Top 10 LED light fittings – the market leaders

Posted on 3rd February 20142nd September 2022 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 2nd September 2022

Anyone who is faced with the task of updating the lighting in a building, whether it involves the entire premises or just certain parts, need to be looking seriously at LED lighting. LED is far superior to any of its predecessors in so many ways. Whether you are an architect, designer or electrician the message is still the same.

Designers of offices can now provide work places that are not only more people friendly because of the modern lighting but, thanks to the availability of LED fittings, are far more economical to run. LED probably represents the greatest advance in lighting technology since the fluorescent tube.

LED is the number one choice

For any new installation LED lights are the number one choice for a number of reasons. First there’s the economy in operation. LED units have a life expectancy of up to 100,000 hours, that’s 11 years if left on continuously or 22 years if only on half of the day every day. Because LEDs are 80 to 90% efficient compared to traditional incandescent bulbs’ 20%, 80% plus of the electricity used produces light. That means LEDs use far less energy to produce an equivalent level of light. LEDs work well on low voltage systems too, which brings benefits for safety as well as economy.

Less is more

The environment benefits from the absence of any toxic materials in LED units and of course their long life means that less energy is consumed producing them. Virtually no UV light is produced by LEDs and very little infra red which means practically no radiated heat which is much kinder to pictures or ancient artefacts. It’s better for people too!

Hardy lighting animals

LEDs are extremely robust with no glass used in their construction which makes them ideal for situations where lights can lead a tough life. Their compactness gives designers unprecedented flexibility in positioning lights where they can be most effective. LEDs can focus light for best effect and are not troubled by extremes of temperature. They switch on and off instantly too.

The market leading LED lights

Now the case for LED has been proven let’s take a look at the market leaders in LED lighting….

Indoor LED light fittings

Lyco’s top ten LED light fittings, start indoor with the neat, LED Emergency Bulkhead light. Its slim and compact design means it needs very little space and its robust polycarbonate construction will withstand the inevitable knocks. It can also be used with remote switching.

Next, another emergency light, this time the 3W LED Compact Emergency Downlight which comes pre-wired for easy installation in a ceiling. This light needs no maintenance and is available in white. It’s LED glows a discreet green when on standby then, in the event of failure of the mains lighting, it comes on automatically giving a bright white light.

The Carina LED fitting can be what you want it to be! It can be a standard LED flush fitting ceiling light operated by a normal switch or it can incorporate a microwave movement sensor to come on when movement is detected. The microwave sensor can even see through doors and turn on the light in a room as someone approaches the closed door. The Carina can also be installed as a maintained or non-maintained emergency light. Both microwave sensor and emergency facility can be combined in one lamp. One such unit can be linked to as many as four standard basic lamps and allowing you to control all of them together.

For track mounted lights Lyco offers the Acorn LED 3 Light and Track Kit in a white finish . You get a metre of track and three spotlights fitted with LED bulbs. You can have Halogen GU10 bulbs if you prefer. If one metre of track is not enough for your project you can extend the kit with extra tracks and spotlights right up to 30 metres of track. The maximum number of spotlights per metre of track is four. An inline connector is needed for each track connection. Each spotlight head can rotate through 360˚ to point where you want it to and can tilt through 90˚.

For the bedside table, Edit Hotel Reading Light not only looks elegant but combines a bedside lamp with an LED snake neck reading light with separate switches for each. Style is neatly combined with convenience.

Top Outdoor LED fittings

Moving outdoors LEDs are very much in their element with their robust construction. IP44 rated, the Short Stainless Steel Post Light with 24 LEDs is protected against both dust and splashing water to accommodate the vagaries of our British weather. It is 450mm tall, made from stainless steel with a transparent diffuser. You get a 3 year guarantee against corrosion so it is ideal for outdoor installation more than ten miles inland from the coast. Nearer to the coast than that and you really should choose copper or galvanised steel products rather than stainless steel (see our coastal lighting article for more information).

Still in the great outdoors, another great light fitting for the garden is this Garden Spotlight. It can be fitted to a vertical surface or on the ground. Its IP65 rating means it is well protected against heavy rain and dust. It is great for lighting up a water feature but should not be submergedn. The tough lacquered aluminium casing makes this a very durable outdoor light.

Outdoor lighting includes security lighting and for this purpose you can’t do better than the Guard-Cam LED as it has all you need… PIR controlled floodlight, security camera with speaker and associated DVR system. When the PIR is activated the camera takes clear images, recorded straight to the DVR and the light is bright enough to ensure that even at night the images are clear and in true colours. All the settings are fully adjustable and all the sensitive parts are fully protected against the elements. The system is mains powered with battery backup and can even be set to give audible warnings to deter trespassers from proceeding further.

If the camera and recording facilities are not required, a lower cost alternative would be the Nighthawk LED. One of Lyco’s most popular security lights, its superb quality Nichia LEDs are renowned for their high output, reliability and amazingly long life. The PIR movement sensor is combined with a photo-electric cell which can be set to activate the system from dusk to dawn.

