The recent growth in the popularity of LED lighting has attracted many new suppliers and distributors into the field. A majority of those LED lighting suppliers provide quality products and give consumers good service and value for their dollar. If you are considering a significant lighting project, for example, that more than just replacing a few incandescent or fluorescent bulbs with new LEDs, you should determine whether your LED lighting supplier can become a partner in your effort to create the optimum lighting plan with the best long-term service for your project.
In selecting an LED lighting supplier for a complex project, a helpful strategy would be to ask these questions:
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- How long has the supplier distributed and sold LED products? Many recent entrants into the LED supply market carry quality products but have little or no institutional knowledge of which of those products will be the best choice for your project. You will have far more options with LED bulbs, fixtures, and systems than you would with more traditional lighting. Find a supplier who has developed the experience to know which of those products are the best option for your specific application.
- Does the LED lighting supplier carry higher-quality products? Because of differences and new advancements in LED technology, LED bulbs and fixtures are not generic or fungible products. Better-quality LEDs will have longer lifespans and will be more efficient, and those products will save you more money and conserve energy over a longer period of time. Find an LED lighting supplier that can supply the high quality that you want.
- Does your LED lighting supplier understand LED technology and specifications? LEDs generate light through solid state electronics and control circuitry. Because they are so much more efficient than traditional light bulbs, LED light specifications are more appropriately designated in lumens, which is the amount of light that the bulbs generate, and not in watts, which is a rating of power consumption. Further, LED lights are available in a broad range of lighting color temperatures and color rendering indices. If you do not have a good grasp of the nature and quality of light that you need for your application, find an LED lighting supplier that has the technical expertise to give you that knowledge.
- Will your LED lighting supplier provide after-market support? The reality of your lighting project might be different than your paper plan for that project. If you have questions or you need support during the installation and operation of your lighting system, you will be better served by an LED lighting supplier that understands your system and that can give you the installation and operational support to maximize the benefits of your LED lighting.
Can your LED lighting supplier provide all of the products and information you need? LED lighting systems comprise more than just replacement LED bulbs. Your lighting application will inevitably give you better service with fixtures and control systems that match the LED bulbs you select. Your LED lighting supplier should also be able to give you full technical and installation specifications about all of the components in your LED lighting application.
