The Complete Guide to Buying Security Lights

Posted on 31st October 202531st October 2025 by Charles Barnett

In today’s security-conscious world, protecting our homes has never felt more important. Thankfully, technology has progressed so far that homeowners can keep track of their homes from anywhere in the world. Yet, for all the fancy gadgets and gizmos out there, one of the most effective methods of security remains the trusted security light.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about security lights, so that you can keep your home safe and secure, no matter your requirements. Keep reading to learn more…

Why security lighting is so important

Beyond the mere illumination provided, security lighting has myriad benefits.

When positioned correctly (don’t worry, we’ll cover the ins and outs of positioning later on) security lights provide peace of mind to homeowners that their home and possessions are secure.

A well-lit exterior sends a clear signal to any wrong-doers in the vicinity. An occupied, monitored property is harder to approach unseen.

And this isn’t just hyperbole. In 2019, a study by Nottingham Trent University’s Quantitative Criminology professor, Andromachi Tseloni, found that the best burglary deterrent was the WIDE combination – window locks, indoor lights on a timer, door double or deadlocks, and external lights.

By installing lights around entry points and dark corners, you build confidence in your home’s defences.

When paired with additional measures, such as cameras or alarms, you can improve the effectiveness of your security.

Security cameras perform best under consistent, uniform lighting. Sudden changes in brightness can wash out footage and obscure details. Security lights bring even illumination across key areas of your property, while reducing motion blur at night.

But beyond protection, security lights can help light up dark pathways, driveways, and steps, which may pose a hazard in low light conditions.

What are the different types of security lights?

Security lighting can be split in categories defined by power source and activation method, each with their own strengths and considerations. Let’s start by looking at the different power sources:

Solar-powered security lights

Over recent years, solar-powered security lights have boomed in popularity.

These lights convert sunlight into electrical energy via a photovoltaic panel, storing charge in an onboard battery during daylight hours.

Once ambient light falls below a set threshold, the stored power drives LEDs to illuminate without drawing from the mains electricity supply.

Because they require no cabling or electrician, installation is as simple as mounting both panel and lamp in an unobstructed sunlit area. Modern units often separate panel and luminaire to optimise orientation and ensure reliable performance even in variable UK climates.

Benefits of solar-powered security lights include:

Low costs: relying on solar panels means there is no impact on your electricity bill.
Easy installation: as simple as mounting both panel and lamp in unobstructed sun.
Flexible placement: ideal for remote outbuildings or areas without mains access.
Environmental benefit: green energy reduces carbon footprint.
Low maintenance: panel cleaning and periodic battery checks suffice.

However, there are some downsides to solar-powered security lights. These can include:

Variable output: dependent on sunlight exposure and seasonal variations.
Limited runtime: shorter illumination after consecutive cloudy days.
Placement constraints: panels must face south and remain unshaded.

Wired security lights

Wired security lights draw continuous power from your home’s mains electrical supply. This allows them to provide a constant, high-intensity beam regardless of weather or season.

Hardwired connections typically run through an outdoor-rated conduit to a junction box, where live, neutral and earth conductors feed floodlights, wall lights or spot fixtures.

While installation usually requires an electrician’s expertise, the result is a reliable, maintenance-free lighting solution.

Wired security lights are commonly used for the following reasons:

Steady performance: unaffected by weather variations or daylight hours.
High output: suitable for large driveways, commercial sites or stadiums.
System integration: compatible with home automation, alarms and centralised control.
Unlimited runtime: no battery constraints.

However, drawbacks include:

Installation complexity: likely requires an experienced electrician.
Running costs: use contributes to household electricity consumption.
Fixed positioning: relocation will require rewiring.

With these different power source categories covered, let’s look at the activation method categories:

Motion sensor security lights

Motion sensor lights employ detection technologies, commonly passive infrared (PIR), microwave or a combination of both, to sense movement and activate illumination on demand.

PIR sensors monitor changes in heat signatures across their Fresnel-lens-enhanced field, triggering lights when a warm body crosses the beam.

Microwave units emit low-power radar pulses and respond to Doppler shifts caused by motion, extending coverage through light foliage or around corners.

Hybrid models require both infrared and microwave activation, dramatically reducing false triggers. The lights switch off after a pre-set interval, conserving energy while delivering instant alerting.

Motion sensor security lights are very popular because of their advantages:

Energy efficiency: on-demand operation reduces wasted light.
Minimised light pollution: remains dark until triggered.
Adjustable detection: sensitivity, beam duration and coverage angles can be configured.
Heightened security: sudden illumination when motion is sensed, deterring unwelcome visitors.

However, motion sensor security lights do have their drawbacks. These include:

False alarms: depending on the detection technology selected, minor movements or temperature flares can trigger a higher number of false alarms.

Timer-activated security lights

As the name suggests, timer-activated lights rely on internal clocks or photocell sensors to switch on and off at predetermined times.

Schedules are programmed in, such as dusk to midnight, allowing your home’s exterior to be illuminated automatically. Alternatively, some models use photocell sensors which monitor sunlight levels, activating when light dims below a certain threshold.

This activation method appeals to homeowners for the following reasons:

Consistency: lights follow predictable routines to simulate occupancy, thus deterring would-be intruders.
Set-and-forget: once the lights are installed, you can leave them to function as required without the need for constant monitoring.
Photocell models: adjust automatically to dusk and dawn, allowing for daylight changes per season.

However, there are some drawbacks to timer-activated security lights:

Energy consumption: use during scheduled periods has an ongoing consumption of energy.
Predictability: scheduled lights lack the heightened security of motion sensors.

What types of bulb are used in security lights?

In the security-lighting market, there are two main technologies that have been used for illumination: LED and halogen:

Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs

Over the past few decades, LED bulbs have boomed in popularity, revolutionising outdoor lighting in the process.

Unlike filament or gas-filled lamps, LEDs produce light in a tiny semiconductor chip when electrons cross a P–N junction and release energy as photons.

Modern LEDs use materials like gallium nitride to create bright white light with very little wasted heat. A small driver keeps the current steady, and an aluminium heat sink draws away warmth to protect the diode. Built-in lenses focus the beam, cutting down on glare and spill.

LEDs are favoured across a wide range of products because of their advantages:

Energy saving: LEDs consume up to 85% less electricity than halogen equivalents.
Lifespan: ratings range from 25,000 to 100,000 hours of continuous operation.
Responsiveness: LEDs achieve full brightness within microseconds, making them perfect for motion-activated fixtures.
Colour variety: LEDs offer a spectrum of hues, from warm white (2,700 K) to daylight (6,500 K), to suit security, decorative or wildlife-friendly schemes.
Directional output: built-in optics focus light precisely where required, minimising spill and light pollution.

Halogen bulbs

Halogen bulbs house a tungsten filament inside a high-temperature quartz envelope filled with a small amount of halogen gas (usually iodine or bromine).

This “halogen cycle” captures evaporated tungsten and redeposits it onto the filament, allowing it to operate at higher temperatures than standard incandescents.

Despite their age, halogen lamps remain a popular option for many. However, that is quickly changing.

In 2021, the UK government announced plans to end the sale of halogen light bulbs as part of a wider effort to tackle climate change. As such, LED is fast becoming the primary option for security lighting.

What to look out for in security lighting

If you’re in the market for new security lighting for your property, there are a number of considerations you need to make to ensure the product is right for you:

Lumens vs. Watts

But before we get into the specifics, it’s important to understand lumens and watts.

For decades, wattage served as the shorthand for lamp brightness, but with the rise of energy-efficient technologies, this practice has become misleading.

Lumens: measure the total quantity of visible light emitted by a source. Higher lumen values correspond directly to greater perceived brightness at fixture level.
Watts: quantify the rate of energy consumption, not the light output itself. Two bulbs rated at 10 W might produce very different lumens if one uses LED technology and the other an older gas-discharge mechanism.

With that covered, let’s look at the important factors.

Illumination

Achieving a balance between brightness and coverage will determine how effectively security lights perform.

Two metrics govern these factors: lumens, and lux.

As we just covered, lumens indicate a lamp’s raw output. For general-purpose outdoor security:

50–300 lumens: will create subtle accent or landscape lighting, drawing the eye to features without overwhelming surroundings.
700–1,300 lumens: will illuminate driveways and paths, providing safe passage and clear sight lines.
1,500–2,000 lumens: will illuminate entrances, garages or high-value target zones where detail is essential.

Lux, on the other hand, measures illumination over a specific area. It refines lumen data by accounting for area.

One lux equals one lumen per square metre. When a 1,000-lumen floodlight disperses across 10 m², the resulting 100 lux provides strong visibility for CCTV capture and human recognition.

Conversely, too many lumens over a wide angle may yield low lux values, leaving shadows and blind spots.

Coverage hinges on beam angle and lamp positioning:

Narrow-beam (15°–40°): spotlights concentrate light for focused tasks, such as highlighting a doorway or house number.
Flood-beam (60°–120°): fixtures bathe larger areas in uniform light, making them ideal for driveways and gardens.
Adjustable-head lights: allow fine-tuning of direction, eliminating dark corners and avoiding neighbour disturbance.

