SPECIAL OFFER! Philips GU10 Twin Packs- Get them before they're gone!

We have a very special offer on two different twin packs of Philips LED GU10s, these lights are perfect for home use in your kitchen, living room and bathroom. 

These twin packs come in two different wattages; 3.5W which is equivalent to a 35W halogen and 4.5W which is equivalent to a 50W halogen. These lamps last for a long lifetime of 15,000 hours and have a beam angle of 36°. They can provide exceptional energy savings and are retrofit meaning they can swapped like for like with your existing fittings with no maintenance costs. The easiest and cheapest way to switch your home to LED!

3.5W as low as £5 for a pack!

4.5W as low as £6.40 for a pack!

To see the full information for the different twin packs please click here.

Only whilst stocks last- Hurry, get them before they're all gone! 

The best choice for tubes: Philips LED

Philips LED Tubes are the safest choice for replacing your fluorescent tubes. 

Watch the video on why Philips LED tubes are the best to replace your fluorescent tubes with. They are safe, reliable, of the best quality, offer huge energy savings and long lasting performance. Philips is a brand you can trust and these tubes are worth every penny. Philips tubes comply with the international standards and are validated and certified by credible third party laboratories. 

Here at The Led Specialist, we think Philips tubes are the best choice. Click here to see the full range that we stock, 

Start saving energy by replacing your fluorescent tubes with Philips LED tubes NOW! Prices soon to be reduced! 

Light up your garden life!

The Philips My Garden range now available from The Led Specialist. 

This range offers you a stylish way to illuminate your garden, perfect for hot weather and those summer BBQs. Some of these have LEDs built in but others require you an additional lamp. We have made it easy on our site by including this lamp, so you don't need to worry about having to buy the lamp to go inside. 

Below is  a few examples of some of the range we have, from wall lights and porch lights to pedestals and posts, the Philips myGarden range is a fabulous way to light up your garden or outdoor space. 

Eden Wall Light LED
















Creek Post Black including Philips 9.5W Corepro GLS


























Bamboo Inox Wall Light with Sensor 

To access our full range of outdoor lighting, including the Philips MyGarden in addition to; floodlights, wall lights and the Outdoor Osram Lightify wifi lamps, please click here.

Change your interaction with light, Forever. Osram Lightify : ORDER NOW from The Led Specialist

Osram Lightify: 'The Connected Future of Lighting'

We are seeing more and more Wifi lamps and systems that are making our home lighting much more connected and colourful but this Osram Lightify seems to create the most connected lighting system yet, with a variety of lamps and luminaries, from GLS to strip tape, GU10 to garden lighting. This is truly the future in connected lighting. 

The Lightify app is completely free and can be installed on smartphone or tablet. The app allows you to control the networked Lightify lamps, luminaries, strips and garden lights individually or in different groups in your home and garden. To start you just need to install the app and purchase a starter kit; which consists of a Lightify Gateway and an LED GLS Lightify lamp.

This Lightify will allow you to explore and discover entirely new lighting possibilities. lighting in your home can now be customised depending on your moods and personal preferences with, changing your home environment to suit your life. Want to be able to go to sleep? Perhaps a warm red light in your bedroom would help you relax best. Want to create a party environment? Perhaps set every light in the house to a different colour? It's now completely up to you. 

The wireless Lightify system can have more lights added to it at any time, with a maximum of 50 lamps on the network. All those lamps controlled by one app. Installation is extremely simple, plug and play and thats all there is to it. 

'Lightify will change you interaction with light. Forever.' 


'Infinite worlds of colours' - The lightify app can change your lighting colour to several different white tones as well as 16 million different colours. The app displays the different colours in a circle so you can continuously select an almost unlimited supply of colours. Out of these colours you can chose your favourites and modify these at any time.
 







Colour Picker - Not only do you have 16 million colours literally at your fingertips, you can use the colour picker to select a colour in a photo or picture that you like and set your lights to that in just a couple of clicks. 

