Using LED For Security Lighting

Although modern LED lighting technology has only been around for a couple of decades, it’s already featured in an impressive array of applications. One of those applications is security lighting, which requires a high quality, high intensity, and highly controllable fixture to work effectively. LEDs are perfectly designed for security purposes because they offer excellent illumination quality in a controllable package.

What LED Fixtures Can Be Used For Security Lighting Applications?

There are numerous LED lighting fixtures that can be used as security lights. The vast majority of them are built into a bullet-like or flood fixture design. What’s the difference?

Bullet fixtures

Bullet lights are named for their shape, which resembles a bullet-like cylinder. Bullet fixtures act like a spotlight and produce a tight, intense beam that’s extremely effective.

Bullet fixtures are more common on residential properties, where they can be placed above a garage or over the home’s entrances. They’re available in single, double, or triple head designs that allow users to aim the lights in multiple directions or concentrate more illumination on a single spot.

Flood fixtures

Flood fixtures are a popular security light option because they output high brightness illumination over a longer range. Because flood lights throw illumination over a larger area, they are effective on larger properties like warehouses or industrial facilities. Here, they can be installed on a high wall or mounted to poles.

Both types of LED lights can be matched with various accessories to control when they’re activated. Some of those controls include:

• Timers – Timers are useful for both security and efficiency reasons. With timers, your security lights can be programmed to switch on and off at preprogrammed times – which typically means they’re on at night and off during the day. This approach is called dusk-to-dawn lighting and ensures the LED security fixtures are on when they’re needed most.
• Photocells – Photocells serve the same general purposes as timers because they switch the security fixtures on at night and switch them off during the day. They do this by detecting the level of ambient illumination and responding when that ambient illumination changes. Photocells are inexpensive and simple components, so they’re a popular addition to outdoor lighting systems.
• Motion sensors – A motion sensor detects movement using one of several methods. Most use infrared or ultrasonic detection, though some use microwaves to pick up motion. One of the advantages of modern motion sensors is that many combine more than one detection method in a single piece of hardware. For example, you’ll frequently find infrared and ultrasonic motion detection in a single sensor.

Why is LED Lighting Technology a Good Option for Security?

Now that you have an idea of what LED security lighting looks like, you may want to know why people are picking LED bulbs to begin with. There are several reasons, including:

• Lighting quality and brightness – LED lamps are bright, and they render color extremely well. LEDs also emit evenly and can do so in larger areas, too. You can rely on LED security lighting to fill the target area with a lot of illumination, in other words.
  High-CRI LEDs are designed to represent colors with greater accuracy, which is critical for security lighting. Better color rendering means better long-distance visibility, which is especially helpful for image recording.
• Longevity – The typical LED security light will provide around 50,000 hours of quality illumination before replacement is likely required. And some LEDs can last a good bit longer than that.
  LEDs stand out in this regard, as a halogen bulb will only provide a few thousand hours before it needs to be replaced. Fluorescent fixtures can only make it about 20,000 hours before they need to be switched out.
  With their major lifespan advantage, the operating costs of LEDs are minimal compared to older forms of lighting technology.
• Energy efficiency – LED’s operating costs are minimized further with their superior energy efficiency. LED lighting is the most efficient form of lighting on the market, with superior lumen-to-watt ratios at both the source and the system level.
  LED’s energy efficiency is particularly important for commercial properties, where there may be hundreds of security fixtures operating as a single solution. With their excellent efficiency, commercial properties can save thousands on energy costs year over year.
• Controllability – LED lighting is also the most controllable available, as it’s compatible with all modern lighting controls. This includes timers, photocells, and various motion sensor technologies. With LED security lighting, you can be confident that however you want to manage the fixtures, there’s a control option available.
• Durability and safety – Compared to older forms of lighting, LEDs are the most durable. LED lamps are built on stable circuitry that can handle the occasional mishap without sustaining damage. Lights that run on metal filaments or with pressurized gas don’t have this durability advantage, which means they’re more likely to sustain damage and fail during installation or maintenance. This reduces maintenance costs even more.
  And LEDs are safe to operate and dispose of because they don’t contain toxic amounts of mercury like fluorescent tubes do. They’re considered safe enough that LEDs do not require special measures for proper disposal, unlike fluorescent fixtures.
• Responsiveness – Security lighting must be quick to fire on when it’s needed, and this is a limitation for most fixtures. Fluorescents, for example, have a warm-up period before they reach full brightness.
  LED lighting is instant-on and reaches full brightness instantly. When used with a security lighting system, LED technology responds immediately to anyone in the area.

For Better Security, Consider Better Security Lighting Products

LED lighting is a good fit for almost every application, including security applications. With their excellent performance characteristics, low operating costs, and versatility, LEDs are the ideal choice for securing indoor, outdoor, residential, commercial and industrial spaces.