Practical setup tips:

Mount lights at a height of 2.5–3 m for optimal spread without excessive glare.
Angle fixtures slightly downward (5°–15°) to prevent light spill into windows or neighbouring properties.
For irregular spaces, overlap adjacent beams by 10–20% to eradicate blind spots.

Considering both lumen and lux will help you achieve a security lighting scheme that illuminates every corner of your property without drawing complaints or wasting energy.

Durability

A good security light must endure rain, wind, UV exposure and seasonal temperature swings, year after year without failing.

Before purchase, check a light’s ability to withstand the elements to ensure continuous protection for your property, which can be achieved with the IP rating.

The industry standard for outdoor fixture ingress protection is the IP rating, which comprises two digits:

First digit (solids): measures resistance to dust and foreign objects on a scale from 0 (no protection) to 6 (dust tight).
Second digit (moisture): indicates water resistance from 0 (no protection) to 8 (immersion beyond one metre).

For most UK and northern European environments, an IP65 rating or higher is recommended.

IP65 fixtures are impervious to dust and withstand water jets from any direction, making them suitable for exposed walls, soffits and freestanding poles.

In coastal or industrial locations, IP66 or IP67 ratings can help to guard against salt spray, airborne contaminants and temporary immersion.

Placement

Another key consideration when buying security lighting is placement. Different lighting equipment is better suited to different locations and lighting conditions, so it is important to make sure you pick the right light for the job.

Focus first on entry points, such as front and back doors, garage entrances and ground-floor windows, that offer the biggest opportunity for a visitor to approach. Here, motion-sensored or time-activated lights will have the greatest effect.

Position fixtures at a height of 2–3 metres. This height is high enough to prevent tampering, yet low enough to achieve adequate beam coverage. Angle floodlights downward by 5°–15° to avoid glare while minimising dark shadows at ground level.

For lighting illuminating pathways, terraces, or driveways, ground-level post lighting is an ideal option. Commonly available with PIR movement sensors, these lights can provide around 6 metres of detection range, giving visitors ample visibility on approach.

If you select motion sensors, make sure they have an unobstructed field of view, free from overhanging foliage or parked vehicles.

For solar-powered lights, these need to have adequate access to sunlight, ideally on a south-facing wall with no shade during peak daylight hours.

For wired lights, isolate the circuit at the main breaker before beginning work. Run outdoor-rated cable through a shallow trench or along walls in conduit. Connect live, neutral and earth conductors within an IP-rated junction box, seal all entry points against moisture, affix the luminaire securely, then restore power and test sensor settings.

Smart features

If smart technology is your penchant, there are a number of options available.

For those who want to adjust control on the go, look for lighting with integrated app control. These products allow configuration of options such as illumination, detection range, time-activation, and more, giving you the control you need when away from home.

Smart home integration options mesh seamlessly with your existing home technology, allowing you to preprogram lighting scenes, combine sensor sensitivity, or integrate with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant to enable voice commands.

Wi-Fi connection options prevent connection dropouts, and protect your security lighting with end-to-end encryption and regular firmware updates to mitigate hacking risks.

While not standard on every security light on the market, these additional security measures can help to protect your home, and keep you in control.

Our top security light recommendations

With those considerations ticked off, let’s run through our top recommendations for security lighting to keep your home and property safe and secure:

Best security floodlight

If superior illumination is your desire, the 200W Dimmable Warm White LED Floodlight 27000lm PRO is your best choice.

Featuring an impressive 145 lm/W efficiency, its design allows for flexible placement, while the advanced SMD2835 LUMILEDS technology and 120º beam angle provide unbeatable light quality with a high colour rendering index.

Built from aluminium with optimal heat dispersion and an IP65 rating, this floodlight is built to last. Enjoy its long life, low maintenance, and energy savings, all with the convenience of a flicker-free, immediate start.

Find the 200W Dimmable Warm White LED Floodlight 27000lm PRO in our online shop.

Best post security light

When those pathways and driveways are in need of illumination, the Edit Rio 650 Outdoor Bollard Light with PIR Sensor is an excellent solution.

Featuring a sleek finish and a polycarbonate diffuser, this bollard light offers a bright, even illumination. The inbuilt PIR movement sensor has a detection range of up to 6 meters and 120°, allowing for reliable, secure detection.

The aluminium construction is designed to withstand the elements, making it a great, durable option for year-round outdoor use.

Enhance your outdoor area with the Edit Rio 650 Outdoor Bollard Light with PIR Sensor, available at Lyco.

Best solar-powered security lighting

If your goal is illumination without an electrical power connection, the Lutec Sunshine 8W LED Solar Floodlight with PIR sensor is our top choice.

With a bright 8W integrated daylight white LED light source, this floodlight provides 500 lumens to illuminate your decking, courtyard, or driveway with ease. A separate solar panel comes with a 5-meter-long cable so you can position both the floodlight and power source in the optimal position without compromise.

The Lutec Sunshine 8W LED Solar Floodlight with PIR sensor is available for purchase on the Lyco website.

Best smart security lighting

For the tech-savvy among you, our recommendation for the best smart security lighting is the Brennenstuhl 20W Cool White LED Wifi Floodlight With PIR Sensor.

This smart LED floodlight can be controlled via the free Brennenstuhl Connect app, allowing for adjustment of light intensity, light temperature, timer, afterglow, and much more.

With a powerful 20W light, this Wi-Fi security light is a great option for automatically illuminating entrance areas, driveways, or gardens. Additionally, this product features voice control, with compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants.

You can find the Brennenstuhl 20W Cool White LED Wifi Floodlight With PIR Sensor on our website.

Find the right security lights at Lyco

We hope that you have found this guide to buying security lights useful. At Lyco, we have a wide range of security lighting to suit your security needs.

We are the UK’s premier lighting company, providing the latest products from around the world at the very best prices. We are able to dispatch 98% of all orders on the same day they are received.

If you want to know more about our products and services, our team have the knowledge to assist you. Contact us today to learn more.

Shop the best security lights at Lyco today

For more news, information, buying guides, and product advice, check out the Lyco blog…

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How Do Security Lights Work?

Posted on 7th October 2025 by Charles Barnett

For many homes and businesses, security lighting is the first line of defence against trespass and accidents after dusk. When light is cast over driveways, gardens, and entry points upon the detection of movement, these fixtures provide a clear signal to potential intruders that a property is actively monitored.

But how does this technology work, and why is it so important? In this article, we’ll look into the specifics of motion detection and security lights, and the key differences between each energy source sensed. Keep reading to learn more…

Why are security lights so effective?

Security lighting has remained a strong, viable option for many businesses and homeowners because of its ability to remove uncertainty.
By casting light into the cover of darkness, you tip the balance back in your favour, away from unwanted intruders. An illuminated exterior increases the chance of being seen, whether by neighbours, passers-by or CCTV cameras, and makes covert entry far more difficult.

Criminals rarely pick targets under a spotlight, so well-placed floodlights, timers or motion-activated units reduce opportunities for attackers to probe windows, doors, or perimeter fences under cover of night.

Beyond the immediate visual barrier, security lights also help establish a neighbourhood watch mentality. When one property is brightly lit, it raises collective awareness. Neighbours become more alert to movement, discouraging repeat offences in the wider area.

Additionally, security lighting is both cost-effective and low-maintenance. Unlike alarms that rely on occupant response, lights work continuously (or upon demand) to project an aura of occupancy.

How motion sensors work

Motion sensors are devices purpose-built to detect changes in their surroundings, be that light intensity, sound waves, or heat.

A motion sensor is commonly made up of three parts: a sensing module, a control circuit and an output switch.

The sensing module continuously monitors a particular form of energy. These energy forms are:

Infrared radiation for heat.
Ultrasonic pulses for sound.
Microwave emissions for electromagnetic waves.
A simple infrared beam for active detection.

The control circuit analyses real-time data from the module, comparing it against a stored reference level. A motion sensor relies on sensing a change in stable conditions.

Once the sensor notices these substantive changes (commonly known as a “trigger event”) the control circuit activates the output stage. This may be a solid-state relay or a low-voltage driver for LEDs, though older devices often use mechanical relays to connect mains power.

The light then remains on for a defined period, typically adjustable from a few seconds up to several minutes, before the sensor re-establishes the baseline and turns the lamp off.

Sensitivity settings determine how easily a sensor responds to minor disturbances, allowing for some fine-tuning to avoid false alarms from small animals, wind-blown foliage or passing traffic. Detection range depends on the sensor type and lens design.

Threshold controls (“lux” for light-level sensitivity, and “time” for activation duration) allow homeowners to specify that motion detection only occurs at night or to tailor how long lights remain illuminated.

Motion sensors offer an intelligent activation method for security-lighting systems, providing responsive, energy-efficient illumination exactly when and where it is needed.

