How Many Lumens Do I Need For Outdoor Security Lighting?

How many lumens do I need for outdoor security lighting is one of the most often posed queries to security professionals. It is a valid query with nuanced solutions based on your home security configuration. By explaining what lumens are and how they function, this article will respond to this query. We'll then talk about how lumens alone don't provide a full picture of light efficacy.

What Exactly Are Lumens?
The standard unit of light emission per second is the lumen. Lumens are a common unit of measurement for brightness used by lighting manufacturers. Some manufacturers, though, rate their lights in watts, which could be confusing. Watts are a measurement of energy used per second; an incandescent light bulb may use 100 watts while producing 1600 lumens, whereas LED lights are significantly more effective. For instance, the Iluminar WL643-2 LED Illuminator uses only 48W of power while producing 3712 lumens.

For outdoor security lighting, how many lumens am I required to have?
As a result, it is clear that light output is not measured in watts, which is the amount of electricity a light uses to produce a given number of lumens. So, how many lumens is the ideal number?

You must take into account how much light you require for your application in order to decide this. Consider the size and shape of the area you wish to illuminate when determining the number of lumens required for security lighting. Generally speaking, security lights need to be substantially brighter than general illumination; opt for lights with at least 700 lumens.

You don't want your lights to be excessively bright, though, at the same time. It's not a good idea to direct thousands of lumens directly into your neighbor's windows. Very bright lights can also be problematic for wildlife and birds because they disturb their sleep patterns and require more energy than is necessary.

Selecting Security Lights
A reputable security lighting producer will rigorously test their products. This indicates that they can provide you with information to aid in smarter purchasing decisions. Here are certain statistics that each reputable manufacturer ought to include:

Together with voltage and current, power consumption is expressed in watts (W) (in amperes, A)
Lumen output, typically abbreviated as lm.
Kelvin units of color temperature (K). Brighter lights are greater in temperature whereas warmer, yellower lights are lower. Most halogen light temperatures are about 3000K, while a brilliant white is 6500K.
CRI stands for color rendering index. Only premium manufactures are likely to mention their CRI, which gauges how accurately colors can be seen under a given light source. High CRI lights are the most true to how you would perceive an object during the day, however low CRI lighting can make colors appear flat or washed out.

Conclusion

Iluminar specializes in producing exceptional, industry-standard LED lighting solutions for video surveillance and license plate capture systems. For all of our clients, we also provide unmatched customer service.

All of the items in our invisible and visible series come in a variety of form factors, with several angle, wavelength, range, and power rating options. We offer covert and semi-covert illuminators that can operate on AC or DC power. The best part is that we provide waterproof systems with superb construction to withstand even the most demanding deployment application.