When it comes to lighting there are a lot of terms that are thrown around. Lumens and amps and Kelvins. Oh my! It is hard to keep up with some of that and it is very easy to not understand just what exactly these terms mean. Today we address just what Kelvins (K) are, so you can make a better decision when it comes to your landscape lighting system.
Kelvins?
You might know a person named Kelvin and no, it has nothing to do with that person, though it is named for a person. Scottish born William Thompson, the 1st Baron Kelvin was a 19th century physicist, mathematician, electrical engineer and one of the fathers of thermodynamics. In honor of his scientific achievements units of absolute temperature, one of his breakthrough proposals, were named in his honor.
Absolute Temperature?
You have heard of absolute zero, or the temperature that is the coldest possible temperature. The absolute scale may sound complicated but essentially it is a scale that only goes one way. There are no negative numbers and positive numbers like you would have with the Fahrenheit or Celsius scale. In a way, it seems like a good idea but it has never been truly adopted in mainstream use.
Now take a look at a new LED bulb’s packaging. There is a part of the label that covers color temperature and that is measured in Kelvins. This color temperature is on an absolute scale, thus there can be no negative color temperature.
Confused yet? Hopefully not.
Color Temperature = Amount Of White Light
The color temperature of the bulb determines how white the light will be. It is not to be confused with lumens, which measure how bright the bulb is. It ranges from around 1900K, which would be the whiteness (yellowness?) of a candle all the way up to 10,000K which would be bright blue sky on a sunny day. 2000-3000K has a soft white or yellowish glow that is best for indoor lighting.
3000-4500K gives off a bright white light that works best for areas where good lighting is needed. 4600-6500K simulates daylight and works best where bright light is needed. Everything on up is used mostly in commercial or industrial locations where bright light is needed.
Work With A Pro Who Knows
2700K is the most popular color temperature used for landscape lighting but other temperatures can work and may work for you. In most cases landscape lighting is not intended to be overly bright and in a way does try to simulate candle light. Anything from candlelight to moonlight and just about anything else can be simulated by knowing what the proper color temperature is. These are some of the things that Resort Lighting will go over with a customer when we come out to visit your home.
There are a lot of decisions to be made and it can be a lot of information and choices thrown at someone in very quick succession. It can be almost overload and it can be very easy to mistake your Kelvins for your lumens. That is why working with a professional service like Resort Lighting is a good idea. We bring over 40 years of experience to the job and we will work hard to make sure that your landscape lighting system is the best that you can possibly have. Part of doing that is knowing what your right color temperature or Kelvin is.