What are the different types of motion sensors?

Security lights use a range of sensing technologies to detect movement and activate illumination. As we mentioned earlier, there are four main types of energy forms sensed, but there are five different sensor types. Let’s look at them in more detail:

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors

Passive infrared sensors detect the natural heat energy (also known as infrared radiation) emitted by living bodies.

A PIR unit contains two pyroelectric elements, each monitoring a zone. Under stable conditions, both elements register the same ambient temperature.

When a warm object, such as a person or animal, moves across one zone into the next, the resulting temperature differential generates a small voltage. The sensor recognises this change and triggers the light.

A Fresnel lens array sits over the sensor elements, dividing the field of view into multiple narrow beams. This lens both magnifies infrared wavelengths (typically 8–12 µm for a human body) and extends range.
When an object traverses these beams, the sensor experiences a rapid rise and fall in detected IR energy, indicating motion.

Benefits of PIR sensors:

Passive operation: emits no energy, so it cannot be seen through glass or walls.
Good range: typically 8–12 metres with a 90°–120° coverage angle.
Cost-effective: PIR sensors use low-power, making them the default for domestic floodlights and wall units.

Ultrasonic motion sensors

Ultrasonic sensors emit high-frequency sound waves on a continual basis. These sound waves, usually 40 kHz, are beyond the range of human hearing.

An ultrasonic transducer broadcasts pulses into the detection zone and listens for echoes. When an object moves, it disturbs the time it takes for echoes to return.

The control circuit compares successive echo patterns, noticing any significant changes which signals movement, before switching on the light.

Because sound waves can diffract around corners and through thin partitions, ultrasonic sensors cover complex layouts where line-of-sight may be obstructed.

They can operate in complete darkness and remain unaffected by temperature fluctuations. Ultrasonic sensors are common in automatic doors and indoor security zones, but less so for outdoor lighting due to environmental noise triggers.

Benefits of ultrasonic sensors:

Active system: continually emits and processes sound pulses.
Great coverage: up to 20 metres, with wrap-around detection in enclosed spaces.
Highly sensitive: can detect minor movement, such as slow walking.

Microwave sensors

Operating similarly to ultrasonic motion sensors, microwave detectors instead function on the Doppler-shift principle.

A transmitter emits low-power microwave signals in the 2.4 GHz band into the area under surveillance. Moving objects reflect those waves back, and the receiver compares the frequency of the returned signal to the original. When there are changes in this shift, it indicates motion, thus prompting the sensor to activate the light.

Because microwaves penetrate non-metallic materials, these sensors can “see” through foliage, walls or thin plastic covers, allowing them to excel in large-area coverage and irregular spaces.

They are favoured in high-security or commercial sites where broad coverage and obstacle penetration are priorities.

Benefits of microwave sensors:

Active system: continuous wave emission like that of ultrasound sensors.
Great range: up to 15–20 metres, 360° detection possible with appropriate antenna geometry.
Better visibility: can “see” through things that other sensors cannot.

Active infrared sensors

Active infrared sensors use an emitter and receiver to form an invisible light beam. This narrow beam, typically in the near-infrared spectrum, is continuously shined from the emitter toward a photodiode receiver.

When an object interrupts this beam, the receiver detects a sudden drop in signal and triggers the light.

These systems are great for controlling specific choke points, and are commonly used in garage-door activation, warehouse loading bays, and controlled-entry corridors. However, they are less suitable for open-area monitoring due to line-of-sight requirements.

Benefits of active infrared sensors:

Accurate in defined zones: any beam interruption counts as motion.
Immunity: ambient temperature variations and most sources of false heat signatures don’t affect the beam.

Hybrid sensors

Hybrid sensors (also known as dual-technology sensors) combine two detection methods (most commonly PIR and microwave) into a single unit.

Both systems must register motion within a given time window for the light to activate, sharply reducing false alarms.

For example, the PIR circuit monitors thermal changes while the microwave module watches for Doppler shifts. Only when both signals coincide does the control relay close, illuminating the lamp.

This does, however, slightly slow the response time, as both sensors need to process the data. They are also more expensive, and require more complex calibration than single-technology units.

Benefits of hybrid sensors:

Low false-alarm rate: the dual-technology approach reduces false alarms, making them ideal for high security situations, critical infrastructure perimeters, banks and military sites.

Shop security lighting at Lyco

Now that you understand how security lights and sensors operate, it’s time to take your security up a notch. At Lyco, we have a wide range of security lighting to suit your security needs.

We are the UK’s premier lighting company, providing the latest products from around the world at the very best prices. We are able to dispatch 98% of all orders on the same day they are received.

If you want to know more about our products and services, our team have the knowledge to assist you. Contact us today to learn more.

Shop the best security lights at Lyco today

For more news, information, buying guides, and product advice, check out the Lyco blog…

How Light Works: The Ultimate Guide | Driveway Lighting Tips For Hospitality Venues | IP44 Lighting For Outdoors – Our Top 10

Speed of light explained in-depth

Posted on 14th May 202124th March 2022 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 24th March 2022

The speed of light is one of the most important measurements used by scientists today. Although most of us will have been taught about it at school, it is frequently forgotten about, since the measurements and the numbers are so incredible, and honestly, it really is pretty difficult to get our heads around. In this post, we’ll try and make it simple! We’ll be looking at how fast the speed of light really is, whether it is the same everywhere, whether anything can travel faster than the speed of light and what light years have to do with the speed of light.

Who discovered the speed of light?

Scientists have been concerned with the speed of light for years, and in ancient times, some believed that the speed of light was infinite and could travel any distance instantaneously. Galileo Galilei attempted to measure the speed of light with an experiment in the early 17^th century that involved two people and covered lanterns standing a known distance apart. One person uncovered their lantern, and as soon as the other person saw their light, they uncovered their lantern. During the experiment, Galileo tried to record the time between each lantern signal, but as we now know, light simply moves too quickly to be able to measure it over such small distances in this way.

Ole Roemer was the first person to determine that light is not infinite, in 1676. He did this by studying Jupiter’s moons, establishing that when there was an eclipse, they took place sooner when Jupiter was closer to Earth in their orbits. This observation meant that light was moving at a finite speed, because when Jupiter was further away, it took longer for the light to travel.

French physicist Hippolyte Fizeau was the first person to measure the speed of light that wasn’t an astronomer. Working in 1849, his method used light that passed through a rotating wheel, which was then reflected back from a mirror that was situated a significant distance away.

Albert Einstein’s work on the theory of special relativity was published in 1905, which was important for scientists to help uncover the speed of light – since it helped to determine that an object approaches the speed of light, its mass becomes infinite and it is unable to go any faster than light travels.

Albert Michelson was one of the first to make a precise calculation about the speed of light. He calculated how Earth’s motion through space affected how the speed of light is measured, and found that the speed of light is the same no matter what Earth’s motion is. Michelson’s most accurate research was carried out in the 1920s, using an eight-sided rotating mirror apparatus. Interestingly, this work helped Michelson to win a Nobel Prize, and he is the only person in history that won for a non-discovery of anything. He was attempting to detect the ‘luminiferous aether’ – the medium that it was hypothesised that light travelled through – and the experiment proved this did not exist.

Since Roemer’s work in 1676, there have been countless numbers of calculations to show the speed of light, with varying degrees of accuracy:

Roemer – 214,000 km/s

Fizeau – 315,000 km/s

Michelson (1879) – 299,910 km/s

Michelson (1926) – 299,796 km/s

The speed of light in a vacuum (which space is considered, because it is nearly empty) wasn’t determined until as late as 1983, when an international commission on weights and measures set it officially, using the calculation still in use today – which is 299,792 kilometres per second.

Why is the speed of light important?

The speed of light is important for scientists because it is a fundamental constant of nature – it is never changing. It is the measure that limits velocity in the universe (as far as we know) and is an important factor for everything.

Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, which is known best by the famous E = mc² equation shows us that energy equals mass times the speed of light squared. This suggests that nature sees energy and mass are different forms of the same thing, and so with the right conditions, energy can become mass, and mass can become energy.

Einstein’s work also showed that objects that travel at close to the speed of light can experience changes to length and time, and these changes depend on the relative motion of the observer and the object. Essentially, as we get closer to the speed of light, lengths look like they are getting shorter, and clocks seem to tick more slowly.

How fast is the speed of light?

The speed of light is simply how far light can travel in a straight line in a given amount of time. There are a number of different ways in which we can show the speed of light, depending on the unit of distance or time that we use. So, the speed of light can be shown using seconds, minutes, or hours, using metres, kilometres, or miles. It can look like:

299,792,458 metres per second

300,000 km per second

186,282 miles per second

1,080,000,000 kilometres per hour

671,000,000 miles per hour

If these numbers don’t mean anything to you because it is hard to visualise, then perhaps this might help. Assuming that there were no allowances required for the curve of the Earth, then a beam of light travels so fast that it could cover the distance around the equator (24,901 miles) seven and a half times in a single second.

