Lighting A Room Perfectly Adds Extra Impact

We all love to decorate our homes in some fashionable way, moving furniture here and there until we get it just in the right place. On top of this though, we often like to decorate the walls too with a beautiful work of art or some lovely photograph of a loved one. Getting the illumination right though is a whole new ball game and this can make or break the whole effect. Indeed, picture lighting is very important since it leads the eye to just where the artwork is. For those who want something a little extra, led picture lights are just the thing and fit just about anywhere.

A lot has been said about getting the room lit just right. Some decorators charge inordinate amounts of money just to advice people on what will look good where but the easiest thing in the world to do is to try it out before opting to put it in permanently. Artwork can be hung just about anywhere but having the electrical outlets nearby often causes some problems.

For example, corridors or stairs which have a line of photographs of the family or pieces of art perhaps from the same artist are notoriously difficult to illuminate. One could opt for ceiling fixtures with halogen lamps that are directional but these will throw a shadow when someone stops to admire the piece. It is better to get a fitting that hooks on directly to the frame so that it throws illumination only where it is intended.

For those who do not want to have expensive electrical work done, there is a range of battery operated fittings which can be attached to the frame. Because they have no dangling cords either, this gives a much cleaner look and will make the whole thing look like it was professionally done.

Moving the photographs or art around to different points in the room or house is also another way to figure out if the 'balance' looks right. Brightly colored pieces will stand out while those in more muted shades will fade into the background a little so getting this balance correct is important if the room is to look good.

Also, just having a photograph dotted here and there also looks a little strange so try grouping them along a wall or up the stairs for added impact. It is not always necessary to have them all in the same frames but finding a similar color will surely make the look more cohesive. This is also a great way to show family history to anyone who is interested.

Finally, as already said, the way a room is illuminated will really show if the householder has any artistic flair or not. Try looking in some rather up market decorating magazines if ideas are needed. It is not necessary to copy exactly what someone else has done, rather, pick out the parts that are liked and fit them into the home that way. The trick is finding a style that fits the home, the family and any artwork which is treasured.

Stewart Wrighter is an entrepreneur who runs a large group of websites that specialize in high end items such as led picture lights. He offers a large selection of picture lighting on his website.

Energy Efficient Lighting

Energy efficient lighting has two major benefits - it reduces the impact of our homes and businesses on the environment, and reduces our home energy costs.

Lighting is a big source of energy consumption and in many homes, lighting makes up about 10-15% of the electricity bills. The carbon dioxide created by the generation of this electricity is harmful to the planet so by switching to energy efficient light bulbs, the carbon emission is reduced along with the electricity bills.

The incandescent light bulb traditionally used to provide light in homes and offices are very inefficient and on average convert only 5% of the energy they receive into light. Similarly, fluorescent tubes used in commercial buildings tend to be inefficient also.

Various options exist for energy efficient lighting, including Compact Fluorescent Lights or CFLs. These are mini versions of the full-sized fluorescents and fit standard sockets in the home, giving off lighting that resembles that of incandescent light bulbs. Far more efficient and long-lasting compared to traditional bulbs, CFLs reduce lighting costs too.

LED, or Light Emitting Diode, light bulbs are gaining in popularity because of their small size and durable nature combined with efficiency. LEDs can replace both halogen and traditional bulbs, and manufacturers now "cluster" the small bulbs and include diffuser lenses giving a better spread of light. These energy efficient light bulbs fit most household lighting fixtures and last up to 10 times as long as CFLs and significantly longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. LEDs are solid too, making them less susceptible to knocks and breakages; and they remain cool with no heat build-up.

As energy efficient light bulbs use less energy and are a lot more efficient, energy bills for the home and office can be reduced by as much as 80%. A good investment, LED bulbs last a long time and do not need to be replaced often, saving money for the individual and also maintenance costs for companies as the bulbs need to be changed less frequently.

Bradley Electrical are Electricians in Rugby, Leamington Spa and Lutterworth who offer a 24hour call out service.

Home LED Lighting - Advantages And Disadvantages

With all of the media attention given to environmental issues these days, it is widely known that the electricity that we use everyday is contributing toward harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. If you believe in global warming, then you realize this is one of the issues that is exacerbated by these greenhouse gas emissions. While some people lead their lives not worried about these issues, there are many people who are making the small contributions that they can toward alleviating this problem. Using LED lighting is one of these methods.

