A guide to LED floodlights and PIR floodlights

LED floodlights are an effective way to light open spaces both indoors and outdoors in an economical and energy-efficient way. Compared to traditional halogen floodlights, LED lights are 90% more energy-efficient as well as being incredibly long-lasting, making them the perfect choice for hard-to-reach areas. This guide to LED floodlights should help you to choose the right LED floodlights for any indoor or outdoor setting.

What are LED floodlights used for?

Floodlights are more commonly used as security lights, but this isn’t their only purpose; they are popular in both domestic and commercial settings for a range of uses including as porch lights and security lights, as well as being used in large spaces such as warehouses, sports grounds and retail outlets to illuminate a large area. While floodlights are sometimes used in smaller spaces, they are most often used as a simple, efficient way to light large spaces and outdoor locations due to their power and size.

LED floodlights are quickly becoming the most popular type of floodlights on the market. This is due to a number of factors: LED bulbs are cheap and efficient, producing a huge amount of light compared to the cost of the lights. LED lights also have a very long lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, which means lower maintenance and replacement costs when compared to halogen floodlights. LED floodlights are also very simple to use and look after, and they are not produced with mercury or lead which makes them safer than other kinds of floodlights. This means that LED floodlights are an excellent choice for long-term bright light supply to large spaces.

PIR floodlights

Most floodlights are activated by motion, which means that they’re programmed to save energy by switching off when light isn’t needed. One of the most advanced types of motion sensor technology is PIR, or Passive Infrared Receiver. Floodlights with PIR technology are some of the most sensitive on the market, and they work by detecting tiny amounts of heat which are emitted by objects within the sensor’s field of vision. PIR floodlights are both extremely beneficial as a source of security and also cost-effective due to the savings made when the lights are not in use.

Choosing the best floodlight for you

If you’re buying LED floodlights for the first time, it’s important to know what to consider before making your choice. The most important factor is the location of your floodlights; before choosing new floodlights, you must first decide where your floodlights will be placed and how large an area needs to be lit up. Whether your floodlights will be operating at night in complete darkness or during the day will also affect the floodlight you choose, as will the purpose of your lights.

Best floodlights for gardens

Generally speaking, the kind of floodlights you will need depends on the size of the area which needs lighting up. For relatively small areas, such as gardens, patios, front porches, and other residential areas, domestic floodlights should be chosen; these lights range between 400 lumens and 3000 lumens and are perfect for smaller settings. If you are looking for floodlights for domestic applications, take a look at our Vaste, Mira, Zion and Eden luminaires.

Larger floodlights should not be used in domestic settings such as this as they can cause light disturbance for neighbours. Floodlights with a lumen output of around 4000 to 5000 lumens are often considered multi-purpose and can be used for both larger domestic settings, such as expansive gardens and grounds, and smaller industrial areas.

Industrial floodlights

Large industrial and commercial areas should be lit with industrial floodlights, and these usually offer an output of somewhere between 4000 lumens and 24000 lumens. The larger the space that needs covering, the more lumens will be required; industrial floodlights will commonly be used to light warehouse floors, car parks, garages, construction sites, and other large indoor or outdoor spaces in which lighting is needed either for security or safety purposes. Our Mira and Colossus floodlights are ideal for industrial applications.

LED floodlights for outdoor use

While floodlights are very commonly used to light large indoor spaces such as retail outlets and warehouses, they are probably just as commonly seen outdoors. When choosing an LED floodlight for outdoor use, it’s important to look for some level of water resistance. Luckily, all modern LED floodlights are built to IP65 standard which means they are protected from sprays of water from all angles, making them suitable for outdoor use.

Another thing to note when choosing a floodlight to be placed outdoors is that lighter colour temperatures are usually recommended for outdoor floodlighting, as these are more effective in properly lighting up large dark spaces. For outdoor lighting, look for an LED floodlight with a colour temperature of 5000K or higher. For outdoor floodlights, browse our Mira and Orion luminaires.

Asymmetrical floodlights

One final aspect of LED floodlights to consider is symmetrical vs asymmetrical floodlighting. While symmetrical floodlights send out even distributions of light in all directions, asymmetrical floodlights send out a concentrated beam of light in one direction. Asymmetrical floodlights are often preferred because not only are they more efficient, illuminating only the areas which require lighting, but they can also be positioned in order to reduce glare and sharp shadows. This makes asymmetrical floodlights the preferred choice in a range of spaces including offices, stadiums, and theatres, where indirect glare over a protracted period can cause very uncomfortable eye strain and bright symmetric lighting is unnecessary. The Orion is a high output, high-efficiency floodlight with asymmetric lens technology. Find out more about it with our Technical Manager, Anthony Parkinson, in the video below.