Despite the journey being 150 million km, it takes light from our Sun just 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel to Earth. For light to travel from the nearest star to our Sun (Proxima Centauri), it takes 4.2 years, which helps us to understand exactly how far away that star is. It also means that when we see light from other stars, we’re seeing light that started travelling a long time ago.

What is a light year?

A light year is a measure that is linked with the speed of light and is the distance that a beam of light travels in a straight line during one Earth year – that is, 365 Earth days. Rather than being a measure of time as the name might imply, it measures distance. To calculate the actual distance of a light year, you simply need to multiply the speed of light by the number of seconds in a year. If you want to do the calculations, you can follow along here. If maths isn’t your thing, then:

A light year is 6 trillion miles (that’s 6,000,000,000,000 miles), or 9 trillion kilometres.

To try and picture how far a light year is, you can use the circumference of the Earth (24,900 miles). Imagine this distance, if you can – and then lay out 7.5 more (this distance is a single light second – how far light travels in a straight line in a single second) and then add 31.6 million more of those lines end to end. It is a huge distance to try and imagine, and even with this visual, it is incredibly hard!

This measurement can help us to understand just how huge space is – the Milky Way galaxy is one hundred thousand light years across, and Earth is twenty six light years away from the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. The space shuttle Discovery travels at around five miles per second, which means it takes around 37,200 years to cover just one light-year – so the reality is that with current technology, humans are unlikely to cover this distance any time soon.

Is the speed of light the same everywhere?

The speed of light is measured in a vacuum. Through the vacuum of space, no matter how much energy a photon has, it always travels at the speed of light – 300,000 km per second. The highest-energy photon and the lowest-energy photon ever observed both travel at exactly the same speed in a vacuum.

When outside of a vacuum, or when travelling through a different material, light can be slowed down. Materials that are transparent to light allows photons to travel through it, including water, acrylic, crystals, glass, and air. But electrons in those materials interact with photons and slow them down. So, if light is in a material, it is being slowed down. Light travels through Earth’s atmosphere almost as fast as light travels in space (it is affected by anything that is in the atmosphere, but it is almost the same speed), while light passing through a diamond travels at around half the speed of light. But even half the speed of light is incredibly fast, around 124,000 km per second!

You’ve probably seen adverts from internet service providers that suggest that signals are travelling at the speed of light through their optical fibres. They’re implying that their service is the fastest possible, to encourage customers to sign up, but the reality is that as light travels through those cables, there is interference from other photons being released from the glass atoms. Since the speed of light is measured through a vacuum, the actual speed is 40% faster in a vacuum than it is through fibre optic cables.

That isn’t all though. Since different photons have different energies and their electric and magnetic fields oscillate at different rates, photons with different energies will slow at different rates. When shining white light (which is made up of all the colours of the spectrum) through a prism or water, the more energetic photons slow down more than less energetic ones, which causes the colours to separate – causing that rainbow effect that we all know so well.

However, as long as atoms remain the same, our definitions of time, length, and the speed of light will never change.

Can anything travel faster than the speed of light?

Science fiction has had humans imagining that we may be able to travel faster than the speed of light for decades – and it makes sense, since in order to get to, and explore other planets, we would need to travel that fast. Star Trek has facilitated this – with ‘warp speed’ being multiples of the speed of light.

However, despite the imaginations of science fiction writers, so far nothing built by humans has been able to go faster than the speed of light. One of the fastest objects made by humans is the New Horizons space probe, which launched in January 2006 and passed Pluto and Charon in July 2015. It has been travelling at a speed similar to that of the Earth, just over 16 km per second – which is nowhere near the speed of light (300,000 km per second).

While we haven’t yet been able to create anything that is able to travel as fast as light, it is possible to make some things travel at speeds close to the speed of light. As early as the 1960s, William Bertozzi established that it was possible to make electrons travel at increasing velocities. The more energy that was applied to repel the electrons, the faster the electrons were accelerated. While Bertozzi’s team were able to get close to the speed of light, they weren’t able to reach it.

To date, the only particles that have been observed travelling at the speed of light are photons – which are the particles that light is made up of. The reason that they can travel this fast is that they have no mass, meaning that – unlike electrons – they don’t get heavier as they accelerate. The second that photons are released; they are already travelling at the top speed they are able to achieve.

Since the amount of energy that it would take to propel a small (10m x10m x 10m) spaceship to travel at speeds faster than light (and manipulating space-time in order to do so, using ‘warp bubbles’ – also known as the Alcubierre Warp Drive) would be similar to the entire mass of Jupiter – and that energy would need to be provided constantly – at present, there isn’t a solution to how travelling that fast will be possible.

Research is ongoing though, and visible light is just the start of it – because photons make up plenty of other types of waves. Radio waves, microwaves, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays from decaying atoms are all made up of photons – which make up the electromagnetic spectrum.

There is one thing that we know is travelling faster than the speed of light: the universe. The universe is expanding at a rate of roughly 68 kilometres per second per megaparsec, where a megaparsec is 3.26 million light-years. This is a whole other discussion though! You can read more about that here.

Why is light so important?

Light is important to humans (and many other mammals) for a number of reasons. Natural light sets the course of our days, ruling our circadian rhythms and determining when we fall asleep and when we rise. Of course, humans have been creating light using fire, and in ever brighter amounts since the discovery of electricity, and the invention of the electric motor.

Lighting doesn’t just make our modern life possible – allowing us to work around the clock, or create optimal ambience for the activities that we have planned – it is essential for us to thrive. Our bodies don’t just need light to see, we need it to keep us healthy – both physically and mentally. Particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, throughout the winter months when there is less daylight, doctors report a huge increase in the number of people with symptoms of depression, which tends to lift as the days get longer in the spring.

It isn’t just our health that light can have an effect on. Light can change our mood dramatically, making us more likely to make rational decisions, to concentrate or negotiate better, or even to make us more receptive to making a purchase decision in a shopping centre.

Key takeaways

The speed of light is an essential concept for scientists to understand, since it is one of the physical constants – a fundamental invariant quantity observed in nature. For most of us outside of the world of science, it is also just that – a physical constant that we take for granted as never changing. Whether you’re studying the speed of light for the first time, or refreshing your memory, there’s a lot to get your head around. The main points to remember though are:

All types of light – whether high energy or low energy – always travel at the speed of light if it is travelling in a vacuum
You can’t change the speed of light with your own motion or the light’s motion
The speed of light can be changed while it is in a non-vacuum material (including air), for as long as it is in that material
When in a material, light of different energies will change speed by different amounts, depending on the properties of the material
When the light leaves the material and re-enters a vacuum, it continues at the speed of light
As far as we understand to date, the speed of light is exactly the same at all times throughout the Universe

Looking for more news, inspiration, or advice? Try our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Charles started Lyco in 1995 with just 4 enthusiastic employees and has grown it considerably over the past 25 years. Charles is also the Managing Director of Lighting Direct and newly acquired Online Lighting. He now has a team of 50 lighting experts working on growing Lyco Group to be the UK leader in lighting for both businesses and homes. Away from the office he is a keen cyclist and is proud to have cycled 1017 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for a new residential centre for adults with multiple learning difficulties.

How Light Works: The Ultimate Guide

Posted on 8th April 202125th March 2022 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 25th March 2022

When you’re starting to choose lighting for your home, it can be tough to know where to begin, even if you’re certain of the style you’re looking to create in your home. With so many different lighting options available, and lots of variables between the different types of bulbs, it can be pretty mind blowing. Through this post, we’ll take you through the different categories of lighting that you need in a room, and the types of fixtures that you can use for each category. From there, we’ll cover the important issue of light bulbs, since they’re pretty complex, and understanding how they work makes buying them much simpler.

We’ve written this post with absolute beginners to lighting in mind – those who are setting out living on their own for the first time, new home owners, and those who have previously ‘made do’ but are now ready to create a stylish home that they can be proud of.

What different types of lighting are there?

Where once we would have relied solely on the ceiling light to provide all the light in a room, today designers and lighting experts recommend having a range of different lighting available in a room – with at least one from each lighting category, to allow for optimal amounts of light for all the types of activities that may take place in the room. The main categories are ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting.

As an example, in a bedroom:

Ambient lighting allows for getting dressed and moving around
Task lighting would allow for reading or for applying makeup
Accent lighting may be used to illuminate wall accessories, behind a TV or an aspect of the room’s design

Ambient lighting

Ambient light completely fills the room with light, and allows you to use the room as if it is daytime. It is often provided by the ceiling light in the centre of the room, but there are other types of lighting that can contribute to ambient indoor lighting.

Ceiling lighting fixtures which can include chandeliers, downlights, pendants, spotlights, track lights and batten lights
Wall lighting fixtures such as picture lights, uplights, ceramic lights and flush wall lights
Lamps of all types, including floor lamps, table and desk lamps

It may be the case that producing the optimal amount of lighting requires a number of lights to be used at the same time.

