What is a LED BR Light Bulb?

If you have recessed cans in your home, office, or retail space, you may be considering switching to a more energy efficient light bulb. Choosing between light bulbs doesn’t have to be daunting. Like many people, you’re probably interested in saving money.

BR bulbs come in a variety of wattages and light outputs for many different settings. If you want to determine the wattage and light output of a new BR LED bulb, you must take into consideration your ceiling height, and level of desired brightness for your space. For example, in a standard ceiling, you would replace your traditional 65-watt incandescent bulbs with a 9 to 10-watt BR bulb. That’s a huge reduction in power usage!

This means that for the same level of desired brightness, a BR LED bulb can be way more energy efficient and save you money on your annual electricity bill.

Did you know that...
From all its energy savings, a 9-watt LED light bulb could practically pay for itself in a years’ time.

Both kinds of bulbs are practically interchangeable, depending on your space and your lighting needs. If you are looking for a sharp, more focused light, you may consider Par bulbs. However, you may find that BR bulbs can offer just as much light output.

BR stands for Bulge Reflector and refers to the reflective coating that is found inside the bulb that directs the light forward. BR LED light bulbs are great for general ambient lighting, and can fit nicely inside a recessed can. If you are lighting a hallway, or office space, these bulbs can offer great beam angles.

                              Spot Light                                                           Wide Flood Light

Par bulbs, which stands for Parabolic Aluminum Reflector, offer a glass front, with a glass or aluminum reflector. These light bulbs are much more durable, offer better light outputs, and can come in a variety of beam angle choices (narrow flood, medium flood, wide flood, spot).

Did you know that...

LED light bulbs last much longer than any other light source. They can retain their color temperature and brightness (lumens) for many years after their installation.

• BR40 LED flood bulbs are used for general commercial lighting in 6in recessed cans.

• BR30 bulbs are better for lower ceilings.

• BR40 bulbs should be used with higher ceilings.

• BR40 bulbs generally come in higher wattage ranges, to help spread light across the room from a greater height.

The 20, 30, and 40 refer to the size of the bulb in 1/8 inches. So, 20/8”, 30/8”, and 40/8”. To break it down easier, here’s a measurement chart!

Although BR30 bulbs can also fit inside a 6in can, for a more sophisticated look with minimal empty space, we suggest using BR40 bulbs instead. First things to consider before purchasing a replacement LED bulb for a space are:

• Ceiling Height

• Recessed Can Diameter

• Brightness (Lumens)

• Power (Wattage)

Interested in upgrading your lighting space? Don’t want to spend a lot of time on the installation process? Consider purchasing a LED downlight retrofit kit instead. Although a bit costly, these kits offer easy installation, and can give a clean sleek finish to your commercial space. Simply choose a retrofit kit, select your light output, choose the perfect color temperature, and 1, 2, 3, DONE! 

For more help, refer to our Retrofit Guide. 

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