For those out there who have never heard of it, LED stands for Light-Emitting Diodes and is a type of low emission lighting that doesn't contribute to these problems. The only problem is that it is not yet a part of the mainstream lighting market, but it is growing fast. Like anything of this nature, this type of lighting does have its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages include:

• A very low energy consumption level. This contributes directly to savings on your light bill!
• Lasts much longer than traditional lighting. It has been known to last up to 50,000 hours. That's way more than any other available lighting type.
• Can easily resist thermal shocks and vibrations. Normal light bulbs are useless when you drop or bump them. Not LED lights.
• Great for spotlighting due to a directional distribution. All of the light molecules can easily be sent in one direction without losing energy.
• There is no infrared lighting from LED lights. And there is no UV radiation, which is better for you and the environment.
• Contains no mercury making it safer.
• Cool to the touch so no need to worry about burning or turning off the lights for 30 minutes before you change them.
• They make great colored lights from anywhere on the light spectrum

Disadvantages include:

• A very limited variety and selection for your home compared to other types of lighting.
• Hard to find in smaller towns where consumers may have a smaller interest in this lighting alternative.
• Significantly more expensive than regular lighting and not budget conscious.
• Not good for residential flood lighting. You will need extra equipment to make this work
• Although they are available in many colors, the quality of the colors is not quite as good as with regular lighting.

LED lights can be a very useful tool in your home, especially if you are environmentally conscious or want to save money in the long run. These savings can really add up. If you were to run a single reading lamp with an LED bulb 12 hours a day for a year, it would cost less than 50 cents, and you wouldn't have to replace the bulb. But even though they give off more light than a standard bulb, you will still need more of them pointing in many different directions to light up a room because the light is very directional.

And in the short run, LED lighting is not nearly as immediately affordable as traditional lighting. The cost problem becomes worse if you are changing out the existing lights as opposed to starting new. So whether or not these lights are of good use in your home depends on how you feel about them, and whether or not you are willing to make the necessary investment.

To learn more about LED lighting vising http://www.contemporary-lighting-accents.com , a popular website helping you use lights to make your home more beautiful. You'll also find tips on outdoor lighting, including how to use landscape lighting to make your house more appealing at night.

The Pros and Cons of Low Energy LED Lighting

For most people, probably the biggest single factor against low energy LED lighting as a substitute for the soon-to-be-phased-out regular incandescent light bulb is the cost differential. There is no doubt that an LED equivalent light bulb (for example a 6w LED spotlight as a direct replacement for a 35w GU10 halogen lamp) is significantly more expensive than either the original or a CFL alternative.

There are however three important points to bear in mind about the higher price for low energy LEDs as compared to incandescent and energy saving CFL light bulbs.

First, the price difference reflects the fact that the use of LED for general purpose domestic lighting is still quite novel, though increasing manufacturing levels and consumer take-up will drive the price down dramatically once both come fully on stream over the coming months.

Second, and partially related to the observation above, is that the cost of LEDs drops by a factor of twenty over the course of each decade. This characteristic is reliably predicted by Haitz's Law (very similar to Moore's Law for computer chips and for similar reasons, principally because LEDs are, just like computer chips, pure electronic devices). Haitz also states that LED performance (amount of light per watt of electricity) increases tenfold over the same decade.

Third and perhaps most intriguing is the fact that as far as the cost of domestic lighting is concerned, the price of light bulbs is almost entirely irrelevant. It is an extraordinary yet easily provable fact that even if regular light bulbs were totally free and LED lights cost, let's say something outrageous like each, it would still be vastly more economical to purchase LED low energy lights.

The reason for this is simple: the cost of electrical lighting is the cost of the energy i.e. electricity. It matters not one jot what the actual light bulbs cost; it's what it costs to run them that really counts. Also, since LEDs last for tens of thousands of hours (in practice, decades of use) you only need to pay the purchase price once, unlike regular bulbs which last only upto two thousand hours or just over one year.

The second biggest gripe about low energy LED lighting is light levels and quality, or in technical parlance luminosity and light color.