Task lighting

Task lighting does exactly what it sounds like – it produces light for specific purposes. This could be for reading, cooking or for studying. Task lighting can be provided by a range of lights, including:

Downlights and pendants
LED cabinet lights
Lamps, including floor lamps, bedside table lamps, and desk lamps

The type of task lighting that may be required is likely to differ from room to room and between the type of activity that it is needed for. For example, a desk lamp that is only used with a PC, or under-counter lights in the kitchen may be able to be a fixed type, whereas for craft activities, a lamp with a moveable head may be desirable.

Accent lighting

Accent lighting can take many forms, but is primarily there to highlight an accessory such as artwork or an architectural feature. This can be provided by lots of different types of lights:

Since accent lighting is there to highlight, then simpler light fixtures can help to keep the focus on the feature.

What type of lighting fixtures should I use?

The decision about which lighting fixtures you prefer is a personal one, and should be based on the type of look you are aiming to achieve in the room – but having at least one (if not more) of each type of lighting means that you’ll have the flexibility, and will be able to create the brightness that you need at any given time.

Ceiling lighting

Ceiling lighting is often the first lights that get chosen when moving into a new home. They tend to provide the general illumination in a room, but also add to the styling of the room.

While your personal preference, and the style and visual weight will ultimately guide your choice of ceiling lighting fixture, there are approximate calculations that you can use to narrow down the type of fixture that will work best in the space.

Working with the dimensions of your room in feet (rather than centimetres), add the number of feet in the width to the number in the length. The answer will give you the number of inches that your light fitting diameter should be. For example, if your room is 6 foot by 10 foot, the optimal size of light fitting would be 16 inches – which is about 40cm.

If you’re choosing statement lighting such as pendants that hang from the ceiling, the first thing to do is to get your tape measure out. It should go without saying, but you will need sufficient clearance underneath the fixture to avoid breakage and potential injuries. When hanging feature lighting from the ceiling, it is essential to have a minimum of two metres clearance between the floor and the bottom of the fixture (and if some members of the household are particularly tall, maybe a little more). If you’re hanging pendant lighting above dining tables, there should be at least 65cm between the table and the lighting fixture.

Wall lights

Wall lights can be used for all kinds of purposes – either to add to ambient lighting, as task lighting or as accent lighting – as well as providing a decorative accessory in a room with simpler styling. The function of the wall lights will influence the type of fixtures that you choose, while the style of the room will influence the type of wall lights that are chosen.

Where wall lights are used for effect, there may be a number of wall lights used – either paired, or in a series – or they may be positioned in an unusual spot. Using wall lights with colourful shades, and matching them with ceiling lighting can help to tie the overall look and feel of the room together, particularly where other accessories in the room coordinate.

Lamps

Whether you are choosing floor lamps, table lamps or desk lamps, as with wall lights, you’ll make your decision based on the size of the room, what category of lighting it is providing, and what activity the lamp will be illuminating.

Depending on their size, table lamps may contribute to the ambient light in a room, or may be purely used as task lighting – for example, for reading, or as a portable lamp that can be used for sewing or other types of crafts. Since more of us are using electronic devices for reading today (and are attached to our phones too), many styles of lamp now include USB charging points as part of their design. Where lamps are used for reading, dimmer switches are desirable – since this allows for better lighting throughout the day and night, when different levels of lighting are appropriate.

When choosing a table lamp:

Be sure that the bottom of lamp shade is approximately at eye level when seated, so that the bulb doesn’t shine directly in your eyes
Situate the lamp close enough to illuminate the task sufficiently
If the room has people walking through it often, then ensure your lamp is stable, so to prevent it tipping over
Ensure that the relative proportion of the lamp is appropriate – it should be no more than one and a half times the height of the item furniture that it sits on

When choosing a floor lamp:

As with table lamps, ensure that the lower edge of the shade is at eye level when seated
Avoid obstructing the view of décor such as artwork, as well as between seating locations
The smaller the room, the smaller the lamp should be
Keep safety first – if the floor lamp is likely to become a trip hazard (especially for children or elderly residents) it isn’t the right one

What type of light bulb do I need?

Once you’ve established the type of light fittings that you’re going to use in a room, and you’ve decided on the exact ones that you’re going to buy, you’ll need to choose your light bulb. Not all light fittings will have bulbs sent with them, and where they are, the bulb may not be to your preference. Choosing a light bulb isn’t always easy or straightforward either – since there are a number of variables that you’ll need to consider.

Choosing the right light bulb

If you’re replacing a bulb in an existing light fixture, the rule is to replace like with like – especially when it comes to the type of fitting. But the fitting isn’t the only thing you’ll need to consider. You’ll need to think about what the light is for (is it for ambient, accent or task lighting?), and what shape suits the fixture, as well as the cost both of the purchase, and in the longer term. Let’s take a look in more detail.

Fitting

While there are plenty of different types of light bulb fitting, when we’re looking at domestic light fittings, there are three main types that prevail: bayonet, screw cap, and pin and push-fit base bulbs. Generally, with these types of light fixtures, it should be easy to find a bulb that will suit.

When changing a bulb, you’ll need to find the same type of fitting for the replacement. Although adaptors are available, they should rarely be required, since different types of bulbs are so easily found today, especially from lighting specialists.

But establishing the fitting of the bulb is the easy part, since you don’t have to opt for the same colour or brightness – which is what we’ll come to next.

Function

As we’ve already determined, there are many different types of lighting fixtures, that can be used for different purposes. The function that the light fitting fulfils will determine the brightness, and the hue of the bulb that you choose.

Brightness

Newer types of bulbs use different amounts of watts to produce the same amount of brightness – and there are differences between types. Historically, light bulb manufacturers used the number of watts that were required to produce the amount of light to illustrate the brightness of a bulb.

Today, bulbs are much more efficient, and to produce the same amount of light as an old style incandescent 60 watt bulb, an LED bulb needs just 10 watts, while a halogen bulb requires around 42 watts. The differences in watts required for the same amount of light is the reason that light bulb manufacturers no longer use the measurement of watts to describe the brightness of a light bulb. So rather than measure the amount of power required, manufacturers now use Lumens to describe the levels of brightness that the bulb will provide. The higher the number, the brighter the light provided by the bulb.

Warmth

When choosing your light bulbs, you’ll also need to consider whether you want a cool toned, or a warm toned bulb. The decision will depend on several factors:

What type of fixture you’re using the bulb in
The space the light is being used in
What activities the light will illuminate
The time of day the room, and the light will be used

For rooms that require lighting levels that are near daylight, and that aren’t being used close to bedtime, then a cooler toned bulb can be used – bright white, or slightly blue-toned, will help to mimic natural daylight. Where being alert is not as desirable, such as for bedside table lamps, then warmer, yellow toned bulbs are preferable.

The measurement of bulb warmth is measured in Kelvins. The warmth of candle light is measured at approximately 1,500 Kelvin, while normal daylight (depending on whether it is a sunny or cloudy day) is measured at between 5,000 and 7,000 Kelvin. The higher the number on the Kelvin scale, the colder the light provided will appear, and cooler toned bulbs often appear to be brighter than warmer toned bulbs of the same Lumen measurement.

Choosing the bulb

Although watts are no longer used as a measurement of light bulb brightness, most bulb manufacturers will display both the Lumen measurement, and the equivalent in watts in an older style incandescent bulb, as well as the Kelvin measurement on the packaging. Not only that, but there will also usually be a description in words to describe the type of light – such as ‘warm white’. That means that when you’re in a store picking a light bulb, if you’re used to choosing bulbs based on watts, you’ll be able to see the numbers that you need, and the description will help if you’re not sure.

Format

Once you’ve decided on the colour, brightness and you know the fitting that you need, you can narrow down the shape that you want. There are an incredible array of different shaped bulbs, from traditional ‘bulb’ shapes, to candle, golf ball, pear shape, spiral and stick bulbs – and once you’ve established that you have the correct cap fitting (either screw or bayonet, for example) and the correct brightness, it is up to you. In many cases, if the bulb is hidden, the choice of bulb will be simply down to personal preference and it won’t matter. However, if your lighting fixture intentionally exposes the light bulb, then it may be better choose a style with a decorative filament, or that complements the design of the fixture.

Cost

While the general rule of buying the best quality you can afford definitely comes into play here – since a better quality bulb is likely to last longer too. The longer-term cost of running a bulb will also be relevant, especially if you are in your ‘forever home’. The initial cost of LED bulbs are higher than other types, but they are much more energy efficient, and can last for up to 25 years. Not only does this provide much more convenience – you won’t need to replace it as often – but the energy savings can add up dramatically. Savings can add up to more than £180 over the product’s lifetime, which makes it well worth the investment.