The number one LED light fitting is…

Finally the top selling LED light fitting which really is lighting the way to LED dominance in the lighting market is the EvoFire Downlight. We’re back indoors for this one, it’s a ceiling fitted flush downlight. It meets part B of current building regulations being fully tested and fire rated for 30, 60 and 90 minute ceilings. It is equally suitable for commercial applications of all kinds as well as domestic use.

The IP65 rating of the Evofire Downlighters means they are suitable for use in bathroom zone 1. The fire resistant bezel ensures that they are ideal for retro fitting as replacements for other, older downlighters.

For more advice, inspiration and news take a look at 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.

LED lighting – an introduction

Posted on 31st January 201429th March 2022 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 29th March 2022

LED lighting is the most energy efficient form of lighting around today. An LED, or ‘Light Emitting Diode’, uses the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material to create light. Most LED lighting combines a high-brightness blue LED with a yellow phosphor, which acts like a filter to create white light.

LED Lighting: From concept to creation

The blending of blue and yellow light to create white light was first noticed by Sir Isaac Newton in the early 1700s. Almost 300 years later, the 1990s invention of the blue LED by Shuji Nakamura unlocked the possibility of white LED lighting, which has become one of the greatest technologies of the early 21st century.

Benefits of LED

LED bulbs and luminaires have exceptionally long lifespans, with manufacturers quoting up to 30,000 to 75,000 hours. By comparison, CFLs and fluorescent tubes are typically rated at about 6,000 to 15,000 hours and halogen lamps at 2,000 hours.
LED light bulbs radiate minimal IR or UV light, either of which can damage artworks and other display items by heat damage and fading.
An LED lamp is always vastly more energy efficient than any incandescent or halogen equivalent, and usually more energy-efficient than fluorescent.
LED lights are particularly resistant to damage by shock or vibration. This is not true of incandescent or fluorescent light sources.
LEDs are small, which allows great design freedom for lighting designers, and makes it easy to produce retrofitting lamps.
Being relatively cool-running, LEDs do not raise room temperatures and create a need for air-conditioning to be utilised (cooling rooms generally costs more than heating them).
LED bulbs offer the user a choice of colour temperature (warm white, white, cool white), meaning you can tailor your lighting for a particular application.

Identifying the right LED bulbs

Many people new to LED lighting will be converting from halogen or incandescent and wondering what to look for when replacing their existing lamps. Lyco usually quote an equivalent in terms of wattage (halogen for spotlights, incandescent for general lighting). For example, 5W=50W might refer to a 5W LED GU10 spotlight with the light output of a 50W halogen equivalent.

Buying LED – FAQs

Is LED bright enough?

Already LED lighting is used in car headlamps and street lighting. It is suitable for many applications where inefficient lighting has previously been the only option, and its versatility will only increase as lumens-per-watt performance goes up.

Are LED lights dimmable?

Many are, though you should take care to pair them with a high quality LED-compatible dimmer switch.

How is LED lifespan measured?

Because LED lifespan is so long, it is calculated using limited data from a large sample selection. The end of an LED’s life is widely accepted as the point of 70% lumen maintenance (when it has lost 30% of its original output), though the benchmark used varies between manufacturers and is not always quoted.

How good is LED colour?

LED bulbs have a minimum CRI 80 rating for colour rendering, which is a good quality for most purposes. Historically, the discontinuous spectrum of LED made it less dependable for colour-critical applications than an incandescent light source but that is a thing of the past. Already there are CRI 90+ products on the market and LEDs are expected to improve further in the very near future.

Benchmark LED products

Its always handy to know what are the best or most popular products are when looking to buy. With this in mind we provide a regularly updated list of the most popular LED light fittings. Being constantly maintained, these articles should always prove to be a great source of reference.

Why not browse our extensive LED range including LED bulbs and fittings?

Want to know more about lighting or looking for inspiration? Try our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Fire-rated downlights – safety first!

Posted on 22nd January 201429th July 2021 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 29th July 2021

Fire-rated downlights are designed to preserve the integrity of a ceiling in the event of a fire. They have a metal can at the rear containing intumescent materials, which expand under extreme heat to form a seal within the light housing. This stops flames taking hold of vulnerable ceiling cut-outs and delays a floor collapse, providing crucial evacuation time for upstairs occupants.

Compliance required

Of uppermost concern when buying fire-rated downlights is compliance with Part B Fire Safety Regulations (England and Wales). Tables A1 and A2 in Approved Document B (volumes 1 and 2) provide easy reference to specific requirements, available online.

Aside from Part B requirements, recessed downlights should comply with Part C (air flow), Part E (acoustics), Part L (energy efficiency), and Part P (domestic electrical safety) Building Regulations. All of Lyco’s downlights fully comply or aid compliance with these regulations.

Fire-rated fittings

To comply with Part B Building Regulations, recessed ceiling lights are often tested for their level of fire protection, and may be fire rated for 30, 60, 90, or even 120 minutes.

Most 2 or 3-storey houses have a minimum 30 minute fire-rated ceiling requirement, whilst a higher four-storey house typically has a 60-minute rating. A taller residential building whose top floor stands between 18m and 30m high will require 90-minute ceiling protection, whilst anything above that needs 120 minutes.

