You might be reading this because you are doing some research online about switching to LED bulbs to replace the old bulbs in your flood lights. One major reason for switching to LED lighting is in the energy and cost savings that you will see in the long run. Although the initial cost of purchasing an LED bulb is much higher, the amount of money that you will save over the long run makes it worthwhile. Furthermore, you will be using less energy since the LED bulbs convert electricity to light more efficiently.
Flood lights can be found in many common home areas such as the kitchen and the family room. They are used in recessed can lighting and also in track lighting. Flood lights are normally chosen for lighting up a large area so they need to put out a significant amount of light. With incandescent light bulbs, this means using higher wattage bulbs which produce a lot of heat. If you switch over to LED flood lights, it will reduce the amount of heat generated since the LED bulbs are typically cool to the touch because of their low electrical consumption and efficient conversion of electricity into light.
One of the considerations you want to make when switching over to LED lighting is the beam pattern. LED light bulbs tend to be more directional so that when they are installed in recessed cans, the area that is illuminated can be smaller compared to conventional bulbs. Many manufacturers will specify the beam angle or coverage on their product packaging. If you are shopping in a retail store, you have the advantage of actually seeing one of these bulbs installed and lit up. When you are shopping online, you have to rely on reading the product specifications. Regular flood lights typically have beam angles anywhere from 33 to 45 degrees. Depending on the spacing of your flood lights you will need to select the beam angle to match your current light bulbs.
Another thing you want to check is to make sure that the bulb base is the correct type. Two common types are PAR30 and PAR38. PAR stands for parabolic aluminized reflector and the number that follows is a measure of the diameter of the bulb. For example, the PAR38 has a diameter of 4.75 inches and the PAR30 has a diameter of 3.75 inches. Typical power ratings for PAR38 are 75 or 100W. Make sure you choose the equivalent power rating for the LED bulb that you are buying.
Many flood lights are installed with a dimmer switch. This is another consideration for choosing the bulb that goes with the flood light as not all LED bulbs can be dimmed. You’ll want to make sure that it specifically says that it can be used with a dimmer.
A good place to start your research is by going to Amazon and typing in the phrase “LED flood lights” and look through the resulting products. There you will find user reviews that will give you a good idea of the quality and performance of the LED bulb. Since you will be spending more money in purchasing the bulbs, it makes sense to do some careful research.