05 Jul When making landscape lighting purchase decisions do not rely upon specification sheet claims only
By Mike Gambino
This is especially true with today’s LED technology. Now more than ever you as a buyer and end user of of low voltage landscape lighting products and services must be made aware that most times manufacturer claims and specifications are not what they might appear to be.
I think a good analogy exists with the comparison to the purchase of high fidelity stereo speakers which are also an electronic device. If you buy sight unseen and based only on manufacturer claims and specification sheets without actually listening to them first (best if demonstrated in your own environment and with the amplifiers and other equipment you will be using) there is a good chance you will be disappointed with your purchase.
For example on paper speaker number 1 may look much better than speaker number 2. However in direct head to head testing it is quickly found out that speaker number 2 clearly outperforms speaker number 1
I follow several online message boards where topics pertaining to manufacturer specification sheets are frequently referenced and relied upon for design and purchasing consideration. In regards to these spec sheets in some cases you need to be an electrical engineer or scientist to understanding the meaning of them. Thermal characteristics, electrical characteristics, current, CRI, performance curves its enough to boggle your mind.
This can be very intimidating but rest assured there is no need for you to take a special course for deciphering and understanding this information.
Some of this stuff looks real impressive but the fact remains these are just biased claims made by manufactures to show their products in the best light, make them appear highly desirable, and induce their purchase. The reality is, short of third party certified testing from an unbiased qualified lab, spec sheets should not be relied upon as the end all in low voltage LED landscape lighting purchases.
Another thing to be aware of is that most of the testing by the manufacturers of LED lamps are done in the laboratory under optimum conditions and not inside of enclosed fixtures outside in the environments where they are exposed to all sorts of wild temperature fluctuations and physical contact (such as impacts that can jar the light source) with human beings.
The main virtues or benefits of LED are
1-Performance- Without that nothing else matters. This includes brightness and color characteristics
2-Energy efficiency – Quantified by lumens per watt consumed or in other words the quantity of light produced per watt of light consumed which will affect your electric bill.
3- Longevity- LED’s cost more and are touted as longer lasting when compared to halogen and incandescent lamp bulbs of yesteryear. They should last longer but claims of longevity are just that claims as the technology has not been in use in real time for more than several years in order to provide a definite answer to this.
4- Warranty-What is covered and for how long? Is the labor covered and for how long? Is there an interruption in service while warranty claims are pending , who pays for the packaging and the shipping for the return?
Because landscape lighting is such a visual and subjective amenity, what is visually pleasing to one may be harsh and uninviting to another and vice versa. Representations made on internet message sites should be viewed with caution and reserve.
Seeing is believing
Unless you are not very particular and anything other than total darkness will do, you should see what you are buying first before committing to LED low voltage landscape lighting.
For some viewing projects of service providers is necessary . For others quality photographs are sufficient to make valuable determinations.
Either way due diligence is absolutely necessary and even more so with today’s new LED low voltage landscape lighting technologies.
This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .
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