LED Ground Lights

LED lights have quickly taken the place of more traditional alternatives, like halogen and incandescent bulbs. This is especially true when it comes to outdoor fixtures such as driveway floor lights.

LEDs are incredibly efficient in a way that traditional bulbs simply are not. They use up to 80 percent less energy than halogen bulbs, since they are able to generate light immediately without first generating heat.

Their energy efficient nature makes them a more eco-friendly lighting option. That, plus the fact that the parts are recyclable and contain no toxic materials, such as mercury.

Being more energy efficient also means that they will last longer than traditional bulbs. Halogen bulbs, for example, tend to last for only 1,000 hours or so. LED bulbs, on the other hand, can outlast tens of thousands of hours.

This will result in a reduced need to purchase replacement lights as often, saving you money upfront. The lessened energy usage will also save you money on your monthly spending; less electricity used means a lower power bill, so you will see long term savings as well.

Furthermore, LEDs are incredibly versatile. Unlike halogen bulbs, LEDs come in a variety of colour temperatures for you to choose from. They are also available in varying brightnesses, so you can choose the lumen count that best suits your needs.

Recessed spotlights have a place both in domestic and in commercial settings. They are discreet and impactful, able to light up large areas of space without creating a clunky, cluttered look. Whether you wish to light up hotel courtyards or office entryways, here are a few ways for you to incorporate ground lights into your commercial space.

Hotels and Hospitality Settings

Recessed spotlights placed around the entryway can highlight columns and textures in the exterior walls, creating a more visually appealing space. You can also place recessed ground lights along the edges of pathways and walkways to help guide guests throughout the property.

Driveways and Car Parks

Ensure that your guests can easily see where to park and drive by outlining the driveway and parking area with your inground lighting. You can frame the perimeter with the lights to zone it out, while also increasing the overall visibility in the space. This will make visitors feel safer about leaving their cars parked in unfamiliar locations.

Corporate Office Buildings

Draw visitors and employees toward the entrance with ground lights pointing up at the entryway. You can guide people toward the front with ground lights on either side of the paths, making it clear where they should be walking.

Retail Shops

In ground lighting can help draw attention to the store itself. Shine spotlights up onto the facade or use in ground lights to draw attention to storefronts. In a plaza setting, you can use it to lead customers toward different shops and zone out the individual spaces.

How you install and place your outdoor lights will influence their overall appearance and ability to provide adequate lighting. One of the biggest aspects of lighting design is therefore in the placement.

Correct placement ensures that the light is balanced and evenly distributed, helping to avoid dark spots or bright glares. Good spacing will also reduce the risk of a cluttered look by not having a bunch of lights grouped together too closely.

There are many factors that will influence the placement of a given light. This includes the beam angle of your fixture, how bright the light is and the purpose of the lighting. Brighter fixtures will need fewer to spread illumination over an area, for example. Wider beam angles will cover more space, for another, so you will need fewer than if you had lights with narrow beam angles.

The general rule of thumb for placement is as follows:

• driveway lights should be spaced 2.5 to 4 metres apart from one another, adjusted according to their beam angle
• garden border lights should be between 1.5 and 3 metres apart from one another, with closer spacing to improve upon the visual outlining of an area
• feature wall or tree lighting should have one to two metres between each fixture depending on the sizes of the objects you are lighting

Your recessed ground lights will be exposed to the weather and the elements constantly. Because of this, outdoor lights such as these are specifically built to withstand such exposure. This is accomplished both with weatherproofing and IP ratings, as well as durable materials.

Even so, you will still need to take care to maintain the fixtures on occasion. Proper maintenance ensures you don’t run into some common issues from wear and tear, like

• reduced brightnesses and beam clarity
• lens damage and corrosion
• water ingress
• faulty wiring

By maintaining your lighting regularly, you can ensure your lights are operating at their best for longer.

Fortunately, maintenance doesn’t have to be difficult and super time consuming. Bigger maintenance tasks, such as drainage assessment and testing the brightnesses, need to only be done once every six to 12 months. Surface cleaning, removal of debris and inspecting the lenses takes less time and can be done monthly.

Cleaning in ground lighting is fairly simple. Follow the steps below to efficiently accomplish this.

1. Turn the power off. Before doing anything with your lights, shut the power off to eliminate risk of accidental electric shock.
2. Remove any debris. Using a soft cloth or brush, wipe away any debris that is sitting on the fixture.
3. Clean the lens. Using a lightly damp microfiber cloth, wipe off the lens and remove any caked-on debris.
4. Check screws and bezels. Take a moment to tighten any loose screws and examine the housing for rust or other forms of corrosion.

You also want to make sure no water has breached the fixtures, and that no wires have come loose. If you notice either of these has occurred, be sure to take care of it as soon as possible. Making timely repairs reduces the likelihood that you will have to replace the fixture entirely.