LED Lamp buying guide

For consumers in the European Union the purchase of LED Lamps, also known as LED bulbs, spots or tubes has recently got easier because of the European Directives 1194 from 2012 and 244 from 2009.

According to these directives, for any LED lamp put on the market the provided product
information must make an informed purchase possible.

The Product Information Requirements are:

On the Package:

• Nominal luminous flux of the lamp 
• Energy Label
• Nominal life time of the lamp in hours (not higher than the rated life time);
• Number of switching cycles before premature lamp failure;
• Colour temperature (also expressed as a value in Kelvins);
• Warm-up time up to 60 % of the full light output (may be indicated as ‘instant full light’ if less than 1 second);
• A warning if the lamp cannot be dimmed or can be dimmed only on specific dimmers;
• If designed for optimal use in non-standard conditions (such as ambient temperature Ta ≠ 25 °C), information on those conditions;
• Lamp dimensions in millimeters (length and diameter);
• Equivalence with an incandescent lamp (optional).

 On the Internet:

• The information specified On the Package:
• Rated power (0,1 W precision);
• Rated useful luminous flux;
• Rated lamp life time;
• Lamp power factor;(Lumen maintenance factor at the end of the nominal life (except for filament lamps);
• Starting time (as X,X seconds);
• Colour rendering;
• Colour consistency (only for LEDs);
• Rated peak intensity in candela (cd);
• Rated beam angle;
• If intended for use in outdoor or industrial applications, an indication to this effect;

LedRise recommends to purchase only LED lamps that have the product information mentioned above.