Final thoughts

We’ve covered the basics of lighting in this post, and yet we’ve barely touched on design. Understanding the basics of lighting is important though, and can help to guide your decisions when you’re designing, and shopping for the room of your dreams. Our key takeaways:

Ensure you have a range of lighting in each room, with at least one light from each category of ambient, task and accent lighting
Be careful to measure before making a purchase – having lighting that is in proportion to the room, and that allows sufficient clearance is essential
Choosing the best bulb for the purpose should be done carefully, with the correct brightness and colour taken into consideration

Our range of lighting covers all the types of fixtures mentioned in this post, and we stock an extensive range of bulbs. If you are looking for a particular item, or need technical advice, please get in touch – our team of experts are happy to help.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Light Fittings Types – Traditional Light Bulbs

Posted on 1st April 202120th April 2023 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 20th April 2023

When we think of a light bulb, we used to refer to an incandescent or tungsten filament lamp with a round sphere at one end or a candle lamp that is long and thin. Nowadays we talk more about LEDs, since LED bulbs are more energy efficient, cheaper to run and better for the environment. Most light bulbs have round metal caps with either a screw or bayonet type fitting

At Lyco, we sell a wide range of traditional light bulbs as well as more specialist types, and we understand that knowing which type you need is not as simple as it once was. With this in mind, we have put together a quick guide to fitting types, and traditional light bulbs.

Standard Fittings & Effects

The types of lamp available with screw and bayonet caps have broadened greatly in recent years, and now include LED bulbs. With traditional cap fixtures, you get great flexibility and a wide choice of lighting effects.

Domestic Bulbs

In the UK, bayonet and screw caps are the most commonly used type of light bulb. When it comes to which type is better, there isn’t a huge amount of benefit in opting for one or the other – the only exception is that bayonets are less likely to work loose from their fixture unintentionally, and there are no threads to be accidentally stripped or removed.

Bayonet Bulbs

There are two different types of bayonet cap – standard and small. Standard bayonet is by far the most popular and is perhaps the most common light bulb of all in the UK.

The bayonet cap type fitting (BC) is perhaps the most well-known lamp fitting in the UK today. Invented towards the end of the nineteenth century and utilising a mechanism originally developed for bayonet rifles, the BC consists of a spring and two contacts with bayonet mounts on either side.

To fit a bayonet light bulb, simply depress the lamp into its holder, twist under the lugs and the bayonet mounts are retained by the springs, thus ensuring optimum contact. It is a simple push and twist motion that most of us are familiar with.

Size Variations

The most common sizes of bayonet cap fittings are BC or B22d, (where 22 refers to the diameter, in mm of the lamp base) and small bayonet cap – SBC (or B15d). For insulation and safety purposes, these types of fitting typically feature a plastic or metal skirt.

Common Uses

It is most common to find bayonet fittings in pendant lights, batten holders, wall and ceiling lights designed for domestic use. BC fittings can be enclosed in some very decorative luminaires and traditionally incandescent tungsten filament lamps are used. Nowadays, there are also low energy lamps with bayonet caps, which mean you can keep your existing fittings and reduce damage to the environment at the same time.

GU10 bulbs

This type of bulb has a twist and lock mechanism, and so tend to be classified as a type of bayonet bulb. G means that the bulb has a bi-pin, or double pin base, and the pins are 10mm apart, and protrude 7mm from the base of the bulb. GU10 bulbs tend to be found in spotlights, kitchens and bathrooms, directional downlights and recessed lighting.

Screw Cap Bulbs

Screw caps are available in four common sizes – Micro (MES), Small (SES), Standard (ES) and Goliath or Giant (GES).

Another very popular fitting type for domestic lighting purposes is the screw cap – invented by Thomas Edison in 1909 and trademarked under Mazda.

Using the metal screw as one contact and a single base as the other, the lamp simply screws into the fitting. Contact is made when the lamp screw is almost home, thus making the screw part both the physical and electrical contact that makes the circuit.

Screw Cap Reliability

The screw fitting is considered by some as easier to maintain, particularly as there are no springs involved which can fail over time. However, there is a small drawback in that it is possible to cross-thread, which can be a problem when the bulb needs to be replaced, or there may not be a secure flow of electricity.

Size Variations

The most common type of screw cap in the UK is the ES or Edison Screw E27, (where the number relates to the diameter of the screw). This size of screw cap bulb tends to be the one that is found in standard light fixtures in homes.

There are other, smaller sized screw light bulbs, such as SES or Small Edison Screw (E14), Giant or Goliath Edison Screw GES (E40) and MES or Miniature or Micro Edison Screw (E10). These tend to be used in decorative lighting where the bulb is exposed, and so needs to be smaller for aesthetic reasons.

To find your ideal bulb by shape or cap try our Light Bulb Finder

Although the Edison Screw is the most popular choice for domestic fittings, there are now many more Small Edison Screw lamps available. This is because retailers are sourcing light fittings from Europe and the US, where this type of fitting is far more common.

Giant Edison Screw fittings are generally not suitable for domestic use and more suited to specialist street lamps and industrial fittings. MES fittings are less common and ideal for use in very small or battery powered light fittings.

Pin & Push-Fit Base Bulbs

This type of bulb is fitted in the exact way that it sounds like it does – it gets pushed into the fixture, without needing to be screwed or twisted. The base on this type of bulb will have a number of pins, usually two, of a variety of lengths and types of pin. Incandescent, halogen or fluorescent lamps tend to have bi-pin fittings.

Pin and push-fit bulbs don’t have integrated control gear, which means that they need a ballast, transformer, or driver in order to regulate the bulb.

Halogen Bulbs

Halogen spotlights tend to have push-fit pin bases, and are often shaped in order to stop the wrong type of bulb being used in a fitting.

Fluorescent tubes

Fluorescent tubes tend to have two pins at either end of the tube, as do LED strip lights. Standard size T8 (25mm), and T12 (38mm) fluorescent tubes use the G13 fitting, while smaller fluorescent tubes like the T5 (16mm) use the G5 fitting.

Strip Lights

Strip lights are a form of incandescent lighting with unique double-ended sprung fittings. They are commonly used for picture lights, and this type usually has a 15mm diameter S15 fitting, while others have two S14 connectors at either end of the lamp. Other applications have tended to be superseded by linear fluorescent tubes as they are more reliable.

Wedge Base Bulbs

Wedge base bulbs can be thought of as similar to bi-pin bases, but rather than pins, they have wires that go from the inside of the bulb into the fixture. Care needs to be taken with this type of bulb, as it requires force to be inserted and removed. Their most common use is in Christmas tree lights and fairy lights, and today due to the fact they are so inexpensive to manufacture, customers tend to replace the whole set of lights rather than single bulbs.

Other Light Bulbs

In addition to the common bulb fitting types there are many other less common types available, typically for more specialist use. Whatever type of bulb you are replacing, it is important to remember that you should always replace like with like.

Heater & Catering Bulbs

Catering light bulbs come in variety of types, from doubled ended (strip light / linear halogen fittings) to Edison screw and bayonet fittings.

PAR Lamps

PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) lamps are frequently used where directional beams are required and are common in many different types of setting. They tend to be of the sealed beam variety, with a curved mirror (the parabolic reflector) behind one or more filaments. With LED PAR bulbs, there is often a different type of optical system, or there may be individual LED reflectors.

Some PAR lamps have a screw terminal for better electrical contact, while others have a GX160 2 pin cap with ceramic base. The fittings are usually porcelain to take the high heat output. Retrofit equipment is sometimes available where LED bulbs are required to be used in place of PAR bulbs.

Professional Light Fittings

For high intensity luminaries (for film, stage, and TV use for example), professional fittings such as the T and A types are most commonly used. Caps are two pin, being either GY9.5 or P28S.

How To Choose The Best Light Bulb For Your Needs

Now we’ve gone through some need to know information about light bulbs, let’s talk about how to choose the best type for your needs. You might still be confused – and that’s OK, there are a lot of things to think about! Fitting, function, and format are the three things to consider, as well as finance – so let’s take a look.

Make Sure You Know The Type Of Fitting You Need

Most of us will have been there at some point – you get to the shops, with ‘light bulb for [room]’ on your list, and you realise that you have forgotten to check which type of fixture you need. The best way to ensure you get the right one is to take the old one with you – but sometimes that isn’t possible.

If it isn’t practical to take the old bulb to the shop with you, then take a couple of photos of the fittings, and any numbers printed on the bulb on your phone before you set out. Trust us – you’ll thank us when you’re stood in front of what seems like hundreds of different types of bulbs!

If you end up in that situation though, don’t get stressed – you can head home and order the exact bulb you need from us, with delivery direct to your door.

Know What The Function Of The Bulb Is

Light bulbs are just to produce light – right? Of course that is the primary thing, but there is a whole lot more to consider when choosing the best bulb. Aside from knowing whether the light is for functional, ambient or accent lighting, the brightness and the colour of the light being produced is really important when choosing a bulb for your home, since you’ll need the right type for different spaces.

Brightness

In the past, we used to simply buy bulbs according to how much power they used. That meant that the higher the wattage, the brighter the bulb would be. With newer light bulbs, manufacturers no longer use watts to measure the brightness. That’s because it isn’t as accurate to measure the power according to the brightness – watts measure power, and modern bulbs use far less power than they used to, while providing the same amount of brightness. (That’s also the case for car bulbs!)