The concern about luminosity stems largely from historical notions of LED lighting applications such as LED Christmas lights and pocket torches which are clearly not capable of providing anything close to useable domestic lighting. However, you could right now purchase one of the latest Sharp Zenigata LED series of light bulbs which is rated at 80 lumens per watt (measure of luminosity).

To understand what this means, consider that a standard 40w incandescent bulb delivers about 360 lumens and a 60w bulb about 540 lumens, which gives a ratio of 9 lumens per watt. Anything that offers greater than 25 lumens per watt can be classed as an energy saving light bulb. Zenigata LED light bulbs consume 6.7 watts and thus produce 6.7 * 80 lumens per watt which is 536 lumens, on a par with the standard 60w incandescent light bulb.

So you could, right now, replace all your 60w light bulbs with Zenigata LED light bulbs rated at 6.7 watts and consume 1/10th (or 90% less) electricity. And remember Haitz's Law? Because of performance improvements, eighteen months from now you should be able to obtain the same 60w worth of lighting from just 3 watts.

LED light, in common with CFLs, has tended to be a somewhat cool blue colour, whereas we are more accustomed to a warmer yellow white colour. This is something that is now commonly addressed with the use of colored phosphors (these do reduce luminosity but this is in turn compensated for by the ever increasing lumens per watt yields for LEDs).

The third factor that might be considered to weigh against low energy LED lighting is that the light emitted by an LED is intrinsically directional and doesn't scatter in all directions the way that incandescent and fluorescent lights do. This is actually quite acceptable in a spotlight, flood light or bright reading lamp, but it's not especially effective for emulating general ambient lighting such as a table lamp would provide. Though again, there are LED powered general lighting light bulbs becoming more commonly available that do a reasonable job here.

Two obvious plus points for low energy LED lighting are ease of retrofit and ecological credentials (other than simply saving energy).

LED lights are widely available for all common base fittings such as mains powered GU10 and 12v MR16 spotlights and the low energy standard base GU24 as well as regular bayonet mounts and Edison screw fittings. LED lights also don't suffer from the many inherent problems associated with CFLs such as: noticeably poor start-up times; reduced lifespan caused by frequent switching on and off; and bulky unattractive bulbs.

But perhaps one of the most widely known advantages of low energy LED lighting over energy saving CFL light bulbs is that they don't contain toxic mercury vapour or other unpleasant materials, and thus do not pose a serious health risk or require tiresome and expensive disposal procedures to protect the environment.

To sum up, the main perceived disadvantages of domestic energy saving LED lighting are cost and application (luminosity and color). Yet as we have seen, the cost of a light bulb is actually a red herring - the true cost of electrical lighting is the price of electricity and on this score ultra low energy LED lighting puts everything else, including energy saving CFLs, completely in the shade (pun intended).

As regards luminosity and light quality, LED lights on balance deliver a cleaner, sharper light than CFL light bulbs and offer far more flexibility in terms of color choice and brightness.

Finally, the biggest advantage that low energy domestic LED lighting has over its rivals is that the lighting industry itself regards domestic LED lighting as the future and can barely disguise its contempt for CFLs. Lighting giants such as Philips are on record as stating that they will not invest a single dollar further into CFLs and that their entire research and development efforts are now directed at domestic LED lighting technology.

Those who follow eco-technology trends are well aware that there is a world-wide phase-out of incandescent light bulbs already well underway and scheduled to complete within the next couple of years. Given international legislation to ban incandescent lighting and lack of support for the already dated and unloved CFL, it's near certain where the future of lighting lies - with low energy LED light. And as advantages go, I'd say that one's pretty compelling.

Find out more by reading the full article which explains what you need to know about low energy lighting in general and 12v LED lights and particular.

Megan's alter-ego KuleKat is interested in the defining features of our times (climate change, oil depletion, technology and so on) and what it all means and more importantly what you can do about it.

Upgrade Your RV With LED Lighting

If you do a lot of boondocking (no hookups while camping), then you know battery life is one of the most important things you must plan for, especially if you have a small battery bank. One great way to save a lot of power is to convert your existing incandescent lighting to LED lighting. LED stands for light emitting diode and provides light in a very different way than incandescent or fluorescent lighting sources. The biggest benefit for a boondocker is that LEDs require very little power to operate, so you won't have to be so conscious of switching off lights when you don't need them.