These same figures are broadly applicable to commercial or industrial buildings, with some concession given for ceilings fitted with sprinklers. Non-fire-rated downlights can be installed into domestic ceilings below a roof void. Otherwise they must be used with an intumescent fire hood, and can easily end up costing more than fire-rated fittings with this extra expense.

For affordability, Lyco sell a range of Robus fixed downlights using a standard halogen GU10 bulb. Available in White or Satin Chrome finishes, these fire-rated downlights offer an economical means of improving fire safety in any building. Halogen GU10 bulbs are notable for dissipating much of their heat through the front of the lamp, using an aluminium reflector design.

Halogen downlights for bathrooms

One of the great advantages of halogen technology is its sheer quality of light, which is only hinted at by a default maximum CRI 100 score. Halogen light is well-suited to bathrooms, where its warm hue is flattering to skin tones, and excellent colour rendering helps in tasks such as make-up application.

With an IP65 rating, the halogen-lit Eon Directional Downlight can be positioned in zones 1, 2, and ‘outside zones’ of a bathroom. It is completely protected against dust and jets of water, despite an adjustable light head. This fitting is fire-rated at 90 minutes, and available in White, Polished Chrome and Satin Chrome finishes.

The LED advantage

In commercial or retail environments, the LED downlight is fast becoming king. It uses up to 90% less energy than halogen lighting, and with a phenomenal lifespan (the Fireguard range offers up to 75,000 hours) it also saves substantially in maintenance costs. This is especially significant in difficult-to-reach recessed lights.

One of the very best manufacturers of fire-rated LED downlights is JCC, with its diverse Fireguard LED3 and LED7 ranges. These fittings are mostly waterproof, hugely energy-efficient and come in both dimmable and non-dimmable options. They use 3 or 6-LED arrays with equivalent outputs to 35W or 50W halogen downlights, respectively. A choice of cool or warm colour temperatures is another LED advantage over filament lights.

The JCC Fireguard LED3 models have a particularly modest depth, making them ideal for shallow ceiling voids. At the high end of the scale, one of the primary advantages of a Fireguard LED6 model is its amazing 75,000 hour lifespan. The quality of all Fireguard products is backed by a generous manufacturer’s guarantee.

Fire-Rated Downlights – which should I choose?

Buy halogen for its superb quality of light and up-front affordability. Choose LED for its incredible energy-efficiency and longevity. If you’re buying fire-rated downlights, Lyco has a solution to precisely meet your needs. Why not take a look at our full range of fire-rated downlights today?

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

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Andrew is an experienced buying professional who takes an entrepreneurial approach to identify new lighting solutions and ensure Lyco have first-to-market ranges for our customers. Having previously worked for well known brands such as Wickes, Carphone Warehouse and Toys R Us, Andrew has now turned his hand to sourcing commercial lighting and ensure our customers receive top brand quality products at marketing leading prices. He manages a team of commercial and decorative buyers who travel the world finding new products that our customers don’t even know they need yet.

SAD lights – fluorescent tubes to fight depression

Posted on 23rd December 201329th July 2021 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 29th July 2021

Ask most people if they prefer a sunny day to a cloudy one, and you’ll doubtless get a silly answer! We may not always realize it but the Sun is our feel good source, and for quite a few of us the winter months, which feature less and less sunlight, provides a real challenge to the way we feel. That’s where an SAD light can help. SAD lights brings the benefits of the Sun indoors and helps fight off the blues for many people who knowingly or not are SAD sufferers.

What is SAD?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression commonly associated with lack of exposure to sunlight during winter months. Symptoms include low mood and profound lack of motivation. Tiredness and a constant desire to sleep are also indicators. Such symptoms always warrant the attention of a GP, as they can be difficult to surmount alone.

Physical causes

Lack of sunlight adversely affects production of melatonin and serotonin hormones in the body, causing SAD. This imbalance can be helped naturally by a SAD lamp and other remedies.

Melatonin helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm (body clock) and produce sleep. Sufferers of SAD often have higher than average amounts of melatonin in their body during winter months.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter affecting multiple human functions, including sleep, appetite, mood, and nerve cell communication. Lack of exposure to bright, natural light decreases the body’s production of serotonin, and low serotonin levels are commonly linked to depression.

The role of light in SAD

One of the chief treatments for SAD is bright light therapy. This involves the patient being exposed to an intense artificial light of remarkably high quality, resembling daylight as closely as possible. Most UV radiation is removed from the light source, to avoid damage to either skin or eyes.

Treatment times vary not only between patients, but also according to the intensity of light. A 2,000 to 10,000 lux light is typically used, which is many times stronger than any regular bulb. Thirty minutes to three hours of treatment per day is normal.

If circumstances permit, regular walks and plenty of exposure to natural daylight are prescribed for most sufferers of depression. SAD is often caused when work prevents this possibility (it is common in night-workers, who generally sleep through winter daylight).

A supporting role – daylight is not enough!

As a preventive measure or to support ongoing SAD treatment, products such as SAD tubes or SAD lights are available. These closely match daylight in most respects, except for sheer intensity.

