LED Downlight VS LED Spotlight

Downlights and spotlights look similar in appearance, but they are different in many ways. What exactly is the difference between them?

With the use of small, variable-shape LEDs as light sources, downlights and spotlights have evolved into integrated fixtures. Once it becomes a light fixture, it must be considered from both dimensions and light effect.

 

【Dimension】

Downlight: A small light fixture that shines vertically downwards

Spotlight: The directional light fixtures converge to a small area and play an important role in lighting. 

【Light】

When it is no longer excessively pursuing uniform illumination like “a house is full of lights ”, downlights and spotlights have embarked on a “wider stage” from the “previously popular” “rectilinear edge ceilings” to provide home furnishing. The level of texture in the light, the creation of atmosphere, the emphasis on the highlights, the reduction of the details of the quality, and even uniform lighting.

In order to provide these different lighting scenes for life, it is necessary to perform fine control over the light. The luminaire is realized by the property of “beam angle”.

In terms of light, downlights and spotlights do not have obvious boundaries, and they are planned for applications with degrees of beam angle.

Narrow Beam 15°

Flood Beam 37°

Flood Beam 60°

So that in Europe, downlights are now collectively called downlights, which are divided into rotatable downlights (better control of directionality) and fixed downlights. So now, we must keep in mind the concept of beam angles.

How to choose a spotlight with beam angle?

The beam angles of conventional downlights and spotlights are achieved by the refraction of a reflector cup or lens:

Reflector cup

Lens

There are three easy ways to allow us to identify the pros and cons of the human eye:

Observe the fineness of the reflector or lens.

Optics is a very delicate science. A reflector or lens is designed by a photometric laboratory to modulate, open a mold, and have a good manufacturing process to achieve a consistent beam angle.

Its internal structure is like a room full of diamond angle lenses, a slight change in one of the lens, the light will be completely changed, so we observe their fineness can know the pros and cons, the inner wall diamond angle is clearer and more uneven that tells the lens is better.

With the popularization of LED light sources, lamps have been valued as home durable products. How to choose and how to apply?

Then look down...

The choice of downlights and spotlights

【Select the light】

From the phrase “soft lighting but powerful dominance” begins with:

Such contradictory two sets of words is precisely the “first rule” of home lighting design: reducing glare and increasing brightness. Listen to me:

▲ The left and right lights have the same brightness and beam angle. Why is the glare on the left side dazzling? The right side is soft and comfortable?

The difference is that the shading angles of the two luminaires (described below) are different in size. The girl on the right sits in the area of the shielding angle of the lamp, and does not see the light source in the lamp. There is no glare and no glare. As the saying goes, "It is not too bright, but it is too direct."

Start the selection：

1、Choose the lamp with a “shielding angle” at around 45°

▲ The shielding angle: the tangent of the light source and the horizontal line.

For example：

▲Lamps with a shielding angle less than 30° will produce a large brightness to the human eye, glare and glare. One of the criteria for judging the quality of a lamp design: shading angle 45° or more.

There is an easy way to identify the shading angle of the human eye: If you look at the product picture or feel it in kind, the depth “d” ( the light from the lamp plane to the light source”and the length of your thumb are similar, then the shielding is about 45 degrees. This kind of lamp has less glare.

2, If the top mounted embedded lamps, the lamp height can not be too high

If the embedded luminaire height is higher than 10cm, it is not recommended for home installation. It requires a thicker hanging roof. The conventional 2.8m floor height can be made a suspension ceiling, but it is not suitable for thick ceiling. Therefore, the height of the luminaire should be within 7cm. As for the size of the lamp, individually does not feel that it is necessary to pursue a large one. The concealment itself is to keep the ceiling cool, and the fineness and power are the best.

3, If you do not ceiling, use the surface mounting lighting fixture

If it is not suspended ceiling and the lighting is exposed, it must have a beautiful appearance. To do a good job of light and then do a good job of appearance, is an high-end lighting design. Lamps, in the eyes of designers and architects are soft decoration, remember not to careless, directly related to taste. We must remember: when turn on, get good lights and turn off get good appearance.

4、Downlights and Spotlights with beam angle

Conventional homes use 7-12 watts of power. If there is big space, you can choose more power. Look at the first phase of the beam angle; strong overbearing feeling, pull the following part of the case to experience it.

5, Use lamps with stable quality

The light has too much light quality, not so simple as what advertised on all the screens like the Samsung CREE lamp beads. Consumers do not make lights, as long as they will and know how to choose lights, try to avoid the parameters.

Application of  downlights and spotlight

Adjust the lighting direction of the luminaire and control the shielding angle so that the luminaire can switch from direct lighting to indirect lighting.

▲Fine-tune the angle of the inner ring of the concealed spotlight, and the direction of the light changes, and the person appears in the shielding angle. Change lighting from direct lighting to indirect lighting

▲ The track lights turn to the wall, and the light reflected by the wall reaches the scope of the human eye. It is soft and comfortable, and direct light becomes indirect light.

Indirect lighting differs from direct lighting in that it is refracted through the medium. The principle of adjustment is: wipe the wall against the wall, control the shielding angle, and avoid glare.

▲The left luminaire is vertically facing the wall, making the part too bright. The refraction of the wall gives rise to human eye brightness and even glare. The right side of the picture will not, the light wipes the wall, the light is soft and even

We described the differences, choices, and applications of downlights and spotlights in the form of comics. I hope everyone can understand the experience.

From the top to the bottom, a fixed downlight is selected, and the width of the irradiation coverage is viewed to see the angle of the light beam. When a light diversity solution is required to be selected by the luminaire, the spotlight is selected, and general lighting and key lighting can also be achieved. Grasp the above principles, you can also become a little lighting division.