Just how much power can you save by going LED? In a typical travel trailer of say 27 feet with a super slide and a couple of bunk beds, you may have upwards of 20+ 12 watt incandescent bulbs. If you were to have all of these on at one time, you would be drawing around 20 amps of DC power. In a few hours, your single group 24 12-volt battery would be near dead. Even if you had two batteries, you wouldn't have much left to finish out a 2-day weekend without a battery recharge.

Now if you were to replace every interior incandescent bulb in this fictitious travel trailer with a 24 LED array warm color lamp, each drawing 190 mA, the total power consumption drops to 3.8 amps, over 5 times less power consumption. You wouldn't likely replace every incandescent bulb with a 24 LED array lamp but you could and if you did, you would be using 5 times less power, even if you had every light switched on.

There are several different routes you can take when doing the LED lighting mod: individual lights, such as a night or reading light, all or some interior lights, interior and exterior, storage compartments, etc. Much will depend on you budget and coolness factor you are trying to achieve. Replacing every incandescent bulb may just break your piggy bank, but doing a few can still help save some battery power.

Using a single LED for a night light, like in the bathroom, can be a real life saver. Well, it may not save your life but if you have to get up at 2am to go, you won't be blinded by the light and you should be able to go right back to sleep. A single LED connected through a SPST toggle switch mounted on the bathroom light fixture can provide just enough light to do your business.

Perhaps you just want to change a few lights out, like the lights over your bed, that are generally too bright to read by. There are direct replacement LED lamps that require no modification to the lighting fixture, other than swapping bulbs. For this type of LED lamp, use the "warm white" type. The cool white LEDs provide a bluish tint to the light color and may not appeal to your reading tastes. The warm white LEDs provide a yellowish light color very similar to that of a normal incandescent bulb.

If you plan on replacing the main lights inside the RV and have the type of fixtures that contain two bulbs with a switch in the middle, you can replace just one of the bulbs to reduce cost. This way you not only save money, but you also can still provide more light when you need it by switching on the second bulb. For this case, you should consider LEDs that have a wide beam angle, at least 120 degrees. This is the angle at which light is projected from the lamp. The wider the better if you're trying to light up a large area. These lamps are typically configured in a flat package with many LEDs, as many as 36 in some cases. They simply affix to the fixture with Velcro and plug in just like a standard bulb.

Another cool LED mod is to fit a LED rope light under your RVs countertop. Many upscale RVs have this feature as a standard option but there is no reason you can't have this classy look either. First, have someone help you test fit the rope for length, ensuring you have enough for the whole countertop. Then get some double-sided tape and stick it to the cabinet or under the countertop where you want the rope to run. If you have any left over rope, drill a hole the size of the rope's diameter and run the excess through the hole. Just stick the rope to the tape and press firmly. You can also add a switch to control the rope power as well.

A step light is also another easy LED mod that consumes very little power. If you forget to turn it off, you don't have to worry since it can be on for days and still be easy on your battery. You can use a courtesy light or an amber side marker light. These mount with a couple of screws to the underside of the stairwell. Power can be run to an inconspicuous switch inside. Some even have light sensors so they can automatically turn on when it gets dark and turn off in the morning.

Outside compartments are also a great candidate for LED lights. These can be powered through a pin switch so that when you open the compartment door, the light turns on, and then off when you close the door. The color of the LED light is not so important as is the placement of the light. Compartments are usually rectangular in shape, so try and place the LEDs near the corners of the compartment. This way, you will get the most light to all parts of the storage area.

Finally, upgrading your RVs exterior lighting can make for a very clean look as well as improve safety going to the road. LED porch, marker, clearance, backup, turn, and running lights are all candidates for LED replacement. Fortunately for you, many companies, like Bargman for example, now make direct replacement fixtures that include everything you need to perform the upgrade. Just be sure to budget enough since total exterior lighting replacement can run in to the hundreds of dollars.

Tip: LED brake/tail lamps may not work with some older thermal flasher units found on some vehicles. An LED brake/tail lamp will require an electronic flasher/blinker unit which is commonly available at your local auto parts store. Just ask for the electronic equivalent of your thermal flasher.

Copyright 2009 by Mark Corgan, owner of ModMyRV.com
Subscribe to our ModMyRV.com Mod Feed at http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=2010518
Or visit us at http://www.modmyrv.com, the only site that's just about making mods to your RV.