Memory - If you create a particular lighting atmosphere that you favour, you can save it and whenever you want to use it again you can at any time.  This way your lighting is even more personal to you. 

'Pre-Set lighting Scene' -  On top of all those features, you can utilise the pre-set lighting scenes that are saved in the app. If you need to create a relaxed home environment after a long, stressful day at work you can change your home into the ulimate relaxation zone by using the pre set scene, 'relax'. If you simply need a bit of waking up, you can change your lights to an activating bluish light scene called 'active'. 
If you are on the road a lot of the time you can pre-set lighting sequences before you leave and have individual control of this anywhere in the world. Lightify features the 'presence simulation', activate this before you go on the road and the lighting in your home will simulate your absence. 

You can control Lightify via the app at any time, anywhere in the world, all you need is mobile internet access. The possibilities really are endless with Lightify. 

Please click here to see the full range on our website. 

If you would like to watch the video of the Lightify on the Osram website, please click here



*All information from Osram Lighting**

 

 

Lux Review: 600x600 Panels- Integral Panel is 5 *

Lux Magazine’s technical editor Alan Tulla has recently reviewed the latest LED replacements for recessed fluorescent fittings.

In order to review these items, Tulla tested ten different panels from the cheap and cheerful to the more expensive and higher quality aswell as edge lit and backlit. Edgelit being the flatter, slimmer panel and backlit the thicker, more hefty. Due to the competition for lowest price on the market being so hot, Tulla explains that a lot of photometric data is missing from the panels of some suppliers and this can cause issues involving glare, uneven light distribution and dark ceiling areas where the panels are not arranged properly. All making for a poor installation.

A panel that did not disappoint was the Integral Led Panel,using 40W, the panel emits over 5100 lumens, 5121 to be precise at 128 lumens per watt. Tulla states in his review that this panel is, ‘a third more efficient that many of its competitors’ aswell as having, ‘clear installation instructions and technical data. There’s even a cone diagram showing the illumination level at various mounting heights.’

Tulla finishes by saying that the Integral panel is a, ‘no-nonsense unit with huge light output at a competitive price.’

Tulla gave the Integral Panel five out of five stars.

This panel is excellent value for money and can be found on our website. http://theledspecialist.co.uk/

 If you would like to take a look at the photometric data from Integral, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email on sales@ledspecialist.couk or Telephone 0118 950 7125.

Image Courtesy of Integral, Blog post adapted from Lux Magazine Review: 600X600mm LED Ceiling Panels, Issue 44, April 2015

Demand Side Energy Benefits Are (almost) Invisible to UK Government.

(image courtesy of ADE website)

A report carried out by the ADE (Association for Decentralised Energy) has shown that the UK is saving billions of pounds per year due to the invisible benefits of reduced energy demand. Over the last thirty years we are doing a lot more but with a lot less. 

The ADE represents the heat and power industry and claims that producing energy locally and using it more efficiently saves consumers over £37 billion per year compared with 1980. 

The report looked at local energy generation and energy saving schemes such as LED lighting switchovers, such actions have helped the UK to avoid building 14 new power stations, which equals the same as the country's current power generating capacity. 

The ADE stated in its report that 'invisible' benefits are often discounted as policymakers are focusing on energy supply rather than demand.It continues to say that it is easier for politicians to make big changes and evaluate on a bigger scale rather than looking into the finer detail of demand changes taking place across the country. 

 Lighting industry figures have come to similar conclusions of the government's approach to energy, promoting that more time and attention needs to be put into reducing demand, rather than boosting capacity and moving to renewable energy sources.

Last year Lux Magazine developed its own ideas of how capacity could be reduced if low-energy lighting was more widely used.

The ADE wants energy demand to be put in the spotlight as the focal point of future policy making. Director, Tim Rotheray said, ' Actions on the demand side have helped keep Britain's lights on, making the UK a better place to do business by keeping energy supplies consistent and reliable… Despite these considerable achievements, new energy policy often repeats the same patterns, taking a centralised approach to solving the energy challenge and overlooking the substantial contribution that users and individual actions can make.

