LED Floodlights Selection Guide
LED floodlights are divided into white, colored and sensor models; comparison is based on lumens and the lighting calculation rather than watts.
This guide explains what to look at when choosing products in the LED Floodlights category.
LED floodlight types
- White light floodlights: 3000 K, 4000 K and 6500 K models are the main group for area, facade and work site lighting.
- Colored floodlights: single-color amber, green and blue models, and RGB models that change color by remote control. They are chosen for color effect, not for illuminance; they are not compared with white models on lumens.
- Sensor floodlights: models with the sensor built into the housing; verify the sensing type and adjustment options from the manufacturer data.
Applications that are not a floodlight's job are in separate categories: LED wall washers for washing a wall surface along its whole length, LED street luminaires for pole-mounted lighting along a road, solar LED luminaires for points where a mains line cannot be run, and floor and pool lighting for in-ground and in-pool use.
Lumens and the lighting calculation instead of power
Watts show consumption, not light. In this category there are both a 30 W model giving 2800 lm and one giving 3780 lm; the first comes to about 93 lm/W and the second to 126 lm/W. Make the comparison on the luminous flux in the product name or on the product page.
Illuminance (lx) is lumens per square meter; when the same floodlight is spread over a larger area, the lux drops. The lighting standard for outdoor workplaces such as car parks, loading areas and construction sites is EN 12464-2; take the target illuminance from the current edition of the standard and from the project specification. How much of the floodlight's light falls on the target area depends on the mounting height, the tilt and the beam angle. For this reason the quantity is found not by dividing total lumens by the area, but by a lighting calculation made with the manufacturer's photometric data.
Beam angle, height and aiming
Models whose product data gives a beam angle of 115° are wide-angle: the light spreads over a near and wide area. When the same floodlight is mounted higher, it lights a larger area at a lower illuminance. To light a distant point or a narrow surface, a narrow-angle optic is needed. A floodlight aimed near horizontal sends part of the light outside the target, onto the road and the neighboring parcel, and can cause glare; where possible, aim from high up downward.
Supply line and control
On site and facade floodlights the supply line is often long; you can pre-check the adequacy of the cross-section with the voltage drop calculation tool. Cable type, cross-section and protection are determined by the project.
To turn floodlights on at dusk, photocell relays or astronomical timer relays are used. If the total load exceeds the contact rating of the control element, the load is switched through lighting contactors. To turn a floodlight on with an external detector, see the lighting motion sensors category, and compare the sensor's switching power with the total load, taking the value the manufacturer gives for LED loads as the basis.
Brands in this category
- İnoled: white, amber, green and blue floodlights and sensor models in the Egra series; the IP rating is stated in the product names, and the luminous flux as well for white models.
- ACK: LED floodlights with AT62 codes; 3000 K and 6500 K white, plus green and RGB models.
- Cata: floodlights with CT codes in powers such as 20 W, 30 W and 50 W.
Order notes
Products are sold by the piece. Some are listed as made to order; for these models the lead time is confirmed before ordering. You can find the model you are looking for by its manufacturer code (for example AT62-19132 or CT-4658) through the site search.
Comparison and selection table
| Selection Criterion | Compact Area Floodlight (10 W – 50 W) | Medium-Power Perimeter Floodlight (100 W – 200 W) | High-Mast / Stadium Floodlight (300 W – 1000 W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounting Height | 2.5 m – 6 m (entrances, signage, courtyards) | 6 m – 12 m (factory yards, parking lots, loading docks) | 12 m – 30+ m (ports, cranes, sports fields, quarries) |
| Lumens & Optics | 900 – 5,000 lm, 110°–120° wide symmetric beam | 10,000 – 26,000 lm, wide or asymmetric lens | 36,000 – 140,000+ lm, narrow/asymmetric multi-module optics |
| Protection & Surge | IP65 / IP66, tempered glass, die-cast aluminum body | IP65 / IP66, built-in surge protection (4–6 kV) | IP66, heavy-duty bracket & 10 kV surge immunity |
| Options & CCT | Standard or PIR motion sensor; 3000K / 6500K / Green | 6500K cool daylight or 4000K neutral white | 5000K / 6500K high-efficacy (lm/W) industrial grade |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an IP65 and an IP66 LED floodlight?
In both ratings the first digit is 6, meaning the housing is dust-tight. The difference is in the second digit: 5 defines protection against water jets, and 6 against powerful water jets. Neither covers immersion in water. Which rating is needed for a facade or site that receives rain is determined by whether the luminaire will be washed with pressurized water and by the project requirement.
Can an LED floodlight be used in a pool or underwater?
The floodlights with a recorded IP rating in this category are IP64, IP65 and IP66; these ratings define protection against splashing water and water jets, and do not cover immersion. Immersion protection is defined in the ratings whose second IP digit is 7 and 8. For in-pool and in-ground applications, see the separate floor and pool lighting category; the decision is made according to the project and manufacturer data.
How do you find how many floodlights a car park or site needs?
First the target illuminance is determined; for outdoor workplaces, the EN 12464-2 standard and the project specification give these values. Dividing the total lumens by the area gives only a rough upper limit for the achievable illuminance, because part of the light falls outside the target area. The exact quantity, mounting height and aiming are determined by a lighting calculation made with the manufacturer's photometric data.
How is a floodlight chosen for a sign or billboard?
First determine the size of the board surface and the distance of the floodlight from the board. To light a wide surface from a short distance, a wide-angle model is needed, and for a narrow surface from far away, a narrow-angle optic. Light color affects how the print looks; use a single color temperature on the same board. Aim the floodlight at the surface, not at the eyes of viewers or at the road.
How many lumens per watt does an LED floodlight give?
It varies by model; the value is found by dividing luminous flux by power. In this category, a 30 W model giving 2800 lm comes to about 93 lm/W, and one giving 3780 lm comes to 126 lm/W. For models that do not state lumens in the product name, look at the luminous flux field on the product page; if the value is not there either, verify it from manufacturer data.
Is a sensor floodlight or an external motion sensor preferred?
A sensor floodlight is a single piece, so it shortens installation at a single door or entry point; the sensor stays where the luminaire is mounted. An external sensor is placed independently of the luminaire, and several floodlights can be switched on with a single sensor. With the external solution, the sensor's switching power is compared with the total floodlight load, and if necessary the load is switched through a contactor.