To deal with a misconception, for a bulb to actually behave like daylight, it is not enough for it to emit a 6500K daylight colour temperature. Although this is a useful quality, it has to be combined with exceptional colour rendering. A near-maximum 98% Colour Rendering Index (CRI) score always indicates this.

This combination of critical colour rendering and a daylight colour temperature is very rare in electric lighting. Incandescent is arguably the best light source for colour with a default CRI 100 score, but the filament of a lamp would melt before it resembled daylight in overall colour.

At the high end of the LED market, products with outstanding colour rendering are emerging, but they’re expensive and meant for other purposes. For health applications, a fluorescent SAD tube offers an easy, affordable answer to improving indoor light quality.

Fluorescent SAD tubes

Lyco stock a choice of three different Sylvania SAD Activa 172 Fluorescent Tubes, in 18 watt, 36 watt, and 58 watt versions.

From a health perspective, the most important point about these tubes is their ‘full spectrum light’, as Sylvania and other manufacturers call it. But what is this?

In marketing, ‘full spectrum light’ refers to a light source that emulates daylight in its colour-rendering ability and colour temperature. Other daylight or sunlight qualities might be implied, especially UV radiation in a fluorescent tube. This is useful for producing vitamin D in the body, which affects the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Sylvania SAD Activa tubes meet all of these criteria. They radiate at all wavelengths of the visible spectrum (i.e. all visible colours exist in their light), with an overall 6500K colour temperature. They also radiate outside of the visible spectrum to produce a safe amount of UV light.

When a light source covers the entire visible spectrum, it scores a very high or maximum CRI rating by default. It’s a property that trumps the Colour Rendering Index. The Sylvania SAD Fluorescent Tubes have a CRI 98 score, which signifies outstanding colour rendering.

How will these lights help fight SAD?

With SAD tubes installed, everything falling under their light will look natural, as if being lit by neutral window light. Colours will be enlivened and rendered accurately. The tubes will reduce eyestrain, headaches, and tiredness, and they’ll stimulate energy.

Light intensity and quality affects serotonin and melatonin levels in the body. This is the basis for bright light therapy and exposing SAD sufferers to as much good-quality light as possible.

Installing SAD tubes

The energy-efficient Sylvania SAD Fluorescent Tubes come in a standard T8 size, which is a 1” diameter tube with a double-ended G13 cap. They will slot into any existing T8 linear fluorescent light fitting. A long average lifespan of 14,000 hours adds to their exceptional value.

To take a look at our full range of SAD lights.

For more inspiration, advice and ideas take a look at our Lighting Advice section.

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Top 10 Outdoor lights – the bestsellers

Posted on 16th December 201327th January 2023 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 27th January 2023

Edit Cloud 600 Outdoor Ground Feature Light - White

There are so many outdoor lights to choose from, it can be hard making a choice when it comes to creating the right ambience for clients, customers or employees. With the British weather usually being on the unpredictable side, we have brought together the top ten outdoor lights that will help you make the most of your outdoors. From security lights to LED planter lights, we cover the whole range of outdoor lights, with one or two suggestions that will hopefully fulfill your needs! But what’s top of our charts and do you agree with us? Take a look at our countdown to find out…

10. Edit Cloud LED Ground Light

An outdoor light that makes a wonderful contemporary statement. Your customers or clients will love sitting in the garden with these inviting Edit Cloud ground lights dotted around the garden. LED Clouds are perfect for hotel, restaurant or bar gardens.

9. Edit Dune Post Light

The Edit Dune Post Light is very sleek and brings a sophisticated, contemporary look to your premises, thanks to its thin design and stainless steel casing .Its IP44 rating makes it suitable for life outside. Use it to light up garden paths, or driveways for your employees and customers, allowing them to work or relax in comfort. Create soft, ambient lighting with these wonderful outdoor post lights.

8. Nordlux Twin Wall Light

Carrying on the theme of sleek and contemporary is the Stainless Steel Twin Wall Light, which gives a column of light both above and below the fitting. This outside light is perfect for creating ambient lighting outdoors. It has a quality Danish design that won’t let you down – perfect for use in public places.

Its durable IP54 Rating means it can withstand the harsh outdoors without losing function.

7. Albany Walkover Light

Next we have the Albany walkover light. This submersible light has an incredible IP68 Rating. Completely watertight, this durable light is perfect for lighting paths and decking where water might accumulate. It can even withstand water up to 1m deep – use it to illuminate water features, ponds and waterfalls. This is a great tool if revamping a garden for clients or if you want to set your hotel, restaurant or pub grounds apart from others.

6. Twin LED PIR Floodlight

Keep you, your premises, customers and employees safe with this Searchlight LED Twin Flood Light with PIR Sensor. What better way to feel safe and secure on your premises after dark than with this LED Floodlight. This outdoor security light is incredibly low energy; it’s equivalent to 70W incandescent light output and yet uses only a fraction of the energy. Work or relax with the peace of mind that quality security brings.

5. Vejers Down Wall Light

Bring a touch of Scandinavian design to your garden with this Vejers down wall light – Galvanised. Incredibly sturdy and durable with an IP54 Rating, in its galvanized finish, this light functions fully even when exposed to harsh elements in coastal locations. Use it to light up the outside of buildings, even in exposed weather and rest assured it won’t let you down. The downlight design also makes it a good tool for lighting up areas of outside space you want to be seen such as plant displays.

