Pros and Cons of Selectable Color Temperature and Wattage LEDs

by | Oct 5, 2021 | 0 comments |

LED technology is giving consumers more options as manufacturers continue to release products with impressive innovations. Two recent technology advances are LED selectable wattage and selectable color temperature. It means consumers can choose the LED color and wattage that best fits their needs.
The biggest advantage of LED lighting is its flexibility. It’s easy to customize your lighting, and this saves you time and money throughout the design and installation process.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how selectable color temperature and wattage LEDs work, along with the pros and cons of the technology.

An Overview of Basic Lighting Terms


Before you start going over the pros and cons of color temperature changeable LED fixtures, it helps to understand a few basic lighting terms.
Color Temperature: LED light color ranges from yellow to blue. Warmer lights like incandescent bulbs have a yellow to orange color temperature. These colors have a lower color temperature, around 2200-3000K. Fluorescent and HID lamps typically have a higher color temperature, around 4000K, and produce a blueish light.
CRI: The color rendering index (CRI) is fixed on lamps. It can’t be changed even on selectable lights. You do want to pay attention to the CRI number, it indicates how the lamp’s true color appears under the light. The CRI rating ranges from 0-100, with 100 being the closest to the true color.
Wattage: How much power a lamp uses is the wattage. Overall, LEDs consume the least amount of wattage saving consumers on their energy bills. The higher the wattage, the brighter the light.

While we only cover the top 3 terms above, we do have an interactive Lighting Education page that goes over all of the lighting terms you might need to know when considering new lighting.

How Selectable Color Temperature and Wattage Selectable LED Bulbs Work


Wattage and color selectable LED lights are convenient and cost-effective. Instead of purchasing multiple types of lamps, you can adjust the wattage and color to meet the needs of the space. Adjusting the lights is as easy as turning the dial or switch.
You do want to select the wattage and color temperature before installing the lights. You can make adjusts later, but it often requires a lot of maintenance. The fixtures may need to be removed to make the adjustments.

We also suggest looking into smart lighting controls with AI. These can allow you to make easy adjustments that would not be feasible without the lighting controls. Bonus, lighting controls have a wide variety of additional benefits, find out more here.

Pros and Cons of Selectable Color Temperature LEDs


There are undeniable advantages to installing wattage selectable LEDs, but there can also be downsides depending on your space.

Pros

  • Flexible and Adaptable: Being able to control the wattage and color gives you plenty of flexibility in a room’s design. You can adjust the lighting color to reflect the room’s ambiance. It also allows you the adjust the wattage to ensure the light is bright enough for the room’s use.
  • Color-matching: The color and temperature aren’t the same with all LED bulbs. It can vary by manufacturer. With color temperature changeable LEDs, you can adjust the bulbs to have matching colors. It gives a space a more cohesive appearance and feel.
  • Lower Risk: With selectable LEDs, you have plenty of flexibility when it comes to design and wattage usage. You can adjust the color as needed, along with the wattage.

Cons

  • Cost: Selectable wattage LEDs are higher in price than other fixtures.
  • Efficiency: LED lights are more efficient than other types of lamps, but you lose some of this with selectable fixtures. Selectable LEDs typically use twice the wattage, and it can be higher if you are using lamps with a lower color temperature.
  • Complex Design: Selectable LEDs require adjusting before being installed. It can take some time to get the color and wattage exactly right.
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Offset the Cost with Wattage Selectable LED Rebates

Most selectable color temperature LEDs come with manufacturers’ rebates that will help offset the cost. Before you start adjusting the color and wattage, read the fine print. Some rebates are only valid when the lamps are on the lowest wattage setting.
Action Services Group has dedicated lighting professionals waiting to answer all of your LED lighting questions. Speak to one today by calling 610-558-9773, emailing [email protected], or schedule a call that fits your needs by clicking the button below.

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