LED Panel Luminaires Selection Guide

LED panels are split into flush-mounted and surface-mounted by mounting style; terms like backlight, slim, clip-in and frameless describe the construction.

This guide explains what to look for when choosing products in the LED Panel Luminaires category.

Types of LED panels

Panels are distinguished by mounting style and body construction. Models recessed into a suspended ceiling are in the flush-mounted LED panel luminaires group, and housed models screwed to the ceiling surface are in the surface-mounted LED panel luminaires group. The construction terms that appear in product names are:

• Backlight: the LEDs are arranged behind the diffuser and the light goes directly forward.
• Slim: the trade name for panels with a thin body. A thin body is mostly achieved with edge lighting: the LEDs are arranged on the frame and the light spreads across the surface through a light guide plate. Verify the construction and thickness from the manufacturer's data.
• Clip-in: made to sit in clip-in metal suspended ceilings with a concealed carrier profile.
• Frameless: a panel with no visible frame. For some of the round frameless models, the cut-out dimension is given as a range instead of a single value; the panel can be fitted to an existing ceiling hole within this range.

Mounting by ceiling type

• Tiled (T-profile) suspended ceiling: the panel sits on the carrier profiles in place of a ceiling tile. In the store data, ACK flush-mounted panels in the 60x60 cm class are recorded as 595 mm x 595 mm.
• Plasterboard ceiling: an opening slightly smaller than the panel's outer dimensions is cut, and the panel is fixed with spring clips or a plasterboard-type housing. Plan the cut according to the Cut-out Dimensions value in the product data.
• Clip-in metal ceiling: a clip-in panel is required; compare the module size of the ceiling system with the manufacturer's data.
• Concrete or plastered ceiling: a surface-mounted panel, or a surface-mounted housing used together with a flush-mounted panel, is chosen.

Surface-mounted housings, clip-in housings and plasterboard spring clips are listed separately in the LED panel housings category.

Illuminance and glare limit for offices and classrooms

EN 12464-1, the lighting standard for indoor workplaces, gives for office areas where writing, reading and data processing take place a maintained illuminance of 500 lx, an upper limit of 19 for UGR and a color rendering index (Ra) of at least 80. The 2021 edition of the standard also calls for 500 lx for general activities in classrooms; it notes that in classrooms used by small children, 300 lx may be used with dimmed light.

Lux is lumens per square meter (1 lx = 1 lm/m²). The number of panels therefore cannot be read from the wattage; the total luminous flux, the room area and the reflectance of the surfaces are all part of the calculation, and the exact number is found with a lighting calculation.

UGR rates glare and is calculated not for a single luminaire but for all the luminaires contributing to glare together. In some ACK series a UGR19 diffuser appears as a manufacturer option; for spaces where people work at screens, confirm this option before ordering.

Driver, dimming and emergency options

The LED driver determines whether the panel can be dimmed; for dimming, a dimmable driver and a compatible dimmer or control system are required. In some ACK series, DALI, DIM and an emergency kit are listed as manufacturer options. DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is a digital lighting control protocol defined in the IEC 62386 standard that allows two-way communication between devices. Options may not come installed on the standard product; they must be specified separately in the order.

The "ENEC driver" wording in a product name refers to the driver: ENEC is the European mark that indicates conformity of electrical products with European safety standards. For panels that are required to stay lit during an outage, compatibility with the emergency kits is checked from the kit and driver data.

When another luminaire replaces the panel

The IP ratings recorded for the panels are IP20 and IP40; a 0 as the second digit of the IP code indicates no protection against water. For damp and dusty spaces look at LED tri-proof luminaires, for spot lighting in tight areas LED downlight luminaires, and for line-shaped light on the ceiling linear luminaires.

Brands in this category

• ACK: flush-mounted and surface-mounted round and square panels, backlight and clip-in backlight models, frameless panels, CCT and remote-controlled CCT panels.
• İnoled: flush-mounted and surface-mounted, square and round panels in the Lumia, Supra and Niva series; some models have the ENEC driver wording in their names.
• Cata: 60x60 backlight panel, 30x30 slim panel and surface-mounted panels.

Ordering notes

All products are sold per piece. Some are listed as made to order; for these products the lead time is confirmed before the order. You can reach a product directly by typing the model code (for example AP04-01890) into the site search.

LED Panel Luminaire Types and Mounting Comparison Table

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a backlight LED panel and a slim panel?

In a backlight panel the LEDs are arranged behind the diffuser and the light goes directly forward. In thin panels sold under the name slim, the LEDs are mostly at the edge of the frame; the light spreads across the surface through a light guide plate and the body is thinner. Because slim is a trade name, verify the construction from the manufacturer's data; compare the thickness and cut-out dimension for the ceiling void, and the luminous flux value for the amount of light.

Why is the size of a 60x60 LED panel written as 595 mm?

In a tiled suspended ceiling, the panel sits between the carrier profiles in place of a ceiling tile; for this reason the body is made slightly smaller than the 60x60 cm ceiling module. In the store data, ACK flush-mounted panels in this class are recorded as 595 mm x 595 mm, with a cut-out dimension of 575 mm x 575 mm. Before ordering, measure your own ceiling module and compare it with the product dimensions.

How many lux and which UGR value are required for office lighting?

The EN 12464-1 standard gives for office areas where writing, reading and data processing take place a maintained illuminance of 500 lx, an upper limit of 19 for UGR and a color rendering index of at least 80. These values are the result of the whole installation, not of a single panel; the number and placement of panels are determined by a lighting calculation. If the project specification asks for a different value, the specification is the basis.

Can an LED panel be dimmed with a dimmer?

Only panels whose driver is dimmable can be dimmed; the dimming method (phase-cut, 1-10 V or DALI) depends on the driver. In some ACK series in this category, DALI and DIM appear as manufacturer options, but they may not come installed on the standard product. State the dimming type in the order and verify from the manufacturer's data that the dimmer or control system to be used is compatible with the driver.

Can an LED panel be used in a bathroom or outdoors?

The product data of this category includes the IP20 and IP40 ratings. The second digit of the IP code indicates protection against water, and a value of 0 means there is no protection. In places exposed to splashing water, steam or rain, a tri-proof luminaire or a luminaire with an IP rating suited to the environment is chosen instead of these panels; the decision is made according to the project and manufacturer data.

Which ceilings is a clip-in LED panel used in?

A clip-in panel is made for clip-in metal suspended ceiling systems with a concealed carrier profile, and it clips onto the carrier like a ceiling tile. T-profile tiled ceilings and plasterboard ceilings need a different mounting method. Before ordering, compare the module size of the ceiling system with the panel dimensions; for adapting to other ceiling types, see the separately sold panel housings.