4. Twilight Ground Lights

Next up we have the Mini Cool White LED Ground Light, which come complete with everything you need to install instant glamour to an outside decking space. These outside ground lights fit your decking no matter what the size. These decking lights come in a variety of colour temperatures to make your decking area a cosy ‘inside’ area, outside.

3. Protect Wall Light

At three, we have the Protect Wall Light, which is completely rain and weatherproof thanks to a brilliant IP66 Rating. Vandal proof and completely energy efficient, this excellent light reduces glare and enables you to direct the light exactly where you need it, helping your employees or clients to work or relax in comfort.

2. Luxembourg PIR Wall Light

The Luxembourg PIR Wall Light combines the best of everything. It looks beautiful and has a unique design that won’t go out of fashion. This outside wall light has been made with incredibly durable galvanised steel and has a quality Danish design, which has been designed to withstand harsh weather conditions as seen on the coast. It has an amazing fifteen year anti-corrosion guarantee, which displays how much faith the manufacturer’s have in it. An excellent IP54 rating means it won’t let you down, even when exposed to the harshest elements. A PIR motion sensor helps keep you, your premises and the people you look after, secure.

And here it is! As voted by us…

1. GuardCam LED Security Floodlight

The GuardCam LED Security Floodlight is an amazing all-in-one PIR security light, speaker, DVR system and camera. It not only light up your premises when it senses motion, but also records whatever has triggered the sensors directly on to an included 2GB SD memory card. You can choose between still frames or video format while the latest LED technology ensures that even night time footage is seen colourfully and clearly. Whether you want to guard commercial or domestic properties or grounds, this brilliant floodlight won’t let you down.

Don’t forget to scour the rest of our outdoor lights.

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

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Top 10 Bathroom lights (and where they can go)

Posted on 10th December 201320th January 2022 by Charles Barnett

Last updated on 20th January 2022

Choosing bathroom lights is not easy, not only because of the choice of styles available but also because the lights need to be up to the demands to be placed on them, in terms of positioning.

To give you a helping hand in your search for the perfect bathroom lighting we have pulled together our top 10 bathroom lights, which should offer you some great inspiration, whilst also letting you know exactly where in the bathroom these lights can be safely placed.

Important bathroom lighting guidance

It is essential when buying bathroom lights that you take into account the light’s IP Rating and know which Bathroom Zone it is suitable for, otherwise the light will either not perform as you want it to, won’t work at all or worse still will pose a potentially life threatening electrical hazard in your home. Always remember to check!

Our top 10 bathroom lights

Here is a top 10 list of some of our most popular bathroom lights, with suggestions as to where they might be installed:

Robus – Garland LED Walkover Lights (Zone 0)

These little IP68-rated LED lights are fully protected against immersion, and ideal for use in Zone 0 areas such as shower trays and baths. Being LED they’re naturally shock proof, vibration proof, and cool to the touch, so they’re ideal for this application. A choice of blue or white colours is available.

Eterna – Carina 28W Flush Fitting (Zones 1 & 2, outside zones)

Offering great value for money, this versatile fitting can be wall or ceiling mounted, and provides splash-proof protection against water. The IP44-rated Carina is available in a choice of finishes, and includes a tough polycarbonate diffuser that protects against accidental or deliberate breakage.

Dar Lighting – Bueno Twin Wall Light (Zones 1 & 2, outside zones)

Stylishly designed, the modern-looking Bueno has an IP44 rating. This is an elegant bathroom lighting solution with twin frosted glass diffusers and smart polished chrome finish. An on/off pull cord allows convenient independent operation.

Dar Lighting – Zodiac Mirror Light (Zones 1 & 2, outside zones)

This smartly designed fitting exploits the compact nature of LEDs, twenty of which discreetly line the left and right edges of the mirror. The IP44-rated Zodiac Mirror Light is ideal for installation in zone 2 or outside zone areas above a wash basin. It is available in a choice of sizes and with or without shaver sockets.

Astro Lighting – Trimless Low Voltage Fire Rated Downlights (Zones 1 & 2, outside zones)

In any bathroom or washroom where jet cleaning is undertaken, an IPX5 rating is required. This neat lighting solution from Astro has an IP65 rating, making it dust-tight and resistant to jets of water. Also fire-rated, this recessed fitting can be safely installed below occupied floors, maintaining the integrity of the ceiling in the event of a fire. A mains-powered version of this light is also available.

Searchlight – Prato Flush Fitting (Zones 1 & 2, outside zones)

Representing great value for money, this low-profile contemporary ceiling light has a beautiful chrome and glass finish, with a frosted inner circle of glass around the diffuser. An IP44 rating allows plenty of leeway in terms of positioning.

Eterna – Coronation Shaver Light (Zone 2 & outside zones)

This fitting provides plenty of light for shaving duties, and with an IP44 rating it’s designed to withstand the odd wayward splash of water. The Coronation Shaver Light has an independent on/off pull cord and dual-voltage shaver sockets. Eterna recommend zone 2 installation or dry areas for this fitting, which allows any area around a wash basin.

