How to choose spot ceiling lights

Proper lighting is the key to good mood and well-being. You can make it complete, comfortable and beautiful using spotlights. The correct selection of sizes, characteristics and types of lamps is what is needed.

What is a spot light

The same type of lamps has several names: spot, recessed, ceiling. There is also such a name - as "spot". This is also about a spotlight. It's just that all these words describe the same type of lighting fixture from different angles.

Spotlights - this name reflects the appearance of this lighting fixture and the size of the illuminated space

If they say "a spotlight", they mean that it creates a narrowly directed stream of light, due to which an illuminated spot is formed on the floor, and a luminous point on the ceiling. When they say "built-in" luminaire, they mean the method of installation - basically only a small decorative part remains on the ceiling surface, and the rest of the structure is hidden in the ceiling space. If we talk about ceiling spotlights, they mean the place of installation, since such small-sized structures can be mounted in furniture - in cabinets. The unusual word "spot" is just a Russian version of the English spot, one of the meanings of which is a spot. That is, it is also about the fact that the lighting will be in the form of a set of "spots" of light.

To summarize, we can say that a spotlight is a small flush-mounted lighting fixture that illuminates a small part of the room. To organize full-fledged lighting, it is necessary to recruit a certain number of such devices and in a certain way place recessed lights on the ceiling.

Types, designs, varieties

There is no official classification and it is only possible to conditionally divide the total mass of these lighting fixtures into several categories according to different criteria. Such a division in the selection process will be easier to navigate, isolating a specific group. This division does not pursue any other purpose.

Diversity can be overwhelming

By appointment

This division can be considered at the same time as a division by design, and also by a method of installation. The choice of a spotlight on this basis is determined by the type of ceiling in the room. There are two large groups:

• for installation in plasterboard structures (they are also attached to ceiling made of plastic panels);
• for installation in stretch ceilings.

They differ structurally and in the way of installation. In drywall models, two springs are attached to the body. During installation, the luminaire is connected to the wires, after which the springs are pressed with fingers, the body is inserted into the hole made in advance. The springs spread apart, fixing the device to the ceiling.

Plasterboard lamps and their installation method

Spotlights for installation in stretch ceiling they cannot be mounted on such a system - the bearing capacity of the film / fabric is clearly insufficient for this. They are attached to the main ceiling on a special sliding bracket, with which the required distance from the level of the main ceiling is set.

This is how spotlights are mounted under a stretch ceiling

There are models that are immediately equipped with this bracket, but there are not many of them. But there are many models to which you can install a similar bracket by purchasing it separately. And it is not even always necessary to use a sliding bracket: it can be replaced by a perforated plasterboard suspension.This design is not so easy to use (the height is more difficult to set), but much cheaper.

Height-adjustable bracket and replacement

Supply voltage and degree of protection

The second thing you need to pay attention to when choosing spotlights is the type of power supply. In ordinary rooms it is easier to install electrical equipment operating from 220 V. For rooms with increased danger, which include a bathroom, swimming pool, sauna, it is better to choose models that are powered by 24 V or 12 V. When connecting them, you will need a converter (driver), but no security issues.

Decoding of numbers in the class of protection of electrical appliances

The next point is the degree of protection of the case. It is also important for rooms with difficult working conditions or for outdoor use. The protection class is indicated by the Latin letters IP and two numbers. The first shows the degree of protection against the penetration of solids, the second - against water. For bathrooms and kitchens, it is desirable that the protection class is at least IP44.

Swivel and no

Most luminaires do not provide the ability to change the direction of the luminous flux. There are a number of models that allow the lamp to be rotated over a fairly wide range. They are called turning.

Rotary models

If we talk about price, then rotary models are more expensive - a more complex mounting system requires more precise manufacturing and more expensive materials. Therefore, it makes sense to use them only in those places where it is periodically necessary to change the degree of illumination of certain zones.

Overhead

Not all spotlight models are flush-mounted with the ceiling. There is a fairly large group of invoices. In this case, only the wire goes into the ceiling space, and the body is below the ceiling level. In almost all of them the lamp is fixed permanently, but there are also rotary models.

Surface mounted spotlights

They are used as part of the design, but they also allow you to almost not lower the ceiling relative to the base one, which is very important in some situations. The second positive point is that most of the heat from the lamp is dispersed in space. Also, during installation, a heat-insulating gasket can be placed under the body - for even better protection against heat.

Number of lamps

Most recessed luminaires are designed to be connected to one lamp. But there are models where from two to ten lamps are located in one case.

The number of lamps in one housing can be different

These models are available in different styles and layouts. There are not as many of them as single-tube ones, but there are also quite a few. Difficulties can arise if you need five or more lamps. So you will have to look for them, especially if some specific design is required, and often they are delivered to order - demand is too limited.

Dimensions

When choosing spotlights, pay attention to their dimensions. In addition to the outer ones, which determine the dimensions of the cut holes, one must look at the height. It depends on this parameter how much the new ceiling will have to be lowered relative to the base one. There must be a distance of at least 5 cm from the highest point of the luminaire to the base ceiling.

In the first case, it is enough to lower the ceiling by 10 cm, in the second - by 16 cm

This gap is necessary for efficient heat dissipation of operating lamps. Also, cables are laid in the ceiling space, embedded plates for fixing chandeliers, etc. are mounted.

Type of lamps used

Four types of lamps can be used for lighting:

• incandescent;
• halogen;
• compact fluorescent;
• LED.

Incandescent lamps are rarely used today. In this case, the point is not so much that they "pull" a lot of electricity, although this is also an important factor, especially if a dozen or more lamps are installed on the ceiling. Much worse is that they get very hot, and heating has a bad effect on the material from which the ceiling is made.If you look at the assortment of a solid Internet resource, then there will be hardly a dozen spotlights for incandescent lamps, but for other positions there are hundreds, sometimes even more than a thousand.

For the same reason, halogen lamps are little used, but their assortment is still larger - they are more economical and, due to the metallization of a part of the body, can take some of the heat forward. But, nevertheless, compact fluorescent lamps are more common and LED lamps are becoming more and more popular. The latter are generally economical, and they heat up much less than all others, and there are lamps with different bases, of different wattage. What else is good that LED lamp can have a different angle of dispersion - from 30 ° to 360 °, which allows you to achieve different effects in lighting. There are also LED spotlights in which there are not lamps, but LEDs built in. They are distinguished by their low thickness, which allows lowering the final ceiling to a very small height. So this is a really good option.

Spotlights with built-in LEDs

The only drawback of LEDs is that they flicker. About the same as fluorescent lamps. Visually it is invisible, but they say it is harmful to the eyes. Although from personal experience I will say that with this light it is much easier to read and the eyes get tired less (they stood before the housekeeper). As before, this effect can be mitigated by installing one incandescent lamp in the room.

When choosing a spotlight, see what types of lamps it works with. Please note that there are options in which the lamp is already included in the price, but many of them must be purchased separately.