TIME LED urges electrical contractors to select products with customisable features; which give the user the greatest flexibility to tailor to each use case.
LED Bulkheads offer a superb outdoor and indoor lighting solution for a variety of domestic and commercial installations, responding well in both general and emergency use cases, and being easy to install and maintain. Bulkheads are designed first and foremost to be robust early all of TIME LED’s bulkheads, for example, come fully IP65 rated, capable of enduring any weather. But as this market reaches a saturation point, it is tempting to select product based solely on price point.
Controlled distribution of Light
Most bulkheads available on the market will feature glass or PVC diffusers that disperse the light generated by individual LEDs, eliminating bright or dim spots created by the placement of the LEDs across the board. These diffusers enable the product to produce 360 degrees of uniform light. When being used to illuminate work areas and for the most efficient placement of bulkheads across a large area, having a full 360 degrees beam angle is most helpful, for example, when placing in a central position on the ceiling, or on a wall when light is needed both above and below the level of the bulkhead.
However, in some use cases, 360 degree light diffusion is not actually the most useful option, either for stylistic preferences and effects; when the light is needed to inform as well as illuminate for example, or in a part of the garden where low-level lighting would look more attractive. This is particularly beneficial when using light to illuminate escape pathways, where the light is also guiding the user’s pathway. By applying a half-ring bezel to a circular bulkhead, for example in TIME LED’s Comma Range, the light can be trained in a more specific direction, according to the installer’s preference.
Controlled operation
Opting for a bulkhead that includes a microwave sensor can pay back in dividends when it comes to energy and cost savings over the lifetime of the product. In many cases, bulkhead lighting is often only used sporadically, lighting corridors and outdoor areas that are not in constant use. Illuminating these areas constantly wastes energy, and outdoors, contributes to light pollution, whilst the manager of the space may not want each user to be able to control the lights themselves. In other use cases, motion activation is a useful deterrent against vandalism and theft.
However, as microwave technology will pick up movement even if it is on the other side of walls or other solid structures, it can be too sensitive in certain uses – if the bulkhead is secured to an external wall where people are moving on the inside for example. TIME LED’s Comma, Elan and Urban ranges all feature adjustable microwave sensor technology, so that the installer can tailor the sensitivity in each use case. Moreover, with TIME LED’s dusk ‘til dawn mode of operation, the installer can set the bulkhead to only illuminate in certain light conditions, saving energy, for example.
Controlled colour temperature
Colour temperature is an important consideration when choosing a bulkhead, and depends again on the use case. For security and functionality, it is best to opt for a high colour temperature, which provides a clinical, bright white light. This gives clarity and aids a sharp focus for those operating in warehouses, hospitals, or stadiums. TIMELED offers bulkheads across its ranges in 6,000K Daylight, which is a very popular choice.
Alternatively, a lower value of CCT produces a warm, more yellow light. This creates a cosier, softer lighting environment, which would be preferred if installing bulkheads on restaurant or hotel premises, for example, or in a residential setting. This is especially important if a microwave or PIR sensor is being used to illuminate the space only when needed, for cost and energy saving purposes; a hotel resident, in contrast to an intruder, would not want to feel exposed or intimidated.
This kind of customisation, however, can become an added complication for the wholesaler, who then has to stock identical products, but with differing colour temperatures. In response to this, TIME LED’s Comma Range offer bulkheads which are colour temperature adjustable, between 4,000K and 5,000K. The installer can set the temperature with the flick of a switch during installation, depending on the consumer requirement, while the wholesaler only has to stock and distribute one item.
TIME LED supplies exclusively to wholesalers and stockists in the electrical sector. For more information, please contact us.
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