Robus – Crystal Bathroom 4-Light Plate (Zone 2, outside zones)

The Crystal Bathroom 4-Light Plate protects against water splashes with an IP44 rating, and produces a bright, sparkling light from a quad of sealed glass cubes. Inside the cubes are halogen G4 capsules, fed by an integrated low-voltage transformer. Robus advise installation of this fitting in zone 2 or outside zones.

Eterna – LED Shaver Light (outside zones)

With its IP44 rating, this fitting is intended for use in dry areas. Typically this will be above the zone 2 radius of a bathroom wash basin. Offering superb value for money, the Eterna Shaver Light includes dual-voltage shaver sockets and a convenient on/off pull cord.

Overriding decisions

Occasionally you’ll find manufacturer’s instructions that recommend more conservative use around water than is suggested by the IP rating. This should always be checked before installation.

For complete peace of mind and understanding take a look at our IP Rating and Bathroom Zones guides, and if in any doubt always consult a qualified electrician.

For more lighting options, don’t forget to check out our full range of bathroom lights. Alternatively if you’re looking for more news, inspiration or advice, try our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Solar lights provide light all year round!

Posted on 11th November 201329th July 2021 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 29th July 2021

It is a common misconception that solar lights do not work on cloudy days. Though solar panels gather more energy on a clear, sunny day, they require only daylight to function. Lyco’s high quality solar products are designed to work efficiently throughout a UK winter.

History of Solar Lights

Solar lights seem a modern idea, but they first appeared around fifty years ago. Photovoltaic or solar energy itself was first glimpsed in the 19^th century, but it wasn’t until the discovery of the silicon solar cell in the 1950s that solar energy could finally be used to power small electrical devices.

By the 1970s solar energy was being used in offshore navigation lights (e.g. oil rigs), lighthouses, and railway lighting. Since then progress has seen us move towards the perfect partnership of sunlight and LED …

Solar lighting and LED

LED has a host of qualities that make it suitable for solar use:

Longevity – Extreme longevity means you can fit a solar LED light into any hard-to-reach position without worrying about a replacement.
Environment-proof – LED lighting is unaffected by any low UK temperature. It will provide instant-on light even in sub-zero temperatures, reaching full brightness immediately.
Hardy – As a solid state form of lighting, all LED lights are naturally shock-proof and vibration-proof, making them suitable for robust outdoor use.
Disposable – Zero mercury content makes LEDs eco-friendly and easily disposable at the end of their useful life.
Compact – LEDs are remarkably compact, which means a wide range of solar-powered products are available, including LED rope lights and fairy lights.
Direct Current – As LED technology uses DC power it synchronises easily with the DC power produced by solar panels.

Improvements in LED solar lights

In recent years, LED has become increasingly viable as a solar-powered light source. Lumen-per-watt performance has roughly doubled for every three years of LED development. Already LEDs are being used in car headlamps, aircraft anti-collision lights, and in solar or non-solar street lights.

A good solar light will have a high-quality circuitry, a bright LED with high lumen-per-watt efficacy, and a decent rechargeable battery. NiMH batteries offer longer discharge time and higher capacity than Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries. Li-Ion batteries have minimal ‘memory effect’, so they can be partially discharged and recharged repeatedly.

Products

Lyco sell a diverse range of carefully selected solar lights including:

Security Lights

The modern-looking Astron Solar PIR LED Floodlight automatically triggers light when it detects movement. It uses 64 LEDs to produce the equivalent output of a powerful 150W halogen lamp, which is easily bright enough to deter potential intruders. The Astron uses a Li-Ion battery and can be activated up to 100 times per night for 1-minute durations.

Wall Lights

The Canterbury Solar Wall Light is a stylish fitting from The Solar Centre with a built-in ‘dusk to dawn’ photocell for automatic lighting overnight. An override switch lets you switch it on and off as required. With its pair of 600mAh NiMH batteries, the Canterbury is able to keep its super-bright white SMD LED going for up to 10 hours from a full charge.

Line Lights

For decorative effect, the Bling String Solar Fairy Lights can be wrapped around trees, parasols, gazebos, or trellises, and installed within minutes. These energy-efficient LED lights can stay lit for up to 12 hours using their included rechargeable batteries. They have a ‘dusk to dawn’ photocell that automatically turns the lights on and off overnight.

Post Lights

Part of the Silverlight range, the Durham Solar LED Post Light is ideal for lighting driveway or path entrances or highlighting garden features. Its pair of NiMH batteries enables 10 hours of light once fully charged. A dusk to dawn sensor is integrated, which automatically switches the light on during darkness and off again as it gets light. This can be overridden by a manual on/off switch.

Spotlights

The Helios Solar LED Spotlight is constructed with a die-cast aluminium body, and delivers a superbly reliable performance. A crisp light is emitted from four super-bright white LEDs, powered by two AA 1000mAh NiMH batteries. These lights have an 8m range, and can last for up to 10 hours. A dusk-to-dawn sensor switches on the Helios overnight, or you can use a manual on/off button. This is one of the best solar spotlights on the market!

Solar potential

To illustrate solar energy potential, the earth receives more energy from the sun in one hour than the entire world uses in a year.