Today, bulb brightness is measured in Lumens, and the higher the number of Lumens, the brighter the light. Typically, a reading lamp on a bedside table will be around 400 Lumens, but lighting from a ceiling fixture might be from 1500 Lumens – which you’d get from more than one bulb.

Colour

The colour of the bulb that you want will depend on the fixture you’re installing it in, and the function of that light. Bright, or cool white light mimics natural daylight, which will help to increase alertness, while warmer yellow tones can aid with feelings of relaxation and cosiness. That means you’ll want bright white bulbs in spaces where you need to be alert – ideal in home offices – and definitely not in the bedroom, because bright white bulbs will keep you awake.

Bulb manufacturers use the Kelvin scale to measure the colour temperature on light bulbs. The warmth of candle light is around 1,500 Kelvin, with normal daylight somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 Kelvin. The higher the Kelvin measure, the cooler the light temperature – and a cooler tone can seem brighter than a warmer tone.

If you’re looking for a bulb that gives off about the same colour as an old incandescent bulb, then you’ll want a bulb at approximately 2,700 Kelvin.

How Does Colour Rendering Affect Light?

Colour rendering is a way of measuring how well a light accurately shows different colours. For the most part, that won’t be too much of an issue, but if you’re displaying a piece of art with accent lighting or photographing items that you don’t want to have to correct the colour on, then you’ll want a bulb that has a measurement on the Colour Rendering Index of as near to 100 as possible.

Decide What Shape Is Best

While as long as you buy a bulb with the correct fixture, it will work, getting the correct shape of the bulb is important aesthetically. The type of shade you’re putting your bulb into will strongly influence the shape of the bulb that you need, especially if the shade or lighting fixture intentionally exposes the bulb for effect, or if you want to avoid it being seen, then you’ll need a smaller bulb.

Know The Long-Term Costs

While quality LED bulbs seem like they’re an investment when you buy them, but they really are the most energy efficient type of bulb available at the moment. When you consider that LED bulbs can last up to 25 years, that investment is well worth making, even just for the convenience of not having to change the bulb alone! When you compare the performance of an LED bulb with the cost of a traditional bulb, you’ll save more than £180 in energy through the product’s life span, so it is well worth the investment.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this post has helped you to understand light bulbs a bit more clearly, but if you’re still feeling confused about different types of light bulbs, don’t worry – you are not alone! With so many different types, and decisions to be made, it is not surprising that so many people still find it tricky to get the right bulb. Remembering to think about fitting, function, and format is a good place to start – but if you’re replacing an existing bulb, try to replace like with like. Should you have a bulb that you’re absolutely stuck with how to replace, then you can call us on 0345 646 1133, or email the technical team on technical@lyco.co.uk.

If you are looking for traditional bulbs, why not take a look at our extensive range of incandescent light bulbs? Alternatively, our full range of light bulbs includes energy saving and LED options to suit all your needs.

Looking for more news, inspiration, or advice? Try our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Driveway Lighting Tips For Hospitality Venues

Posted on 4th February 202020th April 2023 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 20th April 2023

A well-lit driveway can make guests feel truly welcome and safe as they arrive at your premises. As well as its practical benefits, lighting also has the ability to completely change the look and feel of a property’s entrance, delighting guests time after time. The following lighting tips can be applied to virtually any driveway or pathway.

Recessed ground lights

Recessed ground lights are a popular choice for driveways because they are versatile, unobtrusive, and easy to install – they also look great too. Recessed ground lights can either be positioned at regular intervals around the perimeter of a space, or used to highlight a specific entry route or pathway. When choosing ground lights, look for lights with an IP68 rating: This means the lights are totally protected against dust and water, and generally hardy enough to handle the worst of the British weather.

View our full range of Ground Lights >

Post and bollard lights

Post and pedestal lights are useful for marking out the perimeter of a driveway or path to highlight the entry and exit routes. They generally sit best when positioned asymmetrically so as to avoid creating a runway effect. The good news is that these fixtures don’t typically become blocked by snow or leaf debris in the same way that recessed ground lighting might, but a possible downside is that they inevitably take up more physical space.

For these reasons, post lights work best in wide open spaces rather than tightly walled boundaries. Try positioning them on top of a wall at either side of the entrance, set on bends to make obstacles visible, including trees, walls, boulders or outdoor seats, or blend into garden shrubs and rockery for a decorative appearance.

View our full range of Pedestal Lights >

Hanging decorative lights

If the entrance walkway is sheltered by tree branches, a canopy, or a pergola, hanging light fittings are a practical yet attractive solution, creating a glowing pool of light on the pathway or patio area below, and adding a dramatic appearance to the area. Similarly, a string of fairy lights, lanterns, or festoons hung above or along the length of a driveway or entrance can create a magical effect.

View our full range of Outdoor Decorative Lights >

Wall-mounted motion-sensor lights

Wall-mounted lights with motion sensors can serve as a convenient driveway and pathway lighting solution, particularly when space on the ground is limited. These lights are generally most suitable within car parks and entrance ways. They will automatically turn on as a visitor approaches, distributing light only when it is needed before automatically turning off afterwards – conserving energy and keeping unnecessary illumination to a minimum.

View our full range of PIR Wall Lights >

Choosing the right light source for your premises

Solar driveway lighting

Since solar lights draw their energy from the sunlight, they don’t require an electrical supply to operate, which removes any running costs. And because solar lights don’t need to be plugged into a mains source, they can be positioned anywhere, and without needing an electrician. While direct sunlight will provide the best source of energy, most solar powered lights will run efficiently even during overcast spells of weather, albeit to a slightly lesser degree.

View our full range of Solar lights >

Electrical driveway lighting

Compared to solar lighting, electrical lighting offers far brighter illumination, and is typically more durable. Electric lights will also stay illuminated for as long as they’re switched on, while solar lights will require charging between use. We offer a range of 24volt outdoor lighting that doesn’t require an electrician to install, saving you hundreds of pounds. These cables don’t need to be buried and can be extended to include wall lights, ground lights and much more.

View our full range of 24V Garden Lights >

Planning lights for your driveway entrance

When planning outdoor driveway and entrance lighting, it is essential to identify potential hazards beforehand. Fixtures should be set along the driveway wherever there are obstacles and obstructions including trees, fences, walls, boulders, dipped and raised land or changes of direction.

In addition, lighting can be used to illuminate ponds, statues, and plants, but be aware that some plants will not survive well in constant bright light so it may be necessary to point the beam away from the leaves to prevent unwanted damage.

For further advice on any product or lighting project, please contact the friendly Lyco sales team here.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Celebrating 25 years of Lyco Group

Posted on 7th January 202029th July 2021 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 29th July 2021

This year, we’re celebrating the 25th birthday of Lyco Group. What started out as just four enthusiastic employees, has grown over the past quarter of a century beyond our wildest imaginations. Many things have changed since then – new websites, offices, colleagues, and even new businesses have joined the Lyco Group since we first started out.

Today we thought we’d take a look back at Lyco Group’s transformation over the past 25 years, and remember some of the changes that have made us who we are today.

Welcomed new colleagues

Out of the four original members of staff, we’re so proud that one of them is still with us today – albeit with slightly less hair than when he first started.

25 years on, we’ve grown to become a team of over 50 wonderful lighting experts, buyers and customer service members – and some of our team now are even younger than Lyco Group itself!

We’ve welcomed new colleagues and said farewell to old ones, but one thing will never change. We are just as committed to providing our customers with the very best service today as we always have been, both online and offline.

Launched new businesses

Back in 2010, we acquired the Lighting Direct website, where we provide quality lighting directly to customers. Since we launched this part of our business, it has grown to become one of our biggest assets to our portfolio.

Recently in 2018, we purchased Online Lighting as well. The site already had a loyal customer base, but they were struggling to take the next step. We have brought it in-house and together, utilising the skills of our talented workforce, we’re growing this new side of the business into what we hope will become the UK’s leading lighting supplier for your home.

Lyco Group has grown considerably since we first started, and it continues to grow all the time. In fact, we already can’t wait to see how much further we can go over the next 25 years.

Moved home

There always comes a time in life when you outgrow your old digs. With two new businesses on board and a great deal more staff, we realised the time had come for us, so we packed up and moved out of our premises in Bletchley.

We found a fantastic new home for Lyco Group in Crownhill Milton Keynes. It has given us scope to continue growing and to increase the number of lights we can stock. This means we can now get products out to our customers the very next day.

Our new office space means we can keep growing over the next decade and continue to increase our range of products while offering the best service possible.

Embraced the latest technology

Over the past 25 years we’ve seen a lighting revolution with the introduction of LED bulbs. Back when we first started, we were selling halogen bulbs that needed constantly replacing every 1,000 hours. The LED bulbs we stock now have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours – a dramatic step forward creating huge savings for our customers.

