subject: Can Led Gu10 Lights Be Used Outdoors? [print this page] Lighting isn't just for the inside of your home. It makes a great accompaniment to the exterior as well. Architectural, our outdoor lighting, serves a huge number of purposes. It isn't just designed to make your home look aesthetically pleasing on an evening; it is also an important deterrent for unwanted visitors. If you would like to create the best possible lighting arrangement for the exterior of your house without breaking the bank, we recommend choosing LED GU10 Lights. However, you can't just plug LED GU10 Lights straight in. In order to use your LED GU10 Lights outside you need to protect them from the elements. That is why you will need IP rated casings and enclosures for your light fittings.
But what is an IP rating? IP stands for Ingress Protection Rating, but is also sometimes referred to as the International Protection Rating. As the name suggests an IP is an industry standard rating system that informs customers about the protective capabilities of mechanical casings and electronic enclosures. It is a more precise measurement than terms such as 'waterproof' and 'splash-proof,' which can be too vague and misleading.
IP Ratings consist of the letters 'IP' followed by two numbers, in the following format IP##. The first number denotes protection against solid objects, such as dust, while the latter number indicates the enclosures resilience to water. The scale on both ranges from 0-6, with 0 meaning no protection and 6 meaning complete protection.
An IP rating comes in handy when you are trying to determine where you want and can use your LED GU10 Lights. In a bathroom for example, you might not need complete protection against moisture as you won't expect your lights to come into direct contact with water, but the condensation that builds up in the room could cause a problem. In this context, partial protection will suffice. If you are planning to use them outside a far more resilient enclosure will be require to protect against weather damage and temperature changes.
When you use LED GU10 Lights outdoors we recommend selecting a cool white colour temperature. Cool white has a much better luminous flux than warm white, which means the light travels much further in the dark and will provide you with ample and clear illumination for your garden.
For more information about LED GU10 Lights, IP Ratings or anything about using your lighting outdoors, please look for more articles under this section.