Feel free to take a look at our full range of solar lights.

Need more information, advice or a few more ideas? Try our Lighting Advice section.

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Plinth lights – adding dimension to your kitchen

Posted on 5th November 201329th July 2021 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 29th July 2021

Plinth lights are small, low-level lights usually installed into the kick boards of kitchen units. They have a decorative effect as well as adding ambience and an element of safety. Here we look at the various types of plinth light, their advantages, and which ones to choose for any kitchen.

Plinth light benefits

Plinth lights are primarily installed for their decorative effect. They help modernize a kitchen, and are at their mood-enhancing best when general kitchen lighting is not overpowering. Contrast is a vital ingredient in creating ambience, and plinth lights look great when they’re the centre of attention.

Highlighting effects

Plinth lights highlight the colour and texture of a floor. Rather like a picture light, you can choose a colour of light that will emphasise the floor colour. For instance, a warm white light is a good match for wooden floors or red tiles, whilst a cooler white or blue is good for stone floors or white tiles.

See in the dark

Aside from their visual appeal, kitchen plinth lights can act as night lights, perhaps in anticipation of a midnight snack or drink. Modern LED lights make this possible through their minimal consumption of power. Plinth lights can sometimes be hooked up to a PIR sensor so that they trigger automatically when anyone enters the kitchen.

The LED advantage

Most modern plinth lights use LED technology. Aside from being energy-efficient and cheap to run, LEDs are a versatile light source from a designer’s viewpoint. They’re compact in size, extremely long-lasting, shockproof, vibration proof, and resistant to low temperatures. LEDs are also relatively cool-running, which avoids any possibility of burned fingers if you have children at floor level.

Plinth lighting styles

There are two main styles of plinth lighting: continuous and spotlighting:

Continuous

An example of continuous plinth lighting is the Deltech 5M LED Flexi Strip, which can be cut to size and fitted in many types of confined space. The warm white light of this strip will complement wood or red tiles. Deltech also produce an RGB Colour-changing LED Flexi-strip, which allows many colourful modes and effects when operated by a separately available remote control.

When concealed around the base of a kitchen island or fitted unit, the glow of continuous LED strips can create an attractive ‘floating’ appearance.

Spotlighting

With the spot approach, a series of small fittings are faced outwards to regularly accent or wash the floor with light. LEDs are ideal for this, with their naturally directional nature, crisp bright light, and rich colour.

Square-shaped fittings such as the Stratford Recessed Square LED or the double-insulated Robus Croxley LED Tile Light look extremely neat as plinth lights. They create a uniform look and often complement the lines of kitchen cupboards.

Multipurpose lighting

When buying plinth lights for your kitchen you’ll notice that many suitable lights are not primarily marketed as plinth lights. Some are decking lights, others might be under-cabinet lights, but many are fine for this purpose.

The Simpson LED Walkover Lights, for example, are designed as outdoor decking lights, and are completely dust-tight and waterproof as a result. These lights can withstand plenty of punishment, including shock, vibration, and being sloshed by a kitchen mop.

For ease of installation, Endon’s Set of 4 Surface Mounted LED Downlights is a smart, low-profile solution to plinth lighting. The lights adhere to a surface by self-adhesive pads, and are wired through to an included LED driver. The Endon lights are relatively easy to install, but lack the waterproofing of outdoor lights.

Adding dimension

Plinth lights add extra dimension to a kitchen, especially when complemented by wall-washing up-and-down lights and diffused ceiling lights. Layered light creates visual interest, highlighting each part of the room and giving a greater impression of space.

If you’re a designer, specifier, or end-user, plinth lights are a fantastic way of adding depth and style to any kitchen!

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

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Swimming pool lights – underwater lighting improved

Posted on 23rd August 201321st September 2021 by Andrew Evangelidis

Last updated on 21st September 2021

Things to ponder before buying

There are various things you need to think about before you get down to the nitty-gritty of buying swimming pool lights. One of the first things that should cross your mind is what type of use your pool will get; is it a place intended primarily for fitness, where customers or family members will swim regularly, or is it more of a relaxation area? These purposes need not be mutually exclusive, but the bias may help you decide what type of lighting you’ll buy.

Safety considerations are also bound to come into play. What type of peripheral lighting is best, and if you’re buying for a commercial swimming pool or spa, are there any legal requirements to be met? The shape and size of the pool will also play a part in the amount of lights you buy, and what colour light they emit. Having pondered all of these things, you can cast any idea of hard and fast rules aside! There are effective ways to light a pool, and there are ways to stay safe, but there is also a significant element of subjectivity—how do you want your pool to look?

Does the size of the pool affect your choice of lighting?

To some extent, yes, if you’re buying for a large public swimming baths or a fitness centre there will be a requirement for high levels of uniformity along the length of the pool, which often means multiple lights with a white output. However, for small to medium-sized pools more commonly installed at homes, hotels, and spas, a single light is frequently enough to illuminate the whole pool.

The light is usually recessed and wall-mounted at the deep end of the pool, which enables a more even spread of light. Placing a light at the centre of a pool typically creates a triangular effect with darkened corners, so this will only usually be done if further lights are to be installed.

