Lighting Questions and Answers

Lighting General Questions

What is the difference between damp & wet locations?

A. If a fixture is listed as "Damp" it means it has been tested to withstand light moisture or raised humidity such as condensation or a light mist but are not supposed to get wet. When a fixture is listed as "Wet", it means that it can withstand heavier weather such as snow and/or rain, having been subjected to a 'rain test'.

LED Lighting Questions

Are LED lights dimmable?

LED lights are not always dimmable. There are many types of LEDs and some are dimmable with a regular incandescent dimmer, some require a special dimmer and some are not dimmable at all. Each situation needs to be verified before assuring this can be done. Please check carefully the manufacturer spec sheet or call their engineering department to get the details. Another thing to note is that in many cases LEDs will dim to 20% 10% or 5% and not always to 0% as we are used with incandescent light sources. In situations when a smooth dimming is needed and multiple LED light fixtures are in question, it is advised to test one LED lamp first and then if the results of the LED dimmer (or dimming system) in combination with the specific LED fixture or lamp is satisfactory, only then proceed with the full blown setup.

Which LED lighting fixtures are dimmable?

A. This information is as was provided by the manufacturers: (Louie Lighting is not responsible for the accuracy of this information)
Eurofase Lighting: LED fixtures are not dimmable.
Tech Lighting: LED
fixtures are dimmable. All freejack LED canopies are dimmable with standard incandescent
dimmer. All track LED compatible transformers can be dimmed with low voltage
electronic dimmer.
LBL Lighting: LED
fixtures are dimmable. All fixtures (including canopies and track system
transformers) are dimmable with low voltage electronic dimmer.

Track Lighting Questions

Does a poorly lit area require more than Tiella light tracks?, mine probably needs 7 of them…

A. regarding the tracks, lay them out so you can aim the lights towards art and objects in the rooms, when you light the art up (on walls) you also gain reflected light that bounces from the walls/art and ads to ambient light of the room. There is no rule of thumb but feel also what makes sense to you personally based on your needs for light in the space. The only main rule I have is that I like balance in the lighting so better spread balanced light that have very intense light in one corner and nothing on the other end..

I have a low voltage cable lighting kit and the transformer has burnt out. Can this be replaced?

A. In most cases the low voltage transformer for both cable and track kits can be replaced with the same transformer from the same manufacturer as the low voltage cable lighting kit or low voltage track lighting kit.

Low Voltage Transformers Questions

Can magnetic low voltage dimmers be used to dim line voltage/halogen bulbs connected on the same circuit with low voltage

A- No. You cannot combine the two load types on the same dimmed circuit. However, you can remedy this by using separate circuits for the different types. Some have found this to be rather beneficial. Using separate dimmers gives more flexibility and options to the user. For example, you may not want an entire section dimmed or turned completely off. Perhaps you wish only to highlight a certain area of the room such as a wall with artwork. Separate circuitry allows for many options.

Kitchen Lighting Questions

I need advice on lighting a kitchen in an older home. It is very dark, a recessed ceiling. I don't want florescent ceiling light and am trying to make the lighting cozy and warm. Should we use the open canister, eyeball lights????? Our kitchen is 15 by 15 with 9 foot ceilings. Looking forward to your ideas on what kind of lighting and number of light fixtures you would recommend

A. I would recommend using recessed, adjustable, low voltage cans with a smaller signature. The signature size refers to the diameter of the light fixture. Smaller fixtures do not mean less light and I find them more visually appealing than the larger down-lights. I would also suggest washing the light toward the walls and cabinets. This will help reduce the darkness through reflection. The light is to the wall first and then reflected back into the room vs. a stream of light pointing straight down. Please contact us for specific products that can work for your ceiling type.

How high should the mini and small pendant lights hang above the kitchen island?

A. The hanging height of the mini and small pendant lights depend on personal preference but generally pendant lights should be installed 28-35 inches above the kitchen counter top. As a rule of thumb, try to eliminate direct view of the light source which can cause glare and irritation and a loss of visual comfort.

Light Bulbs Questions

Can you compare a par 30bulb to a MR-11 and MR-16

A. The MR-16 is smaller in size and offers more light per watt. It has better beam control with a smoother beam. Applying accessories like color filters and louvers is also easier with this lamp. The MR-11 is even smaller in size but is limited to 35w of light. I especially like the new IR MR16 lamps by Ozram Sylvania. A 50W IR FL 40 provides 3000 CBCP (Center Beam candle Power) comparing to GE 71W MR16 FL 40 that provides 2200 CBCP.

Special Lighting Applications and Lighting Effects Questions

looking for lighting to put in a half inch channel,to up light
crushed glass. 12 or 24 volt. problems exsiting,not bright enough to cast
thourgh the glass. do you have any suggestions, thanks

A. Your application would be served best through a Fiber optic light frame that is specially designed for edge illumination of glass panels. It provides a receiving channel to align fibers to the edge of the panel. We have four panel thickness sizes: 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" wide. Also, a remote illuminator is required.
Another option is to use an LED light strip which can be mounted inside the channel.

Reccessed Lighting Questions

I have a concrete ceiling, which I am not allowed to channel. I also have a very low ceiling height. I can spare 3" from the concrete to the bottom of a finished ceiling. Is there any light fixture recessed or semi-recessed that can fit in such a shallow condition?

A. We have some types of recessed lights that can solve this problem for you. The housing height is 3 1/8" and the trim diameter is about 4". The lamp type is 12V 50W MR16.
We have a variety of trim colors: black, white, gold, chrome and more...

Shipping In Advance Questions

Inground Lighting & Step Lightin: Can housings for inground lights and/or step lights ship earlier than the remaining fixture so I can pour the concrete right away?

A. In most cases the housing can be shipped separately, however if differs by manufacturer and by fixture. Please contact customer service to determine if the particular fixture has this ability.