Bulb: A bulb is a light bulb, a flashlight bulb, a MR16 or E27 light bulb. A LED light bulb is a finished product that has the LEDs installed, electrical components installed and is ready to be used by the consumer. A LED light bulb is screwed in place, twisted and locked in place, pressed into sockets or contact terminals. A LED is not a bulb, but a bulb can contain LEDs
General illumination: Is a term used to distinguish between lighting that illuminates tasks, spaces, or objects from lighting used in indicator or purely decorative applications. In most cases, general illumination is provided by white light sources, including incandescent, fluorescent, high-intensity discharge sources, and white LEDs. Lighting used for indication or decoration is often monochromatic, as in traffic lights, exit signs, vehicle brake lights, signage, and holiday lights.
LED Cluster or Array: A group of LEDs set in a square, rectangular or linear pattern, and formatted to be operated at a specific voltage. They will always include two wires called leads. One is positive, the other negative.
LED Drivers: Are current control devices that replace the need for resistors. LED Drivers respond to the changing input voltage while maintaining a constant amount of current (output power) to the LED as its electrical properties change with temperature.
Lumen Maintenance: How well a LED light bulb is able to retain its intensity when compared to new. Typically a high quality LED bulb will retain 70% of its intensity for 40, 000-50, 000 hours. That means a good quality LED bulb will run 8 hours a day for 13 years at 70% of its new condition. No other artificial light source can do this.
SMD/SMT: A type of low profile LED that is surface mounted to a PCB. These type LEDs are very powerful and range in lumen output from 35 up to 170 lumens. With the latest LED technology being applied today, these have shown to have the most promise in delivering light levels and coloring that we are used to having. Those smd LEDs we talk about, use and sell are in the. 5 watt, 1 watt, 3 watt and 5 watt power range. When you see a 7 watt or 9 watt LED light, it will contain 1 watt LEDs x 7, or 1 watt LEDs x 9, or 3 watt LEDs x 3.
Task Lighting/Lamp: A LED light used to specifically light a particular area used for work or reading. Typically found in the form of a desk, floor, or clamp-on lamp, it can be a high powered LED light in any form.
View Angle Degree: Also referred to as directivity, or the directional pattern of a LED light beam. The expressed degree dictates the width of the light beam and also controls to some extent, the light intensity of a LED. View angles range from 8 to 180 degrees, and are provided through the use of optics, special lenses made to collimate light to into a desired view angle.
Voltage Regulator or Step Down Transformer: A device which limits or controls and stabilizes the voltage being applied to a using unit such as LED lights and motors. Regulators also take higher voltages than required and reduces it to the working voltage that makes a specific product run correctly. In many instances a lack of a Voltage Regulator will allow higher voltage than a product can work with and will cause irreparable damage.
Waterproof: Meaning the LED product can be submerged into calm water but there is a limited depth as stated for each specific product, and must be specifically stated for "submersion". It also means that the product is made to withstand water being splashed onto it like rain, or having snow on it. These products will be made of high grade stainless steel, aluminum, or high strength plastics.
Watt per LED: It can be confusing when two watt numbers are used in product specifications. For the application to smd high powered LEDs, the 1 watt, 3 watt, 5 watt, etc, refers to the power consumption of that specific LED installed in that product. The watt numbers expressed as light output are a comparison to an incandescent light bulb light output, eg; A 60 watt light output is equal to a 60 watt incandescent light bulb. The Watt Output is equipment measured.
Weatherproof: Meaning the product will take water splashing and high humidity without deterioration to the LED or circuit. LED product cannot be submerged into water.
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