‘With a clear, simple policy approach that values these smaller contributions, demand-side services can help consumers do even more to cut waste, improve competitiveness and reduce emissions. By 2020, we could save consumers a further £5.6 billion and make the UK a more attractive place to do business.

‘Adopting the right policy could mean that by 2020 we could save enough power to run the London Underground for 30 years, equivalent to 45 TWh (45 billion units). Further reduction in energy demand will make the UK more secure and enable greater energy independence.’

For more information on the ADE's report, click here.

Led lighting switchovers are an excellent way to reduce the demand for energy, please go to our website The LED Specialist and start making your home more energy efficient, 

Help reduce energy demand! 

Evaluating Light Output: How many Watts is that LED?

When looking to define the output of a light source most people will look for its wattage. Traditional incandescent lighting has made it a rule that a 100 watt lamp will output more light than a 60 watt lamp. This is because all incandescent lamps use the same filament material which is heated to the same temperature, so the only way to increase the light output of these lamps is to increase the wattage. This is one of the main reasons why incandescent lighting wastes so much energy. 
However, LED light sources are much efficient at converting watts to lumens. Each material which can be used withing LED sources themselves has its own light extraction efficacy. For this and other reasons, two different LED sources can consume the same wattage but different lumen outputs.  Therefore watts can not be used as an index of light output in LED light sources. 
Evaluating the 'brightness' of LED sources for each situation requires you to think differently about lighting. A 60 watt incandescent lamp emits a total light output of roughly 800 lumens, but the light is equally emitted in all directions. When you're reading at your office desk, your book does not receive all the 800 lumens from your desktop lamp, nor should it need to. 
The most important measurement is delivered light. According to the IES ( Illuminating Engineering Society) serious reading requires 500 lux on the page. Many linear LED under-cabinet fixtures and task lights can deliver this level of light whilst consuming far less than 60 watts. 
So, wattage is no longer a relevant measurement to understanding the light output of a lamp, you might want to consider this when choosing which LED  lamp you require. 

Please visit www.theledspecialist.co.uk to see our full range of LED lighting. 




This blog post has been adapted from Philips' evaluating light output: technical brief. 

Number of Lights in Average Home Doubles!

The average British home is now smaller than ever, but despite this the average amount of lights in the home has doubled in the last decade. In 2004 the number of light sources in the average home was fifteen but now it has rocketed to over thirty. The survey done by Homebase has shown that we are illuminating our homes with more spotlights, wall lights, pendants and other lamps.

Homebase suspects that our decreasingly shrinking living spaces means that people are choosing to spruce up their homes with decorative lighting as lamps are a more fashionable and functional way to accessorize your home

Lighting buyer for Homebase, Pamela Collard commented that, 'People are certainly being smarter with their lighting and noticing what a huge impact lighting can make to how a room both looks and feels.'

Updating lighting was found to be more popular with renters over home owners, especially those who want to make their home more like their own but are unable to make the permanent changes or redecorating or hanging pictures.

Updating lighting was found to be most popular with renters, especially those who want to make their home their own but are unable to make more permanent changes by redecorating or even hanging pictures.

It might be wise with all these lights in your home to switch to LED light bulbs,which aswell as looking good and illuminating your home will save you money on your energy bills. The more lights in your home that you can replace with LEDs the more energy and money you save. To see our full range of LED lighting please go to www.theledspecialist.co.uk

Ambient Lighting Affects Your Experience, Poor Lighting Drives Customers Away From Restaurants. - Summary of Lux Magazine Article

    According to a survey carried out by energy provider, NPower, nearly one third of British people have walked out of a pub or restaurant because the illumination was not up to scratch. 'Big hospitality', a lighting trade publication found that 17% of the 1,500 people surveyed avoided an establishment because the lighting was too bright and 12% due to the lighting being too dim. 

