When you’re looking at the different types of bulbs available, you’ll often see a reference to the color temperature of them. It’s important to understand the different color temperatures so that you can make sure that you are getting the right light emitting from your light source. This is especially true with LED lights that can emit colors ranging from a bright, white light to a warm, yellow light.

Along the temperature scale of colors, the spectrum ranges from 1000 K. up to 10,000 K. The typical colors have a range of 2700 K. up to 9000 K. A bright, white light is usually about 7000 K. or higher and is often used in a professional or active setting, such as in a gym or an office. A warmer light produces a warmer ambiance, and it is usually used in a home or a restaurant.

Understanding Color Temperature

The color temperature of an LED light has nothing to do with the temperature of the actual light bulb. It is related to a black-body radiator, which is any object that sends out light once it has been heated. Examples of a black-body radiator would include a filament in a traditional light bulb or an iron bar. When these radiators are heated to a certain temperature, the corresponding color is the color temperature.

Color Temperature and LED Lights

When choosing your LED lights you’ll need to consider their intended application. If you need a light in your living room close to the fireplace and want to create a cozy ambiance in the area, a lower, warm color temperature light would be the best choice. If you need bright lighting in the kitchen for chopping vegetables, a high, cool color temperature light would be the most suitable.

When you make the switch over to LED lights you’ll have more color temperature choices available. To create a light with a lower color temperature, red phosphors are added to the mix of phosphors. Human eyes are naturally more sensitive to green lights so when some of this green light is used to create red light, there is less output of lumens from the light.

As humans we have an emotional response to color temperatures so it’s important to pay attention to them when selecting your next lights. You should also note that low-quality products don’t provide color consistency so the color temperature may not be predictable.

When you need quality LED lights, take a look at the wide range of color choices available in high quality LED lights at www.adhecogen.com. If you have any further questions about choosing the right temperature for a room or area please feel free to call us at (905) 282-0881.