It’s worth bearing in mind that coloured lights do not have the same coverage though water as a white light, which is why white lights are always preferred in scenarios where safety considerations dominate, e.g. a public swimming baths. The travel of light through water even varies between colours. The surface colour of the pool is another factor in the effectiveness of your selected lights, with paler colours reflecting the light and increasing its range. Dark surfaces will conversely absorb light, which may result in you requiring more lights to achieve your aims!

Are there any health and safety requirements to consider when lighting a swimming pool?

There are no specific laws pertaining to swimming pool health and safety, other than an obligation to comply with legislation under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

One useful resource from the non-departmental Health and Safety Executive makes several references to pool lighting, and is available in the form of a free download: Managing health and safety in swimming pools.

What types of lamp have traditionally been used in swimming baths and pools?

Incandescent and halogen lights were always the traditional choice of underwater lamp in public swimming baths and pools, and they’re still available. Their advantages mostly lie in being inexpensive, and in delivering a consistent output of light through their whole lifespan.

Halogen lights are the bright underwater pool light that many people remember and expect in a swimming pool, and they’re great for their ‘continuous spectrum’, which makes them reliable for rendition of colour (a property of all forms of incandescent light).

Modern-day swimming pool lights — the advantages

There are a couple of contemporary solutions to swimming pool lighting: fibre optic and LED.

Fibre optic lights can create great colour-changing effects in a pool or spa, and they are easy to install and maintain. However, their vibrant glow is often considered too weak for anything other than decorational mood lighting, and their initial cost is greater than LED.

LED lights are generally between 70-90% more energy efficient than original incandescent and halogen light forms, and, significantly in pool lighting, they last for a near eternity! An incandescent lamp might only have a lifespan of 1,000 hours, or 2,000 hours for halogen, whereas LEDs tend to boast longevity of between 20,000 to 50,000 hours.

An estimate of potential savings in running LED pool lights against a halogen equivalent would work out approximately as follows:

18W LED @ 10 hours a day for 1 year = £9.85
100W halogen @ 10 hours a day for 1 year = £54.75
300W halogen @ 10 hours a day for 1 year = £164.25

(Rate based on 15 pence per kWh)

Aside from the great money-saving potential of installing LEDs, one of the other great advantages lies in the flexibility they allow in design. In swimming pool lights this tends to manifest itself in a wide choice of vivid colours and effects, with built in micro-controllers endlessly blending individual red, green, and blue LEDs in more sophisticated models.

Your pool can be simply lit with a bright white light, or for easy creation of ambience you might opt for the soothing effect of a lamp. But if you’re looking to put on more of a show, your underwater lights can be imbued with an ever-shifting rainbow of colours using various styles of transition. Other spectacular pool lights ideas include:

A Slow-fading 18W LED PAR56 Swimming Pool Light that gradually cycles through colour using RGB LEDs.
A Switch-start 18W LED PAR56 Swimming Pool Light that enables you to pre-set colour output from its light switch.
A Remote-controlled 18W LED PAR56 Swimming Pool Light that enables complete mobile control of the pool’s colour.

IP Ratings

Of particular relevance to swimming pool lights is the Ingress Protection Rating, which is published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and is universally used to classify and rate the degree of protection offered by an electrical enclosure against solid objects (including dust) and water.

The IP rating uses 2 figures, the first of which ranges from 0 to 6 and refers to the level of protection against ingress of solid objects. The ultimate ‘6’ rating is indicative of a completely dust-tight housing. For pool lighting the second number is more significant, which ranges from 0 to 8 and refers to protection against ingress of water. An IPX3 rating is considered to be the minimal requirement for outdoor lighting, whilst underwater lights usually require an IPX8 rating for submersion at an unrestricted depth.

Lighting around the pool

There are countless lighting possibilities beside or above a pool. One possible choice for overhead lighting is the Fireguard LED6 Dimmable Spotlight, which is ideal for creating mood in conjunction with a dimmer switch. A great source of general lighting, the Fireguard is IP65 rated and is fire-rated to preserve the integrity of the ceiling in the event of a fire.

Poolside lighting can increase ambience in spa or hotel pools, so products such as Deltech’s LED Flexi Strip allow you to get creative! This strip of LEDs is orderable in 5-metre lengths and can be installed around the perimeter of a pool for both ornamental and safety purposes. You can choose from white, blue, purple, or RGB colour-switching flexistrips.

Walkover lights also have an infinite amount of potential around the pool. They can be fitted into surrounding areas of decking, or even in the pool itself. Walkover lights are often submersible to various degrees. LED lends itself particularly well to this type of light, since it allows extremely small designs and is naturally vibration proof and shockproof.

Lyco are able to offer suitable walkover lights in the form of the Garland LED Walkover Lights, which can be used around the edges of a swimming pool or to highlight water features. These are also a great idea for decking and shallow (1m max) submersion in a pool.

A final benefit in installing LED lights around the pool is their lack of attraction for insects and bugs. Because they produce vastly less heat than incandescent or halogen light sources, and don’t have the UV output that’s inherent in fluorescent lighting, LED lights are an entomological wasteland!

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

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

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