Most disappointment with LED lighting comes down to three numbers on the box that nobody explains. Once you know what they mean, choosing well becomes straightforward.
Lumens, not watts
Watts tell you consumption; lumens tell you light output. A rough guide: a traditional 60W bulb is around 800 lumens. Rooms usually feel over-lit when people match old wattages rather than the light they actually want.
Colour temperature sets the mood
Measured in kelvin. 2700K is warm and domestic, 3000K is warm-neutral and works well in kitchens and bathrooms, 4000K is neutral-cool and suits workshops and commercial spaces. 6000K daylight fittings rarely look right in a home.
The bigger rule: keep it consistent within a room. Mixed colour temperatures are what make a space feel subtly wrong.
CRI — why colours look flat
Colour rendering index describes how faithfully a light shows colour. Below 80 and food, wood and paint colours look washed out. For kitchens, living spaces and anywhere with artwork, 90+ is worth paying for and is one of the clearest visible upgrades available.
Dimming actually works — if it's specified
LED dimming fails when the dimmer, driver and fitting are not matched. It shows up as flicker, buzzing, or lights that jump off at the bottom of the range.
We specify dimmers against the load and the driver type rather than fitting whatever is on the shelf, which is why it usually works first time.
- Match the dimmer to the driver type — trailing edge for most LED loads
- Check the minimum load; a couple of low-wattage fittings can be below it
- Keep all fittings on a dimmed circuit the same type and batch where possible
Common Questions
Almost always a mismatch between the dimmer and the LED driver, or a load below the dimmer's minimum. It is usually fixed by changing the dimmer module rather than the lights.
This article is general guidance, not a substitute for inspection and testing of your specific installation. If you're unsure, call us on 07496 242488 — advice over the phone is free.