But it isn’t just lighting technology that’s changed over the past 25 years. When we first started we were a small mail order company with paper order forms. Now, you can simply place an order on our website in minutes.

As technology continues to progress, so will we. We have big plans for 2020, but we can’t let you in on those secrets just yet.

But some things never change…

Despite all the incredible, challenging and unexpected changes that have occurred over the years – there are some things that will never change.

We are still committed to our mission statement: to provide lighting products of supreme quality, from world-class suppliers, coupled with unbeatable customer service.

Despite the world moving online, we’ve maintained our fantastic in-house support team who are always available at the end of the phone to serve our customers and answer their questions. We also continue to offer an annual printed catalogue with our new and bestselling products. While many companies have forgotten the art of direct mail, we continue to hear powerful stories from our customers who treasure these printed publications. It is our hope that while we continue to improve our online offering, we also continue to offer the best-in-class service to our customers – whether that’s online, over the phone or face-to-face.

It’s certainly been a rollercoaster two and a half decades, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be slowing down any time soon.

Thank you

We’d like to thank you for all your custom and continued loyalty over the past 25 years. We hope we can continue to support your lighting requirements for the next 25 and beyond.

Please don’t hesitate to send us your feedback on our products or the service we provide. We’d love to hear from you – drop us an email at customerservice@lyco.co.uk

Very best wishes,

Charles Barnett, Managing Director.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Buying Guides – Outdoor Lighting

Posted on 31st December 201925th July 2024 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 25th July 2024

Outdoor lighting has become popular in recent years, partly because of the great potential of LED technology. Exterior spaces can now be lit cheaply and effectively using a variety of products. This buying guide looks at the aims of outdoor lighting and how they are met to give you an idea of what may be best for you. Alternatively, feel free to browse our extensive outdoor lighting selection.

Designing a Lighting Scheme

To create an effective outdoor lighting scheme, you need to consider ambient, accent and task lighting requirements.

Ambient or background lighting

This type of lighting is needed for practical purposes, providing enough light for everyday activities such as walking, eating, drinking and socialising. There are several options available:

- Small walkover lights installed around the edge of a patio or decking area look good and allow safe footing.

- Freestanding fittings such as post or pedestal lights are ideal for creating pools of light. Modern indoor-style floor lamps like the Konstsmide Lucca are a chic form of outdoor lighting.

- Floodlights can provide full strength illumination for building exteriors and surrounding areas. They are good for work or security purposes and might suit bustling social settings, but are less useful where intimate mood is the aim.

- Wall lights usually create a functional and mood-enhancing background light without being overbearing.

Accent lighting

This type of outdoor lighting highlights statues, plants, trees, water features and signs. Install these lights a short distance from the feature and angle the beam to shine directly on or through it. Suggestions include:

- Walkover lights or floodlights used as uplights dramatically highlight features from below.

- Wall-mounted spotlights create a pool of light around features.

- Staked spotlights like the Edit Leaf are effective in highlighting plants, flowers and ornaments.

- Fairy lights are often draped around trellises, shrubs, or trees. Don’t forget festoons if you’re aiming for a party mood!
- Business signage can be lit with specially designed sign lights, normally featuring long or curving arms and adjustable heads.

Task lights

Task lights are used to sufficiently light any area where demanding tasks or activities are performed. Usually, the light will be installed above head height in order to provide un-obscured coverage. Examples of task lighting might include:

- A wall-mounted spotlight or floodlight is useful for potentially hazardous activities such as barbecue cooking.

- Spotlights or floodlights can be positioned in trees for lighting garden amenities such as play areas, barbecues or car parks.

- Floodlighting can be used to light outdoor sports areas. A tennis court would be a prime example, which might be well served by a 500W equivalent floodlight. Conversely, a swimming pool is usually lit from within to avoid glare, normally using a PAR lamp.

Dusk to dawn sensors

A “dusk to dawn” sensor is another term for a photocell. These are used in some outdoor fittings to automatically trigger overnight lighting, often for security purposes. The light switches off again at daybreak. Their sensitivity can sometimes be adjusted, allowing you to choose exactly how dark it needs to be before the light is activated. The sensor can be overridden in many cases for manual operation, though this should be checked prior to purchase.

Browse our Dusk to Dawn range

PIR sensors & security

If security is a priority, floodlights with a PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor are a good option. The sensor triggers light when it detects movement within a pre-set range, deterring intruders without the need to keep lights permanently switched on.

PIR lights like this 50w LED Floodlight with integrated PIR sensor has a movement sensor that would be triggered up to 8 metres with a 120° detection range . This is useful for any large commercial premises. Advanced CCTV circuits can also be installed and monitored remotely through PCs, tablets, and smart phones.

PIR lights are also useful at residential entrances, as a practical measure to help locate keys and avoid stumbling on obstacles. The Lucide Claire Half Lantern serves as an example. Again, these avoid the need for a permanent light, so they’re an energy-saving product in many scenarios.

Browse our PIR lights range

IP Ratings – A brief guide to Waterproof Lighting

Outdoor light fittings always carry Ingress Protection ratings. This rating is marked by the letters “IP” followed by 2 digits. The first digit indicates the level of protection against ingress of solid objects and the second relates to waterproofing. This advice may help:

- The minimum IP rating you should look for in a garden light is IPX3 (normally IP43), which protects against rain or spraying water at a 60° angle from vertical. Choose an IPX4 (normally IP44) rating for exposed areas.

- Decking or patio lights are often jet-cleaned, which requires an IPX5 rating or above. IP65 is a good target, as it indicates a dust-tight housing as well as resistance to jets of water.

- Lights to be installed in shallow water up to 1m deep require a rating of IPX7.

- If installing lights at depths of over 1m in ponds or swimming pools, opt for a fitting with an IPX8 rating. (Always check manufacturer’s information before any underwater installation).

Light sources (Pros & Cons)

The light sources used in outdoor lighting each carry their own advantages and disadvantages. In recent years LED has become the main choice for lighting, both in commercial and residential buildings.

- LED lighting is energy efficient and has an average lifespan of up to 50,000 hours. LED lamps produce a heatless beam of light, so they can be installed near plants without causing damage. They also emit little or no UV (ultraviolet) light, making them less attractive to insects. LED technology combines well with solar energy—many outdoor LED lights are free to run!

- HID lamps are used to light large areas. They vary in type from a metal halide lamp for good colour recognition to a sodium lamp with poor colour rendering but incredible energy efficiency. These lights are mostly too powerful for homes or hospitality venues, but useful for applications such as car parks, access roads or sports areas.

Outdoor lighting styles

Lighting styles are diverse, but they can be boiled down to “traditional” and “contemporary” for outdoor purposes. Some designs are neutral enough to be used in any type of setting.

Traditional

Traditional outdoor lights often have a lantern design that dates back to 17^th century England, though is most associated with Victorian times. Lanterns are still popular today and used in post lights, pedestal lights, wall lights and lamp posts. The Alex Post Lantern resembles a 19^th century lamp post, for example.

Another form of traditional outdoor fitting is the nautically inspired “fisherman’s light”. This is used mostly in wall lights and porch pendants and involves a simple enclosed lamp design with a metal cover. The Nordlux Luxembourg Wall Light is an example. The austerity of this design makes it suitable for some modern settings, also.

Contemporary

There are many contemporary outdoor lighting products, with LED technology encouraging sleek designs. Often discreet, you can install modern products like the Searchlight Messina outside a traditional property without necessarily detracting from its character.

Bolder outdoor luminaires such as stainless steel post and pedestal lights suit only modern surroundings. The Edit Inti, for instance, is distinctly up-to-date and capitalises on LED technology for long life and minimal maintenance.

Extend those evenings

If you’re lucky enough to own a garden, enjoy what is already yours and let the forbidding night be a thing of the past! Installing outdoor lights needn’t be complicated, especially with a plug and play lighting system. If you’re a pub landlord, restaurateur, hotelier or other business owner, it’s never been easier than now to light up your outdoor space.

Feel free to browse our full range of outdoor lights for a clearer idea of what’s available.

For more advice and guidance take a look at our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

The Complete Guide to Buying Security Lights

Why security lighting is so important

What are the different types of security lights?

Solar-powered security lights

Wired security lights

Motion sensor security lights

Timer-activated security lights

What types of bulb are used in security lights?

Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs

Halogen bulbs

What to look out for in security lighting

Lumens vs. Watts

Illumination

Durability

Placement

Smart features

Our top security light recommendations

Best security floodlight

Best post security light

Best solar-powered security lighting

Best smart security lighting

Find the right security lights at Lyco

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Shop security lighting at Lyco

Shop the best security lights at Lyco today

For more news, information, buying guides, and product advice, check out the Lyco blog…

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Celebrating 25 years of Lyco Group

Welcomed new colleagues

Launched new businesses

Moved home

Embraced the latest technology

But some things never change…

Thank you

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Buying Guides – Outdoor Lighting

Designing a Lighting Scheme