulb for your recessed lights:
- Shape
- Size
- Base
Choose the right type of smart light bulb
Before you go out and buy a bulb, think about what your space will be used for, how you want it to look, and the mood you want to create.
Consider whether you require strong lighting in kitchens, offices, or studios. Alternatively, you may want to create a more casual atmosphere in your homes, such as your living room or bedroom. If you have a multi-functional space, what color lighting should you choose? It will be much easier for you to make decisions if you have a clear notion of what you desire.
Rather than providing function illumination, these bulbs are frequently employed to create a mood. Every room becomes exceptionally snug and warm as a result of them. Their yellow/orange light distinguishes them.
Instead of utilizing this color as an accent light, consider using it as an extra light that you can turn on when you want to set the mood. We adore how they appear on side tables in living areas and bedrooms.
- 2700 Kelvin – Warm white
Warm white lights retain their pleasant, warm appearance. Their glow, on the other hand, is a little clearer, radiating a white-yellow rather than an orange-yellow. - These bulbs work well as accent lighting in living rooms and bedrooms. They’re also fantastic as bar lighting. It’s not too harsh on the eyes and gives off a warm, inviting vibe.
4000 Kelvin – Natural white
- Natural white, as you might expect, gets its name from its resemblance to natural daylight.
- It’s a bright, clear glow with a tinge of warmth to it.
- These are ideal for places that demand a bit more clarity but are also visually appealing.
- These are ideal for use in dining areas, offices, libraries, and bathrooms.
- Cool white is the absolute final option – the brightest LED bulb without any warmth.
- Instead of a yellow tint, these feature a blue tint.
- Hospitals, mirror lights, and dentist lighting are some of the best instances of these being employed.
- They’re for places where absolute clarity is required. The majority of individuals opt for cool white office lighting or cool white LED bulbs over their kitchen counters.
- Using too many cold white lights can make your eyes hurt.
- So hope this has given you a better understanding of Smart LED Bulbs.