    Npower's head of customer service for small business, Rachel Vincent, stated that, 'We can probably all think of an occasion that has been spoiled by a restaurant or bar not getting the ambiance right, and lighting is a crucial part of that, she continued that, 'Our research shows how damaging bad lighting can be to the success of a small business. For this reason, business owners need to think more than just their menus or location. Ambiance is vital to securing new customers and getting old ones to return.' 

‘We can probably all think of an occasion that has been spoiled by a restaurant or bar not getting the ambiance right, and lighting is a crucial part of that,’ said NPower’s head of customer service for small business, Rachel Vincent. ‘Our research shows how damaging bad lighting can be to the success of a business. For this reason, business owners need to think about more than just their menus or location. Ambiance is vital to securing new customers and getting old ones to return.’

The survey also found that lighting was more important than price to 66% of customers when deciding on an establishment for a date, and was also more important than music for 53% of them. A staggering 88% said that the lighting in general would affect how much they enjoy a date or romantic meal. 

It goes to show that lighting is much more important to people that you might expect. Its not just in restaurants that lighting ambiance needs to be perfect in order the achieve the best effect, hotels for example need to do all that is required to make their guests as comfortable as possible. If lighting affects one's mood, experience and comfort so much, it is obvious that making adjustments at home could create more ambiance and make your home a more comfortable place to live. 

To make your home more ambiant whilst cutting costs and reducing energy consumption please go to http://theledspecialist.co.uk/ to browse our selection of leds. Chose colour warm white or 2700K (Kelvin) for the most warming colour of led lighting to give your home a more ambient glow. 

Led Lighting Saves on Energy Costs and Cuts Carbon Footprints.

Businesses that swap their conventional lighting for LED sources could save as much as 85% in energy consumption, according to Paul Higgins, associate director at The Carbon Trust. The Trust is an organisation which helps businesses to find ways to cut their carbon emissions and operating costs. 
Lighting costs can account for up to 40% of a building's electricity consumption therefore the potential reduction of energy bills from using LEDs is certain to be worthwhile. 
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have been in use for over forty years, most commonly as the standby indicator on your television. However in the present day, due to the constant advances in technology, Huggins suggests that they are utilised in a much wider range of applications, from office to amenity lighting, accent and display lighting, even for illuminating large interior and exterior areas. Although switching to LEDs is a relatively expensive initial purchase, due to using a fraction of the electricity of traditional incandescent lamps, effectively they pay for themselves several times over before they need to be replaced. Furthermore, since the introduction of the LEDs into the market, prices have decreased substantially. 

Angel of the Light
The Necessary Angel (artangel.co.uk), a boutique style shop in Keswick, Cumbria, specialises in contemporary jewellery all hand-crafted in Britain and has experimented with lighting solutions since its establishment in 1990. 
Johnnie Walker who owns the company with his wife, Deborah Cowin has commented that "lighting is so vital for a jewellery business, the most important consideration for us is the brightness, followed by the coolness. Heat affects the texture and longevity of the display cabinets, which are made of wood. And anything that lessens the impact of the environment is good."
The Necessary Angel used dichroic halogen lamps to highlight its displays for many years, Walker has said that "the dichroics were cheap and bright but very hot, used a lot of energy and burned out regularly. We gradually introduced LEDs and then, a year ago, when we refitted the shop, we swapped to LEDs for all our displays, using strips in the cabinets and single bulbs containing three LEDs to focus on the individual pieces of jewellery." 
Walker continued to comment that, "The LED strip lights replaced three 20-watt halogens on a lighting strip and a couple of compact fluorescents. We tend to refurbish the shop every five years so the lights should outlive the cabinets. We will definitely get a return on our investment. There has been a leap in LED lighting in the last five years. They're affordable, very bright and damn reliable."

The Led Specialist Lights the Way
The Led Specialist sells over one hundred different types of LED lamps, including GU10s, candles, low voltage MR16s, golfballs, AR111s, strip lighting, par lamps and many more. Lamps can be a bit confusing so please see our website (theledspecialist.co.uk) for more information on the lamps we offer, how long they last and which lamps they can replace. We offer competitive prices on LED lighting solutions so start saving money on your energy bills now!